WO2016030879A1

WO2016030879A1 - Distribution of visual content editing function

Info

Publication number: WO2016030879A1
Application number: PCT/IL2015/050842
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ido Sadeh; Gadi Zimerman
Original assignee: Mobli Technologies 2010 Ltd.
Priority date: 2014-08-26
Filing date: 2015-08-23
Publication date: 2016-03-03

Abstract

A method of sharing a visual content editing function. The method comprises calculating a visual content editing function set to instruct the editing visual content items, the calculating is performed based on an analysis of user instructions received from a first user, generating a visual content container comprising the visual content item and the visual content editing function, creating a presentation of an edited version of the visual content item where an effect of applying the visual content editing function is visible, the presentation is displayed to at least one user other than the first user, adding the visual content editing function to a library of visual content editing functions associated with a second user so as to allow the second user to select and apply the visual content editing function from the library on a new visual content item.

Description

DISTRIBUTION OF VISUAL CONTENT EDITING FUNCTION

BACKGROUND

The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to management of visual content editing functions and, more specifically, but not exclusively, to management of visual content editing functions in data sharing platforms.

There has been a growth in Internet content as users adopt numerous social networking services (e.g Facebook, Flickr, Foursquare, Google+, Linkedln, Meetup(dot)com, Instagram, Mobli, Myspace, TravBuddy(dot)com, Twitter, Yelp, Inc., etc.). These sites provide platforms for users to engage with each other by uploading/creating content in the form of commentary, pictures, status updates, etc. Users' statuses, photos, comments and other content is stored by these providers and shared to other users on the platform.

Social networking services receive data from their users and provide a social structure of sets of individuals, groups, and/or organizations with multiple dyadic associations and/or ties between or among the sets of individuals, groups, and/or organizations. For example, a social network can receive data provided by a user and share the received data with other users affiliated with the user and/or affiliated with other users affiliated with one or more groups and/or organizations. In one instance, the data provided by the user may include a status (e.g., a personal status), a picture, a motion picture (e.g., a video), a rating of a venue, a review of a venue, or an action or activity of the user. In another instance, the data provided by the user may include a message for one or more other users affiliated with and/or related to the user. Massive amounts of useful data have been accumulated on social networks and leveraged for use in security, marketing, or other applications.

SUMMARY

According to some embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a method of sharing a visual content editing function. The method comprises calculating a visual content editing function set to instruct the editing visual content items, the calculating is performed based on an analysis of user instructions received from a first user, generating a visual content container comprising the visual content item and the visual content editing function, creating a presentation of an edited version of the visual content item where an effect of applying the visual content editing function is visible, the presentation is displayed to at least one user other than the first user, and adding the visual content editing function to a library of visual content editing functions associated with a second user so as to allow the second user to select and apply the visual content editing function from the library on a new visual content item.

Optionally, the adding is performed in response to a selection of the edited version by the second user.

Optionally, the adding is performed in response to a selection of the second user by a distribution module based on a compliance of a user profile of the second user with at least one distribution rule.

Optionally, the adding is performed in response to a selection of the second user by a distribution module based on a location of the second user.

Optionally, the user instructions are received from the first user to edit a visual content item presented on a user interface of an application executed on a client terminal.

Optionally, the visual content container having visual data section comprising the visual content item and metadata section comprising the visual content editing function.

Optionally, the visual content container having visual data section comprising the visual content item and a header section comprising the visual content editing function.

Optionally, the visual content container having visual data section comprising the visual content editing function and the visual content item and metadata section.

Optionally, the presentation comprises a user interface which allows the second user to perform the selection by at least one of a single touch input and a single click.

Optionally, the visual content editing function defines a set of instructions to invoke one or more dynamic or static libraries and corresponding execution parameters.

Optionally, the visual content editing function comprises a set of instructions to invoke a user interface for editing a new visual content item on which the visual content editing function is applied. Optionally, the visual content editing function comprises a reference to an image or a video component to enhance a new visual content item on which the visual content editing function is applied.

Optionally, the visual content editing function comprises conditional rules set to determine when the visual content editing function is applied.

