What is claimed is:
1. A method for enabling a user to perform a decorating session for a space, comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving, at a web server, a request from a remote client computer for access to a decorating web site supported by the web server; and
(b) transmitting, in response to the request, software from the web server to the client computer, wherein, when executed on the client computer, the software enables the user to perform the decorating session for the space.
2. The invention of claim 1, wherein the software enables the user to perform the decorating session for the space without any subsequent communication between the client computer and the web server.
3. The invention of claim 1, wherein the software comprises an applet, which, when executed on the client computer, automatically transmits one or more additional requests to the web server for one or more data files to be downloaded to the client computer.
4. The invention of claim 3, wherein the one or more data files comprise:
(1) a space graphical user interface (GUI) file corresponding to a GUI for the space to be decorated;
(2) a structural object GUI file corresponding to a GUI identifying one or more structural objects that can be added to the space by the user during the decorating session;
(3) a structural object data file for each structural object identified in the structural object GUI; and
(4) a decorative material GUI file corresponding to a GUI identifying one or more decorative materials that can be applied to the one or more structural objects during the decorating session, wherein the software causes the space GUI, the structural object GUI, and the decorative material GUI to be displayed on a display device configured to the client computer.
5. The invention of claim 4, wherein, when the user selects a particular decorative material for a particular structural object, the software applies the decorative material to the structural object in real time to update the display of the space GUI.
6. The invention of claim 5, wherein the software controls the appearance of the decorative material based on location of the structural object in the space GUI.
7. The invention of claim 4, wherein the software provides the user with a plurality of possible locations for a particular structural object represented by a single data file, wherein the software controls the appearance of the structural object based on the location in the space GUI selected by the user for the structural object.
8. The invention of claim 4, wherein at least one structural object data file corresponds to a rectangular image of the corresponding structural object and the software treats any region of the rectangular image outside of the structural object as transparent when displaying the structural object in the space GUI.
9. The invention of claim 4, wherein the software controls the display of a first type of structural object based on relative order in which different structural objects are selected during the decorating session, while controlling the display of a second type of structural object independent of relative order in which different structural objects are selected.
10. The invention of claim 1, wherein the software enables the user to generate a listing documenting results of the decorating session for use in a subsequent decorating session performed by either the user or another user.
11. The invention of claim 1, wherein the software is able to generate a cost associated with results of the decorating system.
12. The invention of claim 1, wherein the software enables the user to make a purchase based on results of the decorating session.
13. The invention of claim 1, wherein:
the software enables the user to select from a plurality of structural objects to be added into the space during the decorating session; and
the software enables the user to select from a plurality of decorative materials to be applied to the selected structural objects during the decorating session.
14. The invention of claim 13, wherein the software is able to identify at least one of the decorative materials to match a sample represented by a user-provided scanned image loaded onto the client computer.
15. The invention of claim 13, wherein the software provides the user with a plurality of possible locations in the space GUI for a particular structural object.
16. The invention of claim 15, wherein the software controls the appearance of the particular structural object based on the location in the space GUI selected by the user.
17. A machine-readable medium, having encoded thereon program code, wherein, when the program code is executed on a machine, the machine implements a method for enabling a user to perform a decorating session for a space, comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving, at a web server, a request from a remote client computer for access to a decorating web site supported by the web server; and
(b) transmitting, in response to the request, software from the web server to the client computer, wherein, when executed on the client computer, the software enables the user to perform the decorating session for the space.
18. An apparatus for enabling a user to perform a decorating session for a space, comprising:
(a) means for receiving, at a web server, a request from a remote client computer for access to a decorating web site supported by the web server; and
(b) means for transmitting, in response to the request, software from the web server to the client computer, wherein, when executed on the client computer, the software enables the user to perform the decorating session for the space.
19. An apparatus for enabling a user to perform a decorating session for a space, comprising a web server configured with a database, wherein:
the web server is configured to receive a request from a remote client computer for access to a decorating web site supported by the web server; and
the web server is configured, in response to the request, to access software from the database and transmit the software to the client computer, wherein, when executed on the client computer, the software enables the user to perform the decorating session for the space.
20. A method for enabling a user to perform a decorating session for a space, comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving, at a web server, a request from a remote client computer for access to a decorating web site supported by the web server; and
(b) executing, in response to the request, software to enable the user to perform the decorating session for the space, wherein, during the decorating session, the user is able to:
(i) select one or more structural objects from a plurality of available structural objects for display in the space; and
(ii) select a decorative material from a plurality of available decorative materials to be applied to each selected structural object independent of the decorative materials selected for any other structural object.
