Abstract:
System and method are disclosed for decorating a surface with a collection of personalized products. The disclosed method assists designers to choose personalized product types, to pick photos for the personalized products, to create the personalized products, and to place the multiple personalized products on the surface. Designers can preview the personalized products in correct proportions in the intended environment before the personalized products are manufactured.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This application relates to decorating a home or a business environment, and more specifically, to creation and display of personalized products. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Digital images can be stored in user&#39;s computers and viewed on electronic display devices. The proliferation of mobile devices such as camera phones and tablet computers has enabled an increasing number of users to take pictures, share photos, post photos online, and create personalized products or projects. 
         [0003]    Users can upload digital images to a central network location provided by image service providers such as Shutterfly, Inc. The image service providers can enable users to store, organize, manage, edit, enhance, and share digital images at the central network location using a web browser or other software applications. A user can also design and personalize products, and order these products from the image service provider. Examples of the personalized products include image prints, photo books, photo calendars, photo greeting cards, holiday cards, photo stationeries, photo mugs, and photo T-shirts, which incorporate image content provided by the user or the image service provider. Other examples of personalized products include glassware, tiles, woodwork, jewelry trays, paperweights, pillows, and mugs that include customizable graphic designs, text, or images. 
         [0004]    Many personalized products can be displayed for decorations at home or in a business or commercial surrounding. These products can include framed photo prints, posters, calendars, banners, fabrics, pictures printed on canvas, pictures printed on a scroll, etc., which can be displayed on the surface of a wall. Several personalized products are often placed in a group to achieve desirable decorative effects. 
         [0005]    Creating personalized products, however, can take considerable amount of time and effort. Designing multiple personalized products for decorating a room takes extra effort. Designers not only have to pick the right photos and the desirable personalized products; they also have to consider the dimensions and geometries of the available display area (e.g. on a wall), the sizes of the personalized products, and the overall visual effects of the personalized products as a group and compatible with the environment. 
         [0006]    There is therefore a need for convenient methods and tools to assist designers to create personalized products for the purpose of displaying them in a specific environment. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    System and method are disclosed for decorating a surface with personalized products. The disclosed method assists designers to choose personalizable product types, to pick or create images, text, or designs for the personalized products, to create the personalized products, and to place the personalized products on a surface. The surface can include a display area on a wall. Users can preview the personalized products in correct proportions in the intended display environment before the personalized products are manufactured. 
         [0008]    In one general aspect, the present invention relates to a method for automatically creating design for a collection of personalized products in a display area, which includes: capturing an image of a display area and an anchor on a surface by a first computer device, wherein the anchor has a known dimension; automatically identifying the anchor on the surface; automatically calculating dimensions of the display area using the known dimension of the anchor and relative dimensions of the display area and the anchor in the image on the first computer device; automatically suggesting a collection of personalized products to be placed in the display area based on the dimensions of the display area and sizes of the personalized products; and displaying the collection of personalized products in the display area on the surface on the first computer device. 
         [0009]    Implementations of the system may include one or more of the following. The first computer device can retrieve the known dimension from a computer storage in response to the step of identifying the anchor on the surface. The known dimension of the anchor can be received from a user by the first computer device. The anchor can define location of the display area on the surface. The method can further include displaying a virtual border around the display area on the first computer device, wherein the collection of personalized products is displayed within the virtual border on the first computer device. The method can further include automatically suggesting types for the personalized products to be placed in the display area based on the dimensions of the display area and sizes of the personalized products. The types of the personalized products to be placed in the display area can be automatically selected in part based on a color or a texture of the surface. The method can further include automatically creating designs of the personalized products to be placed in the display area in part based on the dimensions of the display area and sizes of the personalized products. The designs of the personalized products can be automatically created in part based on a color or a texture of the surface. The method can further include automatically selecting photos to be incorporated in the personalized products to be placed in the display area. The photos to be incorporated in the personalized products can be automatically selected in part based on a color or a texture of the surface. The method can further include storing a layout of the collection of personalized products in the display area on the first computer device. The method can further include manufacturing physical personalized products based on the collection of personalized products to be placed in the display area; and guiding placements of the physical personalized products on the surface comprising the steps of: capturing a live image of the display area on the surface using a second computer device; displaying the layout of the collection of personalized products in the display area on the second computer device; and placing each of the physical personalized products in the display area on the surface based on locations of the respective personalized products in the layout. The known dimension can be a width of the anchor, wherein a width of the display area can be automatically calculated using the known dimension of the anchor multiplied by a ratio of a width of the display area to a width of the anchor in the image on the first computer device. The known dimension can be a height of the anchor, wherein a height of the display area can be automatically calculated using the known dimension of the anchor multiplied by a ratio of a height of the display area to a height of the anchor in the image on the first computer device. The first computer device can include a mobile phone, or a tablet computer, or a laptop computer or a desktop equipped with or connected to a camera. 
