Abstract: A method of composing a multimedia slide show. In a preferred embodiment, the method comprises the steps of: selecting a plurality of digital images; encoding each of the plurality of digital images to generate a normal resolution image portion and a high resolution image portion; multiplexing each corresponding normal and high resolution image portion to generate a single high resolution still image; determining a time parameter for each of the high resolution still images; selecting an audio portion for at least one of the plurality of digital images; concatenating the plurality of high resolution still images to generate a video bitstream; generating an audio bitstream by encoding the audio portion; and multiplexing the video bitstream and audio bitstream to generate the multimedia slide show.

Abstract: A method for customizing a presentation of a set of digital images provided by a user is disclosed, comprising the steps of selecting an initial presentation format criteria for the set of digital images by the user; analyzing the digital images for additional information; providing to the user a first portable electronic storage medium having the set of digital images stored thereon, the images capable of being presented to the user on a display device in accordance with a first presentation format based upon the initial selected presentation format criteria and the analysis of the additional information; and providing a software program to the user enabling the user to select additional presentation format criteria.

Abstract: An imaging system for authoring a multimedia disc.

Abstract: A method for automatically classifying images into events, the method includes the steps of: receiving a plurality of images having either or both date and/or time of image capture; determining one or more largest time differences of the plurality of images based on clustering of the images; and separating the plurality of images into the events based on having one or more boundaries between events which one or more boundaries correspond to the one or more largest time differences.

Abstract: An albuming method includes the automatic adaptation of the page layout of a plurality of images to a boundary condition of an event. The method includes the steps of receiving a plurality of images having event-determining information that relates to one or more events to which the images pertain and the generation of an event boundary based on the on the event-determining information. The images for each event are then laid out into a page format adapted to the event boundary determined for that event. For example, if the page format is determined to have a maximum number of images per page, and if the number of images remaining for the last page are fewer than the maximum number, the page layout of the last or more pages of the event is automatically adapted to the event boundary by, e.g., adjusting the arrangement of the pictures on the last page.

Abstract: A method of storing a digital image file, includes the steps of: storing a header defined by a standard; storing image data encoded according to the standard after the header; and storing an image tail containing non-standard meta-data at the end of the image data.

Abstract: A method for automatically classifying images into events, the method includes the steps of: receiving a plurality of images having either or both date and/or time of image capture; determining one or more largest time differences of the plurality of images based on clustering of the images; and separating the plurality of images into the events based on having one or more boundaries between events which one or more boundaries correspond to the one or more largest time differences.

Abstract: A method for classification of image regions by probabilistic merging of a class probability map and a cluster probability map includes the steps of a) extracting one or more features from an input image composed of image pixels; b) performing unsupervised learning based on the extracted features to obtain a cluster probability map of the image pixels; c) performing supervised learning based on the extracted features to obtain a class probability map of the image pixels; and d) combining the cluster probability map from unsupervised learning and the class probability map from supervised learning to generate a modified class probability map to determine the semantic class of the image regions. In one embodiment the extracted features include color and textual features.

Abstract: A method of producing a multimedia media by accessing, selecting, arranging, composing, compressing, and previewing multimedia materials. The method comprises the intercommunication of computers, imaging devices or kiosks communicating over an internet or communications network to author a multimedia media. The devices share capability over the network to produce the multimedia media. The resultant multimedia media is returned from a fulfillment center.

Abstract: A transition in an MPEG sequence including anchor pictures and bidirectionally predicted (B) pictures is encoded by a) coding first and second anchor pictures and b) coding a transition in the sequence by inserting B pictures into the bitstream to create the transition from the first anchor picture to the second anchor picture.

Abstract: A method for providing specific subject-related advertisement on a digital disc, which advertisement is related to specific content on the digital disc, the method comprises the steps of extracting information from the content; correlating the extracted information to pre-determined advertisements; and placing the correlated advertisement on the disc for providing the specific subject-related advertisement to a user.

Abstract: An albuming method includes the automatic adaptation of the page layout of a plurality of images to a boundary condition of an event. The method includes the steps of receiving a plurality of images having event-determining information that relates to one or more events to which the images pertain and the generation of an event boundary based on the on the event-determining information. The images for each event are then laid out into a page format adapted to the event boundary determined for that event. For example, if the page format is determined to have a maximum number of images per page, and if the number of images remaining for the last page are fewer than the maximum number, the page layout of the last or more pages of the event is automatically adapted to the event boundary by, e.g., adjusting the arrangement of the pictures on the last page.

