Normalized Product Images via Template Overlay
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Solution Overview
Problem
Smaller merchants face challenges in showcasing products effectively due to the time and expense of custom photo shoots, making it difficult to create appealing product presentations for online commerce.
Innovation Solution
A system that allows merchants to use outline templates to guide the capture of product images, which are then cropped and superimposed onto base images such as models or scenes, enabling the creation of professional-looking product images without the need for expensive photo shoots.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If custom photo shoots are used to showcase products, then product presentation quality is improved, but time and expense increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses template images that copy the composition and styling of professional photo shoots. Merchants can select from pre-designed templates that replicate the look and feel of expensive custom photos without actually conducting photo shoots. The system overlays product images onto template backgrounds, creating professional presentations through copying rather than original creation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-creating template images that capture the essence of professional product photography. These templates are prepared in advance with proper lighting, composition, and styling elements already in place. Merchants then simply need to provide their product images and the system automatically places them onto the pre-prepared templates, eliminating the need for time-consuming photo shoot setups.
2Ease of manufacture
If custom photo shoots are used to showcase products, then product presentation quality is improved, but cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses template images that copy the composition and styling of professional photo shoots. Merchants can select from pre-designed templates that replicate the look and feel of expensive custom photos without actually conducting photo shoots. The system overlays product images onto template backgrounds, creating professional presentations through copying rather than original creation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs disposable template images that can be easily accessed, used, and discarded. Instead of investing in expensive photo shoot equipment, locations, and talent, merchants use pre-created template images that cost minimal resources. These templates are digital copies that can be downloaded and applied instantly, replacing the need for costly physical photo production resources.
3Ease of operation
If outline templates are used to guide image capture, then ease of use is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces outline templates as intermediary elements that mediate between the merchant's simple image capture action and the complex requirements of professional product photography. The templates serve as visual guides that translate the merchant's basic photo taking into properly composed product images. The system handles the complexity of image processing, overlaying, and template matching automatically, while the merchant only needs to provide raw images.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed in some examples is a method including receiving a selection of an outline template; displaying the outline template in an image preview screen of a digital image capture device; responsive to a capture of an image of the digital image capture device, cropping the image to an outline of the outline template; positioning the cropped image over a second image and sending a combined image formed from the image positioned over the second image to a commerce server, the combined image for use as a product image.