Manipulation of Image Content Using Various Image Representations

Abstract

Disclosed herein are embodiments of systems and methods for displaying and updating image previews in the graphical user interface of an application program. The image previews for a given master image within the application program constitute various image sizes and resolutions of that master image, and are preferably compiled as image preview data sets in a database. When the image previews are manipulated in the application program an appropriate resolution for that image preview can be queried from the database and displayed. For example, while scrolling, a lower-resolution image preview data set might he used when compared to image preview data sets used while the image previews are not scrolled, thus making them less computationally intensive to display and update. Likewise, while magnifying, an appropriate image preview data set can be queried from the database instead of, or in conjunction with, up or downscaling the image preview.

1 . A non-transitory program storage device, readable by a processor and comprising instructions stored thereon to cause the processor to:
 store, to persistent storage, three or more image previews for each of at least one image, wherein the image previews for each of the images are all of differing pixel resolutions and wherein an image preview comprises a representation of its corresponding image and wherein a data format of at least two of the three or more image previews are different from each other;   receive an indication of a magnification level for presentation of the at least one image;   determine characteristics of the indication of the magnification level;   identify which of the three or more image previews' data formats represent a more efficient preview to use based on the characteristics of the indication of the magnification level;   select, based on the identification, one of the three or more image previews to correspond to one of a plurality of magnification levels for the at least one image;   retrieve, from the persistent storage, one of the three or more image previews in accordance with the selected image preview and indicated magnification level; and   display the at least one image in a graphical user interface.   
     
     
         2 . The non-transitory program storage device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the data formats of the image previews for each of the at least one image is in a memory mapped format. 
     
     
         3 . The non-transitory program storage device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the data formats of the image previews for each of the at least one image is uncompressed. 
     
     
         4 . The non-transitory program storage device of  claim 1 , further comprising instructions to cause the processor to, prior to the instructions to cause the processor to store the image previews, process the at least one image to form the image previews for each of the at least image. 
     
     
         5 . The non-transitory program storage device of  claim 4 , wherein the instructions to process are performed when the at least one image is associated with an application program. 
     
     
         6 . The non-transitory program storage device of  claim 1 , further comprising instructions to cause the processor to transfer the stored image previews to an application program. 
     
     
         7 . The non-transitory program storage device of  claim 1 , wherein a number of the plurality of magnification levels equals a number of the plurality of image previews for each of the at least one image. 
     
     
         8 . The non-transitory program storage device of  claim 1 , wherein a number of the plurality of magnification levels is greater than a number of the plurality of image previews for each of the at least one image. 
     
     
         9 . The non-transitory program storage device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the image previews for each of the at least one image comprises a full resolution version of the image. 
     
     
         10 . A method for displaying a representation of at least one image in an application program in a computer having a graphical user interface, comprising:
 storing, to persistent storage of a computer system, at least three or more image previews for each at least one image, wherein the image previews for each of the at least one image are all of differing pixel resolutions and wherein an image preview comprises a representation of its corresponding image and wherein a data format of at least two of the three or more image previews are different from each other;   receiving an indication of a magnification level for presentation of the at least one image;   determining characteristics of the indication of the magnification level;   determining which of the at least three or more image preview's data formats represent a more efficient preview to use based on the characteristics of the indication of the magnification level;   selecting one of the at least three or more image previews, based on the determination, to correspond to one of a plurality of magnification levels for the at least one image; and   retrieving, from the persistent storage, one of the image previews in accordance with the selected image preview and indicated magnification level to display the at least one image in the graphical user interface.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the data formats of the image previews for each at least one image is in a memory mapped format. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the data formats of the image previews for each at least one image is uncompressed. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising, prior to storing the image previews, processing the at least one image to form the image previews for each image. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein processing occurs when the at least one image is associated with an application program. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the stored image preview data sets are transferred to an application program. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a number of the plurality of magnification levels equals a number of the plurality of image previews for each at least one image. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a number of the plurality of magnification levels is greater than a number of the plurality of image previews for each at least one image. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the image previews for each at least one image comprises a full resolution version of the image.