Hierarchical Image Navigation via Viewpoint Linking

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Solution Overview

Problem

As image processing technologies become more complex, accessing desired information within content becomes inefficient due to the complication of images and expansion of data size, making it difficult to quickly retrieve or modify content.

Innovation Solution

An image processing system that uses a hierarchical data structure and link settings to allow users to efficiently access and navigate through content by moving a viewpoint, switching between images, and managing data in a way that reduces data size and simplifies editing and revising processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If image processing technologies are advanced to display high-quality images, then image quality is improved, but data size expands and access efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage qualityVSAvoidaccess efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides content into multiple images with a hierarchical structure, where a plurality of images are organized under parent-child relationships. This segmentation allows the system to load and display only relevant portions of content based on user viewpoint, rather than loading entire high-resolution content, thus maintaining image quality while reducing data access time and memory requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Loss of information

If content structure is complicated to provide comprehensive information, then information completeness is improved, but ease of access deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation completenessVSAvoidaccess efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a hierarchical dimension to organize images, creating parent-child relationships that structure content logically. This hierarchical organization allows users to navigate content systematically from general to specific information, maintaining completeness while improving access efficiency through structured navigation rather than searching through flat, unorganized data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-organizes images into hierarchical structures with defined parent-child relationships before user interaction. This preliminary structuring enables efficient viewpoint-based navigation, where the system can quickly determine which child images to display based on the current viewpoint, without requiring complex real-time processing during user interaction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Quantity of substance

If data size is expanded to include detailed content, then content richness is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent richnessVSAvoiddata management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting rich content into multiple smaller image units organized hierarchically, the system reduces the complexity of managing large data structures. Each image can be independently managed and loaded only when needed, simplifying memory management and data processing while preserving the overall richness of the content through the collective set of segmented images.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2618245B1Image processing device, content creation device, image processing method, and data structure of content file
Publication Date: 2019.07.03 SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LLC
  • EP2618245B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2618245B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2618245B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In the present invention, when a user gives instructions for commencement of image display (S30) an initial image is displayed (S32). When the user operates an input device to input a viewpoint move request (S34(Y)), successive monitoring is performed to determine whether a display region is included in the link regions set with respect to an active image, and when the display region is included such link is determined to be active (S36(Y)) and the link destination image associated with the relevant link region is displayed (S44). Further, monitoring is performed to determine whether the display region extends beyond the link region set with respect to the link source image, and when even one portion extends beyond, the link is determined to be inactive (S38(Y)) and the display returns to the link source image (S40). When neither case applies, display is continued while the display region is moved within the active image in accordance with viewpoint movement (S36(N), S38(N), S42). If a stop instruction is made display is stopped (S46(Y)).