         [0010]    These and other aspects, their implementations and other features are described in detail in the drawings, the description and the claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates a conventional web user interface that assists a designer to choose and place personalized products on a wall for decoration purpose. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a network-based system for producing personalized products, image designs, or image projects compatible with the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3A  is a perspective view illustrating viewing layout and measuring dimensions of a display surface, and choosing and placing personalized products using a first computer device in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3B  illustrates a computer user interface on a second computer device for creating and choosing personalized products, and placing these products on the layout of a display surface captured by the first computer device in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart for assisting a user to choose and create personalized products and place these personalized products in correct proportions on a surface in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart for assisting a user to choose and create personalized products and place these personalized products in correct proportions on a surface in accordance with another aspect of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6A  is a perspective view illustrating capturing an image of a display surface using a first computer device in relation to  FIG. 5 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 6B  illustrates a user interface on a second computer device that displays the display surface and personalized products on the display surface in relation to  FIGS. 5 and 6A . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    Today, companies like Shutterfly, Inc. provide tools to assist users to create personalized products to be displayed on a surface in a home or business environment. Users are asked to measure out the dimensions (e.g. 44.5″ by 33″) of the areas. In the product creation path, as shown in  FIG. 1 , a browser  100  can indicate the width and the height of the display area  110  by lines  120 ,  130  with end arrows in a blank background, which serves an approximation of the real wall. The user can place personalized products  150 - 154  within the approximate display area  110  indicated by lines  120 ,  130  and the arrows. 
         [0020]    There are several drawbacks associated with the existing tools that assist users to designing a wall with display of personalized products. Firstly, users have to make the measurements of the wall themselves. Secondly, the users can only imagine what the final display of the personalized products might look like. There is no realistic preview of the personalized products in a particular environment. 
         [0021]    In accordance with the present invention, a system and a method are disclosed to improve user experience, improve dimensional accuracy, and reduce the amount of time for users to design and decorate personalized products on a wall. Referring to  FIG. 2 , a network-based imaging service system  10  enables users  70 ,  71  to organize and share images via a wired network or a wireless network  51 . The network-based imaging service system  10 , operated by an image service provider such as Shutterfly, Inc., can fulfill personalized products ordered by users  70 ,  71 . The personalized products can include personalized photos, text, or designs. The network-based imaging service system  10  includes a data center  30 , one or more product fulfillment centers  40 ,  41 , and a computer network  80  that facilitates communications between the data center  30  and the product fulfillment centers  40 ,  41 . 
         [0022]    The data center  30  includes one or more servers  32  for communicating with devices ( 60 ,  61 ) owned by users  70 ,  71 , a data storage  34  for storing user data, image and design data, and product information, and computer processor(s)  36  for rendering images and product designs, organizing images, and processing orders. The user data includes account information, discount information, and order information associated with the user. A website can be powered by the servers  32  and can be accessed by the user  70  using a computer device  60  via the Internet  50 , or by the user  71  using a wireless device  61  via the wireless network  51 . The servers  32  can also support a mobile application to be downloaded onto wireless devices  61 . 
