Abstract: A system and method are provided for determining a color palette model from an image of a document. Pixel values of the image of the document are clustered to provide image clusters. Color layers of the image are determined, each color layer corresponding to an image cluster. Aspects of the color palette model can be determined using the color layers. Aspects of the color palette model include a foreground-background color pair for a content block in the document and a background-area color of the document.

Abstract: A method includes determining a target layout in which secondary images (504) are placed along an edge (506, 508) of a primary image (502), dividing each of the secondary images (504) into one of a horizontal group and a vertical group according to the target layout and dimensions of each of the secondary images (504), dividing any of the secondary images (504) in the horizontal group into one of a top group (706) and a bottom group (708) according to the target layout and a width of each of the secondary images (504) in the horizontal group, dividing any of the secondary images (504) of the vertical group into one of a left group and a right group according to the target layout and a height of each of the secondary images (504) in the vertical group, and placing each of the secondary images (504) adjacent to an edge (506, 508) of the primary image (502) according to an assigned group of each secondary image (504).

Abstract: Methods and Systems for automatically providing a graphical layout based on an example graphic layout are disclosed. In general, a block boundary analysis is used to identify spatial characteristics of the example graphic layout and an actual content. A database is searched for one or more graphical templates having spatial characteristics that are similar to the spatial characteristics of the example graphic layout. A fit analysis with the spatial characteristics of the actual content is also performed on the graphical templates. The resulting graphical templates are ranked. At least one of the graphical templates in the ranking is automatically filled with the actual content and provided in place of the example graphic layout.

Abstract: A method for incremental graphic object layout editing performed by physical computing system (100) includes associating an initial layout (300) of graphic objects (302) with a data structure; generating a screen map (304) associated with the initial layout (300), the screen map (304) comprising at least one region (306) associated with at least one of the graphic objects (302) from the initial layout (300), the region (306) comprising a number of sub-regions (308, 310) for each graphic object associated with the region (306); providing to a user (112) a cursor (412) allowing the user (112) to indicate a selected region; updating the data structure in response to an editing action based in part on the selected region and a position of the cursor (412) relative to one of the sub-regions (308, 310), the graphic objects not related to the editing action maintaining their relative positions within the data structure; and rearranging the initial layout (300) and the screen map (304) according to the updated data s

Abstract: A method for characterizing an arrangement of template regions includes identifying a first bounding box that includes one or more template regions, identifying a second bounding box of one or more template regions that are not in the first bounding box, organizing the first and second bounding boxes into a new bounding box, and designating the new bounding box as the characterized arrangement of template regions.

Abstract: A system and method for producing a media compilation is described.

Abstract: A method performed by a physical computing system for arranging a plurality of graphic objects on a page includes receiving the plurality of graphic objects in the physical computing system, the plurality of graphic objects including a number of variable graphic objects and a number of fixed graphic objects. The method further includes, for each of the fixed graphic objects, creating a number of discrete dimension sets, generating a number of binary trees, each of the binary trees representing a unique layout for the plurality of graphic objects in which each of the fixed graphic object exhibits one of the discrete dimension sets, assigning a score to each of the binary trees, and arranging the graphic objects according to the layout represented by a binary tree selected from the number of generated binary trees based on the score.

Abstract: A method includes determining a target layout in which secondary images (504) are placed along an edge (506, 508) of a primary image (502), dividing each of the secondary images (504) into one of a horizontal group and a vertical group according to the target layout and dimensions of each of the secondary images (504), dividing any of the secondary images (504) in the horizontal group into one of a top group (706) and a bottom group (708) according to the target layout and a width of each of the secondary images (504) in the horizontal group, dividing any of the secondary images (504) of the vertical group into one of a left group and a right group according to the target layout and a height of each of the secondary images (504) in the vertical group, and placing each of the secondary images (504) adjacent to an edge (506, 508) of the primary image (502) according to an assigned group of each secondary image (504).

Abstract: A system and method are provided for determining a color palette model from an image of a document. Pixel values of the image of the document are clustered to provide image clusters. Color layers of the image are determined, each color layer corresponding to an image cluster. Aspects of the color palette model can be determined using the color layers. Aspects of the color palette model include a foreground-background color pair for a content block in the document and a background-area color of the document.

Abstract: A method for arranging a set of graphic assemblies within an area includes establishing a candidate tree associated with the set of graphic assemblies; determining if the candidate tree is a feasible candidate tree; and in response to the candidate tree being a feasible candidate tree, arranging the set of graphic assemblies within the area in accordance with the candidate tree.

Abstract: A method performed by a physical computing system for arranging a plurality of graphic objects on a page includes receiving the plurality of graphic objects in the physical computing system, the plurality of graphic objects including a number of variable graphic objects and a number of fixed graphic objects. The method further includes, for each of the fixed graphic objects, creating a number of discrete dimension sets, generating a number of binary trees, each of the binary trees representing a unique layout for the plurality of graphic objects in which each of the fixed graphic object exhibits one of the discrete dimension sets, assigning a score to each of the binary trees, and arranging the graphic objects according to the layout represented by a binary tree selected from the number of generated binary trees based on the score.

