Interactive image selection method

Abstract

A method for browsing a collection of digital images on a soft-copy display comprising: receiving a collection of digital images; interactively user selecting a digital image using a user interface; determining a plurality of subsets of the digital images, wherein each subset shares a common category with the selected digital image; and displaying the subsets of digital images on the soft-copy display, together with the selected digital image.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method comprising:
 receiving a user selection of a digital image from a collection of digital images using a user interface;   determining a plurality of subsets of the collection of digital images based on the received user selection, wherein each subset shares a different common category with the selected digital image;   displaying the selected digital image; and   displaying at least a portion of the plurality of subsets of digital images on a soft-copy display, together with the selected digital image wherein the subsets are displayed in a distribution in a plurality of spatial directions and wherein the selected digital image is displayed centrally with respect to the displayed portion of the plurality of subsets.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the displayed portion of the plurality of subsets are regularly distributed over 360°. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the displayed portion of the plurality of subsets are irregularly distributed over 360°. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the displayed portion of the plurality of subsets are either regularly or irregularly distributed over 360° based on the display size of one or more displayed image. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein digital images belonging to subsets of a same category are displayed along a same spatial direction. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further including displaying one or more digital images a plurality of times along different spatial directions if the one or more digital images belong to a plurality of categories. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said displaying at least the displayed portion further includes displaying digital images other than the selected digital image in the distribution. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further including calculating a strength value for each of the digital images in the collection. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further including displaying digital images other than the selected digital image as a function of the strength value. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the digital images other than the selected digital image having a higher strength value are displayed closer to the selected digital image than digital images other than the selected digital image having a lower strength value. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the digital images other than the selected digital image having a higher strength value are displayed larger relative to digital images other than the selected digital image having a lower strength value. 
     
     
         13 . A system comprising:
 a memory; and   one or more processors coupled to the memory and configured to:
 receive a user selection of a digital image from a collection of digital images; and 
 determine a plurality of subsets of the collection of digital images based on the received user selection, wherein each subset shares a different common category with the selected digital image; and 
   a display coupled to the one or more processor and configured to:
 display the selected digital image; and 
 display at least a portion of the plurality of subsets of digital images, together with the selected digital image, 
   wherein the subsets are displayed in a distribution in a plurality of spatial directions, and   wherein the selected digital image is displayed centrally with respect to the displayed portion of the plurality of subsets.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the displayed portion of the plurality of subsets are regularly distributed over 360°. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the displayed portion of the plurality of subsets are irregularly distributed over 360°. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the displayed portion of the plurality of subsets are either regularly or irregularly distributed over 360° based on the display size of one or more displayed image. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein digital images belonging to subsets of a same category are displayed along a same spatial direction. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein one or more digital images are displayed a plurality of times along different spatial directions if the one or more digital images belong to a plurality of categories. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said display is further configured to display digital images other than the selected digital image in the distribution. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the one or more processors is further configured to calculate a strength value for each of the digital images in the collection. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said display is further configured to display digital images other than the selected digital image as a function of the strength value. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the digital images other than the selected digital image having a higher strength value are displayed closer to the selected digital image than digital images other than the selected digital image having a lower strength value. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the digital images other than the selected digital image having a higher strength value are displayed larger relative to digital images other than the selected digital image having a lower strength value.