         [0023]    The network-based imaging service system  10  provides tool for users to design and personalize products. In the present disclosure, the term “personalized” (or “individualized” or “customized”) refers to content that is specific to the recipient, the user, the gift product, and the occasion, which can include personalized text, personalized images, or personalized designs or colors. Examples of personalized products may include photobooks, personalized greeting cards, photo stationeries, photo or image prints, photo posters, photo banners, photo playing cards, photo T-shirts, photo mugs, photo aprons, or magnets, mouse pads, a phone case, a case for a tablet computer, key-chains, photo collectors, coasters, banners, or other types of photo gifts that include personalized content. The term photobook generally refers to as bound multi-page product that includes at least one image on a book page. Photobooks can include image albums, scrapbooks, bound photo calendars, or photo snap books, etc. A personalized product can include a single page or multiple pages. Each page can include one or more images, text, and design elements. Some of the images may be laid out in an image collage. Moreover, a collection personalize photo or image products can be designed in a coherent layout to be displayed on surfaces (e.g. walls, doors, etc.) for decorations at home or in a business or commercial surrounding. 
         [0024]    The user  70  or his/her family often owns multiple cameras  62 ,  63  including mobile phones with built-in cameras, digital cameras, a video camera, and computers with built-in cameras. The user  70  transfers images from cameras  62 ,  63  to the computer device  60  (e.g. a personal computer, a laptop, or tablet computer, a mobile phone, etc.) on which the images can be edited and organized. 
         [0025]    Images in the cameras  62 ,  63  are stored on the computer device  60  and the wireless device  61  can be uploaded to the server  32  to allow the user  70  to organize and render images at the website, share the images with others, and design or order a personalized product incorporating the images. The pictures on the wireless device  61  can be uploaded to the data center  30 . If users  70 ,  71  are members of a family or a group (e.g. a soccer team), the images from the cameras  62 ,  63  and the mobile device  61  can be grouped together to be incorporated into a personalized product such as a photobook, or used in a blog page for an event such as a soccer game. 
         [0026]    The users  70 ,  71  can order a physical product based on the design of the personalized product, which can be manufactured by the printing and finishing facilities  40  and  41 . A recipient receives the physical product with messages from the users at locations  80 ,  85 . The recipient can also receive a digital version of the design of the personalized product over the Internet  50  and/or a wireless network  51 . For example, the recipient can receive, on her mobile phone, an electronic version of the greeting card signed by handwritten signatures from her family members. 
         [0027]    The images or videos stored in the data storage  34 , the computer device  60 , or the mobile device  61  usually include groups of photos or videos taken at different events and occasions. 
         [0028]    To improve user experience, improve dimensional accuracy, and reduce the amount of time for users to design and decorate personalized products on a surface (such as a wall, a door, etc.), user  70 ,  71  can use the wireless device  61  or the computer device  60  installed with a software application provided by the server  32 . Referring to  FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 4 , a user first places an anchor  200  on a wall  210  on which personalized products are to be placed or hung for decoration (step  410 ). The anchor  200  can be placed in or near a display area  220  on the wall  210 . The wall  210  can include areas that are not useable by the display area  220  for displaying personalized products: for example, objects such as a window  230 , a door (not shown), a stair case (not shown), etc. In addition, furniture  240  can also block certain portion the wall  210 . 
         [0029]    It should be noted that although examples are described to create and place personalizable products on a wall surface, the present invention is applicable to other decoratable surfaces in a home, business or public environment, which include surfaces oriented along vertical, horizontal, or other directions. 
         [0030]    The primary function of the anchor  200  to provide a length scale for the display area  220  and the personalized products to be selected to be placed in the display area  220  for decoration. The anchor  200  can be implemented using objects of known fixed dimensions such as a square post-it paper (3″ by 3″), a letter size paper (8.5″×11″), a coin, an electronic device (e.g. an iPhone), a ruler, or a sheet of paper with a ruler (e.g. 4″ long) drawn or printed on it. Depending on the weight and the configuration, the anchor  200  can be attached to the surface of the wall  210  (by adhesive or hanging off a nail) or placed on a shelf or table leaning against the wall  210  with a known fixed dimension of the anchor  200  positioned parallel to the surface of the wall  210 . 
