NZ549090A - Offline image editing within online artwork design - Google Patents

Abstract

A method by which a web-based business that publishes an online design system may provide offline functionality is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: (a) incorporating an editing application into the online design system, where the editing application allows for offline editing of an image before, while, or after, a user of the system creates artwork, (b) accepting an original or an updated image to be used within a design application, (c) receiving an updated image that is uploaded to the system, and (d) replacing, without intervention from the user or an image-editing staff, the original image with the updated image in the design application.

Description

Patents Act 1953 Patent No. 5 Complete Specification Current Owner: WDA Group Pty Ltd Our reference: WDA0007F Priority Application: Australian Provisional Application No. 2005904326 dated 11 August 2005.

Offline Image Editing within Online Artwork Design We, WDA Group Pty Ltd of PO Box 441 Brookvale, NSW, 2100, Australia, a company organised and existing under the laws of Australia hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: Offline Image Editing within Online Artwork Design Field of the Invention The invention relates to methods, business methods, and software to facilitate the offline editing of images that are available online as part of an online artwork design system and methods to allow offline edited images to be reincorporated within online designed artwork automatically.

Background of the Invention Whilst online design artwork systems are now part of the "common general knowledge", there are types for which online design is less suitable because of a dependence on image editing performed offline. Online artwork design systems allow users to create artwork according to a template using a web browser only and frequently will allow the incorporation within the artwork of photographic images. Some users may require images to be enhanced or otherwise changed before they can be incorporated within an online design artwork piece. Examples of this include the need to deep-etch (remove the background) photographs of cars for certain car ads. Other examples of this might be the editing of a photograph of a house taken on a rainy day to replace the sky with a sun-filled sky. Because of the nature of such image editing and the need to treat each image according to its needs and composition, it is a task that requires a real person to perform it offline, usually using an application such as Adobe Photoshop. Online artwork design is beneficial for many advertisers because it allows them to produce artwork very quickly and without the need to wait for a proof from a designer. Where the advertiser requires an image or images to be edited, such as deep etching, the benefit of online design is reduced because of the need to arrange for the editing and the delay in receiving the edited image that must be completed before the image can be used within online design. The invention described herein is intended to work within an Online Design solution and is not an online design solution in its entirety. It is intended to facilitate the streamlining of process where such editing of images is required, allowing the INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE 0FN2. 1 -B NOV 2006 REHFIVFO efficiencies of Online Design to remain, whilst at the same time facilitating the editing of images Offline in a way that does not interferre with the online design process.

Objects and Summary of the Invention The object of the invention is to allow online design artwork to be created by users who also require images to be edited without requiring the users to wait for such image editing to be performed prior to online design artwork creation. It incorporates a means to allow image editing tasks to be identified, communicated using the internet to image editor staff as well as the means for such image editors to access images to be edited and to re-submit images after editing without the need for communication, liaison or coordination with the users of the online design system. Benefits include the immediate ability for online design users to create artwork without waiting for image editing. Additional benefits may include a reduced cost basis for image editing due to the ability to locate image editing staff anywhere in the world including low-labour-cost countries. The additional streamlining of the workflow structure on image editing implies labour savings and efficiencies as well which will benefit the user, publisher, facilitator of online design and others.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figures Figure l is a flow chart depicting a examples of current and new workflows (without and with the invention).

Figure 2 shows an example of a web browser mechanism whereby a user can select/request image editing functions be performed on an uploaded image.

Figure 3 depicts an example of a web browser screen that may be used by the image editing staff to allocate image editing tasks.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 2 - B NOV 2006 RECFIVPn Best Mode and Other Embodiments of the Invention There are several aspects to the invention and some of these would require enhancement or adaptation of any Online Design application or platform wishing to incorporate this invention within its functionality. Other aspects of this image editing application pertain to a mechanism to allow human image editors to see, access and re-submit images that require editing from and to the Online Design system used by the advertiser. Figure 1 provides a simple example of the workflows both before and after the implementation of the invention.

