Patent ID: 8478111

Claim:
A computer-implemented method comprising: defining at least one visual goal for a scene, the scene comprised of a plurality of objects, the visual goal specifying at least one object in the scene which is desired to be predicted to be attended to by a visual attention model; receiving input defining allowable changes to the scene; assigning a monetary cost estimate to at least some of the allowable changes; automatically modifying, by a processor, some of the plurality of objects consistent with the defined allowable changes so as to produce modified scenes; evaluating the modified scenes with a visual attention model; calculating, by the processor, modification costs associated with the modified scenes based on the monetary cost estimate; and determining, by the processor, based on the evaluation, at least some of the modified scenes that achieve the at least one visual goal for the scene and the modification costs associated with the at least some of the modified scenes are lower than a predetermined threshold.