Abstract: Methods, machines, systems, and machine-readable media for albuming images are described. In one aspect, a first partition of a page corresponding to a first layout of a first set of images on the page is selected from a first set of candidate page partitions. Each candidate page partition corresponds to a respective layout of the first set of images on the page. In response to a user command to modify the first layout, a second partition of the page is selected. The second partition corresponds to a second layout of a second set of images on the page. In another aspect, a first layout of a first set of images is presented on a page and, in response to a user command to modify the first layout, an area in the presentation of the first layout where an image is insertable is indicated. In another aspect, a first layout of a first set of images is presented on a page and, in response to a user command to modify the first layout, sizes and positions of images in the presentation of the first layout are changed.

Abstract: A method for arranging a set of graphic assemblies within an area includes associating a presentation of a first graphic assembly with a tree structure to form a candidate tree; modifying the candidate tree to form at least one alternate candidate tree by associating each presentation of a subsequent graphic assembly with at least one available location in the candidate tree; computing scores for each alternate candidate tree with the subsequent graphic assembly in each possible presentation in the at least one available location on the candidate tree; selecting the alternate candidate tree having a best score; designating the alternate candidate tree having a best score to be the candidate tree; repeating modifying, computing, selecting and designating for all remaining graphic assemblies; and arranging the set of graphic assemblies within the area in accordance with the candidate tree.

Abstract: A method for producing a set of images as a photobook is provided. The method includes selecting a set of images having meta data and determining an attribute value for an attribute associated with each of the images. After determining an attribute value of an attribute, the method adjusts the attribute value associated with at least one of the images to render the attribute value of the images uniform. The method then organizes the images automatically using the meta data and determines a layout of the photobook by automatically adjusting spatial characteristics of the images within the photobook. Once the method determines a layout of the photobook, the method outputs the photobook.

Abstract: A method and system for enhancing images utilizes the direction of a detected edge within an image block of an input image to selectively smooth or sharpen a pixel of the input image that corresponds to that image block. The direction of a detected edge within the image block is determined by computing the horizontal gradient and the vertical gradient, and then using the ratio of the computed gradients. In an exemplary embodiment, the method and system is designed to exclusively use bit shifting to perform multiplications, rather than using digital signal processing. Consequently, the method and system is suitable for implementation in printer firmware and/or hardware.

Abstract: A system and method for scaling and enhancing color text images utilizes a binary scaling and text enhancing technique by first converting an input color text image to a binary image, i.e., black-and-white image. The scaled and text enhanced image is subsequently converted back to a color image by selectively inserting colors into the binary image to produce a color text image that has been scaled and text enhanced. The conversion of the input color text image to a binary image allows the system and method to use one of a number of conventional binary scaling and text enhancing techniques.

Abstract: A method and system for halftoning images that uses error diffusion with partial dots is provided. First, an input picture element (input pixel) that has a picture level (e.g., gray level) is received. Next, a reproducible gray level is generated based on the gray level of an input pixel. Then, a corrected gray level is generated based on the gray level of an input pixel and an error amount (e.g., error propagated or diffused from adjacent areas or pixels). A determination is made whether the corrected gray level is in a predetermined relationship with a threshold. When the corrected gray level is in a predetermined relationship with the threshold, the reproducible gray level (i.e., partial dot size) is provided as output. When the corrected gray level is not in a predetermined relationship with the threshold, a zero value is provided as output.

Abstract: Fiducial mark patterns for graphical bar codes (i.e., images that contain inconspicuous graphical modulations that encode embedded information) that are characterized by high detection robustness and good local deformation tracking are described. In one bar coding method, a base image is modulated with a graphical encoding of a message to produce a graphical bar code, and a fiducial mark pattern comprising a plurality of dots arranged to track one or more reference locations and local deformation across the graphical bar code is generated. In another bar coding method, fiducial mark candidates are identified in a fiducial mark pattern, a fiducial mark path is computed based upon one or more of the identified fiducial mark candidates, and one or more reference locations are identified based upon the computed fiducial mark path.

Abstract: A method for producing a set of images as a photobook is provided. The method includes selecting a set of images having meta data and determining an attribute value for an attribute associated with each of the images. After determining an attribute value of an attribute, the method adjusts the attribute value associated with at least one of the images to render the attribute value of the images uniform. The method then organizes the images automatically using the meta data and determines a layout of the photobook by automatically adjusting spatial characteristics of the images within the photobook. Once the method determines a layout of the photobook, the method outputs the photobook.

Abstract: A method and system for enhancing images utilizes the direction of a detected edge within an image block of an input image to selectively smooth or sharpen a pixel of the input image that corresponds to that image block. The direction of a detected edge within the image block is determined by computing the horizontal gradient and the vertical gradient, and then using the ratio of the computed gradients. In an exemplary embodiment, the method and system is designed to exclusively use bit shifting to perform multiplications, rather than using digital signal processing. Consequently, the method and system is suitable for implementation in printer firmware and/or hardware.