Optionally, the visual content editing function comprises authenticating rules set to determine whether to apply the visual content editing function based on an entity which uses the visual content editing function.

Optionally, the visual content editing function comprises metadata for authenticating an access to the visual content editing function.

Optionally, the visual content editing function comprises locational rules set to determine whether to apply the visual content editing function based on a current location which executes the visual content editing function.

Optionally, the visual content editing function comprises user experience rules set to determine how to present an indication of the visual content editing function in a user interface presenting at least some of the library.

Optionally, the visual content editing function comprises authenticating rules set to determine whether to the adding based on a profile of the second user.

Optionally, the visual content editing function is associated with statistical data indicative of a usage of the visual content editing function by a plurality of other users.

Optionally, the presentation is made in a social web page of the first user; wherein a version of the new visual content item which is edited using the visual content editing function is used to distribute the visual content editing function to a plurality of other users who view the version.

More optionally, the method further comprises ranking the visual content editing function based on a plurality of user inputs with reference from a plurality of users to a plurality of other media content items edited with the visual content editing function.

Optionally, the adding comprises adding the visual content editing function to a marketplace so as to allow a third user to apply the visual content editing function on a further new visual content item.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a system of distributing a visual content editing function. The system comprises a processor, a function generation module adapted to perform, using the processor, an analysis of user instructions received from a first user to edit a visual content item presented on a user interface of an application executed on a client terminal and adapted to calculate a visual content editing function set to instruct the editing visual content items, a visual content container module adapted to create a visual content container comprising the visual content item the visual content editing function, the visual content container, wherein an applying of the visual content editing function on the visual content item creates a presentation of an edited version of the visual content item, and a managing module adapted to add the visual content editing function to a library of visual content editing functions associated with a second user in response to a selection of the edited visual content item in the presentation by the second user so as to allow the second user to select and apply the visual content editing function from the library on a new visual content item.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and/or scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of embodiments of the invention, exemplary methods and/or materials are described below. In case of conflict, the patent specification, including definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and are not intended to be necessarily limiting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Some embodiments of the invention are herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of embodiments of the invention.

In this regard, the description taken with the drawings makes apparent to those skilled in the art how embodiments of the invention may be practiced.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a method of sharing a user generated visual content editing function created by an editing user to edit a visual content item with other users who are presented with the edited visual content item, according to some embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of processor(s) based visual content editing functions management unit which communicates via a network with a plurality of client applications, according to some embodiments of the present invention;

FIGs. 3A-3D are schematic illustrations of depicts different exemplary visual content containers and files for storing a visual content editing function and a visual content item, according to different embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a script of an exemplary XML code which encodes an exemplary visual content editing function, according to embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an exemplary browser accessible GUI which includes a search engine that allows searching for visual content editing function in a repository, according to some embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an exemplary browser accessible GUI for allowing a user to create a visual content editing function, according to some embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a screenshot of a window of an application presenting an edited image and a user interface for downloading the visual content editing function used to create the edited image, according to some embodiments of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is an exemplary browser accessible GUI for allowing a user to create a visual content editing function with a logo sticker, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to some embodiments of the present invention, there are provided methods and systems for distributing user generated visual content editing function, such as an image filter, image processing instructions, and/or an overlay, generated by one user for the use by other users. The distribution is optionally based on adding the generated visual content editing function to a visual content container, such as a file, storing the visual content editing function together with a visual media object set to be edited by the visual content editing function, such as an image or a video. In use, an edited version of the visual media object is presented to the other users, allowing them to see the effect(s) of applying the visual content editing function and to determine whether to add the visual content editing function to their own function libraries for future use.

Optionally users can rank, share, score or like, the visual content editing function. For example, users may share the visual content editing function with other users of social network(s), for instance followers and/or friends, and the other users may further share and use the visual content editing function in the social network(s). This allows viral distribution of the visual content editing function, giving the creator and/or the sharer of the visual content editing function a social exposure and recognition.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, there are provided methods and systems for distributing user generated visual content editing function in a marketplace. This allows creators publish and enjoy the success of their created functions.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, there are provided methods and systems for distributing user generated visual content editing function in based on promotional rules. In such embodiments function libraries of different users may be updated based on the compliance thereof with user profile and/or locational rules.

Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components and/or methods set forth in the following description and/or illustrated in the drawings and/or the Examples. The invention is capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways.

The present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a computer program product. The computer program product may include a computer readable storage medium (or media) having computer readable program instructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of the present invention. The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that can retain and store instructions for use by an instruction execution device. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but is not limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A non- exhaustive list of more specific examples of the computer readable storage medium includes the following: a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such as punch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructions recorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. A computer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construed as being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses passing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmitted through a wire.

Computer readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a computer readable storage medium or to an external computer or external storage device via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network and/or a wireless network. The network may comprise copper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing/processing device receives computer readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer readable program instructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium within the respective computing/processing device.

Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations of the present invention may be assembler instructions, instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state-setting data, or either source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Smalltalk, C++ or the like, and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. The computer readable program instructions may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example, programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or programmable logic arrays (PLA) may execute the computer readable program instructions by utilizing state information of the computer readable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry, in order to perform aspects of the present invention.

Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer readable program instructions.

These computer readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. These computer readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can direct a computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and/or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises an article of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects of the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computer implemented process, such that the instructions which execute on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

Reference is now made to FIG. 1, which is a flowchart 100 of a method of sharing a user generated visual content editing function, such as an image filter or an overlay, created by an editing user to edit a visual content item with other users who are presented with the edited visual content item, according to some embodiments of the present invention. The visual content item may be an image, one or more frames of a video, and a web reference to a stream source, for instance a live stream or stored file stream, and/or a graphical element. The edited visual content item may be presented to other users who access a social web page of web content associated with the editing user or a social wall or feed that publishes the edited visual content item. Reference is also made to FIG. 2, which is a schematic illustration of processor(s) 199 based visual content editing functions management unit 200 which communicates via a network 205 with a plurality of client applications 201, such as App Store™ or Google Play™ applications, browser add-ons or browser loaded scripts, executed on a plurality of client terminals 202, such as mobile devices, Smartphones, computing units, tablets, laptops, desktops, thin clients and/or the like.

The visual content editing functions management unit 200, for brevity referred to herein as the management unit 200, may be implemented by one or more web servers and/or virtual machine(s) hosted in a cloud environment and/or by a client application 201. The management unit 200 and/or the client application 201 may be used for supporting the distribution of user generated visual content editing functions among social peers and the ranking and/or filtering of user generated visual content editing functions, for example as described below. In use, a video media item which is edited with a certain user generated visual content editing function may be presented to allow user(s) who download or otherwise access a file hosting the edited video media item to extract the user generated visual content editing function and to add it to respective user libraries. In such manner, a user who views a visual content item edited in an attractive manner can add the user generated visual content editing function used to create the attractive edited video media item to a library of visual content editing functions and to use this user generated visual content editing function for editing self selected or taken new visual content items.

In some embodiments, a user designating an edited visual content item which is displayed thereto is presented with a user interface (UI), such as a graphical user interface (GUI). The UI allows the user to add the user generated visual content editing function used to generate the edited visual content item to his function library, for example by a single click or a touch input on an icon or a text section which is presented with the edited visual content item.

First, as shown at 101, a user uses tools to edit a visual content item, for example a set of scales and/or buttons which are set to define an image filtering function or one or more overlays which are set to be applied on the visual content item. For example, FIGs. 6 and 8 depict an exemplary web based tool for a visual content editing function creation. The editing is done using user instructions which operate the editing tools. The editing tools are optionally presented by the client application 201 allowing the user to edit locally the visual content item on one of the client terminals 202. In some embodiments, 101 is avoided, for instance when the function is generated by the operator of the management unit 200 and/or the distributer of the client application 201.

Optionally, based on the user instructions, an edited version of the visual content item is presented to the user, allowing him to validate his instructions and/or to publish the generated edited version in a web document, such as a webpage, a feed, an application social page and/or the like. The publication may be limited to a set of friends, for example to socially connected friends or followers.

For example, the tools provided for allowing a user to input user instructions present a set of available shaders and/or dynamic and/or static libraries to create visual effects and/or a set of user generated images. The tools may be applied first on a dummy visual content item which is presented to simulate the effect(s) of the visual content editing function.

