Method and interface for converting images to grayscale

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2015109324-A1
Application number	US-201414586274-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 30, 2014
Priority date	Mar 6, 2012
Publication date	Apr 23, 2015
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method and apparatus for generating a grayscale image. The method and apparatus receive a single value. From the single value, the method and apparatus generate a set of grayscale weighting values. The method and apparatus generate the grayscale based on a color image and the set of grayscale weighting values. By limiting the number of values to a single value, the method and apparatus prevents a user from arbitrarily selecting a number of possible weighting values which could result in a grayscale image that is too dim or too bright. This single control method and apparatus quickly and efficiently produces a grayscale image that is neither too bright nor too dim.

First claim

1 - 25 . (canceled)

26 . A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a program which when executed by at least one processing unit provides a graphical user interface (GUI) for generating a grayscale image, the GUI comprising:
an image display area for displaying an image; and a grayscale weight selection tool comprising a plurality of thumbnail grayscale versions of an image displayed in the image display area, each displayed thumbnail grayscale version demonstrating the application of a different particular setting of the grayscale weight selection tool to the image, the grayscale weight selection tool for receiving a selection of a location within one of the thumbnails that corresponds to a grayscale setting for the displayed image, wherein each thumbnail grayscale version of the image covers a plurality of locations corresponding to a plurality of grayscale settings including the particular setting demonstrated by the thumbnail.

27 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 26 , wherein the grayscale weight selection tool is a slider tool.

28 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 26 , wherein a location along a center of a particular thumbnail grayscale version corresponds to the grayscale setting demonstrated by the thumbnail grayscale version.

29 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 26 , wherein the grayscale weight selection tool further comprises a set of selectable UI items.

30 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 29 , wherein the selectable UI items are for applying at least one of a vignette effect, a sepia effect, and a grain effect to a grayscale version of the displayed image.

31 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 29 , wherein the grayscale weight selection tool displays the set of selectable UI items only after a location within one of the thumbnails has been selected.

32 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 26 , wherein the GUI further comprises an indicator that is displayed after at least one image editing effect has been applied to the displayed image.

33 . A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a program which when executed by at least one processing unit adjusts digital images, the program comprising sets of instructions for:
displaying an image in an image display area; displaying a grayscale weight selection tool comprising a plurality of thumbnail grayscale versions of the displayed image, each thumbnail grayscale version demonstrating the application of a different particular setting of the grayscale weight selection tool to the image; receiving a selection of a location within one of the thumbnails that corresponds to a grayscale setting for the displayed image, wherein each thumbnail grayscale version of the image covers a plurality of locations corresponding to a plurality of grayscale settings including the particular setting demonstrated by the thumbnail; and displaying a grayscale version of the image in the image display area, the grayscale version of the image based on the selected grayscale setting.

34 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 33 , wherein the grayscale weight selection tool is a slider tool.

35 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 33 , wherein a location along a center of a particular thumbnail grayscale version corresponds to the grayscale setting demonstrated by the thumbnail grayscale version.

36 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 33 , wherein the program further comprises sets of instructions for:
displaying a set of selectable UI items as part of the grayscale weight selection tool; receiving a selection of one of the UI items; and applying an effect based on the selection of the UI item to a grayscale version of the displayed image.

37 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 36 , wherein the set of instructions for displaying the set of selectable UI items comprises a set of instructions to display the set of selectable UI items only after said receiving the selection of the location.

38 . A method of adjusting digital images on an electronic device, the method comprising:
displaying an image in an image display area; displaying a grayscale weight selection tool comprising a plurality of thumbnail grayscale versions of the displayed image, each thumbnail grayscale version demonstrating the application of a different particular setting of the grayscale weight selection tool to the image; receiving a selection of a location within one of the thumbnails that corresponds to a grayscale setting for the displayed image, wherein each thumbnail grayscale version of the image covers a plurality of locations corresponding to a plurality of grayscale settings including the particular setting demonstrated by the thumbnail; and displaying a grayscale version of the image in the image display are, the grayscale version of the image based on the selected grayscale setting.

39 . The method of claim 38 , wherein the grayscale weight selection tool is a slider tool.

40 . The method of claim 38 , wherein a location along a center of a particular thumbnail grayscale version corresponds to the grayscale setting demonstrated by the thumbnail grayscale version.

41 . The method of claim 38 further comprising:
displaying a set of selectable UI items as part of the grayscale weight selection tool;
receiving a selection of one of the UI items; and
applying an effect based on the selection of the UI item to a grayscale version of the displayed image.

42 . The method of claim 41 , wherein the applied effect comprises one of a vignette effect, a sepia effect, and a grain effect.

43 . The method of claim 41 , wherein displaying the set of selectable UI items comprises displaying the set of selectable UI items only after said receiving the selection of the location.

44 . The method of claim 38 further comprising displaying an indicator to indicate that at least one image editing effect has been applied to the displayed image.

45 . The method of claim 38 , wherein the grayscale setting value is a single value that determines grayscale weights for a plurality of color channels in the image.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Ubillos Randy
• Johnson Garrett M
• Webb Russell Y
• Roberts Samuel M

Classifications

• G06T11/10 Primary

  Texturing; Colouring; Generation of textures or colours (retouching, inpainting or scratch removal G06T5/77) · CPC title

• G06F3/04847

  Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials · CPC title

• G06T11/001 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F3/04845

  for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour · CPC title

• G06F3/0482

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title