JP2014085814A - Information processing device, control method therefor, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To create a layout template of a photo book suitable for a user's preference.SOLUTION: A changed parameter among parameters set in a first layout template is acquired. An attribute of the changed parameter is determined. When the changed parameter is a parameter commonly available for a plurality of layout templates, a second layout template is generated using the changed parameter.

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for processing a template for generating a photobook.

  In recent years, with the widespread use of digital cameras, photographs are converted into digital data, stored in a storage medium such as a memory card or HDD, and further viewed on a PC or mobile terminal equipped with a display. In addition, there is a demand to view a plurality of photos as an album by taking it like a conventional analog photo, such as storage and delivery with others. With digitalization, layout editing can be easily performed, and high-quality printing can be performed at low cost from a small amount by improving printing technology. Thereby, since a different album can be generated for each book, the demand for creating a photo book called a photo book is increasing.

  However, there is a case in which the degree of freedom of layout editing for generating a photo book is increased, and the process is canceled halfway without being completed. In order to solve this problem, the demand for automatic generation of photobooks is increasing. Patent Document 1 proposes an album creation apparatus that automatically generates an album (photobook) using a template.

  In addition, in order to reflect the user's generation preference, a method for regenerating an album (Patent Document 2) and a method for calculating a preference level from a layout selection history (Patent Document 3) are performed. The load has been reduced.

JP 2011-103135 A JP 2005-182771 A JP 2010-237986 A

  In the above-described prior art, there is room for improvement in terms of generating a photo book suitable for the user's preference. For example, in Patent Document 1, it is difficult to reflect the user's preference generated in the past from the next time. For example, Patent Document 2 describes a method of regenerating using the same material from information generated once, but cannot be applied to photobook generation suitable for the user's preference with different materials. For example, in Patent Document 3, the degree of preference of a layout can be acquired, but the degree of preference for a layout suitable for a specific photobook or the degree of preference for a general-purpose layout applicable to a plurality of photobooks. This distinction is not considered.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide an information processing apparatus, a control method thereof, and a program capable of creating a photobook layout template suitable for the user's preference. To do.

In order to solve the above object, an information processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises the following arrangement. That is,
An information processing apparatus for processing a layout template for laying out an image,
Obtaining means for obtaining a changed parameter among the parameters set in the first layout template;
Determining means for determining an attribute of the changed parameter;
Generating means for generating a second layout template using the changed parameter when the changed parameter is a parameter that can be used in common for a plurality of layout templates.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the information processing apparatus which can produce the layout template of the photobook suitable for a user preference, its control method, and a program can be provided.

1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing apparatus according to a first embodiment. 3 is a flowchart illustrating processing for generating a photo book according to the first exemplary embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example before and after the layout edit of Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of layout parameters for all pages and layout parameters for each page according to the first exemplary embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the template of Embodiment 1, and an example of the page produced | generated using the template. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a photobook layout automatic generation process according to the first embodiment. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a user interface screen according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an automatic layout generation process using a modified layout parameter according to the first embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the layout parameter for every theme of Embodiment 1. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a layout parameter learning process according to the second embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

<Embodiment 1>
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an outline of an image processing apparatus which is one of information processing apparatuses according to the first embodiment.

  The image processing apparatus 100 is a PC (personal computer) that performs image processing, executes various programs, and connects external devices. The CPU 101 is involved in all the processing of each component, reads the instructions stored in the ROM 102 and RAM 103 in order, interprets them, and executes (controls) the processes according to the results. The ROM 102 and RAM 103 provide the CPU 101 with programs, data, work areas, and the like necessary for the processing.

  The recording device 104 stores large-capacity data such as an HDD or an SSD, and is used to store editing materials and editing results. An input / output interface (I / F) 105 is an interface necessary for connection with an external device, and is connected to the display 106, the keyboard 107, the mouse 108, the network I / F 109, and the memory card I / F 110.