Additionally or alternatively tools allow a use to create or select stickers, such as logos, to be added as an overlay when the instructions are applied. The stickers may be branded. Optionally, the system 200 includes a promotional module to manage a campaign by monitoring the distribution of branded stickers or other branded effects (e.g. coloring in a set of colors of a certain brand). For example, the promotional module monitors the distribution of stickers of a festival logo or a restaurant logo, for instance as exemplified below. The sticker may include a client benefit such as a coupon, optionally encoded in a barcode or the like.

For instance a logo may represent a discount to people who share media with its logo. Due to the effect applied by the a visual content editing function, the logo managing entity can determine whether the edited visual content item is shared, in which channels, and for how long (to prevent from people to erase the media after the discount was given) it is also possible to embed within the effect a request for the server to send the uploader an SMS with a discount code for the managing entity. It is also possible to track the effect entity and see who are the influencing customers (people who many people consumed the effect from), and how much exposure did the effect have in the social platform. Optionally, a visual content editing function may be created by a concatenation of a plurality of previously created visual content editing functions, for example from a library of the user or from a general repository.

Now, as shown at 102, a visual content editing function set to instruct the editing of image(s), video frame(s), graphical element(s) and/or animation(s) is calculated based on an analysis of user instructions received from a user. For instance a visual content editing function is generated by a function generation module based on instructions received from a user for editing a visual content item presented on a user interface of the client application 201 executed on the client terminal 202. The visual content editing function may be calculated by the client application 201 which presents editing tools for creating the visual content editing function or by a function generation module 206 installed in the management system 200 and receives the user instructions. Optionally, the visual content editing function defines the applying of a plurality of image processing effects, optionally in a predefined order. The function generation module 206 may also be implemented as a module of the client application 201. For example, see 202A which depicts a client terminal with a blowup of modules of an exemplary client application. These modules may be described herein with reference to the management unit however may be implemented, mutatis mutandis, on the client terminal 201 A.

In some embodiments, the visual content editing function defines one or more image or video frame(s) editing instructions to apply one or more visible effects, such as color or hue adaptation, blur addition, object marking, overlay or graphical element addition, image object masking, image object replacement, image object highlighting, text addition, image processing algorithm appliance and/or the like . The visual content editing function may be implemented by a data serialization format such as Extensible Markup Language (XML) script, JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) script and/or the like. The visual content editing function may include instructions and/or links to instructions or components.

For example, FIG. 4 is a script of an exemplary XML code which encodes an exemplary visual content editing function. In the example depicted in FIG. 4 a set of applied effects is kept in a data serialization format. In this example, the 3 effects, each with a corresponding name, ID and group, is set to be applied. In the first effect, a consecutive call to static libraries compiled within the client is made with corresponding parameters. In the second effect an openGL code is set to be executed. In the third effect, a link to an image designated to be imported during the applying of the exemplary visual content editing function is found.

A visual content editing function may include one or more items of one or more of the following:

1. A Class: a class that wraps one or more Graphics processing unit (GPU) code element and/or Shader code element and corresponding execution parameters, such as DirectX, OpenGL Shading Language code, and/or the like.

2. A set of instructions: a script or a code defining how to invoke dynamic and/or static libraries, optionally within the client 202, and corresponding execution parameters. For example, execution parameters may be exact parameters and/or a possible range of parameter values to be later used by a slider UI.

3. UI generation instructions: parameter: a script or a code defining how to generate a UI, such as a GUI, for example such as a set of slider parameters. The UI generation instructions executed to present user generated, selected or adapted image controls such as sliders, combo boxes or buttons that controls a range of a parameter between supplied value constrains to allow a user to adapt an applied effect.

4. A web document link: a URI, such as a uniform resource locator, for instance of a digital media item which instruct importing an effect or media object(s) to use in an applied effect, such as a sticker like overlay, an image frame, an auxiliary mask and/or the like.

