Abstract:
A method for previewing the result of a function&#39;s application to an object using a processing system comprising a pointing device and a display showing a movable pointer controlled by the pointing device comprises the steps of storing the object and function in the system, displaying an icon representing the function on the display, outputting a preview generated by applying the function to the object when the pointer is moved onto the icon, and replacing the object with the application result of the function to the object.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a method for previewing the result of a function&#39;s application to an object, particularly to a method for previewing an effect applied to a multimedia object whereby users can preview various effects quickly and easily prior to making decisions regarding the application of a function.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    Various effects are used in multimedia production, including edging and brushing effects for images/layers, fade-out and fade-in effects for videos, frequency filtering and conversion effects for sounds, and many others, all the result of functions being applied to the original image/layer, video or sound by way of a computer used by the editor.  
           [0005]    Many multimedia authoring tools provide these effects so that an editor can choose between them to enhance a featured image/layer, video or sound. There is also a method for authoring multimedia production provided by U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,602. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a main window  1  of a conventional multimedia authoring software application. The window  1  comprises an effect menu  11  allowing the editor to choose from various effects, and a panel  12  having effect icons  10   a ˜ 10   i . When the editor wishes to preview the edging effect, for example, to an image  13 (of a car), “Effect” is clicked to generate the effect menu  11  and “Edging” is chosen from the menu  11 , or the icon  10   d , representing the edging effect, is double-clicked. A pre-stored function corresponding to the edging effect is applied to the image  13  and a resulting image  20  appears, as shown in FIG. 2.  
           [0006]    Next, if the editor chooses against the edging effect, “Edit” is clicked to generate an Edit menu  14 , as shown in FIG. 3, and “Undo” is chosen from the edit menu. The image  13  is recovered and the editor can preview another effect.  
           [0007]    However, the editor must double click the effect icons and choose “Undo” repeatedly in order to preview the various resulting images before making another choice, thus making it troublesome for the editor to choose between from effects.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a method for previewing an effect applied to a multimedia object wherein the editor needs not repeatedly click or select menus or icons when previewing effects.  
           [0009]    The present invention provides a method for previewing the result of a function&#39;s application on an object using a processing system comprising a pointing device and a display displaying a movable pointer controlled by the pointing device. The method comprises the steps of storing the object and function in the system, displaying an icon representing the function on the display, outputting a preview generated by applying the function to the object when the pointer is moved onto the icon, and replacing the object with the application result of the function to the object.  
           [0010]    In the present invention, the editor needs only move the pointer onto the effect icons to preview the resulting image. No additional operation is required. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    The following detailed description, given by way of example and not intended to limit the invention solely to the embodiments described herein, will best be understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0012]    FIGS.  1 ˜ 3  are diagrams showing a GUI of a conventional multimedia authoring software application.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a multimedia processing system according to one embodiment of the invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5˜ 7  are diagrams showing a GUI of a multimedia authoring software application according to one embodiment of the invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 8˜ 11  are diagrams showing a GUI of a multimedia authoring software application according to another embodiment of the invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 12 is a flowchart of the method for previewing the result of a function&#39;s application to an object according to one embodiment of the invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 shows a computer system used in the present invention. A computer system  4  comprises a host  41 , a display  42 , a mouse  43 , a CD-ROM driver  45 , a floppy disk driver  46  and a pair of speakers  47 . Users install the invention, stored on a CD or floppy disk on the host  41 , causing the computer system  4  to implement the invented method. The display  42  and speakers  47  output images and sounds. The mouse  43  generates a pointer  44  on the display  42  to indicate a pointed position, and has a left button  431 , a right button  432  and a ball (not shown) on the bottom to allow clicking, right-clicking, and placement of the onscreen pointer, respectively.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5˜ 7  are diagrams showing a GUI of a multimedia authoring software application according to a first embodiment of the invention. For clarity, the same elements in FIG. 1, 2 and  5 ˜ 7  refer to the same symbols.  
         [0019]    At the beginning, the original image object  13  and  20  functions corresponding to the effects represented by the icons  10   a ˜ 10   i  are pre-stored in the host  41 .  