21. The invention of claim 20, wherein the software is executed at the client computer.
22. The invention of claim 20, wherein the software accesses:
(1) a space graphical user interface (GUI) data file corresponding to a GUI for the space to be decorated;
(2) a structural object GUI data file corresponding to a GUI identifying the plurality of available structural objects that can be added to the space by the user during the decorating session;
(3) a structural object data file for each structural object identified in the structural object GUI; and
(4) a decorative material GUI file corresponding to a GUI identifying the plurality of available decorative materials that can be applied to the available structural objects during the decorating session, wherein, during the decorating session, the software causes the space GUI, the structural object GUI, and the decorative material GUI to be displayed on a display device configured to the client computer.
23. The invention of claim 20, wherein, when the user selects a particular decorative material for a particular structural object, the software applies the decorative material to the structural object in real time to update the display of the space.
24. The invention of claim 20, wherein the software controls the appearance of the decorative material based on location of the structural object in the space.
25. The invention of claim 20, wherein the software provides the user with a plurality of possible locations for a particular structural object represented by a single data file, wherein the software controls the appearance of the structural object based on the location in the space selected by the user.
26. The invention of claim 20, wherein at least one structural object is represented by a rectangular image of the structural object and the software treats any region of the rectangular image outside of the structural object as transparent when displaying the structural object in the space.
27. The invention of claim 20, wherein the software controls the display of a first type of structural object based on relative order in which different structural objects are selected during the decorating session, while controlling the display of a second type of structural object independent of relative order in which different structural objects are selected during the decorating session.
28. The invention of claim 20, wherein the software enables the user to generate a listing documenting results of the decorating session for use in a subsequent decorating session performed by either the user or another user.
29. The invention of claim 20, wherein the software is able to generate a cost associated with results of the decorating system.
30. The invention of claim 20, wherein the software enables the user to make a purchase based on results of the decorating session.
31. The invention of claim 20, wherein the software is able to identify at least one of the decorative materials to match a sample represented by a user-provided scanned image loaded onto the client computer.
32. The invention of claim 20, wherein the software provides the user with a plurality of possible locations in the space for a particular structural object.
33. The invention of claim 32, wherein the software controls the appearance of the particular structural object based on the location in the space selected by the user.
34. The invention of claim 20, wherein the decorating web site enables the user to select the space from a plurality of different space types, wherein the available structural objects for the space is a function of the space type.
35. A machine-readable medium, having encoded thereon program code, wherein, when the program code is executed on a machine, the machine implements a method for enabling a user to perform a decorating session for a space, comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving, at a web server, a request from a remote client computer for access to a decorating web site supported by the web server; and
(b) executing, in response to the request, software to enable the user to perform the decorating session for the space, wherein, during the decorating session, the user is able to:
(i) select one or more structural objects from a plurality of available structural objects for display in the space; and
(ii) select a decorative material from a plurality of available decorative materials to be applied to each selected structural object independent of the decorative materials selected for any other structural object.
36. An apparatus for enabling a user to perform a decorating session for a space, comprising:
(a) means for receiving a request from a remote client computer for access to a decorating web site supported by the web server; and
(b) means for executing software to enable the user to perform the decorating session for the space, wherein, during the decorating session, the user is able to:
(i) select one or more structural objects from a plurality of available structural objects for display in the space; and
(ii) select a decorative material from a plurality of available decorative materials to be applied to each selected structural object independent of the decorative materials selected for any other structural object.
37. An apparatus for enabling a user to perform a decorating session for a space, comprising a web server configured with a database, wherein:
the web server is configured to receive a request from a remote client computer for access to a decorating web site supported by the web server; and
the web server is configured, in response to the request, to access software from the database, wherein, when the software is executed, the software enables the user to perform the decorating session for the space, wherein, during the decorating session, the user is able to:
(i) select one or more structural objects from a plurality of available structural objects for display in the space; and
(ii) select a decorative material from a plurality of available decorative materials to be applied to each selected structural object independent of the decorative materials selected for any other structural object.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A zoom lens system having a plurality of lens units each composed of at least one lens element and,
in order from an object side to an image side, comprising:
a first lens unit having negative optical power and composed of two lens elements;
a second lens unit having positive optical power; and
a third lens unit having positive optical power, wherein
in zooming from a wide-angle limit to a telephoto limit during image taking, the individual lens units are moved along an optical axis such that an interval between the first lens unit and the second lens unit should decrease and that an interval between the second lens unit and the third lens unit should increase, so that magnification change is achieved, and wherein
the following condition is satisfied:
4.0<(DG2+(DG2A))(DG2A)<20.0\u2003\u2003(22)
where,
DG2 is an axial interval from the most object side to the most image side of the second lens unit, and
DG2A is an axial interval from the most image side of the second lens unit to the aperture diaphragm.
2. The zoom lens system as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the first lens unit, in order from the object side to the image side, comprises:
a lens element having negative optical power; and
a meniscus lens element having positive optical power with the convex surface facing the object side.
3. The zoom lens system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first lens unit includes at least one lens element having an aspheric surface.
4. The zoom lens system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first lens unit includes at least two aspheric surfaces.
5. The zoom lens system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the third lens unit is composed of one lens element.
6. The zoom lens system as claimed in claim 5, wherein one lens element of the third lens unit includes an aspheric surface.