  The display 106 is an output device for displaying a processing screen. A keyboard 107 and a mouse 108 are input devices for reflecting user operations. The display 106, the keyboard 107, and the mouse 108 may be configured like a laptop PC. The display 106 may be a touch panel display, and the roles of the keyboard 107 and the mouse 108 may be substituted.

  The network I / F 109 is an interface for connecting to other devices through the network and transmitting / receiving data. The memory card I / F 110 is an interface for reading / writing data from / to an external recording device.

  Note that the components of the apparatus exist in addition to the above, but are not the main point of the present invention, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

  In the first embodiment, as an example of the image processing apparatus 100, a photobook automatic generation application that operates on a PC will be described as an example.

  The flowchart of FIG. 2 shows the main processing steps of the photobook automatic generation application, and will be described for each processing step.

  This photobook automatic generation application displays on the display 106 a user interface screen that realizes various operations for performing photobook automatic generation such as selecting an image. The user can perform various operations on the user interface screen by operating the keyboard 107 and the mouse 108. An example of this user interface screen will be described later with reference to FIG.

  In step S201, an image group to be used in the photo book is selected based on an operation on the user interface screen. This selection is realized, for example, by designating a directory in which photographed image groups are collected. At this time, if there is no image recognition information corresponding to each image, image recognition processing is performed to acquire the image recognition information, and if there is, image recognition information is acquired. Here, the image recognition information is information that can be recognized from an image, and includes, for example, image feature amounts (saturation, brightness, etc.), shooting date, subject content (person, landscape, etc.), shooting conditions (exposure amount). , Sensitivity, focus value, shutter speed).

  In step S202, a theme for generating a photo book is selected based on an operation on the user interface screen. The theme here represents an event such as a wedding or a trip. The theme may represent a subject such as a landscape or a person.

  In step S203, a layout automatic generation process is performed using a layout template corresponding to the selected theme to generate a photo book. The layout template will be described later. Details of automatic layout generation will be described later with reference to FIG. In addition, a layout generation process for generating a layout using a layout parameter correction item described later is also performed in step S203. Details of the layout generation processing using the correction items will be described later with reference to FIG.

  In step S204, the generated photo book is confirmed, and it is determined whether correction is necessary. If correction is necessary (YES in step S204), the process proceeds to step S205. On the other hand, when correction is not necessary (NO in step S204), the process proceeds to step S206.

  In step S205, the user corrects the layout of the generated photo book via the user interface screen. An example of layout correction is shown in FIG. 3A shows an example before layout correction, and FIG. 3B shows an example after layout correction. The layout is corrected, and the correction contents of the layout parameter relating to the correction item are stored in, for example, the RAM 103 which is a storage unit.

  In step S206, the corrected photo book is confirmed and output based on the operation on the user interface screen. At the same time, the layout parameters used to generate the photo book are saved.

  Next, a layout template in which a plurality of types of layout parameters are defined will be described with reference to FIG. The layout template is a group of layout parameters related to image arrangement (arrangement in an image arrangement area within one page), image selection, and image processing, which are three elements for creating a photobook. There are layout parameters for all pages (common to pages) and for each page (page specific), and each is composed of a combination of items and values.

  Specifically, in the image arrangement example, when the number of images to be arranged in one page is four, the layout parameter of the item “number of images per page” is set to 4 as the value. A basic layout template exists for each theme, and layout parameter items and values are different. The layout template is determined by the selected theme, and the layout is generated by performing image placement, image selection, and image processing based on the layout parameters included in the layout template.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of layout parameters of the layout template when travel is the theme. In particular, FIG. 4A shows a common layout parameter group applied to all pages of the page group constituting the photo book, and FIG. 4B shows a specific N page of the page group constituting the photo book. It is a layout parameter group applied to eyes.