         [0031]    In some embodiments, the user can receive a physical anchor in mail from an image service provider such as Shutterfly, Inc. The physical anchor can have a self-adhesive backing that allows it to be adhered to the wall surface. The user can also receive, from an image service provider, a digital file of an image of the anchor which can be printed to an absolute scale. 
         [0032]    Another function of the anchor  200  is to provide a reference point to define the position of the display area  220  on the wall  210 . For example, the anchor  200  can define a corner of the display area  220 , which can be used as the origin of an x-y coordinate for the display area  220 , as shown in  FIG. 3A . 
         [0033]    Next, an application is launched, under the command of a user, on a computer device  250  (e.g. the wireless device  61  or the computer device  60  in  FIG. 2 ) which is communication with the server  32  ( FIG. 2 ). The computer device  250  can include a mobile device such as a mobile phone or a tablet computer, as well as a laptop computer or a desktop equipped with or connected to a camera. The computer device  250  can also include wearable computer devices such as Google Glass, HoloLens, and virtual reality devices such as Oculus Rift, etc. which allow users to view and edit digital content superimposed on a real environment. 
         [0034]    The application uses the camera function of the computer device  250  to capture a live image of the wall  210  and the display area  220 , and display them on the computer device  250  (step  415 ). The live image can include a video recording, or one or more still images. The application on the computer device  250  can display a virtual border  225 A around a display area  220 A and an anchor  200 A in or near the display area  220 A. The virtual border  225 A can be adjusted by the user by touching, holding, and moving a border line on a touch sensitive screen. The display area  220 A and the anchor  200 A on the computer device  250  are respectively projected to the display area  220  and the anchor  200  on the wall  210 . Similarly, the virtual border  225 A on the computer device  250  corresponds to a virtual border  225  around the display area  220  on the wall  210 . Other objects such as a window  230 A and furniture can also be displayed on the computer device  250 . 
         [0035]    The application can automatically search and identify the anchor  200  as the anchor  200 A on the screen of the computer device  250  (step  420 ) and infer its physical dimensions (e.g. the size of an iPhone 6s, or a quarter coin in U.S. currency). The known dimensions of the anchor  200 A are pre-stored, and are retrieved by the computer device  250  after the anchor  200  is identified on the wall  210 . Alternatively, the application can include a function to allow the user to first identify the anchor  200 A (step  420 ) by touching the anchor  200 A on the screen. The computer device  250  includes a computer processor that recognizes the image object selected by the user as the anchor  200 A. The computer processor automatically detects the boundaries of the anchor  200 A, and calculates its width and height in number of pixels using the positions of the boundaries. Alternatively, the application on the computer device  250  can allow the user to enter the dimension of the anchor  200  (for example, for the case of a ruler), or select from one for the most commonly used object as anchor with standard fixed dimensions (e.g. a post-it, a dollar bill, etc.). 
         [0036]    Using the dimensions of the anchor  200 , the computer processor automatically calculates the dimensions of the display area  220  (step  425 ). The calculation involves determining the width and the height of the display area  220 A in the number of pixels on the computer device. With the dimension ratio of the display area  220 A to the anchor  200 A obtained, and the real dimensions of the anchor  200  known, the real dimensions of the display area  220  can be accurately calculated by proportional ratios. 
         [0000]        Wd=Wa ×( Wd′/Wa ′)  eqn. (1)
 
         [0000]    in which Wd′ and Wa′ are respectively the widths (or heights) of the display area  220 A and anchor  200 A in pixels on the computer device  250 ; Wd and Wa are respectively the real physical widths (or heights) of the display area  220  and the anchor  200  on the real wall  210 . 
         [0037]    In some embodiments, the application on the computer device  250  automatically suggests the types of personalized products to be used for decoration (step  430 ), based on the dimensions of the display area  220  as well as the sizes of the personalized products, and logics and rules for aesthetic appearances. The types of personalized products can include canvas print, posters, framed photo or image prints, self-adhesive photo print boards, calendars, banners, photo accessories, as well as decorative wall paper. 
