Image Search Server for Electronic Album Layout

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users face difficulties in finding images that match their preferences when revising an automatically created electronic album, as existing systems lack efficient methods for selecting images based on user preferences.

Innovation Solution

An image search server and method that groups images by capture date and time, calculates feature quantities, and uses weighting coefficients to score and prioritize images for layout, allowing users to edit and refine the selection process to align with their preferences.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If images are automatically selected and placed in layout frames, then album creation efficiency is improved, but user preference matching deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealbum creation efficiencyVSAvoiduser preference matching
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by automatically creating an album with initially selected images before user revision. This allows the system to provide a head start in album creation while still allowing subsequent user refinement to match preferences accurately.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms during the image selection process, where user interactions and preferences are continuously incorporated to refine image selection. This ensures that automatic selection is progressively adjusted to match user preferences throughout the revision process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Manufacturing precision

If users manually select images from a large number of images, then user preference matching is improved, but operation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser preference matchingVSAvoidoperation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the image selection process into multiple stages: automatic initial selection, user review, and incremental refinement. This breaks down the complex task of selecting from many images into manageable steps, reducing operation complexity while maintaining preference matching accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary automatic image selection to create an initial album draft, reducing the number of images users need to manually evaluate. This preliminary action filters down the large image set to more manageable candidates that are pre-sorted by relevance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Manufacturing precision

If users revise an automatically created album, then user preference matching is improved, but time consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser preference matchingVSAvoidtime consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies partial action by allowing users to revise only specific aspects of the automatically created album rather than requiring complete manual reconstruction. Users can selectively adjust image selections in layout frames rather than recreating the entire album, reducing time consumption while maintaining preference matching.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

4Manufacturing precision

If the system provides full manual control over image selection, then user preference matching is improved, but productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser preference matchingVSAvoidalbum creation efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges automatic image selection algorithms with manual user control in a hybrid approach. The automatic system handles initial selection and sorting to maintain productivity, while user control is integrated for preference refinement, combining the benefits of both automated efficiency and manual precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The automatic system performs preliminary image selection and organization before user intervention, creating a pre-sorted set of candidate images. This preliminary action maintains productivity by handling the bulk selection work automatically, while user control is then applied to refine the selection for preference matching.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3367338B1Image search apparatus, method of controlling operation of same, and image search server
Publication Date: 2019.07.10 FUJIFILM CORP
  • EP3367338B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3367338B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3367338B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Images in line with user preference are found. Specifically, an image is being displayed in a candidate area within an editing image that is for editing a page image constituting an electronic album. If this displayed image is moved onto the page image, it is construed that the moved image is an image in line with user preference. Images having characteristics similar to the characteristics of the moved image are made more likely to be displayed as a page image apart from the first-mentioned page image. If the displayed image is moved onto a deletion area, it is construed that the moved image is an image not in line with user preference. Images having characteristics similar to the characteristics of the moved image are less likely to be displayed as a page image apart from the first-mentioned page image.