Image Combining Apparatus Template Selection by Color and Brightness

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image combining systems often fail to produce composite images that align with user preferences, as they rely on tint adjustments, keyword-based processing, and frame selection, which can result in unsatisfactory outcomes, especially when users prefer templates other than those with internal or external frames, or when face images are not present.

Innovation Solution

An image combining apparatus and method that analyze target image characteristics such as brightness, contrast, saturation, hue, color balance, and spatial frequency to find a template image with a specific resemblance threshold, ensuring a strong impact and user preference alignment by combining images with a template that closely matches the target image's characteristics while differing in other aspects.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If tint adjustment is applied to match the image with the album mount, then color harmony is improved, but user preference alignment deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolor harmonyVSAvoiduser preference alignment

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes multiple parameters simultaneously (brightness, contrast, saturation, hue, color balance) rather than adjusting only tint. By modifying the parameter set and using multi-dimensional adjustment, the system achieves both color harmony and user preference alignment, resolving the contradiction between these two requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Loss of information

If keyword-based image processing is executed, then semantic relevance is improved, but user preference alignment deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesemantic relevanceVSAvoiduser preference alignment

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces template images as intermediaries between the target image and the final composite. These templates serve as a bridge that connects semantic content with aesthetic preferences, allowing the system to maintain semantic relevance while also achieving user preference alignment through the template selection and adjustment process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Shape

If only decorative templates with internal and external frames are provided, then template aesthetics are improved, but template selection flexibility deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemplate aestheticsVSAvoidtemplate selection flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides templates with multiple functions: they can serve as decorative frames, as background patterns, or as minimal-border designs. Each template type can be selected and adjusted based on user preference, making the template system universal enough to satisfy diverse aesthetic requirements while maintaining selection flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Measurement precision

If face image analysis is used to extract templates, then template relevance to subject is improved, but applicability to non-face images deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemplate relevance to subjectVSAvoidapplicability to non-face images

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the template selection process into different pathways: one for face images (using face analysis) and another for non-face images (using general image analysis). By dividing the processing into separate segments based on image type, the system maintains high template relevance for face images while ensuring broad applicability to all image types.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

5Adaptability or versatility

If many frame templates are provided for selection, then template variety is improved, but user decision difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemplate varietyVSAvoiduser decision difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides automated feedback by analyzing the target image characteristics (brightness, contrast, saturation, hue, color balance) and recommending templates that best match these characteristics. This feedback mechanism guides users through the template selection process, maintaining high template variety while reducing decision difficulty through intelligent recommendations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS9786076B2Image combining apparatus, image combining method and non-transitory computer readable medium for storing image combining program

Publication Date: 2017.10.10 FUJIFILM CORP

AI summary

A template image is found and a target image is combined with a combining area of the found template image. The template image found has first template image analysis information, which is of a type identical with that of first target image analysis information in target image analysis information consisting of the brightness, contrast, saturation, hue, color balance and spatial frequency of the target image, and for which the degree of resemblance is equal to or greater than a first threshold value, and moreover has second template image analysis information, which is of a type identical with that of second target image analysis information in target image analysis information, and for which the degree of resemblance is less than a second threshold value.