Abstract: An example-based filling system identifies appropriate filling material to replace a destination region in an image and fills the destination region using this material, thereby alleviating or minimizing the amount of manual editing required to fill a destination region in image. Tiles of image data are borrowed from the proximity of the destination region or some other source to generate new image data to fill in the region. Destination regions may be designated by user input (e.g., selection of an image region by a user) or by other means (e.g., specification of a color or feature to be replaced).

Abstract: A blended result image is computed using guided interpolation to alter image data within a destination domain. The destination domain may be altered based on a guided interpolator that is either dependent or not dependent upon a source image. When blending a source region into a destination region of an image, guided interpolation eliminates or minimizes apparent seams between the inserted region and the rest of the image. A variety of interpolation guides may be used to yield different effects in the blended results image. Such interpolation guides may include without limitation an identity guide, a smooth guide, a filtering guide, a transparent guide, a masking guide, and a weighted average combination of various guides.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for interactive construction of an object boundary by minimizing a sum of costs, including costs associated with inconsistency of the image data and costs associated with undesired curve shape properties. A particle filter optimization algorithm is implemented that incorporates a variable strength, intrinsic preference for boundary smoothness. The particle filter generates alternative sequences of random moves, constructed in parallel, to avoid becoming stuck in local minima. Approximate optimization algorithms are utilized, keeping computational burden low, freeing resources to analyze intrinsic costs associated with local curvature. In one embodiment, a user may construct a curve by launching a particle stream, and by choosing visually satisfactory locations on the stream from which to relaunch particles. The user can also provide other input, such as drop down dams to redirect the stream at T-junctions.