         [0038]    In some embodiments, the application on the computer device  250  or the server  32  ( FIG. 2 ) automatically creates designs for the personalized products  260 A of the selected personalized product types (step  435 ) based on the dimensions of the display area, the sizes of the personalized products, and logics and rules for aesthetic appearances. The design includes the number and types of personalized products as well as layouts of the personalized products. The logics and rules take into account not only the overall dimensions (e.g. width, height, etc.) of the display area  220 , the dimensions of the collection of personalized products  260 A, but also the gaps between the products and margins along the borders of the display area  210 . Furthermore, the application on the computer device  250  or the server  32  ( FIG. 2 ) automatically creates designs for individual personalized products, which includes borders, background, design elements, text fonts and colors, and selection of user&#39;s photos within individual personalized products, which is also in part based on the dimensions of the display area and the sizes of the personalized products. 
         [0039]    In some embodiments, photos, designs, or text are automatically selected from the computer device  250  or in the data storage  34  ( FIG. 2 ) to incorporate in the personalized products in the display area on the surface (step  440 ). The selections of the photos for the personalized products are in part based on the dimensions of the display area, the sizes of the personalized products, and the types of personalized products. 
         [0040]    In some embodiments, the selection of personalized product types, design of the personalized products, and photos incorporated in the personalized products can depend on the surface textures, painting as well painting colors of the wall  210  (steps  430  and  435 ). For example, the computer device  250  or the server  32  ( FIG. 2 ) can calculate the color distributions in the photos, and selecting those photos having color distributions that match the color of the wall  210 , or to produce aesthetic contrast against the color of the wall  210 . 
         [0041]    Optionally, in some embodiments, the application on the computer device  250  allows the user to pick or create a collection of personalized products  260  compatible with the display area  220 . The user can also edit photos or personalized product designs that are automatically created by the application and the computer system. 
         [0042]    The collection of personalized products  260 A can be automatically placed and displayed within a virtual border  227 B of the display area  210 A on the computer device  250 , based on the logics and rules for aesthetic appearances (step  445 ). The collection of personalized products  260 A can also be manually placed on the wall by the user. 
         [0043]    In some embodiments, a plurality of personalized product layouts can be stored in a computer storage (e.g. the data storage  34  in  FIG. 2  or the computer device  250 ) for display areas with common sizes and aspect ratios. For each of the common display area in size and shape, there can be a plurality of layouts for possible personalized products. The computer processor can retrieve these layouts in response to the calculated dimensions and aspect ratio of the display area  220  and automatically selects one or more layouts to recommend to the user (step  445 ). The library of layouts can also be used for recommending particular personalized products to be used in decorating the specific display area  220  (step  430 ). 
         [0044]    One advantageous feature of the disclosed method is that the application on the computer device  250  allows the user to preview how the personalized products look like on the computer device  250  in a digital environment that include both virtual objects and representations of physical objects from the real environment. Once the collection of personalized products  260 A is placed in the display area  220 A, the user can preview the appearance of the collection of personalized products  260 A in the realistic environment (with the correct dimensions, and the objects such as furniture, doors, windows, and staircase, etc.). The user can adjust the position of the collection of personalized products  260 , change the photos in the collection of personalized products  260 A, or change the types of the personalized products  260 A in the layout of the display area  220  on the wall  210  (step  450 ) to achieve the best decorative appearance. The user can zoom in to look at details of the personalized products and zoom out to look at the display effect of the entire surface of the wall  210 A in the environment. 
