Patent ID: 7471827

Claim:
A method comprising: modeling an image with respect to multiple visual attentions to generate a respective set of attention objects (AOs) for each attention of the visual attentions; analyzing the attention objects and corresponding attributes to optimize a rate of information gain as a function of information unit cost in terms of time associated with multiple image browsing modes; and responsive to analyzing the attention objects, generating a browsing path to select ones of the attention objects, wherein generating the browsing path further comprises creating the browsing path in view of a perusing image-browsing mode as follows: splitting one or more large AOs of the AOs into smaller AOs; combining AOs in close proximity to one another into one or more attention groups; arranging the attention groups in decreasing order based on respective attention values; for each attention group of the attention groups: selecting the attention group as a starting point; for each path of all possible paths from the starting point: calculating a total browsing time and an information fidelity; and if the information fidelity is smaller than a browsing time threshold, discarding the path; selecting a non-discarded path having a smallest browsing time as the browsing path, the browsing path connecting each of the attention groups.