Field of Application
The present invention relates to a method for facilitating automatic
navigation and panoramic view of images in an electronic display device. In
particular the invention relates to viewing large size images or panoramic
images in a presentation device like a digital photo frame (DPF), mobile
phones, etc., independent of any need for changing the images to fit the
screen size of the presentation device. The invention also relates to an
electronic display device in which the method can be employed.
Background of the Invention
Display devices are known for displaying images captured by a digital
camera. Document US 2007/0013721 Al discloses a method of displaying
an image captured by a digital camera. At least one digital initial image is
displayed on a monitor screen with resolution less than that of the image. At
least one zone of interest is identified automatically in the image. An image
portion containing the zone of interest is automatically selected for each
zone of interest identified. A sequence of images comprising selected image
portions to be displayed is formed. A command for full screen display of the
images of the sequence is given.
Document WO 2005/032125 Al provides a simple slide show maker cum
screen saver for transforming the favorite images of the user into a slide
show or screen saver, along with transition effects. The slide show/screen
saver can be easily controlled with a remote control or a keyboard.
When a captured image matches the display panel criteria, the picture/image
can be directly displayed on the screen of the display device. Problem arises

when the captured image/picture does not match the display panel criteria.
There is, therefore, a need for viewing large size images and panoramic
images in digital photo frames without changing 'image fit' to the original
or standard size of digital photo frame or other presentation devices.
Summary of the Invention
When the image does not match with the display panel properties, the main
object of the present invention is to convert the image to a panoramic view
with the help of an image processing unit.
For adjusting the picture with the display panel properties, presentation
devices like digital photo frame etc., will have a display panel, I/O
interfaces, a control unit and an image processing unit. The control
unit determines whether a picture matches with the display panel
according to a digital image format of the picture. If the pictures or
images match with the display panel criteria, the picture is directly
displayed on the panel. If not, image processing and control unit can
change the properties of image to make the image compatible with
the device and displayed on the screen.
According to the present invention large size images (e.g. panoramic images
or large size images etc.) can be viewed in digital photo frame without
changing the 'image fit' to the original or standard size of digital photo
frame or other presentation devices. The presentation device or DPF need
not change the image size. Rather the device can convert an image to a

panoramic view. The method of the invention concentrates on the feature
where DPF or other presentation device first test out the properties of the
images that can specify the compatibility of the image according to the
display panel of presentation device. If image is not matching with display
panel properties then image processing unit converts the image in a
panorama view and display.
This loading process of the images can be governed by the user, user can
specify the condition that if image is greater than the supportive size, the
face or largest prominent object is identified in the image and displayed at
the front of the view. In this invention user can merge multiple images and
displayed as a single image on to the display screen. A panoramic feature is
quite popular to show the multiple images in a view or convert the multiple
images in a meaningful view (cylindrical, spherical, cubicle panoramic view
etc.) and display on to the digital photo frame. Currently digital photo frame
provides flat view of images. The present invention provides the facility to
view the image in any panoramic view such as cylindrical panorama,
spherical panorama, cubic panorama or other types of format. A cylindrical
panorama is intended to be viewed as if curved around the inside of a
cylinder, Spherical images are typically represented in equi-rectangular
format image files, which represent exactly 360 degrees on the horizontal
axis and 180 degrees on the vertical. In cubic panoramas the viewer can look
straight up and straight down at the floor.
Thus the present invention relates to a method for facilitating automatic
navigation and panoramic view images in an electronic display device,
comprising the steps of: (a) determining if complete image is in a single

image file; (b) when the complete image is in a single file, determining
image / picture properties with the help of a control unit and checking if
image properties match display panel parameters; (c) if the image properties
are larger than the display panel parameters, loading and displaying part of
the image in the display panel, maintaining statistics of displayed portion;
and (d) after step (b) if the complete image is not in a single file, processing
multiple images with the help of a processing unit and converting to
panoramic view; (e) when the panoramic view is flat, loading and displaying
a part of the image maintaining statistics of the displayed portion, as in step
(c).
In the method of the present invention, large sized images or panoramic
images can be loaded when the memory available is limited or when the
hardware is not supporting the image because of the image parameters.
A face detection module can be provided for displaying images in an
appropriate way and avoiding inappropriate viewing of images. The face
detection mechanism can help viewer to load the image in a proper way and
allow the image to be moved in any direction manually/automatically.
The method can be employed in any electronic display device, like DPF and
mobile phones, for showing pictures or images. The default view of the
display screen of the digital display device can be set for displaying large
images or panoramic view of multiple images.
The method can also be employed for giving transition effect between
images.

