Method for modifying the dimensions of an electronically stored image

p0001The invention relates to a method for changing the dimensions of an electronically stored image which is composed of under-or juxtaposed or completely or partially overlapping individual objects, in which the image can be changed in at least one horizontal or vertical object dimension and the individual properties at least partially in at least one horizontal or vertical object dimension to be changed and the change in the object dimension is sometimes not necessarily proportional to the change of the image dimension.

p0002Processes for modifying the dimensions of an electronically stored image of this type are known in the advertising area. They are used to adjust by creating a layout as a template for creating a master image to different formats, for example a newspaper.

p0003The <patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="US5796401A"><text>US-A-5,796,401</text></patcit> describes a method for generating a dynamic layout, in particular a screen, created with the drawing objects and then arranged to be that the layout is adapted to different sizes of the playback range. This method can also be used to modify the page layout of a printing process. Objects can be matched to the edges or corners of the play area or be aligned with each other relative to a change of dimensions over rules.

p0004While here, the size of the dynamic layout to be changed, but it is not possible to submit the page particularly strong size changes without the risk of the change, that individual components of the layout are no longer readable by extreme reduction or her desired content losing the overall impression of the page.

p0005The <patcit id="pcit0002" dnum="DE19653435A1"><text>DE 196 53 435 A1</text></patcit> turn turn describes a method for electronic publishing of texts, using different, hierarchically interdependent layout parts are predefined and relationships for producing a uniform layouts can be paraded between layout parts as specified by the publisher. This technique allows for a transfer of a layout on different space without the need for manually the size of the respective areas may have to be changed. Instead, another element of the hierarchy is used in place of the previous, so that the available space can be used optimally with constant appearance.

p0006Although this method allows the hierarchical structure of the document and the coordination of the various layout parts with definition of their appearance, but it is only suitable for methods in which the available space is defined first and only then is assigned a layout that space , which can then be filled with contents. A subsequent modification of the filled with text or images layout by scaling the area without manual finishing, however, is not possible with this method.

p0007The <patcit id="pcit0003" dnum="DE10125110A1"><text>DE 101 25 110 A1</text></patcit> finally describes a data processing device with a system for creating print templates. The print templates are composed here of individual layout elements which are subject to change based on predefined rules in their appearance, especially in their size when data is loaded from a database in the individual layout elements. Here, for example, text frames can be expanded by inviting larger fragments of text or in return if no text should be included in the database, disappear altogether.

p0008However, this method has the disadvantage that the change in the appearance of the respective layouts although according to the established rules can be manipulated, the changes are always made on each of the objects, without the need or eligibility would be checked. Thus, with strong scaling of the objects, according to its change rule may so small that the optical impression is no longer tolerable, so that the scaling factor would be discarded as impossible.

p0009However, it is different column widths and lengths of various newspaper each other so that the same image without modification can not be used. Furthermore, a whole series of ads is scheduled normally. In a magazine, for example, half a page are recorded as ad. In a nationwide appearing newspaper against "third side edge" is a smaller, and therefore less expensive display, as in the format to be booked. In a local newspaper, however, the entire page is posted, "edgewise two-thirds page" in another newspaper ad format.

p0010In further known, manual method adjusts the picture to the different sizes of the basic layout using commercially available desktop publishing programs to create the image. The individual elements of the image manually be scaled and implemented, which leads not only to a great personal effort but also brings a little reproducible result with it. Further, each display must be subsequently released individually or must before the presentation of the project already are preparing every conceivable format.

p0011The object of the invention is therefore to provide a method in which by means of a data processing system, an automated resizing an image at different predetermined formats is possible.

p0012This object is achieved according to the invention by a method having the features of Claim first

p0013Another object of the invention is to provide a data processing program, and a display booking system for performing the method, this object is achieved by a data processing program according to claim 25 or by an ad booking system of claim 27th

p0014Due to the inventive embodiment of the method for each object of the image will be assigned at least one object property. Usually several object properties will be defined, which then determine how the object behaves in the event of essentials resizing.

p0015In a preferred embodiment of the method a coarse adjustment of the image is first made to the available space. For this purpose, as already known from windows operating systems by pulling on one of the corners of the window, a proportional increase or decrease of the image made so that it is adapted in one dimension, height or width.

