James Zheng

US Patent:

58984364, Apr 27, 1999

Filed:

Dec 5, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/986057

Inventors:

William Edward Stewart - Poway CA
Melissa Lee Monty - San Diego CA
Wade Patrick Mears - San Diego CA
Adelaida Escobedo - Bonita CA
Charles Chi Jia - San Diego CA
James Xin-Ping Zheng - San Diego CA

Assignee:

Hewlett-Packard Company - Palo Alto CA

International Classification:

G06F 300
G06F 314

US Classification:

345354

Abstract:

Chromatic adjustments to the overall color balance of the image are presented on one screen and tonal adjustments (such as brightness or contrast) that do not affect the overall color balance are presented on another screen. The chromatic adjustments include at least three independent variables each of which can be separately increased or decreased, while the tonal adjustments include brightness and contrast that can be separately increased or decreased. Such a grouping concentrates the user's attention on only two or three adjustments related to a single readily identifiable deficiency in the original image, and thus not only facilitates image improvement but also makes it easier to selectively undo the effects of some adjustments but not others. Each adjustment is displayed as a pair of preview images which respectively show the effect of a one step increment or decrement of the associated variable. Each pair of preview images are clearly separated from all other images on the same screen and are displayed as two adjacent "buttons" either of which can be actuated by the user to effect the displayed result.