Apple patents image blemish removal
updated 11:35 am EDT, Tue October 2, 2007
Blemish removal patent
Among more mundane patents for a power fixture and an iPod dock adapter, Apple has been granted a new image-editing patent by the US Patent and Trademark Office. Connected to iPhoto, the technology is intended to "better realize the great potential of amateur digital photography" through a new blemish removal technique. Users select the tool, place their cursor over the blemish, and click; the program then removes the blemish using a Dirichlet theorem. The particular set of equations creates a smooth surface within a circle, relying on the values of points on the outside. To prevent smoothed-out blemishes from looking unnatural, some pixelization is deliberately introduced. A diagram below shows a simplified version of the graphical interface used; the patent is credited solely to Russell Reid of Palo Alto.
Healing Brush
10/02, 12:13pm reply
Uhh ... isn't this the Healing Brush from Photoshop? Wouldn't that then fall under prior art?
ttrostel
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jul 2007
Or...
10/02, 01:32pm reply
Perhaps it slowly removes Microsoft from the face of the planet. Blemish gone!
trevj
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Dec 1999
Unlike Adobe...
10/02, 01:49pm reply
This is like the Healing Brush but this uses a whole new method of doing it and that is the difference. Adobe has no competition and thus has taken the attitude of "no reason to update the consumer will pay us anyway, whom else are they going to use." Thank gosh Apple is putting some pressure on Adobe, someone needs to.
Now if we can only get Apple to create a "Final Cut Pro" version of iWeb for serious website design being that Adobe now owns Golive and Dreamweaver.
stainless
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Joined: May 2005