p0016Now, either the image in the second dimension, depending on the output format too large or too small. This adjustment will be made automatically via a data processing program. The data processing program running on a data processing system, wherein the term data processing system not only stand-alone computer networks but also to be understood, in which the individual components are installed on different computers.

p0017To adjust the size of the image, the image is viewed as a compilation of several individual objects. These individual objects are the object properties associated with the avoided in enlarging or reducing the image that the image is distorted. Next, the method of magnification of an image within the second process step according to a proportional adjustment is described in the first dimension, the method of reduction proceeds analogously.

p0018The easiest way would now, all objects to increase by a factor, which is necessary to fill the gap. However, this leads in most cases to an uncontrolled superimposing the individual objects to each other or to a grow beyond the margins. For this reason, the dimensions of the individual objects are preferably changed in the direction in which the increase in size is required. The object properties define now depending on the setting and type of individual object, as this unilateral increase should take place without the individual object becomes distorted.

p0019First, the object properties can cause, for example for each individual object a proportional resize and move the individual objects then grown inwards so as to prevent that a single object grows beyond the edge. A pure displacement of the objects is, however, not be sufficient in most cases, rather then the individual objects are moved in the center above the other. For this reason, at least some of the individual objects will have to be increased solely or at least predominantly in one direction.

p0020If it is in the single object to an image, this can be achieved simply by defining an edge portion which can be cut off if necessary. Thus a photograph is selected as a single object preferably already when creating the image, the edge area is large enough to get a certain tolerance range, which can be cut out with the necessary reduction of the image or can be added taken when necessary magnification of the image. The latter is of course only possible when creating the image working with individual objects, of which only an inner portion is used for the actual image. However, if the object properties awarded retrospectively, can of course be added to any further region more. In this case, the single object would expediently initially proportionally enlarged in both dimensions and then then cut unilaterally.

p0021Also, the text components of the image are considered as a single object. Here, however, a curtailment of individual object can not be applied so that either this single object as a text box of a commercial word processor behaves so been able to transmit the text inside the frame, in particular to the new space adapted can reformat. This reformatting may be exhausted in a simple adaptation of the line spacing, the character spacing or font size.

p0022However, an alternative text may preferably be stored so that when falling below a minimum size for a shorter text variant can be selected. This prevents the text is illegible due to the reduction. Also for other individual objects can be provided a replacement object, so that as in the case of a graph is a smaller image or a larger image available. Alternatively, a text also be reduced so that some passages of the text will be marked as dispensable, the single object as being composed of different parts, the object properties contain information that individual parts of the single object can be eliminated with a large reduction requirements.

p0023The object properties may include a locking indication, which causes an object can not be changed in size for individual single objects. This option can be selected for example in the case of a company logo, that over the entire range of resizing the entire image should always remain the same size.

p0024The individual objects can be engaged not only by simply moving inward. Further, it is also possible to move the individual objects relative to an arbitrary reference point, which may also be part of another individual object. For example, an image having three juxtaposed photographs as individual objects, wherein at reduction of the image, the photographs are not pushed together but the two outer objects in a circular orbit moving down so that after resizing present a triangular arrangement.

p0025Preferably, the object properties of at least one part of superposition enabled single property include an overlay specification that defines a region of the single object, which can be masked by other objects in pushing the objects. In order not indiscriminately allow all individual objects overlaying, the object properties of the partly storable single object may include one or more reference information that indicates which other single object for superimposing the part about storable single object is authorized.

p0026Typically, an image is included sections that can be more reduced and subregions to be very reluctant reduced. This can account for the data processing program in a preference indication, wherein the preference information of all individual objects define a ranking that specifies the order in which the individual objects based on the remaining object properties are changed. So individual objects with lower preference more resized as individual objects with high preference. The preference information may also lead to a hierarchical change that initially the individual objects are modified with low preference and later those with high preference. A combination of hierarchical order and time the same on different strong increase in size is possible.

p0027Some of the individual objects can be pure Fill objects of a large image, the object properties include the indication that when it reaches a critical reduction of the image, the filler object can be omitted. This is useful especially for very large variations in size with many text components, otherwise the readability of the text could be jeopardized.