5. A set of conditional instructions: a script or a code defining when to invoke an execution of an effect on an image. For example, the conditional instructions will instruct the applying of an effect, such as a set of instructions, for example, only at a certain time, for a certain period, for certain people, for a limited number of time, on a certain displaying device, in a certain location, when a presented question is provided with an answer and/or a sequence of function to comply with.

6. Authorization definitions: a script or a code defining an authentication process for determining whether to present the effect or not. The effect may be removing one or more masks covering one or more parts of an image. 7. User authorization definitions: a script or a code defining an authentication process for determining which user has or does not have privileges to import the visual content editing function.

8. Locational data: information regarding a location to apply an effect, for example where in an image or when during a video presentation.

9. User experience definitions: information regarding a positioning in a menu such as the GUI of the application, for example a hierarchical tags which define a specific library location, for instance "Mood\Dark\". Share instructions: limitations on a platform to use the visual content editing function, for instance whether to trigger publishing an image edited the function in a media channel, such as Facebook™, Mobli™, and/or the like. Possibly also instructions to the server on how to react to the media sharing.

10. Updated statistics: data or link(s) to creator and/or user statistic indicative of a usage prevalence, virility level of the respective visual content editing function and/or visual content editing functions of the respective creator, and/or data regarding similar visual content editing function, such as functions applying similar effects. The statistics may be updated or synced periodically, upload copying or accessing and/or the like.

11. Protocol specific instructions: information for applying the visual content editing function on various media types and/or media encoded with different protocols and/or by different players and/or browser decoders.

As shown at 103, the visual content editing function is associated with the visual content item. For example, a data component, such as a file or a script representing an edited visual content item that has a visual data section comprising the visual content item and metadata section comprising the visual content editing function is created. For brevity, the data component is referred to herein a visual content container. The visual content container may be generated by a visual content container module 212, which may be executed on the system 200 or as a sub module of the client application 201.

For example, FIGs. 3A-3D depict different exemplary associations between a visual content editing function and a visual content item designated to be edited by the visual content editing function, according to different embodiments of the present invention. In FIG. 3 A, the visual content container is a file having a header 403, metadata section comprising the visual content editing function 402, external to the header, and a data section comprising the visual content item 401 in a pre-editing format (before the visual content editing function is applied) or in a post-editing format (after the visual content editing function is applied) is illustrated. FIG. 3B illustrates a file having the header 403 and the data section comprising the visual content item 401 in a pre-editing format or in a post-editing format and an object 404 hosting the visual content editing function 402 which is separate from the file. In such an embodiment association between the visual content editing function and the visual content item may be provided by an external index or association dataset. FIG. 3C illustrates a Visual Content container having the header 403 and a data section which comprises both the visual content item 401 in a pre-editing format or in a post-editing format and the visual content editing function 402. FIG. 3D illustrates a Visual Content container having the header 403 with the visual content editing function 402 encoded therein and a data section which comprises the visual content item 401 in a pre-editing format or in a post- editing format.

Optionally, in use, the visual content item which is stored in a pre-editing format in the visual content container is inaccessible or unreadable and set to be presented only in a post-editing format, when the associated visual content editing function is applied. Alternatively, in use, the visual content item which is stored in a pre-editing format in the visual content container is accessible or readable to all or some of the users. In such embodiments, the encoding of the pre-editing format allows the presentation thereof even when the associated visual content editing function is not applied. The visual content container may be generated by the client application 201 which presents the editing tools creating the visual content editing function or by the function generation module 206 installed in the management system 200.

As further described below, the visual content container may be added to a webpage, a feed, a dataset or any other storage or linking source that allows a user to download or access the visual content editing function, optionally separately from the visual content item. Optionally, the visual content container includes a tag, such as a flag or afield, for example in the header 403 which is indicative of whether the visual content editing function can or cannot be accessed separately from the visual content item. Optionally, the tag is set based on a user input, for example during the creation of the visual content container, for instance by using a respective UI. Additionally or alternatively, visual content container includes a tag, such as a flag or a field, for example in the header 403 which is indicative of whether the visual content item can or cannot be accessed separately from the visual content editing function, for example whether the visual content item can be copied and presented without applying the visual content editing function. In such a manner, the creator of the container decide whether to force publishing a visual content item with a logo or any other branded set by the respective function or not, for instance for a user defined or selected period.