Abstract: A method of automated content-based grouping of digital images without using auxiliary metadata and training data set, comprises the steps of computing a color correlogram from image pixel values for each of the digital images, grouping the color correlograms into groups within a hierarchical structure based on relative similarities of the color correlograms, and assigning the images to the groups based on the hierarchical structure of the color correlograms.

Abstract: A method for structuring video by probabilistic merging of video segments includes the steps of obtaining a plurality of frames of unstructured video; generating video segments from the unstructured video by detecting shot boundaries based on color dissimilarity between consecutive frames; extracting a feature set by processing pairs of segments for visual dissimilarity and their temporal relationship, thereby generating an inter-segment visual dissimilarity feature and an inter-segment temporal relationship feature; and merging video segments with a merging criterion that applies a probabilistic analysis to the feature set, thereby generating a merging sequence representing the video structure. The probabilistic analysis follows a Bayesian formulation and the merging sequence is represented in a hierarchical tree structure.

Abstract: A method for automatically organizing digitized photographic images into events based on spoken annotations comprises the steps of: providing natural-language text based on spoken annotations corresponding to at least some of the photographic images; extracting predetermined information from the natural-language text that characterizes the annotations of the images; segmenting the images into events by examining each annotation for the presence of certain categories of information which are indicative of a boundary between events; and identifying each event by assembling the categories of information into event descriptions. The invention further comprises the step of summarizing each event by selecting and arranging the event descriptions in a suitable manner, such as in a photographic album.

Abstract: A method for automatically classifying a digital image as a dud, the method comprises the steps of receiving the digital image; determining individually or any combination of sharpness,;contrast, noise, and exposure of the digital image; determining a threshold individually for sharpness, contrast, noise, and exposure, or a threshold for any combination of sharpness, contrast, noise, and exposure which determined threshold or thresholds determines if the image is classified as a dud; and classifying the image as a dud based on the determination of the previous step.

Abstract: A system and method of recording information on a recordable optical disc to provide a multimedia enabled disc. The method comprises the steps of selecting a plurality of digital still images, selecting at least one audio clip, encoding the plurality of digital still images and the audio clip as a single MPEG bitstream, encoding each of the plurality of digital still images as a digital image file; and recording the single MPEG bitstream and the plurality of digital image files on the recordable optical disc.

Abstract: A method for organizing visual digital objects and for selecting one or more of such visual digital objects for viewing includes developing a histogram timeline which identifies a number of visual digital objects organized according to predetermined time periods and providing thumbnail representations thereof; selecting a portion of the histogram timeline for viewing such thumbnail representations of visual digital objects corresponding to such selected portion; and determining if one or more of the viewed such thumbnail representations is of interest and then viewing the corresponding digital visual object(s).

Abstract: An event clustering method uses foreground and background segmentation for clustering images from a group into similar events. Initially, each image is divided into a plurality of blocks, thereby providing block-based images. Utilizing a block-by-block comparison, each block-based image is segmented into a plurality of regions comprising at least a foreground and a background. One or more luminosity, color, position or size features are extracted from the regions and the extracted features are utilized to estimate and compare the similarity of the regions comprising the foreground and background in successive images in the group. Then, a measure of the total similarity between successive images is computed, thereby providing image distance between successive images, and event clusters are delimited from the image distances.

Abstract: A system and method for automatic creation of digital image albums. A Page Creator Module utilizes a genetic engine and a layout evaluation module. The genetic engine evolves a group of images to a plurality of album pages, based on certain layout criteria. The evaluation module calculates layout criteria and compares them with user preferences. When an acceptable image/page layout has been generated, the image/page assignments are transferred to an Image Placement Module. The Image Placement Module utilizes a second genetic engine, which evolves various criteria to generate page layouts genetic structures. These structures define the location, scale, and rotation of images placed on a given page. A layout evaluation module calculates and compares these layouts with certain other preferences and page requirements. When a suitable layout has been generated, a final album output is generated, which may be displayed, printed, or otherwise transferred for subsequent utilization.