摘要:
In contrast to prior art picture database browsing and retrieving methods which require the tedious opening and perusing of directories, folders and files, the present-inventive graphical user interface system (500) and method produces several display levels (100,200,300,400) of user-friendly geographical/map metaphors from picture metadata with picture icons (116, 216, 316) representing pictures captured at locations on maps. The characteristics of the display levels (100, 200, 300, 400) are programmable by the user. In the preferred embodiment, the size of the picture icons (116, 216, 316) is proportional to the number of pictures captured at the icon location. Further features of the present-inventive graphical user interface (GUI) include a “tool tip” which appears indicating the number of pictures represented by a picture icon (116, 216, 316), when the screen cursor is placed over the picture icon (116, 216, 316). In an example according to the present-inventive GUI, the first display level (100) includes a world map metaphor (114) with picture icons (116) located at the global capture locations of the pictures in the picture database. Each additional display level (200, 300, 400) provides greater geographic specificity of the picture capture locations. Such additional display levels include continent or country of capture (200), state or territory of capture (300), and city or town of capture (400), etc., with the last display level including thumbnail representations (430-448) of the pictures captured at the specified capture locations.
摘要:
A comprehensive, multi-dimensional graphical user interface (GUI) using metadata provides for multiple methods and displays for browsing and retrieving pictures in a picture database. The main level display 100, which is linked to other level displays has in the preferred embodiment, a hierarchical picture grouping iconic region (104) with directories and files containing pictures in the database, a main display area (102) for displaying pictures, thumbnails and graphical browsers, a picture content iconic region (106) according to predefined content categories and picture metadata, and a graphical browser region (108) having indicia of the graphical browsers utilized by the GUI. In addition to the main level (100), the present-inventive GUI also has a number of display levels linked to the main display level (100) via one or more icons (104, 106, 108 and 110) in the main display level.
摘要:
A novel graphical user interface (GUI) using metadata, generates three-dimensional scatter plots (100, 200, 300, 400) for the efficient and aesthetic navigation and retrieval of pictures in a picture database. The first and second dimensions (102, 104, 202, 204, 302, 304, 402, 404) represent abscissas and ordinates corresponding to two picture characteristics chosen by the user. Distinguishing characteristics of icons (108-126, 208-230, 308-326, 408-430) in the scatter plot (100, 200, 300, 400), which icons represent groups of pictures, indicate the third dimension, also chosen by the user. In the preferred embodiment, the third dimension is indicated by the color of the icon (108-126, 208-230, 308-326, 408-430). Along with many other possibilities, the three dimensions of a scatter plot (100, 200, 300, 400) can represent combinations of “Who,” “What,” “When,” “Where,” and “Why” picture characteristic information contained in the picture metadata. Activating an icon (108-126, 208-230, 308-326, 408-430) produces a thumbnail of the pictures in the group represented by the particular icon (108-126, 208-230, 308-326, 408-430). Updating one display dimension dynamically updates the other display dimensions.
摘要:
A multi-layer graphical user interface (GUI) using metadata, provides for timeline metaphoric representations (100A, 100B, 200A, 200B, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900) of pictures in a digital picture database. Icons (104A, 106B, 204A, 208B, 304, 404, 504, 604, 704, 804, 904) representing the points of time by which all of the pictures are categorized are sized according to the relative number of corresponding pictures. The most general view is in the form of a timeline (102A, 102B, 202A, 206B, 302, 402, 502, 602, 702, 802, 902) using either years or decades (when the pictures were taken) as the measuring units. Views linked to the general view further refine the general view with icons (104A, 106B, 204A, 208B, 304, 404, 504, 604, 704, 804, 904) proportionately sized according to the number of pictures corresponding to the categorization represented by the particular icon. The aforementioned further refining views further categorize the pictures according to, for example, month, day of the week, time of day, identified events, and identified people in the pictures.
摘要:
A graphical user interface (GUI) allows a picture database user to enter metadata serving to annotate digital pictures to promote efficient picture database browsing. The annotation is permitted, not just for individual pictures, but for groups of pictures. The annotation information can be entered quickly, via a user-friendly interface (200, 204, 206), and can contain “social” information (via 116, 118 and 120) about groups of pictures (130–146), such as capture location, date and time, people or objects featured in groups of pictures, and events recorded by a group of pictures.