Picture Grouping Method for Mobile Terminal Memory Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users face inconvenience and inefficiency in managing multiple similar pictures stored on mobile terminals, as existing methods require manual sorting and processing, leading to memory issues and performance impacts.

Innovation Solution

A picture processing method that groups similar pictures based on attributes like photographing time and features, allowing for convenient and time-efficient processing by displaying them in chronological order, with options to save or delete pictures within these groups.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If all pictures are stored in the terminal, then the user has access to complete picture collection, but terminal memory is consumed and terminal performance is impacted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepicture collection completenessVSAvoidterminal memory usage
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes duplicate or redundant pictures from the terminal storage by identifying similar pictures through image recognition technology. When duplicates are detected, only one representative picture is retained while others are deleted, thereby reducing terminal memory usage while preserving the essential picture collection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Ease of operation

If manual recognition of similar pictures is performed by user, then picture processing can be done, but user time and operational complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepicture processing simplicityVSAvoiduser processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs automatic picture management by itself without requiring continuous user intervention. The terminal autonomously identifies similar pictures through image recognition, groups them, and presents processing options to the user, thereby reducing both operational complexity and time investment required from the user.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of user visual inspection and manual picture management with an automated image recognition system. The system uses computational algorithms to automatically detect, compare, and identify similar pictures, substituting human cognitive and manual operations with automated technological processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If pictures are displayed individually, then each picture can be viewed, but user efficiency in processing similar pictures decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepicture processing efficiencyVSAvoiduser operation convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges similar pictures into grouped displays where related pictures are shown together in a consolidated view. Instead of displaying each picture individually, the system clusters similar pictures and presents them as a group, allowing users to process multiple related pictures simultaneously through single operations, thereby improving processing efficiency while maintaining ease of use.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3125135B1Picture processing method and device
Publication Date: 2020.06.17 XIAOMI INC
  • EP3125135B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3125135B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3125135B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

An embodiment herein relates to a picture processing method and device, belonging to the field of terminal technology. The method includes that: during memory space management, all pictures in a picture directory are scanned (101, 203); at least one group of similar pictures is generated according to information on an attribute of each picture and pre-extracted picture features of the each picture (102, 204), the information on the attribute including at least a photographing time; pictures in each group of similar pictures are displayed in units of groups of similar pictures in an order of photographing time (103, 205); and a picture in each group of similar pictures is processed according to a detected operation (104, 206).