mlsanityData to 14 Oct 2026

LoCo: Locally Constrained Training-Free Layout-to-Image Synthesis

arXiv 2311.12342 ↗First posted 21 Nov 2023cs.CVcited by 21

On the map: Diffusion models → Image generation, text-to-image and editing

Abstract (arXiv)

Recent text-to-image diffusion models have reached an unprecedented level in generating high-quality images. However, their exclusive reliance on textual prompts often falls short in precise control of image compositions. In this paper, we propose LoCo, a training-free approach for layout-to-image Synthesis that excels in producing high-quality images aligned with both textual prompts and layout instructions. Specifically, we introduce a Localized Attention Constraint (LAC), leveraging semantic affinity between pixels in self-attention maps to create precise representations of desired objects and effectively ensure the accurate placement of objects in designated regions. We further propose a Padding Token Constraint (PTC) to leverage the semantic information embedded in previously neglected padding tokens, improving the consistency between object appearance and layout instructions. LoCo seamlessly integrates into existing text-to-image and layout-to-image models, enhancing their performance in spatial control and addressing semantic failures observed in prior methods. Extensive experiments showcase the superiority of our approach, surpassing existing state-of-the-art training-free layout-to-image methods both qualitatively and quantitatively across multiple benchmarks.

Key facts. Cited by 21 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026). Placed in Image generation, text-to-image and editing, one of 14 directions in Diffusion models. Builds on 43 of its 52 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 21 Nov 2023.

Builds on

43 of 52 references.

Closest ancestors · 23

Same direction, newest first

  1. 2023R&B: Region and Boundary Aware Zero-shot Grounded Text-to-image Generation13 Oct
  2. 2023Dense Text-to-Image Generation with Attention Modulation24 Aug
  3. 2023LAW-Diffusion: Complex Scene Generation by Diffusion with Layouts13 Aug
  4. 2023BoxDiff: Text-to-Image Synthesis with Training-Free Box-Constrained Diffusion20 Jul
  5. 2023Counting Guidance for High Fidelity Text-to-Image Synthesis30 Jun
  6. 2023Zero-shot spatial layout conditioning for text-to-image diffusion models23 Jun
  7. 2023Grounded Text-to-Image Synthesis with Attention Refocusing8 Jun
  8. 2023Compositional Text-to-Image Synthesis with Attention Map Control of Diffusion Models23 May
  9. 2023HRS-Bench: Holistic, Reliable and Scalable Benchmark for Text-to-Image Models11 Apr
  10. 2023Freestyle Layout-to-Image Synthesis25 Mar
  11. 2023DiffusionSeg: Adapting Diffusion Towards Unsupervised Object Discovery17 Mar
  12. 2023Directed Diffusion: Direct Control of Object Placement through Attention Guidance25 Feb
11 more
  1. 2023LayoutDiffuse: Adapting Foundational Diffusion Models for Layout-to-Image Generation16 Feb
  2. 2023T2I-Adapter: Learning Adapters to Dig out More Controllable Ability for Text-to-Image Diffusion Models16 Feb
  3. 2023MultiDiffusion: Fusing Diffusion Paths for Controlled Image Generation16 Feb
  4. 2023Adding Conditional Control to Text-to-Image Diffusion Models10 Feb
  5. 2023Attend-and-Excite: Attention-Based Semantic Guidance for Text-to-Image Diffusion Models31 Jan
  6. 2023GLIGEN: Open-Set Grounded Text-to-Image Generation17 Jan
  7. 2022Training-Free Structured Diffusion Guidance for Compositional Text-to-Image Synthesis9 Dec
  8. 2022SpaText: Spatio-Textual Representation for Controllable Image Generation25 Nov
  9. 2022eDiff-I: Text-to-Image Diffusion Models with an Ensemble of Expert Denoisers2 Nov
  10. 2022Photorealistic Text-to-Image Diffusion Models with Deep Language Understanding23 May
  11. 2022Hierarchical Text-Conditional Image Generation with CLIP Latents13 Apr