         [0045]    Once a satisfactory set of personalized products  260 A has been selected for the display area  229  on the wall  210 , a project can be saved on the computer device  250  and in a networked computer storage over a computer network (e.g. the data storage  34  in  FIG. 2 ). The project can be optionally previewed and edited on different computer devices (step  455 ) in communication with the networked computer storage. For example, referring to  FIG. 3B , the project can be displayed in a web user interface (e.g. a web browser) on a desktop computer  300  or a mobile app running on a tablet computer in communication with the networked computer storage. The personalized products  260 B can be displayed in the display area  220 B defined by a virtual border  225 B on a wall  210 B. Window  230 B, furniture, door, and staircase can also be displayed on the desktop computer  300 . Since the anchor has fulfilled its roles, it is optional whether an anchor is displayed on the desktop computer  300 . The user can adjust the positions and alignments of the collection of personalized products  260 B, change the pictures in the collection of personalized products  260 B, or change product types. 
         [0046]    Once the project is finalized, the user can order the set of personalized products from image-service providers such as Shutterfly, Inc. The personalized products are manufactured based on the product selections and the designs of the personalized product (step  460 ). After a user (who can be a second user or the first user) receives the personalized products, the user can place the personalized products using the layouts on a computer device as guidelines (step  465 ). This computer device can be the same as or a different device from the computer device ( 250 ) that captured the image of the display area on the wall. Referring to  FIG. 3A , while showing a live picture of the wall  210  and the layout of the collection of personalized products  260 A on the computer device in the application (operated by a first user), a (second) user can place one of the physical personalized product on the wall in such a way such that the outline of the physical personalized product coincides with the outlines of personalized product  260 A in the layout on the computer device  250 . Positioning all physical personalized products in such a way assures maintaining the aesthetic effect of the personalized products as originally designed. 
         [0047]    In some embodiments, a photo of the display area on a surface can be captured by a first computer device. The designs of photos products and layout of these personalized products on the wall can be conducted on a different computer device using the photo of the display area as a background. It should be noted that although examples are described to create and place personalizable products on a wall surface, the present invention is applicable to other decoratable surfaces in a home, business or public environment, which include surfaces oriented along vertical, horizontal, or other directions. 
         [0048]    Referring to  FIGS. 2, 5 and 6A , a user first places an anchor  200  on a wall  210  on which personalized products are to be placed or hung for decoration (step  510 ). The anchor  200  can be placed in or near a display area  220  on the wall  200 . The wall  210  can include areas that are not useable by the display area  220  for displaying personalized products: for example, objects such as a window  230 , a door (not shown), a stair case (not shown), etc. In addition, furniture  240  can also block certain portion the wall  210 . As described above, the primary function of the anchor  200  to provide a length scale for the display area  220  and the personalized products to be selected to be placed in the display area  220  for decoration. Another function of the anchor  200  is to provide a reference point to define the position of the display area  220  on the wall  210 . For example, the anchor  200  can define a corner of the display area  220 , which can be used as the origin of an x-y coordinate for the display area  220 , as shown in  FIG. 6A . 
         [0049]    Next, an application is launched, under the command of a user, on a computer device  250  (e.g. the wireless device  61  or the computer device  60  in  FIG. 2 ) which is communication with the server  32  ( FIG. 2 ). The computer device  250  can include a mobile device such as a mobile phone or a tablet computer, as well as a laptop computer or a desktop equipped with or connected to a camera. The computer device  250  can also include wearable computer devices such as Google Glass, HoloLens, and virtual reality devices such as Oculus Rift, etc. which allow users to view and edit digital content superimposed on a real environment. 
         [0050]    The application uses the camera function of the computer device  250  to capture an image of the wall  210  and the display area  220  (step  515 ). The image can include a video recording, or one or more still images, which can be displayed on the computer device  250 . The application on the computer device  250  can display a virtual border  225 A around a display area  220 A and an anchor  200 A in or near the display area  220 A. The virtual border  225 A can be adjusted by the user by touching, holding, and moving a border line on a touch sensitive screen. The display area  220 A and the anchor  200 A on the computer device  250  are respectively projected to the display area  220  and the anchor  200  on the wall  210 . Similarly, the virtual border  225 A on the computer device  250  corresponds to a virtual border  225  around the display area  220  on the wall  210 . Other objects such as a window  230 A and furniture can also be displayed on the computer device  250 . 
         [0051]    The image of the wall  210  and the display area  220  is next uploaded to servers ( 32  in  FIG. 2 ) in the network-based imaging service system  10  ( FIG. 2 ) (step  520 ). 