It is envisaged that a fee may be charged for each image edited, either by the Online Design facilitator or by a 3rd party providing an image editing service. Alternatively the fee or fees charged for the provision of online design to the user may incorporate a component to pay for the image editing. Other possibilities may include a fixed fee per month or annually charged to the user, publisher or Online Design facilitator for access to the service provided by the invention.

In this document a user of an Online Design system may be an advertiser, a publisher, an ad agency or other but will be described as a user.

It is understood that online design solutions that allow for placement of images would, out of necessity, provide a mechanism allowing the user to upload the images into the online design system 11. It is noted that the image(s) required by the user may be uploaded by the user directly or by a 3rd party on behalf of the user. Uploading would normally facilitated by means of a browser based HTTP upload, or by other mechanisms including FTP or email. It is assumed that the upload process would enable the online design system to associate each image with a user and possibly with a specific campaign or artwork piece of that user.

In one embodiment of the invention it will be possible to indicate, using a browser, images that require editing and the nature of the editing that is required. The 'requesting' of image editing may occur before the uploading of image(s) or after upload on an individual or bulk-select basis. In another embodiment it would be possible to set default required image editing INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE 0FN.Z. - 6 NOV 2006 requirements for a given user or publisher or artwork type that would automatically cause the image editing task to be triggered for any such uploaded images for that user, publisher or artwork type. Where users have the ability to select images that require editing on a discretionary basis, the invention may allow a menu or other means to select the type of editing required by the user on the image(s) selected. It is assumed that some users may have the ability to choose more that one type of image editing function be performed on images (eg: deep-etch AND brighten). Similarly it may be possible to set an automated request for multiple image editing functions for certain users, publishers or artwork types.

It is intended that images, once uploaded into the online design system should be immediately useable within online design by the user regardless of whether or not they have image editing requests pending. If the user places any un-edited images within any Online Designed artwork it is intended that the invention automatically re-place the edited image within the online designed artwork without any user intervention, once the edited image is re-uploaded into the system by the person(s) doing image editing. The benefit of this is that a user can place an uploaded image within online designed artwork as soon as it is uploaded without having to wait for the image to be edited.

A second aspect to the invention is the mechanism by which images that require editing are managed. In one embodiment there would be a web browser accessible application or image-downloader intended to be used by one or more image editing staff and provided by the facilitator of the online design system or a 3rd party. The image editing staff could be located anywhere there is web access and may be employees of the publisher, the user, the facilitator, the online design system provider or a 3rd party. The web screen may be implemented in HTML, FLASH or any other suitable platform. It is envisaged that this may present a list of images as tasks or instructions, ordered according to priority, that must have image editing work performed on them. It may be possible to click on a task to see the image that requires editing and instructions as to the type of editing required (eg: deep-etch and drop shadow). It is envisaged that the image editor staff would download the images to be edited to their local computers where they would perform the required image editing functions. It is envisaged that the browser based task INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE 0FN.Z. - 6 NOV 2006 list for image editing might allow for multiple image editor staff, each with their own login or access and each with their own unique list of image editing tasks that may be allocated according to the user, publisher or ad type or according to the expertise of the image editor. After editing the image(s) the image editing staff would re-upload the image(s) into the system using a browser and HTTP protocol or some other mechanism like FTP. It is intended that the online design system incorporating the invention would be able to receive such re-edited images and replace the images automatically within any online designed artwork that the images are used in - without user or image editing staff intervention.

In other embodiments it is envisaged that images that require editing may be automatically transferred to the location of the image editing staff using FTP or other suitable protocol. It may be that the images are transferred into certain FTP locations depending upon the type of editing required to be performed, so that image editing staff might know what actions are required to be performed implicitly based on the location of these images. It is further envisaged that such images would be named by the system automatically such that they can be identified automatically when re-delivered back to the online design system. In this embodiment there may be no need for a web browser based task list, or alternatively the image editing staff may refer to the task list for instructions if required. It is imagined that there may be more than one image editing location and that the system may be designed to allow certain types of image editing to be sent to certain locations by FTP or otherwise. Further, it may be possible that the transmission of images for editing may vary according to a time schedule, to allow image editors in different world time zones to have work allocated according to their hours of availability.

