Abstract: A method of providing an image for display comprises: determining a target image size in terms of first and second dimensions; processing an input image to detect a region of interest therein, the region of interest having first and second dimensions; and providing an image for display by modifying the input image having regard to the first and second dimensions of the target image size and the first and second dimensions of the region of interest in the input image. Also disclosed is corresponding apparatus and a corresponding computer program.

Abstract: Metadata is associated with media elements in a content store during automatic composition of media articles. The metadata includes relationship data indicating how what is portrayed by that media element relates to what is portrayed by one or more other media elements. Because relationship metadata is included media articles can be generated automatically with the need for the production of a detailed framework describing that media article.

Abstract: Video data comprising a plurality of sets of frame data is captured by mobile video data capture device. The video data is processed by a method which comprises: (a) finding a face in each frame of the video, and (b) processing a corresponding set of frame data to: (i) maintain the area of the image occupied by the face substantially constant; and (ii) maintain the apparent direction of light incident upon the face substantially constant; and/or (iii) maintain the apparent color of the face substantially constant.

Abstract: A computer apparatus which uses a database (22) to offer persistent storage of metadata (36) describing the content of media files (32). Metadata is used to create a personalized media article (48) from those media files. That metadata also indicates relationships between those media files. In order to accelerate the creation of the personalized media article (48), media element metadata items are stored in a cache. The usefulness of this cache is improved further by reading related media elements data from retrieved metadata items (36), and then pre-fetching those items and placing them in the cache. Because the relatedness of the data items means that the related data item is more likely to be required in the near future, the caching method is more useful than known caching methods. Furthermore, the improved usefulness of the cache is achieved without placing constraints on where the data items are placed in the persistent storage.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and system wherein first video images are directly overlaid with remote video images to produce a combined video image which is then displayed to the user and/or stored as appropriate. Preferably at least one of the first and/or remote images is subject to an image processing operation prior to the overlay operation being performed, the image processing operation being such that the scenes contained within the images to be overlaid when processed are separably distinguishable to a user within the combined video image when viewed by the user. The overlay operation is performed such that the scenes contained within the respective video images are substantially in alignment on top of each other.

Abstract: A method of providing an image for display comprises: determining a target image size in terms of first and second dimensions; processing an input image to detect a region of interest therein, the region of interest having first and second dimensions; and providing an image for display by modifying the input image having regard to the first and second dimensions of the target image size and the first and second dimensions of the region of interest in the input image. Also disclosed is corresponding apparatus and a corresponding computer program.

Abstract: Caricatured images of subjects are generated wherein the caricatured image of each subject is adapted when subjects join and leave a closed group of which they are members. By adapting the caricatured images in this manner, it can be ensured that each caricatured image remains maximally distinguishable from the other images in the group, thus ensuring that recognition of the images may be maintained at a high level.

Abstract: Increased recognizance of caricatured images is provided for the level of caricaturing to be applied to an image to be set in dependence on the intended size of the caricature image. Preferably, the caricature level is set as a generally inverse function of the image size, such that the smaller the image the greater the level of the caricaturing that is applied. In such a case increased recognizance of subjects represented in smaller images may result.

Abstract: A method of processing video data (300) is disclosed. The video data (300) comprises a plurality of sets of frame data and is captured by mobile video data capture means. The method comprises: (a) finding a face in each frame of the video (400); and (b) processing a corresponding set of frame data to: (i) maintain the area of the image occupied by the face substantially constant (400); and (ii) maintain the apparent direction of light incident upon the face substantially constant (500); and/or (iii) maintain the apparent colour of the face substantially constant (600).