WO2024237797A1

WO2024237797A1 - An image scaling method for a computing device

Info

Publication number: WO2024237797A1
Application number: PCT/NZ2023/050053
Authority: WO
Inventors: Leon Rawiri HOHEPA
Original assignee: Leon Hohepa Artist Ltd
Current assignee: Leon Hohepa Artist Ltd
Priority date: 2023-05-12
Filing date: 2023-05-12
Publication date: 2024-11-21
Anticipated expiration: 2025-11-12

Abstract

An image scaling method for a computing device including the steps of selecting a source image for scaling, displaying the source image on a screen of a computing device, assigning a first and a second location point on the source image, calculating the distance between the first and second location point, calculating a scaling factor for scaling the source image to a desired scale, scaling the source image by applying the scaling factor, and generating an output image from the scaled source image.

Description

AN IMAGE SCALING METHOD FOR A COMPUTING DEVICE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[001] The present invention relates to image scaling and particularly to accurate image scaling on computing devices.

[002] The invention has been developed primarily for accurately scaling images for printing them on thermal transfers and will be described hereinafter with reference to this application. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this particular field of use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[003] Any discussion of prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge.

[004] Artists, particularly wood carvers, and tattoo artists, sometimes require their artwork to be reproduced at a specific scale. This can be a difficult task and requires a trial an error approach. A target image is normally scanned by a scanner and then printed out on a printer iteratively while adjusting the printing parameters until the printed image approximates the desired scale.

[005] Tattoo artists often print their artworks on thermal transfers to transfer them on to a person's skin so that the transferred artwork can be used as a template for a tattoo. If the artwork is not printed to scale on the thermal transfer this can result in a tattoo that is distorted when compared to the original artwork. Because tattoos are painful to get done, and are permanent and difficult to remove, there is no room for error. There is a lot of pressure on the tattoo artist to ensure that the result is satisfactory to the person getting the tattoo.

[006] Wood carvers and other sculptors print 2-dimensional versions of 3-dimensional carving or sculpture design images (but they also could be directly printed onto wood or other material) and attach them to a target piece of wood or other material to assist with the carving process. If the artwork is not printed to scale this can result in a carving or sculpture that is distorted. Carving and sculpting is physically and temporally demanding, and the target wood or other material can be very costly. There is therefore little room for error but there is a lot of pressure on carvers and sculptors to ensure that the end result is satisfactory. [007] A tattoo artist, carver, or sculptor may create a 2-dimensional artwork on a small scale but then wish to increase its scale. An artwork's scale may be increased in size so that it does not fit for printing onto a single page (i.e., A4 or others), but instead requires two or more pages. For example, a person may require a tattoo along their leg or their back. These parts of the body have dimensions larger than a single page. A desired carving or sculpture could likewise be very large.

[008] Presently, there are no suitable thermal transfer printers able to accommodate printing larger images. The tattooist is forced to print artworks over many pages. This limitation is confounded by trying to print the image to the desired scale. The process is error prone, time consuming, and costly.

[009] Artists other than tattoo artists may only have access to A4 printers and may also need to accurately scale drawings over many pages.

AN OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[010] It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.

[Oil] It is an object of the invention in its preferred form to provide an easy way to scale artworks quickly and accurately and to apportion accurately scaled artworks across multiple pages for the purpose of printing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[012] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image scaling method for a computing device, the method including the steps of: selecting a source image for scaling; displaying the source image on a screen of a computing device; assigning a first and a second location point on the source image; calculating the distance between the first and second location point; calculating a scaling factor for scaling the source image to a desired scale; scaling the source image by applying the scaling factor; and generating an output image from the scaled source image.

[013] Preferably, the distance between the first and second location point on the source image is measured in pixels (D_piXeis); the desired scale corresponds to the distance between the first and second location point on the scaled source image, the distance being measured in millimeters (D_mm); the scaling factor (S_mm) is measured in millimeters and is calculated according to the formula S_mm = D_mm/ D_piXeis; and the source image is scaled by assigning each pixel in the source image with the value of S mm-

[014] Preferably, the first and second location points are each assigned from an edge of a visual graphic contained in the source image.