Employing the method of the present invention large size images can be
displayed independent of any need for changing the image properties, using
navigational method.
Brief Description of the Accompanying Drawing(s) :
The invention can now be described in detail with the help of figures of the
accompanying drawings where :
Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of a DPF on which the present invention
can be applied.
Fig. 2 shows the present invention in schematic form.
Fig. 3 shows a flow diagram of the invention.
Fig. 4 shows examples of different panoramic images.
Detailed Description
As shown in Fig. 1, an input device 1, like a digital camera, inputs an image
and a control unit 3 determines if the image matches with the display panel 2
according to a digital image format of the picture.
Image processing unit (IPU) 4 gets the images from the memory unit 5,
processes the images and displays in a display device 2. This image
processing unit 4 reads the image and checks the parameters for the image
and display the image accordingly. In the current scenario digital photo
frame converts the image properties according to the compatibility of the
digital photo frame.
The present invention provides a method to navigate through a large size

image without applying any change in image parameter. This can help
viewer to view images with the original properties of images and navigate
through the image using user input or automatically.
As shown in Fig. 2, the image processing unit 4 of the present invention
loads the image and converts it to a panoramic view. This helps user to view
large size images in limited size of screen and user can avoid scrolling
feature to explore the images.
Fig. 3 shows in flow diagram form the method of the present invention,
which is self explanatory.
Fig. 4 shows examples of different panoramic images.
In this invention a face detection mechanism may be used to show the right
part of the image. This face detection mechanism helps user to load the
image in a proper way. The IPU 4 provides facility to move image in any
direction automatically or manually or can use any predefined effect to load
the image.
The invention also suggests a method to navigate through a large size image
without applying any change in image parameter. This can help viewer to
view images with the original properties of images and navigate through the
image using user input or automatically.

WE CLAIM :
1. A method for facilitating automatic navigation and panoramic view of
images in an electronic display device, comprising the steps of:
a) determining if complete image is in a single image file;
b) when the complete image is in a single file,
determining image / picture properties with the help of
a control unit and checking if image properties match
display panel parameters;
c) if the image properties are large than the display panel
parameters, loading and displaying part of the image in
the display panel, maintaining statistics of displayed
portion; and
d) after step (b) if the complete image is not in a single
file, processing multiple images with the help of a
processing unit and converting to panoramic view;

e) when the panoramic view is flat, loading and displaying
a part of the image maintaining statistics of the
displayed portion, as in step (c).
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein large size images can be
displayed employing navigational method independent of any need for
changing the image properties.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said method is employed
to set the default view of the display screen of an electronic display
device for displaying large images or panoramic view of multiple
images.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said method can be
employed for giving transition effect between images.
5. An electronic display device, like digital photo frames (DPF) or
mobile phones, wherein the method as claimed in claims 1 to 4 can be
employed.
6. The electronic display device as claimed in claim 4, wherein a face
detection module is provided for appropriate viewing of images
avoiding inappropriate view of images.

7. The electronic display device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said face
detection module is employed for moving the images in any direction
manually or automatically.
8. A method for facilitating automatic navigation and panoramic view of
images in an electronic display device, substantially as herein
described and illustrated in the figures of the accompanying drawings.

When the image does not match with the display panel properties, the main object of the present invention is to convert the image to a panoramic view with the help of an image processing unit.
For adjusting the picture with the display panel properties, presentation evices like digital photo frame etc., will have a display panel, I/O
interfaces, a control unit and an image processing unit. The control unit determines whether a picture matches with the display panel
according to a digital image format of the picture. If the pictures or images match with the display panel criteria, the picture is directly displayed on the panel. If not, image processing and control unit can change the properties of image to make the image compatible with the device and displayed on the screen.