Image Background Replacement Using Geographic Location Matching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users face challenges in replacing the background of images with suitable alternatives that match the original image's parameters, such as geographic location, lighting, and size, leading to undesirable appearances in the resulting images.

Innovation Solution

The system uses image-processing algorithms to identify the object and background of an image, determines the geographic location, and retrieves matching images from a database, selecting one based on parameters like size, orientation, and lighting conditions to overlay the object onto the new background, ensuring a visually realistic outcome.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If users manually select replacement images without automated assistance, then they have control over the selection process, but they spend excessive time and effort finding suitable images that match multiple parameters

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of background replacementVSAvoidtime spent finding replacement images

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by automatically analyzing the original image to extract geographic location data, visual parameters (lighting, orientation, aspect ratio), and object information before the user needs to select a replacement image. This pre-processing eliminates the need for users to manually search and evaluate multiple images, directly reducing time loss while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If the system retrieves multiple images matching geographic location, then users have more options, but it increases computational resources and time required to process and evaluate images

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of replacement image optionsVSAvoidcomputational resources consumed

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies local quality by filtering and ranking retrieved images based on specific local parameters such as lighting conditions, orientation, aspect ratio, and geographic location matches. Instead of treating all retrieved images equally, the system prioritizes images that match the original image's specific characteristics, reducing the computational burden of evaluating all images while maintaining diverse options.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes parameters by transforming the search criteria from simple geographic location matching to multi-parameter filtering including visual characteristics (lighting, orientation, aspect ratio) and temporal information. This parameter transformation allows the system to retrieve a manageable set of high-quality matches without consuming excessive computational resources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If the system overlays the object onto retrieved images without parameter matching, then the process is faster, but the resulting image has undesirable appearance requiring additional editing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespeed of background replacementVSAvoidvisual quality of resulting image

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system incorporates feedback by continuously comparing the parameters of retrieved images against the original image characteristics and adjusting the selection process accordingly. The feedback loop ensures that only images with matching parameters (lighting, orientation, aspect ratio, geographic location) are selected for overlaying, guaranteeing high visual quality while maintaining fast processing speeds through automated parameter verification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

4Manufacturing precision

If the system considers multiple parameters (size, orientation, lighting, aspect ratio) for image selection, then the visual realism improves, but the complexity of the selection algorithm increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisual realism of composite imageVSAvoidcomplexity of image selection algorithm

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the complex selection algorithm into distinct modular components: geographic location matching, visual parameter extraction (lighting, orientation, aspect ratio), object detection, and image overlay. This segmentation allows each component to handle a specific parameter independently, reducing overall algorithmic complexity while maintaining high visual realism through comprehensive parameter consideration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS10944921B2Replacing a background portion of an image

Publication Date: 2021.03.09 ADEIA GUIDES INC

AI summary

Systems and methods are described for replacing a background portion of an image. An illustrative method includes receiving a first image, identifying a background portion of the first image and a subject portion of the first image, identifying a geographic location corresponding to the background portion of the first image, identifying a landmark associated with the geographic location of the object, retrieving a second image depicting the landmark, and generating for display a third image comprising the subject portion of the first image placed over the second image.