p0028As background of the image can be a background object is provided that is overlaid by other individual objects. The background object is as the other objects, a single object that is provided with background characteristics that define the change in the background object to any change to its size. This can occur, for example, that the background of adjacent and / or superposed unchanging background elements, said arranged at the edge background elements are clipped to the current level of the image.

p0029In a further preferred embodiment of the process the image in horizontal and / or vertical areas is subdivided, each area is assigned a range parameter defining a degree of readiness of the region to resize, wherein when resizing the image first, the sizes of the regions on the basis of degrees of willingness to resize be defined and then disposed therein individual objects are resized to the size range within the ranges. This leads first to a rough classification of the image and makes it that little or no flexible image areas can be met.

p0030Thus, it may be, for example, that the upper half of an image could be increased without problems, while the lower half contains almost exclusively single objects, which are hardly or not changed. If now any area of ​​the image proportionally enlarged equal, this would lead to problems in the lower region. It may also be that both the lower including a narrower upper portion are greatly enlarged, while in the middle of an area is provided, the size should not be changed. Here, the division of the picture can be used in the area to move about de rigid region as a whole.

p0031The area parameter can be when creating the image, or set manually later. Another variation is to calculate the area parameters over the data processing program on the basis of each individual object assigned object properties. The data processing program is first for each area a minimum area size determine the principles described above by resizing the individual objects, then determine a maximum field size and then starting shrink gradually from an average of the minimum and maximum range size areas, to the areas of the desired area image cover, wherein the determination of the portion sizes which are arranged in the areas of objects are resized.

p0032The object properties may include a demand option, which causes during processing by the software that opens a window, on a user of the data processing system can change the default object properties again to afterwards to refer to the resizing of the picture subsequently to define the object properties impact , Demand option can resize the single object or be activated by the user through an input, in particular by clicking on the individual object by means of a computer mouse.

p0033The inventive method is preferably used to serve ads based on a basic picture of a campaign. For this purpose, the data processing program preferably predefined image size corresponding to the standard sizes of print media. The object properties are preferably defined directly when creating the image. But they can also be added later, about after the image has been imported into the data processing program. The object properties can be stored in the image as additional information, but preferably they will be stored in a separate parameter file.

p0034Furthermore, the individual objects can be stored in such a parameter file, while the image contains only a scaffold that is filled with the individual objects by size modification. The data processing program may be plug-in program for implementation in a commercial graphics program, particularly a desktop publishing program designed as. Thus, an additional module toughen usual DTP software to resize automatically.

p0035A method according to the invention is used for example in an ad booking system in which a graphics program that runs on a built-in a network data processing system, the image is created. Typically, the image initially contain only a skeleton. While the individual objects are stored in a catalog file. A parameter file, which can be identical to the catalog file that contains the information on which a single object is placed where. The image file created can be transmitted over the network to a print preparation, wherein after creating the image file in the graphics program the size of the image file underlying image by the methods described above to standard column or page dimensions of the print media is customizable.

p0036Further features and advantages of the invention emerge from the subclaims and from the following description of an embodiment.

p0037In a first step, a general scaling direction is initially established, into which the image can be stretched. The purpose perpendicular direction is previously considered a mere enlargement or reduction of the image. If, for example, as in the example shown adapted on the magnification of the image, the width of the image, it must be stretched in length to occupy the available space can, or be able to be fitted into the available height.

p0038In the next step each individual object is assigned to a parameter that specifies how the individual object is to respond to a height of growth of δ mm. The next step is then the pixels are entered into the object. For this purpose, reference is made to the parameters that have been defined in the creator of the image. Here images can be resized or be pruned to not be so small to be of individual pictorial elements to act ugly or are no longer recognizable. Conversely, it is also possible that an image is enlarged at great length, in the example, an additional image detail is added taken.

p0039In the fourth step, text items are entered. By offering different variations available, in particular, on the line spacing of the text size to be adjusted. Furthermore, can be avoided in that row or letter spacing is too large on the font size.

p0040After the individual properties are adapted to the available space, are displaced in case of necessity, the entire image can be completed as a creative template.