As shown at 104, a presentation of an edited version of the visual content item is created, for example in a social media webpage or feed of the user, for instance as an image or video post in a Mobli™ or Instagram™ application of pages of friends or followers of the user, as a message sent via a messaging service, and/or as image or video which is published over the internet. The presentation may be generated by applying the visual content editing function from a certain visual content container on the visual content item in that visual content container. For example the applying of the function is perform by a function reader module 213 or sub-module executed on the client terminal 202 and/or on the managing unit 200. The presentation may be generated by extracting and decoding the visual content item in that visual content container, for instance when the visual content item is stored in a post editing format.

The presentation may be generated browser(s) or application(s) instructed by the management system 200, for example by browsers rendering a webpage having the file encoded therein and/or applications loaded with data from the management system 200 and/or a social media service storing the visual content container.

Now, as shown at 105, a selection of the edited visual content item by a user to which the edited visual content item is presented is identified. The selection may be identified by an application or a browser presenting the edited visual content item. In response to the selection, the respective selecting user may be presented with an option to add the visual content editing function to his library of visual content editing functions, referred to herein as a function library. For example, a popup or an icon is presented to the user.

Now, as shown at 106, optionally in response to a user input such as a single click or touch on an icon or a pop up window presented in association with the edited visual content item, the function is added to a function library of the selecting user. The function library maybe stored locally on the devices of the users, as shown at 208 and/or remotely, for example in a user database 204 managed by the system 200. The visual content editing function maybe extracted from the respective visual content container, either locally or remotely, for example from visual container storage 207, such as a database server which is accessible via the network 205. The function library may be used to create a palette visual content editing functions available to use.

As described above, the visual content editing function may be generated using branded effects, such as branded sticker or colorizing filters. Optionally, in such embodiment, the promotional module 211 monitors the distribution of visual content editing functions which set to apply branded effect(s) and compensates the creator of these visual content editing function, for example based on the number of visual content editing function acquisitions and/or the number of visual content editing function usages by other users.

According to some embodiments, the number of visual content editing function acquisitions and/or the number of visual content editing function usages by other users create the user with scores and/or rank adaptations, allowing the positioning thereof relatively to other creators, for instance by setting him with a title, a score, or a rank. This can be done by a ranking module installed in the management system 200.

In some embodiments, users may rank or like user generated visual content editing functions which are shared therewith, optionally creating the editing user with scores, credit, or public acknowledgment, for example as described below.

The above methods and systems allow users to share visual content editing functions created for editing selected images, graphics or videos with other users who are presented with the images, graphics or videos.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, user generated visual content editing functions are distributed by users as separable objects which are optionally tagged with a title or metadata indicative of the identity of their creator, for example a unique ID, such as a telephone number, Universal Resource Identifier (URI), social profile identifier and/or the like. The visual content editing functions, which are optionally stored as files can now be uploaded, downloaded, transmitted, forwarded, exported, and/or otherwise relocated or duplicated as any media object, either as part of a visual content container or independently.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, visual content editing function may be added to a repository and distributed by a distribution mechanism such as a marketplace distribution mechanism. Visual content editing functions created by different users, for example using respective tools as described above, are added to the repository, for example uploaded, optionally with a set of distribution rules. The distribution rules may define a price, a distribution group of peers to which the visual content editing function may or may not be distributed, a period and/or the like. A distribution rule may define a social connection to which the visual content editing function may be distributed, for example friends or followers and/or friends from a user selected tier. For example, FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary browser accessible GUI which includes a search engine that allows searching for visual content editing function in the repository and to present the outcome of the search in thumbnails to allow the searcher to download and use the selected visual content editing function.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, visual content editing function may be added to a repository and distributed by a distribution mechanism such as a promotional distribution mechanism. Visual content editing functions created by different users, for example using respective tools as described above, are added to the repository, for example uploaded, optionally with a set of promotion rules. The promotion rules may define a location, a user profile and/or a price the creator is ready to pay for promoting his visual content editing function. A distribution rule may define a profile of a user to be distributed with the visual content editing function, for example, age, gender, or any other demographic characteristic. In use, the visual content editing function is distributed to be presented to a dynamic library of one or more users who comply with the promotion rules, for example to users in a certain location or at a certain age. This allows the users to use the uploaded visual content editing function by selecting it from the library while taking a picture or a video.

