Automated Image Framing with Dynamic Aspect Ratio Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current online printing services lack the ability to automatically generate frame images around user-provided images with any aspect ratio, often requiring cropping that can be time-consuming and unsatisfactory, especially when images do not match predefined fixed aspect ratio image containers.
Innovation Solution
A system that dynamically creates frame component images through cropping and sizing operations, positioning them relative to the content image to form a frame, while employing minimum proportion and overlap constraints to control size and position relationships, allowing for flexible framing of images regardless of their aspect ratio.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If fixed aspect ratio image containers are used, then the frame design is simple and consistent, but the user image must be cropped which is time-consuming and may produce unsatisfactory results
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the frame container's aspect ratio variable rather than fixed. The system dynamically adjusts the image container's aspect ratio to match the user's uploaded image, eliminating the need for manual cropping while maintaining consistent frame design elements through template-based construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the aspect ratio parameter of the image container dynamically based on the input image dimensions. By allowing the container's width-to-height ratio to vary, the system accommodates any image aspect ratio without requiring cropping, thus resolving the contradiction between design simplicity and cropping time.
2Ease of operation
If manual cropping tool is provided, then the user has control over the cropping process, but the process becomes time-consuming and frustrating
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs the cropping function automatically without requiring user intervention. By detecting the image aspect ratio and automatically adjusting the container dimensions, the system serves itself to eliminate the time-consuming manual cropping process while still achieving the desired result of proper image framing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs the aspect ratio matching and container adjustment action beforehand, before the user needs to interact with the framing process. This preliminary automatic adjustment eliminates the need for subsequent manual cropping operations, saving user time and effort.
3Productivity
If automatic cropping is performed, then the process is fast and requires no user effort, but the resulting image version may be totally unsatisfactory to the user
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts the frame container to the user's image rather than forcing the image into a fixed container. This dynamic adjustment maintains image integrity and user satisfaction while achieving fast automatic frame creation, as the container is resized to match the image dimensions rather than cropping the image.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of cropping the image to fit a fixed container (traditional approach), the system inverts the approach by resizing the container to fit the image. This reversal maintains the entire image while achieving automatic framing, thus improving both productivity and user satisfaction.
4Adaptability or versatility
If flexible aspect ratio framing is implemented, then any image can be framed without cropping, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is segmented into template-based components that can be independently configured. By dividing the framing system into modular template elements, the system achieves flexible aspect ratio adaptation without significant complexity increase, as each template can be independently scaled and positioned.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for automatically creating a frame image for a content image are presented, and include retaining in electronic storage one or more master frame component images, automatically cropping at least one of the master frame component images to create a plurality of frame component images including at least a plurality of cropped versions of the master frame component images, and automatically assembling the frame component images into a frame on a display such that the frame appears as a frame image for the content image when the frame component images and content image are displayed together.