Animated Preview Generator for Digital Image Collections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional digital image preview technologies do not allow users to quickly and easily view representative images from large collections, such as thousands of photographs, making it difficult to distinguish between images taken on different days or events.
Innovation Solution
An animated preview generator application identifies and displays representative images from a group of digital images, creating an animated preview that showcases key images from a selection, such as those taken during a specific event, allowing users to associate the images with the event.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If conventional thumbnail previews are used to display digital images, then storage capacity is sufficient and printing costs are low, but users cannot quickly distinguish representative images from large collections taken during different events or times
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by transforming static thumbnail previews into dynamic animated previews that automatically cycle through multiple representative images. This dynamic presentation allows users to view multiple images over time without manually scrolling or navigating, thereby preserving image content information while reducing the time required to identify representative images from large collections.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by automatically selecting and preparing representative images before user viewing. The application analyzes the image collection, identifies key representative images, and pre-arranges them for display in the animated preview, eliminating the need for users to manually search through thousands of images to find representative content.
2Quantity of substance
If users manually navigate through thousands of digital photographs to find representative images, then complete image collections are available, but the process is time-consuming and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies extraction by automatically selecting and extracting representative images from large collections. The system analyzes thousands of images and extracts only the most representative ones for display in the animated preview, maintaining the benefit of having complete image collections available while dramatically increasing review speed by presenting only key images.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates simplified copies or representations of large image collections through animated previews that showcase representative images. Instead of requiring users to examine every original image, the system generates a condensed animated representation that captures the essence of the collection, thereby maintaining information integrity while improving productivity.
3Ease of operation
If static folder previews showing four thumbnails are used, then simple navigation is provided, but no information is given about what images are contained within the folder
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains ease of operation by keeping the preview display simple and automatic, requiring no user configuration. It simultaneously overcomes the information limitation by using dynamic animation to cycle through multiple representative images, providing rich content information about folder contents while preserving the simplicity of automatic display.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies periodic action by cycling through representative images at regular intervals in the animated preview. This periodic display pattern provides continuous information about folder contents without requiring user interaction, maintaining ease of operation while dramatically improving the amount of content information conveyed compared to static thumbnails.
Data Source
AI summary
Computer program products, methods, systems, etc. for generating an animated preview of a number of images are disclosed. A selection of a group of images is received. A set of digital images from the group of images are identified as being representative of the group. At least some portion of the identified set of representative digital images from the group is then used to create an animated image. The animated image serves as a preview of the group of images, such that, when a user browses the images and sees the preview associated with a corresponding folder or directory, the user is able to quickly and easily associate the images in the group with a particular event and identify contents of the folder or directory.