[015] Preferably, the first and second location points are assigned by a user-controlled selector graphic in the form of a telescopic scope sight.

[016] Preferably, a path-line graphic connects the first and second location points.

[017] Preferably, the source and/or output image is in A4 format.

[018] Preferably, there is included a further step of generating an output image by printing the image on a printer.

[019] Preferably, there is included a further step of apportioning the output image to fit one or more A4 pages.

[020] Preferably, the output image apportioned to fit the one or more A4 pages is displayed on the screen of the computing device.

[021] Preferably, each output image portion of the one or more A4 pages further includes one or more cropping marks.

[022] Preferably, the output image portion of the one or more A4 pages further includes a bleed over the one or more cropping marks.

[023] Preferably, the output image further includes a margin surrounding the image.

[024] Preferably, there is included the further step of calibrating a computing device application to send a communication to a printer to accurately print the output image to the desired scale. [025] Preferably, the step of calibrating a computing device application further includes the steps of: printing a calibration image with one or more known dimensions; measuring the printed calibration image; comparing the one or more known dimensions with the measured dimensions to determine a correction factor for correcting a disparity between the calibration image and the printed calibration image; and calibrating the application by means of the correction factor such that a correctly scaled output image can be printed.

[026] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image scaling system including: the image scaling system being in communication with a computing device with a screen; a computing device application implementing an image scaling method according to an image scaling method; a GUI for a user to interact with the computing device application; and the computing device being associable with a printer for printing images scaled according to an image scaling method.

[027] Preferably, at least a part of the system is implemented on the cloud.

[028] Preferably, the printer is a thermal transfer printer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[029] A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[030] Figure 1 is a diagram of an image scaling system;

[031] Figure 2 is a screenshot of a preferred GUI prompting a user to select a source image for scaling;

[032] Figure 3 is a screenshot of a preferred GUI showing a selected and uploaded image for scaling;

[033] Figure 4 is a screenshot of a preferred GUI showing a scaled image apportioned over six pages; and

[034] Figure 5 is a screenshot of a preferred GUI showing user settings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [035] Referring to the drawings, in one aspect of the present invention the image scaling method is performed on a computing device in the form of a mobile phone 2 with a corresponding application (not shown) implementing the method, as best shown in Figure 1. Referring now to Figure 2, by using the application GUI 4 a user selects 6 a source image 8 (shown in Figure 3) for scaling from the mobile phone's 2 memory. The source image 8 is then displayed on the mobile phone's screen 10. The source image may be acquired into memory by means of a mobile phone camera (not shown), from the cloud 34, or other digital source (not shown).

[036] Referring to Figure 3, a first 12A and second 12B location point are assigned on the source image 8 by means of a user-controlled selector graphic in the form of a scope sight 14. The first 12A and second 12B location points are preferably selected from locations on the edge (or i.e., perimeter) 16 of a visual graphic in the source image 8. A path-line connects 18 the first 12A and second 12B location points for visual reference. The path-line 18 can be used together with the first 12A and second 12B location points to assist with focusing on a specific area of the image 8 by triangulation or a similar technique (not shown).

[037] Next, the user provides to the application an input target distance (D_mm) 20 on the GUI 4 between the first 12A and second 12B location points (i.e., in millimeters), the distance corresponding to the desired scale of the output image 22. The distance between the first 12A and second 12B location point is measured in pixels (D_PiXeis).

[038] The scaling factor (not shown) is then calculated according to the formula:

[039] S_mm = D mm / 0 pixels

[040] The source image 8 is then scaled by applying the calculated scaling factor by means of assigning each pixel (not shown) in the source image 6 with the value of S_mm. For example, if the D_piXeis = 1000 pixels and the desired scale corresponds to D_mm = 250 millimeters and each pixel of the image is to scaled to S_mm = 1000p_ixeis / 250_mm = 4_mm- A pixel size is normally about 0.26 millimeters.

