Image Display Overlap Feature Extraction Touch Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulties in quickly identifying desired images from a large number of similar images captured during continuous photography, as existing methods either overwhelm with multi-screen displays or fail to accurately distinguish between images based on similarity or focus differences.
Innovation Solution
A display device and method that visually overlaps multiple images, analyzes feature areas with differential processing to distinguish between them, and allows users to specify points on the screen to isolate the desired image, using a touch panel or pointing device for easy selection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple similar images are displayed in a multi-screen manner on the display screen, then the user can view many images at once, but the user hardly distinguishes the good image from other images because of the excessively small display
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the display into multiple regions, with one region showing a large reference image and other regions showing smaller images with only their feature areas (such as faces or objects of interest) extracted and displayed. This segmentation allows users to see multiple images simultaneously while maintaining high distinguishability through the enlarged feature area display.
2Productivity
If similarity is checked for many similar images and the images which are matched with each other to a certain level are not displayed on the display screen, then the number of displayed images is reduced, but sometimes the image desired by the user is not displayed because the photographing apparatus side selfishly determines the similarity of the image
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces feature area extraction as an intermediary mechanism between the photographing apparatus's similarity determination and the final image display. Instead of directly filtering images based on overall similarity, the system extracts distinctive feature areas (such as faces, objects, or unique visual elements) from each image and uses these features for comparison and display selection, thereby preserving user-desired images while maintaining selection efficiency.
3Loss of time
If the display is not performed in the case of a small difference in degree of focus among the similar images, then display time is reduced, but similarly to other similarity-based methods, sometimes the image desired by the user is not displayed because the photographing apparatus side determines the similarity of the image
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter used for image differentiation from overall similarity metrics (including focus degree) to distinctive visual features extracted from specific regions. By focusing on extracted feature areas such as faces, objects, or unique visual elements rather than global image properties like focus degree, the system can quickly identify and display user-desired images without being constrained by subtle focus differences that automated algorithms may misinterpret.
4Ease of operation
If a correlation among the plural images is checked and the user is informed by sound in the case of the similar images, then the user is notified of similar images, but it is necessary for the user to finally see all the images to find out the desired image
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and displays only the distinctive feature areas from multiple images rather than requiring users to view complete images. By taking out and enlarging the most relevant visual features (such as faces, objects, or unique elements) into separate display regions, the system enables users to quickly identify and select desired images without needing to examine all images in full, thereby reducing time loss while maintaining ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A feature area having a visual feature is analyzed for each of at least three of similar images in a memory card, and the analyzed feature areas are displayed on a display screen while overlapped with a reference image. The visual feature is used to distinguish an image from other images in the plural images. In the case where the images of the feature areas are displayed on the display screen while visually overlapped, when a user touches a touch panel on the display screen, the image corresponding to the feature area to which the touched point belongs is read from the memory card and displayed on the display screen.