In such embodiments, visual content editing functions created by different users may be distributed to other users based on a match with their profile or location, for instance using the promotional distribution mechanism. Reference is now made to a number of exemplary scenarios of using the system 200, according to some embodiments of the present invention. In a first scenario, a web based visual content editing function creation, for example as depicted in FIG. 6, is accessed by a user using a browser. The user creates a visual content editing function, for example a coloring filter which colors image segments with colors of a team (e.g. purple and yellow). The visual content editing function is added to the user's function library for his personal usage user and/or to a marketplace managed by the marketplace module of the system 200, optionally with distribution rules as described above. Later on, the user uses the a visual content editing function for editing an image he captured and uploads the captured image to one or more of his social network feed(s). A friend or a follower who views the edited image selects to download the effect. For example, FIG. 7 depicts the edited image and a window which is presented to the user upon the selection of the edited image. The window includes a "download effect" field which triggers the adding of the visual content editing function to the library of the friend. For example, the visual content editing function is automatically extracted from a respective visual media container that contains the visual content editing function and the image in a pre-edited version or a post-edited version. The friend may also use the visual content editing function, share another image edited by the visual content editing function so that his friends can download the visual content editing function and so on and so forth.

In another scenario, a restaurant representative builds a visual content editing function that includes a sticker effect showing the restaurant logo. It creates the visual content editing function using the above described tool, for example see FIG. 8 which depicts a status of a web tool defining such a sticker. Later on, the promotional distribution mechanism adds the visual content editing function to a member of a social network, for instance when the member is located in a place that is defined by a related rule. The member uses the visual content editing function to edit a video which is published on his feed and optionally in a social media channel, such as #Food and/or #Restaurant channel of a social mobile photo and video-sharing website, for instance for a period of week or another period defined by the instructions within the visual content editing function. Data pertaining to the member, for example his cellular number and/or email can now be used for continuous promotion, such as a transmission of a coupon by an email or a Short Message Service (SMS) message with a discount code. Statistics about the effect of the visual content editing function can be now measured by measuring virality for the visual content editing function and its usage. This statistics may be used for charging the restaurant for promotional services.

The methods as described above are used in the fabrication of integrated circuit chips.

The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain the principles of the embodiments, the practical application or technical improvement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

It is expected that during the life of a patent maturing from this application many relevant methods and systems will be developed and the scope of the term a processor, a module, a unit, a network, and a visual content editing function is intended to include all such new technologies a priori.

As used herein the term "about" refers to ± 10 %.

The terms "comprises", "comprising", "includes", "including", "having" and their conjugates mean "including but not limited to". This term encompasses the terms "consisting of" and "consisting essentially of".

The phrase "consisting essentially of" means that the composition or method may include additional ingredients and/or steps, but only if the additional ingredients and/or steps do not materially alter the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed composition or method.

As used herein, the singular form "a", "an" and "the" include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, the term "a compound" or "at least one compound" may include a plurality of compounds, including mixtures thereof.

The word "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example, instance or illustration". Any embodiment described as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments and/or to exclude the incorporation of features from other embodiments. The word "optionally" is used herein to mean "is provided in some embodiments and not provided in other embodiments". Any particular embodiment of the invention may include a plurality of "optional" features unless such features conflict.

Throughout this application, various embodiments of this invention may be presented in a range format. It should be understood that the description in range format is merely for convenience and brevity and should not be construed as an inflexible limitation on the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the description of a range should be considered to have specifically disclosed all the possible subranges as well as individual numerical values within that range. For example, description of a range such as from 1 to 6 should be considered to have specifically disclosed subranges such as from 1 to 3, from 1 to 4, from 1 to 5, from 2 to 4, from 2 to 6, from 3 to 6 etc., as well as individual numbers within that range, for example, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. This applies regardless of the breadth of the range.