         [0052]    The application on the computer device  250  or the servers  32  can automatically search and identify the anchor  200  as the anchor  200 A on the screen of the computer device  250  (step  525 ) and infer its physical dimensions (e.g. the size of an iPhone 6s, or a quarter coin in U.S. currency). The known dimensions of the anchor  200 A are pre-stored, and are retrieved by the computer device  250  or the servers  32  after the anchor  200  is identified on the wall  210 . Alternatively, the application can include a function to allow the user to first identify the anchor  200 A by touching the anchor  200 A on the screen. The computer device  250  includes a computer processor that recognizes the image object selected by the user as the anchor  200 A. The computer device  250  or the servers  32  automatically detects the boundaries of the anchor  200 A, and calculates its width and height in number of pixels using the positions of the boundaries. Alternatively, the application on the computer device  250  can allow the user to enter the dimension of the anchor  200  (for example, for the case of a ruler), or select from one for the most commonly used object as anchor with standard fixed dimensions (e.g. a post-it, a dollar bill, etc.). 
         [0053]    Using the dimensions of the anchor  200 , the computer device  250  or the servers  32  automatically calculates the dimensions of the display area  220  (step  530 ). As described above, the calculation involves determining the width and the height of the display area  220 A in the number of pixels in the captured image. The known dimension of the anchor  200 A can be stored on the computer device  250  or in a computer storage (e.g. the data storage  34  in  FIG. 2 ) in communication with the servers  32 . If the dimensions of the display area  220  are calculated by the computer device  250 , these dimensions are uploaded to the servers  32  together with the image of the wall surface and the display area in step  520 . The image of the wall surface and the display area and the dimensions of the display area  220  are stored in a networked computer storage over a computer network (e.g. the data storage  34  in  FIG. 2 ). 
         [0054]    In some embodiments, referring to  FIGS. 2, 5-6B , an image of the wall  210 B and the display area  220 B with known dimensions  225 B is displayed at a user interface on a different computer device  600  in communication with the networked computer storage and the servers  32  (step  535 ). The image of the wall  210 B and the display area  220 B are displayed as a background for a layout on which one or more personalized products can be automatically placed by the computer device  600  or servers  32 , or manually placed by a user (who can be a second user or the first user). The second computer device  600  can include a desktop computer, a laptop or tablet computer, a mobile device such as a mobile phone, which can be operated using different types of operating systems such as Windows, iOS, and Android. The user interface can include a web browser, mobile applications, etc. A virtual border  227 B is displayed around the display area on the computer device  600 . 
         [0055]    Since the anchor ( 200 A in  FIG. 6A ) has been identified and used to calculate the dimensions of the display area ( 220 A in  FIG. 6A ), it is optional whether an anchor is displayed on the computer device  600 . In one embodiment, the anchor is removed and is not displayed on the computer device  600 . 
         [0056]    Other objects displayed can include a window  230 B and furniture (not shown) which represent spaces not for displaying personalized products. The computer device  600  can receive the image of the wall  210 B and the display area  220 B and the dimensions  225 B from the networked computer storage and the servers  32 . 
         [0057]    The network-based imaging service system  10  or an application on the computer device  600  can automatically suggest the types of personalized products to be used for decoration (step  540 ), based on the dimensions of the display area  220 B as well as the sizes of the personalized products, and logics and rules for aesthetic appearances. The types of personalized products can include canvas print, posters, framed photo or image prints, self-adhesive photo print boards, calendars, banners, photo accessories, as well as decorative wall paper. 
         [0058]    In some embodiments, the application on the computer device  600  or the server  32  automatically creates designs for the personalized products  260 B of the selected personalized product types (step  545 ) based on the dimensions of the display area, the sizes of the personalized products, and logics and rules for aesthetic appearances. The design includes the number and types of personalized products as well as layouts of the personalized products. The logics and rules take into account not only the overall dimensions (e.g. width, height, etc.) of the display area  220 , the dimensions of the collection of personalized products  260 B, but also the gaps between the products and margins along the borders of the display area  210 B. Furthermore, the application on the computer device  600  or the server  32  automatically creates designs for individual personalized products, which includes borders, background, design elements, text fonts and colors, and selection of user&#39;s photos within individual personalized products, which is also in part based on the dimensions of the display area and the sizes of the personalized products. 