  FIG. 5A shows an example of a layout template. In this layout template, a traveler is designated at position A, food is designated at position B, a vehicle is designated at position C, and a landscape of a landmark is designated at position D. Yes. No processing is specified. FIG. 5B shows an example of a result of automatically generating a layout of a corresponding image using the layout template of FIG. 5A using the image recognition result (image recognition information).

  Next, photobook layout automatic generation processing will be described with reference to FIG. This process is the detail of the process of step S203 of FIG.

  In step S301, the total number of pages M is acquired from the layout parameters.

  In step S302, the image groups used in the acquired total number of pages M are clustered. The conditions for clustering are based on the time series and location, and the classification specified by the layout parameters.

  In step S303, the page counter is set to N and N is initialized to 1 (N = 1).

  In step S304, layout parameters for the Nth page are acquired.

  In step S305, an image to be used on the Nth page is selected based on the acquired layout parameters.

  In step S306, based on the layout parameters, the selected image is arranged at a designated position in the layout template.

  In step S307, image processing is performed on the arranged image based on the layout parameters and processed.

  In step S308, the page counter N is incremented by one.

  In step S309, it is determined whether or not the value of the page counter N exceeds the total number of pages M. If not exceeded (NO in step S309), the process proceeds to step S304. On the other hand, if it exceeds (YES in step S309). Assuming that the layout of all pages is completed, the process is terminated.

  This is the end of the description of the details of the automatic layout generation processing.

  Next, a user interface screen related to an automatic layout generation application will be described with reference to FIG. Note that the design of the user interface screen is not limited to the configuration of FIG. 7 because it is not the main point of the present invention.

  Reference numeral 700 denotes a main window of an automatic layout generation application having a layout editing function.

  Reference numeral 701 denotes an editing screen for editing and checking the layout, and displays a page to be edited. By operating an image on the display screen with an interface device such as the mouse 108 or the keyboard 107, it is possible to change to another image, change the arrangement, or select an image to be processed.

  Reference numeral 702 denotes an image selection button. When the image selection button 702 is pressed, an image group suitable for the page to be edited is displayed on the sub selection screen 706. The displayed image is replaced with the image selected on the editing screen 701. Here, the image group suitable for the page to be edited is a clustered image group.

  Reference numeral 703 denotes an arrangement editing button. When the arrangement editing button 703 is pressed, a layout pattern is displayed on the sub selection screen 706, and the selected pattern is applied to the editing screen 701.

  Reference numeral 704 denotes an image processing button. When the image processing button 704 is pressed, an image to be processed is displayed on the sub selection screen 706. The processing selected on the sub selection screen 706 is performed on the processing target image selected on the editing screen 701.

  Reference numeral 705 denotes an editing completion button. After confirming the editing result, the editing completion button 705 is pressed to complete the photo book. Here, the layout parameters modified with the editing operation are recorded in the RAM 103.

  A sub-selection screen 706 displays an image to be processed in response to an operation of the image selection button 702, the layout editing button 703, or the image processing button 704.

  Reference numeral 707 denotes a page selection screen, which is an area for selecting a page to be displayed and edited on the editing screen 701.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a flowchart of processing reflected in layout generation using the layout parameter correction items (attributes) generated in the past in the first embodiment. The flow of FIG. 8 corresponds to the upper level of the flow of FIG. 3, and the layout automatic generation processing of FIG. 3 corresponds to step S805 of FIG.

  In step S801, the latest parameter is extracted from all layout parameters modified in the past.

  In step S802, layout parameters that can be used in common for the layout templates of all themes are extracted from the extracted layout parameters.

  In step S803, it is determined whether or not the theme of the photo book created this time is included in the previously generated (existing) theme (whether or not they are the same type). If it is included (YES in step S803), the process proceeds to step S804. On the other hand, if not included (NO in step S803), the process proceeds to step S805.

  In step S804, theme-specific layout parameters used in the past for the same type of theme are extracted.

  In step S805, automatic layout generation for generating a layout template of the theme to be processed is performed using the extracted layout parameters.