Whenever a numerical range is indicated herein, it is meant to include any cited numeral (fractional or integral) within the indicated range. The phrases "ranging/ranges between" a first indicate number and a second indicate number and "ranging/ranges from" a first indicate number "to" a second indicate number are used herein interchangeably and are meant to include the first and second indicated numbers and all the fractional and integral numerals therebetween.

It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention, which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination or as suitable in any other described embodiment of the invention. Certain features described in the context of various embodiments are not to be considered essential features of those embodiments, unless the embodiment is inoperative without those elements.

Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

All publications, patents and patent applications mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated in their entirety by reference into the specification, to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated herein by reference. In addition, citation or identification of any reference in this application shall not be construed as an admission that such reference is available as prior art to the present invention. To the extent that section headings are used, they should not be construed as necessarily limiting.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A method of sharing a visual content editing function, comprising:

calculating a visual content editing function set to instruct the editing visual content items, said calculating is performed based on an analysis of user instructions received from a first user;

generating a visual content container comprising said visual content item and said visual content editing function;

creating a presentation of an edited version of said visual content item where an effect of applying said visual content editing function is visible, said presentation is displayed to at least one user other than said first user;

adding said visual content editing function to a library of visual content editing functions associated with a second user so as to allow said second user to select and apply said visual content editing function from said library on a new visual content item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said adding is performed in response to a selection of said edited version by said second user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said adding is performed in response to a selection of said second user by a distribution module based on a compliance of a user profile of said second user with at least one distribution rule.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said adding is performed in response to a selection of said second user by a distribution module based on a location of said second user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said user instructions are received from said first user to edit a visual content item presented on a user interface of an application executed on a client terminal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said visual content container having visual data section comprising said visual content item and metadata section comprising said visual content editing function.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said visual content container having visual data section comprising said visual content item and a header section comprising said visual content editing function.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said visual content container having visual data section comprising said visual content editing function and said visual content item and metadata section.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said presentation comprises a user interface which allows said second user to perform said selection by at least one of a single touch input and a single click.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said visual content editing function defines a set of instructions to invoke one or more dynamic or static libraries and corresponding execution parameters.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said visual content editing function comprises a set of instructions to invoke a user interface for editing a new visual content item on which said visual content editing function is applied.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said visual content editing function comprises a reference to an image or a video component to enhance a new visual content item on which said visual content editing function is applied.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said visual content editing function comprises conditional rules set to determine when said visual content editing function is applied.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said visual content editing function comprises authenticating rules set to determine whether to apply said visual content editing function based on an entity which uses said visual content editing function.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said visual content editing function comprises metadata for authenticating an access to said visual content editing function.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said visual content editing function comprises locational rules set to determine whether to apply said visual content editing function based on a current location which executes said visual content editing function.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said visual content editing function comprises user experience rules set to determine how to present an indication of said visual content editing function in a user interface presenting at least some of said library.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said visual content editing function comprises authenticating rules set to determine whether to said adding based on a profile of said second user.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein said visual content editing function is associated with statistical data indicative of a usage of said visual content editing function by a plurality of other users.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein said presentation is made in a social web page of said first user; wherein a version of said new visual content item which is edited using said visual content editing function is used to distribute said visual content editing function to a plurality of other users who view said version.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising ranking said visual content editing function based on a plurality of user inputs with reference from a plurality of users to a plurality of other media content items edited with said visual content editing function.

22. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions adapted to perform the method of claim 1.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein said adding comprises adding said visual content editing function to a marketplace so as to allow a third user to apply said visual content editing function on a further new visual content item.

24. A system of distributing a visual content editing function, comprising:

a processor;

a function generation module adapted to perform, using said processor, an analysis of user instructions received from a first user to edit a visual content item presented on a user interface of an application executed on a client terminal and adapted to calculate a visual content editing function set to instruct the editing visual content items;

a visual content container module adapted to create a visual content container comprising said visual content item said visual content editing function, said visual content container;

wherein an applying of said visual content editing function on said visual content item creates a presentation of an edited version of said visual content item; a managing module adapted to add said visual content editing function to a library of visual content editing functions associated with a second user in response to a selection of said edited visual content item in said presentation by said second user so as to allow said second user to select and apply said visual content editing function from said library on a new visual content item.