It is noted that the allocation of priority for image editing function may take into account the deadline requirements of the artwork in which the images (if placed) are placed. Where no such priority data is available it may be that the image editing tasks are presented on a first-in-first-out basis.

It is intended that, where an edited image is re-uploaded into the online design system by the image editor(s) - the system will be able to ensure that artwork containing the un-edited image is updated to include the edited image. This may be achieved in a number of ways including simply INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OTOE 5 OF N.Z. - 6 NOV 2006 DCPCllir rs overwriting the original image file and ensuring that artwork generated refers to that image file for embedding in the final artwork file and any new previews. It is intended that the online design system provide a mechanism to ensure that approved artwork that includes un-edited images have their final artwork generation postponed until all images (requiring editing) included in that artwork are edited and re-uploaded.

An additional capability of the invention might be the inclusion of a test of the re-uploaded images, where they have been already placed in artwork, to show the before-and-after images as a double check that the correct image is being re-uploaded. In addition there may be some dimensional checking to ensure that an image that is being re-uploaded is of the same physical dimensions (eg: pixel dimensions) as the image it is replacing, thus ensuring that the edited image will fit in the same position and with same cropping and scaling as the un-edited version of the image.

It should also be appreciated that the invention may be used by some users as a means of streamlining photo editing requirements and that some users may choose to wait for the editing to be complete before commencing artwork. In such instances, it is imagined that the system might email or otherwise advise users when images are edited and re-uploaded to the system, ready for use.

While the present invention has been disclosed with reference to particular details of design and implementation, these will be understood as having been provided by way of example and not as limitations to the scope of spirit or the invention.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. - 6 NOV 2006 DECEIVED i intellectual property OF N.z. office] 2007

Claims (17)

1. What is Claimed is: BECeived i. A method by which a web-based business that publishes an online design system may provide offline functionality, comprising the steps of: incorporating into the online design system, an editing application, the editing application allowing for offline editing of an image before, while or after a user of the system creates artwork; accepting an original or an updated image to be used within a design application; receiving an updated image that is uploaded to the system; replacing, without intervention from the user or an image-editing staff, the original image in the design application with the updated image.
2. 2. The method of claim l, wherein, the editing application checks that a correct updated image is replacing the original image.
3. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein, the editing application checks that the updated image is of a correct pixel dimension.
4. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein, the editing application comprises a web-browser accessible image-downloader.
5. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein, the business pays a fee to a provider of the editing application. 7
6. 6. The method of claim l, wherein, / an upload or download of images to the online design system is achievedwlf the file transfer protocol.
7. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein, a web browser accessible image-downloader enables a transfer of the image to the image-editing staff.
8. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein, a log-in/password assignment is made for each image-editing staff, for the access of the web browser accessible image-downloader.
9. 9. The method of claim 7, wherein, a list of images and relevant tasks or instructions is generated and displayed within the web browser accessible image-downloader.
10. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein, the editing application automatically requests certain editing tasks to be performed based on default editing requirements, upon the uploading of the image.
11. 11. The method of claim 7, wherein, the transfer of images to the image-editing staff is automatic.
12. 12. The method of claims 1 or 7, wherein, a required editing task is identifiable from a file name of an image transferred to the image-editing staff. 8
13. 13- The method of claim l, wherein, the transfer of images is on a timetable, the timetable is customized to fit a work schedule of the image-editing staff.
14. 14. The method of claim 1, wherein, the editing application postpones a generation of a final artwork until all required image-editing is performed and all updated images have been uploaded.
15. 15. The method of claim 1, wherein, the editing application notifies the user when all required image-editing is performed and all updated images have been uploaded.
16. 16. The method of claim 1, wherein, the business is an employer of the image-editing staff.
17. 17. The method of claim 1, wherein, a provider of the editing application is an employer of the image-editing staff. ' 15 MAY 2007 / 9