         [0059]    In some embodiments, photos, designs, or text are automatically selected by the user on the computer device  250  or  600  or from the data storage  34  to incorporate in the personalized products in the display area on the wall (step  550 ). The selections of the photos for the personalized products are in part based on the dimensions of the display area, the sizes of the personalized products, and the types of personalized products. 
         [0060]    In some embodiments, the selection of personalized product types, design of the personalized products, and photos incorporated in the personalized products can depend on the surface textures, painting as well painting colors of the wall  210  (steps  540  and  545 ). For example, the computer device  600  or the server  32  can calculate the color distributions in the photos, and selecting those photos having color distributions that match the color of the wall  210 , or to produce aesthetic contrast against the color of the wall  210 . 
         [0061]    Optionally, the server  32  or the application on the computer device  600  allows the user to pick or create one or more personalized products  260 B compatible with the display area  220 . The user can also edit photos or personalized product designs that are automatically created by the application and the computer system. 
         [0062]    The collection of personalized products  260 B is automatically placed and displayed within the virtual border  227 B of the display area  220 B on the computer device  600 , based on the logics and rules for aesthetic appearances (step  555 ). The collection of personalized products  260 B can also be manually placed based on the wall by the user. 
         [0063]    In some embodiments, a plurality of personalized product layouts can be stored in a computer storage  34  or on the computer device  600  for common display areas (sizes and aspect ratios). For each of the common display areas in size and shape, there can be a plurality of layouts for possible personalized products. The computer processor can retrieve these layouts in response to the calculated dimensions and aspect ratio of the display area  220  and automatically selects one or more layouts to recommend to the user (step  555 ). The library of layouts can also be used for recommending particular personalized products to be used in decorating the specific display area  220  (step  540 ). 
         [0064]    One advantageous feature of the disclosed method is that the application on the computer device  250  allows the user to preview how the personalized products look like on the computer device  250  in a digital environment that include both virtual objects and representations of physical objects from the real environment. Once the collection of personalized products  260 B is placed in the display area  220 B, the user can preview the appearance of the collection of personalized products  260 B in the realistic environment (with the correct dimensions, and the objects such as furniture, doors, windows, and staircase, etc.). The user can adjust the position of the collection of personalized products  260 , change the photos in the collection of personalized products  260 B, or change the types of the personalized products  260 B in the layout of the display area  220  on the wall  210  (step  560 ) to achieve the best decorative appearance. The user can zoom in to look at details of the personalized products and zoom out to look at the display effect of the entire surface of the wall  210 B in the environment. 
         [0065]    Once the project is finalized, the user can order the set of personalized products from image-service providers such as Shutterfly, Inc. The personalized products are manufactured based on the product selections and the designs of the personalized product (step  565 ). After the user receives the personalized products, the user can place the personalized products using the layouts on a mobile device as guidelines (step  570 ). The mobile device can be the same as or a different device (e.g. a different mobile phone) from the first computer device that captured the image of the display area on the surface. While showing a live picture of the wall and the layout of the collection of personalized products on the computer device in the application (operated by a first user), outlines of the personalized products are displayed in the display area on the mobile device. A (second) user can place one of the physical personalized products on the wall to match the outline of the physical personalized product to the outline of the personalized product in the layout on the mobile device. Positioning all physical personalized products in such a way assures the aesthetic effect of the personalized products as originally designed. 
         [0066]    It should be understood that the presently disclosed systems and methods can be compatible with different devices and personalized products or applications other than the examples described above. The network-based system can be implemented with different hardware or software configurations without deviating from the spirit of the present invention. User behaviors, product types, user categories, and category specifications are not limited to the described examples while still compatible with the disclosed invention.