Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for manipulating images using metadata

Abstract

Many cameras have the ability to capture an image and generate metadata associated with the image. Such image metadata may include focus point metadata information that may be indicative of the potential focus points available to the camera as well as which one or more of those potential focus points were utilized to capture the image. As the location of a focus point used during image capture is generally intended to coincide with the location of the photographer's main area of interest within the image, such focus point metadata can be accessed during image editing and used to zoom in to the captured image at that focus point location. Performing a “smart-zoom” based on an image's focus point metadata may save time and reduce frustration during the image editing process.

1 . An image processing system comprising:
 a display; and   a processor coupled to the display and configured to:
 process metadata associated with an image; and 
 manipulate the image on the display at least based on the processed metadata. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the metadata comprises focus point metadata. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the manipulation comprises a smart-zoom based on the focus point metadata. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the focus point metadata comprises information about one focus point. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the focus point metadata comprises information about a plurality of focus points. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the manipulation comprises superimposing a focus point overlay on the image on the display based on the focus point metadata. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an imager configured to capture the image and generate the metadata. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein each one of the display, processor, and imager is part of a camera. 
     
     
         9 . A method for processing images comprising:
 obtaining focus point metadata for an image with a processor; and   performing a smart-zoom function on the image on a display coupled to the processor based on at least the obtained focus point metadata.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the focus point metadata comprises a single focus point. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the smart-zoom function comprises:
 determining a smart-zoom point based at least on the single focus point; and   providing a zoomed-in portion of the image about the smart-zoom point on the display.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the smart-zoom point coincides with the single focus point. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the focus point metadata comprises a plurality of focus points. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the smart-zoom function comprises:
 determining a smart-zoom point based at least on the plurality of focus points; and   providing a zoomed-in portion of the image about the smart-zoom point on the display.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the smart-zoom function comprises determining at least one smart-zoom point that coincides with at least one of the plurality of focus points. 
     
     
         16 . A method for manipulating images comprising:
 obtaining focus point metadata for an image with a processor;   recognizing a subject in the image with the processor; and   comparing the recognized subject with the focus point metadata using the processor.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising determining at least based on the comparing whether to prioritize the image. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the focus point metadata is indicative of the location of a focus point of the image;   the recognizing comprises determining a location of the recognized subject in the image;   the comparing comprises comparing the location of the recognized subject with the location of the focus point of the image.   
     
     
         19 . A user-interface for a system that processes images, comprising user-input options configured to set various parameters relating to a smart-zoom function that performs a zoom operation on an image based on focus point metadata associated with the image, the parameters comprising at least one of:
 an enable/disable the smart-zoom function parameter;   a parameter for choosing a particular smart-zoom process; and   a parameter for toggling between automatic and manual smart-zoom modes.   
     
     
         20 . The user-interface of  claim 19 , wherein the parameters further comprise a parameter for setting zoom-in and zoom-out options. 
     
     
         21 . The user-interface of  claim 19 , wherein the parameters further comprise a parameter for toggling a smart-zoom option. 
     
     
         22 . The user-interface of  claim 19 , wherein the parameters further comprise a parameter for toggling an automatic-zoom option. 
     
     
         23 . The user-interface of  claim 19 , wherein the parameters further comprise a parameter for toggling a focus point overlay option. 
     
     
         24 . The user-interface of  claim 19 , wherein the parameters further comprise a parameter for toggling a thumbnail option. 
     
     
         25 . The user-interface of  claim 19 , wherein parameters further comprise a parameter for toggling an image array-view option. 
     
     
         26 . Computer-readable media for controlling an electronic device, comprising computer-readable code recorded thereon for:
 obtaining an image and focus point metadata associated with the image; and   providing a zoomed-in portion of the image on a display, wherein the zoomed-in portion of the image is centered on a focus point position provided by the focus point metadata.   
     
     
         27 . A method for processing image data comprising:
 obtaining an image and focus point metadata associated with the image; and   providing a zoomed-in portion of the image on a display, wherein the zoomed-in portion of the image is centered on a location of the image determined by the focus point metadata.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the focus point metadata comprises information related to at least two focus points utilized to capture the image, and wherein the method further comprises determining the location based on the at least two focus points.