Other references · 20

  1. 2021Learning Transferable Visual Models From Natural Language Supervisioncited by 33,744
  2. 2015U-Net: Convolutional Networks for Biomedical Image Segmentationcited by 19,713
  3. 2021High-Resolution Image Synthesis with Latent Diffusion Modelscited by 18,863
  4. 2014Microsoft COCO: Common Objects in Contextcited by 17,608
  5. 2022Classifier-Free Diffusion Guidancecited by 5,847
  6. 2023SDXL: Improving Latent Diffusion Models for High-Resolution Image Synthesiscited by 4,356
  7. 2022LAION-5B: An open large-scale dataset for training next generation image-text modelscited by 4,152
  8. 2022Prompt-to-Prompt Image Editing with Cross Attention Controlcited by 2,431
  9. 2022Make-A-Scene: Scene-Based Text-to-Image Generation with Human Priorscited by 487
  10. 2023Training-Free Layout Control with Cross-Attention Guidancecited by 313
  11. 2022ReCo: Region-Controlled Text-to-Image Generationcited by 179
  12. 2021Simple multi-dataset detectioncited by 127
8 more
  1. 2023Dataset Diffusion: Diffusion-based Synthetic Dataset Generation for Pixel-Level Semantic Segmentationcited by 112
  2. 2018Image Generation from Layoutcited by 105
  3. 2023Cones 2: Customizable Image Synthesis with Multiple Subjectscited by 101
  4. 2020Object-Centric Image Generation from Layoutscited by 57
  5. 2020Learning Layout and Style Reconfigurable GANs for Controllable Image Synthesiscited by 49
  6. 2022SceneComposer: Any-Level Semantic Image Synthesiscited by 43
  7. 2023Localized Text-to-Image Generation for Free via Cross Attention Controlcited by 27
  8. 2023SGDiff: A Style Guided Diffusion Model for Fashion Synthesiscited by 20

Built on by

Cited by year (2026 to 14 Oct)

Citing papers per year: 2023: 1; 2024: 9; 2025: 7; 2026: 4.

21 papers.

Sort:

By area:

  1. 2024Controllable Generation with Text-to-Image Diffusion Models: A Surveycited by 83
  2. 2024Be Yourself: Bounded Attention for Multi-Subject Text-to-Image Generationcited by 69
  3. 2024Rethinking the Spatial Inconsistency in Classifier-Free Diffusion Guidancecited by 59
  4. 2024HiCo: Hierarchical Controllable Diffusion Model for Layout-to-image Generationcited by 41
  5. 2023ElasticDiffusion: Training-free Arbitrary Size Image Generation through Global-Local Content Separationcited by 37
  6. 2024Token Merging for Training-Free Semantic Binding in Text-to-Image Synthesiscited by 35
  7. 2024Unleashing Unlabeled Data: A Paradigm for Cross-View Geo-Localizationcited by 31
  8. 2025ComfyGPT: A Self-Optimizing Multi-Agent System for Comprehensive ComfyUI Workflow Generationcited by 14
  9. 2025YOLO-Count: Differentiable Object Counting for Text-to-Image Generationcited by 10
  10. 2025Multitwine: Multi-Object Compositing with Text and Layout Controlcited by 9
  11. 2024ReGround: Improving Textual and Spatial Grounding at No Costcited by 6
  12. 2025Steer Away From Mode Collisions: Improving Composition In Diffusion Modelscited by 5
9 more
  1. 2024Training-Free Layout-to-Image Generation with Marginal Attention Constraintscited by 4
  2. 2025Detail++: Training-Free Detail Enhancer for T2I Diffusion Modelscited by 4
  3. 2024Automatic Scene Generation: State-of-the-Art Techniques, Models, Datasets, Challenges, and Future Prospectscited by 2
  4. 2026Personalized Image Generation via Human-in-the-loop Bayesian Optimizationcited by 2
  5. 2025HCMA: Hierarchical Cross-model Alignment for Grounded Text-to-Image Generationcited by 1
  6. 2025MALeR: Improving Compositional Fidelity in Layout-Guided Generationcited by 0
  7. 2026Appearance Pointers -- Multimodal Region Control of Diffusion Transformerscited by 0
  8. 2026TILT: Improving Compositional Generation in Diffusion Models with a Model-Intrinsic Rewardcited by 0
  9. 2026OccluRank: Controllable Occlusion-Aware Layout-to-Image Generation by Adding Just an Ordinal Rankcited by 0

Similar, not cited

Close in wording, no citation either way

  1. 2024Training-free Composite Scene Generation for Layout-to-Image Synthesis
  2. 2023LayoutLLM-T2I: Eliciting Layout Guidance from LLM for Text-to-Image Generation
  3. 2025Control and Realism: Best of Both Worlds in Layout-to-Image without Training
  4. 2025STAY Diffusion: Styled Layout Diffusion Model for Diverse Layout-to-Image Generation
  5. 2023Reason out Your Layout: Evoking the Layout Master from Large Language Models for Text-to-Image Synthesis
  6. 2025MUSE: Multi-Subject Unified Synthesis via Explicit Layout Semantic Expansion
  7. 2026Layer-wise Instance Binding for Regional and Occlusion Control in Text-to-Image Diffusion Transformers
  8. 2023Design Booster: A Text-Guided Diffusion Model for Image Translation with Spatial Layout Preservation