  This is the end of the description of the process of selecting the layout parameter of the second layout template used for automatic layout generation using the layout parameters modified in the past in the first layout template.

  FIG. 9 shows an example of layout parameters for each theme. Layout parameters exist for each theme, and are composed of layout parameters common to all themes and layout parameters specific to the theme.

  As an example of the layout parameter common to all themes, the number of images per page can be cited for the layout of images. For example, as shown in the example of FIG. 2, a standard layout template for the theme A (layout template A) is used as shown in FIGS. ), The template A ′ is created using the difference between the correction items (corrected layout parameters) when the theme A is generated. The template A 'is divided into theme common items and theme specific items. When creating a new theme B, the theme common item B is extracted from the standard template (template B), and the difference between the template A of the common theme item and the template A ′ is reflected in the theme common item B. .

  On the other hand, examples relating to layout parameters specific to the theme include those related to processing. For example, in the case of a wedding theme, the proportion of an image that gives a soft focus to the subject is determined, or in the case of an athletic meet theme, motion blur is applied to the subject to determine the proportion of an image that moves. Also, as far as the selection of images is concerned, it is used not only to select landscape images in the case of travel themes, but also to determine the proportion of vehicle images and food images according to personal preferences.

  Thus, the layout parameters for past photobooks are divided into layout parameters common to themes and layout parameters specific to themes. Then, the layout parameter item used according to the theme to be generated is selected and reflected in the layout generation.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment, the user's own generation preference can be reflected by using the past corrected layout parameter (correction item). Also, by dividing the layout parameters used for generation into common theme parameters and theme-specific layout parameters, even if the generated theme is different, it can be reflected in automatic generation without being affected. become able to.

<Embodiment 2>
In the first embodiment, a configuration is described in which the theme common layout parameter and the theme specific layout parameter are clearly separated in advance, and the process is divided into the theme common and the theme specific. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, as the number of photobook generations increases, items to be divided into common layout parameters and unique layout parameters are changed by learning.

  The layout parameter learning process according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. This process is performed after the layout correction in step S205 in FIG.

  In step S1001, the number M of all modified layout parameters is acquired.

  In step S1002, a layout parameter counter P is prepared and initialized to P = 1.

  In step S1003, the Pth layout parameter is acquired, and it is determined whether or not the acquired layout parameter is a layout parameter common to the theme. If the layout parameters are common to the themes (YES in step S1003), the process proceeds to step S1004. On the other hand, if the layout parameter is unique to the theme (NO in step S1003), the process proceeds to step S1009.

  In step S1004, it is determined whether there is the same type of common layout parameters in the past and the difference between the values indicated by the layout parameters with respect to the layout parameters is within a threshold value. If it is within the threshold (YES in step S1004), the process proceeds to step S1005. On the other hand, if there is no parameter of the same type or greater than the threshold (NO in step S10004), the process proceeds to step S1008.

  In step S1005, the layout parameter to be processed is set to a theme-specific layout parameter in the future.

  In step S1006, the layout parameter counter P is incremented by one.

  In step S1007, it is determined whether or not the layout parameter counter P is larger than the total number of parameters M. If P is greater than M (YES in step S1007), the process ends with all the layout parameters being processed. On the other hand, if P is not greater than M (NO in step S1007), the process returns to step S1003.

  In step S1008, the type of layout parameter (theme common or theme specific) is maintained, and the process proceeds to step S1006.

  In step S1009, as a process in the case of a theme-specific layout parameter, a parameter of the same type in another theme is extracted for the layout parameter to be processed.

  In step S1010, when there is a parameter of the same type, it is determined whether the value (change amount) of the layout parameter is within a certain threshold. If it is within the threshold (YES in step S1010), the process proceeds to step S1011. On the other hand, when larger than a threshold value (it is NO at step S1010), it transfers to step S1008.

  In step S1011, the layout parameter to be processed is set to a layout parameter common to the theme in the future.