7. The zoom lens system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second lens unit is composed of three lens elements.
8. The zoom lens system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second lens unit is composed of four lens elements.
9. The zoom lens system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second lens unit moves in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis.
10. The zoom lens system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the entire system satisfies the following conditions:
YT>Y\u2003\u2003(2)
0.05<(YYT)(fTf)<0.60\u2003\u2003(3)
Z=fTfW>4.0
\u03c9W>35
where,
f is a focal length of the entire system,
fT is a focal length of the entire system at a telephoto limit,
Y is an amount of movement in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis at the time of maximum blur compensation in the second lens unit with a focal length f of the entire system,
YT is an amount of movement in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis at the time of maximum blur compensation in the second lens unit with a focal length fT of the entire system at a telephoto limit,
fW is a focal length of the entire system at a wide-angle limit, and
\u03c9W is a half value (\xb0) of the maximum view angle at a wide-angle limit.
11. The zoom lens system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the following conditions are satisfied:
2.00<(D2T\u2212D2W)fW<6.00\u2003\u2003(12)
fTfW>4.0
\u03c9W>35
where,
D2T is an axial interval from the most image side of the second lens unit to the most object side of the third lens unit at a telephoto limit,
D2W is an axial interval from the most image side of the second lens unit to the most object side of the third lens unit at a wide-angle limit,
fT is a focal length of the entire system at a telephoto limit,
fW is a focal length of the entire system at a wide-angle limit, and
\u03c9W is a half value (\xb0) of the maximum view angle at a wide-angle limit.
12. The zoom lens system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the following conditions are satisfied:
0.65<(D2T\u2212D2W)fT<0.95\u2003\u2003(13)
fTfW>4.0
\u03c9W>35
where,
D2T is an axial interval from the most image side of the second lens unit to the most object side of the third lens unit at a telephoto limit,
D2W is an axial interval from the most image side of the second lens unit to the most object side of the third lens unit at a wide-angle limit,
fT is a focal length of the entire system at a telephoto limit,
fW is a focal length of the entire system at a wide-angle limit, and
\u03c9W is a half value (\xb0) of the maximum view angle at a wide-angle limit.
13. The zoom lens system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the following conditions are satisfied:
0.00<D1TIr<0.10\u2003\u2003(14)
fTfW>4.0
\u03c9W>35
where,
D1T is an axial interval from the most image side of the first lens unit to the most object side of the second lens unit at a telephoto limit,
Ir is a maximum image height (Ir=fT\xd7tan(\u03c9T)),
fT is a focal length of the entire system at a telephoto limit,
fW is a focal length of the entire system at a wide-angle limit,
\u03c9W is a half value (\xb0) of the maximum view angle at a wide-angle limit, and
\u03c9T is a half value (\xb0) of a maximum view angle at a telephoto limit.
14. An imaging device capable of outputting an optical image of an object as an electric image signal, comprising:
a zoom lens system that forms the optical image of the object; and
an image sensor that converts the optical image formed by the zoom lens system into the electric image signal, wherein
the zoom lens system has a plurality of lens units each composed of at least one lens element and,
in order from an object side to an image side, comprises:
a first lens unit having negative optical power and composed of two lens elements;
a second lens unit having positive optical power; and
a third lens unit having positive optical power, wherein
in zooming from a wide-angle limit to a telephoto limit during image taking, the individual lens units are moved along an optical axis such that an interval between the first lens unit and the second lens unit should decrease and that an interval between the second lens unit and the third lens unit should increase, so that magnification change is achieved, and wherein
the following condition is satisfied:
4.0<(DG2+(DG2A))(DG2A)<20.0\u2003\u2003(22)
where,
DG2 is an axial interval from the most object side to the most image side of the second lens unit, and
DG2A is an axial interval from the most image side of the second lens unit to the aperture diaphragm.
15. A camera for converting an optical image of an object into an electric image signal and then performing at least one of displaying and storing of the converted image signal, comprising
an imaging device including a zoom lens system that forms the optical image of the object and an image sensor that converts the optical image formed by the zoom lens system into the electric image signal, wherein
the zoom lens system has a plurality of lens units each composed of at least one lens element and,
in order from an object side to an image side, comprises:
a first lens unit having negative optical power and composed of two lens elements;
a second lens unit having positive optical power; and
a third lens unit having positive optical power, wherein
in zooming from a wide-angle limit to a telephoto limit during image taking, the individual lens units are moved along an optical axis such that an interval between the first lens unit and the second lens unit should decrease and that an interval between the second lens unit and the third lens unit should increase, so that magnification change is achieved, and wherein
the following condition is satisfied:
4.0<(DG2+(DG2A))(DG2A)<20.0\u2003\u2003(22)
where,
DG2 is an axial interval from the most object side to the most image side of the second lens unit, and
DG2A is an axial interval from the most image side of the second lens unit to the aperture diaphragm.