Patent ID: 8576234

Claim:
A method for simulating an animation effect during the display of a digitally encoded picture, comprising: accessing a set of predetermined animation effects; identifying, using a processor and a memory, a first selected portion of the picture with a computer implemented main subject identification algorithm, wherein the main subject identification algorithm includes, mapping a picture with a grid having a plurality of adjacent squares, each squares being assigned a density factor, indicative of the amount of information included in the square, predetermining a density upper thresholds and a density lower thresholds, identifying on the picture a first largest possible set of adjacent squares all having a density factor higher than the predetermined upper thresholds and a second largest possible set of adjacent squares all having a density factor less than the predetermined lower thresholds, and selecting as the main subject one of the first and second set; centering, using the processor and the memory, the display of the picture on the first selected portion of the picture; selecting at least one of the predetermined animation effects; and applying to the picture the selected at least one predetermined animation effect.