  Above, description of the example which changes the layout parameter common to a theme and the layout parameter peculiar to a theme with generation frequency is complete | finished.

  Thus, for example, when the shot size is used for the layout parameter common to the theme, the user uses a large number of up shots, so that the shot size of the layout parameter common to the theme is frequently used. Set as. On the other hand, when a lot of long shots are used only for a certain theme, the shot size is treated as a theme-specific layout parameter, and long shots are used only for that theme. Suppose you use a lot.

  In general, the shot size is an up shot of an image that occupies most of the screen for the face portion when photographing a person, a middle shot for the upper body, and a long shot for the whole body.

  Similarly, even if a layout parameter is unique to a theme, if a layout parameter common to many themes is used, it is treated as a layout parameter common to the theme. As described above, according to the second embodiment, in addition to the effects described in the first embodiment, the layout parameter type is adaptively changed between the theme common and the theme specific so that the user's usage and intention can be improved. The appropriate layout parameters can be set.

  The present invention can also be realized by executing the following processing. That is, software (program) that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or apparatus via a network or various storage media, and a computer (or CPU, MPU, or the like) of the system or apparatus reads the program. It is a process to be executed.

Claims (11)

An information processing apparatus for processing a layout template for laying out an image,
Obtaining means for obtaining a changed parameter among the parameters set in the first layout template;
Determining means for determining an attribute of the changed parameter;
Generating means for generating a second layout template using the changed parameter when the changed parameter is a parameter that can be used in common for a plurality of layout templates. Information processing apparatus. Extraction means for extracting parameters that can be used in common for layout templates corresponding to a plurality of types of photobook themes from the parameters acquired by the acquisition means,
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generation unit generates the second layout template using the parameter extracted by the extraction unit. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the layout template has at least parameters common to all themes of the plurality of types of themes and parameters specific to themes for each theme. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the extraction unit extracts a parameter common to all themes of the plurality of types of themes out of the changed parameters. The extraction means includes the same parameters in the extracted parameters common to all themes and the common parameters in the past, and if the difference between the values indicated by the parameters is not within a threshold value, the parameters common to all themes The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the parameter is set to a theme-specific parameter of a theme corresponding to a parameter to be processed. The extraction means is a case where, among the extracted parameters, the parameter to be processed is a theme-specific parameter of the theme corresponding to the parameter, and for the parameter, the same kind of parameter corresponding to another theme The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein if the difference between the values indicated by the parameters is not within a threshold, the theme-specific parameter is set as a parameter common to the theme. The extraction means further comprises a determination means for determining whether or not a theme corresponding to the parameter extracted by the extraction means is the same type as a theme generated in the past,
If the theme corresponding to the parameter extracted by the extraction unit is the same type as the theme generated in the past as a result of the determination by the determination unit, the extraction unit is specific to the theme used in the past for the same type of theme. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the parameter is extracted. The generation means includes correction means for correcting an existing layout template;
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a storage unit that stores parameters of the layout template that are corrected by the correction unit. According to the layout template, a photo book generated by selecting, processing, and arranging in a page an image to be processed from a plurality of images stored in the storage unit based on recognition information of the image is output. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an output unit configured to output the information processing unit. An information processing apparatus control method for processing a layout template for laying out an image,
An obtaining step in which the obtaining unit obtains a changed parameter from among the parameters set in the first layout template;
A determination step of determining an attribute of the changed parameter;
And a generation unit that generates a second layout template using the changed parameter when the changed parameter is a parameter that can be used in common for a plurality of layout templates. A method for controlling an information processing apparatus. A program for causing a computer to control an information processing apparatus that processes a layout template for laying out an image,
The computer,
Obtaining means for obtaining a changed parameter among the parameters set in the first layout template;
Determining means for determining an attribute of the changed parameter;
When the changed parameter is a parameter that can be used in common for a plurality of layout templates, the changed parameter is used to function as a generating unit that generates a second layout template. A featured program.

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