         [0020]    Next, please refer to FIG. 5, in which a pointer  44  is moved along the dotted trace onto the icon  10   d  representing the edging effect. The pointer maintains this position about 1 second. The host  41  detects that the mouseover has lasted for more than 0.7 seconds, and accordingly applies the function corresponding to the edging effect to the object  13  to generate a preview object  13   a . Then, the host  41  replaces the image of the object  13  with that of the object  13   a . Since the editor is only previewing, the object  13  is still stored in the host  41 .  
         [0021]    Please refer to FIG. 6, in which the edging effect is declined and the pointer  44  is moved off of the icon  10   d . The host  41  detects the termination of the mouseover and accordingly stops the display of the object  13   a . The image of the object  13  appears again.  
         [0022]    Please refer to FIG. 7, in which the edging effect is accepted. Double-clicking the icon  10   d  causes the host  41  to replace the original image object  13  with the resulting preview object  13   a , so that the image of the object  13   a  appears on the display  42 , irrespective of the pointer  44 &#39;s position.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 8˜ 11  are diagrams showing a GUI of a multimedia authoring software application according to a second embodiment of the invention. For clarity, the same elements in FIG. 1, 2 and  8 ˜ 11  refer to the same symbols.  
         [0024]    Initially, the original image object  13  and functions corresponding to the effects represented by the icons  10   a ˜ 10   i  are pre-stored in the host  41 .  
         [0025]    Next, FIG. 8 shows a pointer  44  moving along the dotted trace onto the icon  10   d  representing the edging effect. The pointer maintains this position about 1 second. The host  41  detects that the mouseover has lasted for longer than 0.7 seconds, and accordingly applies the function corresponding to the edging effect to the object  13  to generate a preview object  13   b . Then, the host  41  generates a preview window  81  showing the image of the object  13   b  on the display  42 .  
         [0026]    Please refer to FIG. 9, in which the edging effect is declined and the pointer  44  is moved off of the icon  10   d.    
         [0027]    The host  41  detects the termination of the mouseover and accordingly closes the preview window  81  and terminates output of the object  13   b  to the display  42 .  
         [0028]    Please refer to FIG. 10, in which the edging effect is accepted. Double-clicking the icon  10   d  causes the host  41  to apply the function corresponding to the edging effect to the object  13  to generate a resulting object  13   c  and replaces the original image object  13  with the resulting object  13   c  so that the image of the object  13  is replaced with that of the object  13   c  in the display  42  irrespective of the pointer  44 &#39;s position, as shown in FIG. 11. The preview window  81  showing the image of the object  13   b  is also closed.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 12 is a flowchart of the method for previewing the result of a function&#39;s application to an object according to one embodiment of the invention. The method will be explained with FIG. 12 and FIG. 4.  
         [0030]    In step  121 , an original image object and functions corresponding to effects are pre-stored in the host  41 .  
         [0031]    In step  122 , the host  41  displays icons representing the effects on the display  42 .  
         [0032]    In step  123 , the host  41  detects the duration of the mouseover involving the pointer  44  and one of the icons. If the duration is longer than 0.7 seconds, step  124  is implemented, otherwise, step  123  is repeated.  
         [0033]    In step  124 , the host  41  applies the function corresponding to the effect represented by the icon which overlaps with the pointer  44  to the original object to generate a preview object and displays the image of the preview object on the display  42 .  
         [0034]    In step  125 , the host  41  detects if the pointer  44  moves off of the icon. If so, step  126  is implemented, otherwise, step  127  is implemented.  
         [0035]    In step  126 , the host  41  terminates display of the image of the preview object and returns to step  123 .  
         [0036]    In step  127 , the host  41  detects if the icon is double-clicked. If so, the original object is replaced with an object resulting from the application of the function or with the preview object, and the system returns to step  126 . Otherwise, return to step  125 .  
         [0037]    In the previously described embodiments, the invention also applies to authoring of video and sound objects (the sound objects output by the speakers  47 ) although only image objects are mentioned for example purposes.  
         [0038]    While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements as would be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.