[041] Referring to Figure 4, if the scaled output image 22 is too large to fit onto the printable area of a single image page (such as an A4 format sheet) the scaled output image 22 is automatically apportioned (by means of a suitable algorithm) to the printable area of two or more pages, as required, and the apportioned image is shown split across the required number of pages 24 on the screen 10 of the mobile phone 2 via GUI 4. A suitable algorithm (not shown) checks if a scaled image fits more than one page in the x and y directions of the image and will add further pages in the x and y directions to fit the scaled image into the center of the combined pages.

[042] Referring to Figure 5, the printable area of the one or more pages containing the scaled output image 22 includes a margin (not shown) with a size selectable by the user 24 on GUI 4. The user can select the inclusion of one or more cropping marks (not shown) to be drawn on the image in the form of light grey lines preferably extending along the x and y axis of the image's edges. The user can also select an image bleed 28 over the cropping marks. The user can further scale the output image 22 by means of the GUI 4 page-size input 30.

[043] Referring again to Figure 1, a communication 32 containing the output image 22 is sent via a cloud 34 to a printer in the form of a thermal transfer printer 35 so that an output image 22 generated by being printed.

[044] If the output image 22 does not print accurately to scale, the mobile application (not shown) will need to be calibrated to compensate for the discrepancy between the scaled image and the printed output image. To calibrate the mobile application firstly, a calibration image is printed with or more known dimensions (not shown). The image could be a graphic of a line of a predetermined length, for example. The printed image is then measured and the known dimensions and measured dimensions are compared to determine a correction factor (or i.e., offset) for correcting the disparity between the expected output image printed and the actual output image printed. The measured difference is then entered into the mobile application and a correction factor is determined and is used to calibrate the mobile phone application such that a correctly scaled output image is printed.

[045] In another aspect of the present invention there is provided an image scaling system including the system being in communication with a computing device with a screen 10, the computing device preferably being a mobile device 2, and a GUI 4 implemented on the mobile device. A computing device application (not shown) is present on the device either wholly, or partly on the device and partly on the cloud 34. The application implements the image scaling method according to an aspect of the present invention. The mobile phone 2 is associable with a thermal transfer printer 36 such that communications 32 from the mobile phone 2 containing one or more scaled output images 22 can be sent to the thermal transfer printer 35 for printing.

[046] The application preferably further includes an option to change units 38 and systems of measurement for performing the method. [047] The application preferably further includes an option to change paper size 30 to A5, A4, A3, letter, or other possible sizes.

[048] The application preferably further includes an option to configure margins and bleeds 28 as follows: all, split (left, right, top bottom) (not shown).

[049] The application can include an option to scale the printing horizontally or vertically 40.

[050] The application preferably further includes a splash screen.

[051] Throughout this specification, references to a Central Processing Unit-based system ("CPUbased Systems) are to be taken to include, without limitation, references to any one or more computing devices, including Mobile Devices, Personal Computers ("PC"), Embedded Systems, Quantum Computers, Distributed Systems, Microprocessors, Microprocessor-based systems, Microcontrollers, CPUs, Computer Systems, Multicore Processor-based Systems, or similar, or any combination thereof, and, any Peripherals to the foregoing, as deemed necessary by a person skilled in the art to perform the embodiments presented in this specification, or other embodiments of the present invention. Further, references to Peripherals, without limitation, are taken to include computer memory, and data-bases stored on computer memory, and similar.

[052] References to a Machine-readable Code Containing a Set of Instructions are to be taken to include, without limitation, references to instructions (including in respect of a method or algorithm) for a CPU-based System that can be implemented in machine code, assembly language, high-level computer languages, simulation and model-based design packages, or similar, or any combination thereof as deemed necessary by a person skilled in the art to perform the embodiments presented in this specification, or other embodiments of the present invention.

[053] References to a Network, Computer Network, Communications Network, Cloud, are to be taken to include, without limitation, references to wired or wireless Networks, any type of Network Topology, and any related protocol to implement such a network where required, or similar, or any combination thereof as deemed necessary by a person skilled in the art to perform the embodiments presented in this specification, or other embodiments of the present invention. [054] It will be appreciated that the image scaling method can be used to reduce the size of an image.

[055] It will be appreciated that the image scaling method can be used to print images on any kind of material by using a suitable printer.

[056] In a preferred embodiment, a "location point" refers to a single pixel or a cluster of pixels.

[057] In a preferred embodiment, a Neural Network ("NN") is trained by means of supervised learning to identify the edge of a visual graphic such that if the user selects a suboptimal first or second point the NN can adjust the selection to the edge of the visual graphic as identified by an NN. The steps to train a NN to identified edges of visual graphics and adjusting user selected points includes processing training to generate uniform images, then selecting target classification images (i.e., feature extraction), training a NN (however it will be appreciated that other ML models can be used) to produce a trained NN model, and in a preferred embodiment optimizing the parameters including by identifying over and underfitting of the NN model, or reducing or increasing the number of features, such that the models performance can be improved.

[058] In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of points can be selected, and the image is scaled by adapting the mathematical formulas presented.

[059] It will be appreciated that the illustrated image scaling method for a computing device provides an easy way to accurately scale artworks and to apportion scaled artworks across multiple pages for the purpose of printing; and specifically, for printing accurately scaled artworks on thermal printers for use in the context of tattooing.

[060] Although the invention has been described with reference to a specific example, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

Claims

1. An image scaling method for a computing device, the method including the steps of: selecting a source image for scaling; displaying the source image on a screen of a computing device; assigning a first and a second location point on the source image; calculating the distance between the first and second location point; calculating a scaling factor for scaling the source image to a desired scale; scaling the source image by applying the scaling factor; and generating an output image from the scaled source image.

2. An image scaling method according to claim 1 wherein: the distance between the first and second location point on the source image is measured in pixels (D_PiXeis); the desired scale corresponds to the distance between the first and second location point on the scaled source image, the distance being measured in millimeters (D_mm); the scaling factor (S_mm) is measured in millimeters and is calculated according to the formula Smm ⁼ Dmm/ DpixeisJ and the source image is scaled by assigning each pixel in the source image with the value of Smm-

3. An image scaling method according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the first and second location points are each assigned from an edge of a visual graphic contained in the source image.

4. An image scaling method according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the first and second location points are assigned by a user-controlled selector graphic in the form of a telescopic scope sight.

5. An image scaling method according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein a path-line graphic connects the first and second location points.

6. An image scaling method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the source and/or output image is in A4 format.

7. An image scaling method according to any one of claims 1 to 6 further including the step of generating an output image by printing the image on a printer.

8. An image scaling method according to any one of claims 1 to 7 further including the step of apportioning the output image to fit one or more A4 pages.

9. An image scaling method according to claim 8 wherein the output image apportioned to fit the one or more A4 pages is displayed on the screen of the computing device.

10. An image scaling method according to claim 8 or claim 9 wherein each output image portion of the one or more A4 pages further includes one or more cropping marks.

11. An image scaling method according to claim 10 wherein the output image portion of the one or more A4 pages further includes a bleed over the one or more cropping marks.

12. An image scaling method according to any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the output image further includes a margin surrounding the image.

13. An image scaling method according to any one of claims 1 to 12 further including the step of calibrating a computing device application to send a communication to a printer to accurately print the output image to the desired scale.

14. An image scaling method according to claim 8 wherein the step of calibrating a computing device application further includes the steps of: printing a calibration image with one or more known dimensions; measuring the printed calibration image; comparing the one or more known dimensions with the measured dimensions to determine a correction factor for correcting a disparity between the calibration image and the printed calibration image; and calibrating the application by means of the correction factor such that a correctly scaled output image can be printed.

15. An image scaling system including: the image scaling system being in communication with a computing device with a screen; a computing device application implementing an image scaling method according to any one of claims 1 to 13; a GUI for a user to interact with the computing device application; and the computing device being associable with a printer for printing images scaled according to an image scaling method of any one of claims 1 to 15.

16. An image scaling system according to claim 15 wherein at least a part of the system is implemented on the cloud.

17. An image scaling system according to any one of claims 7 to 16 wherein the printer is a thermal transfer printer.