Methods for the electronic annotation, retrieval, and use of electronic images
First Claim
1. A computer software-mediated method for annotating an image aspect of an electronic image, wherein said software:
- (A) causes said electronic image containing said image aspect to be displayed to a user in a computer-generated interface;
(B) causes said interface to permit the user to access and query a searchable electronic database of annotations for an annotation term, and optionally permitting said user to add a desired annotation term to said database; and
(C) causes an annotation of said database to become associated with said image aspect, such that;
(1) the annotation, in response to a request by a user, is displayed positioned so as to permit a user to identify the associated image aspect in said displayed image;
(2) the annotation association is stored in a second searchable electronic database so as to permit a user to retrieve said electronic image by querying said second electronic database for said annotation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides software for electronically annotating electronic images, such as drawings, photographs, video, etc., through the drag-and-drop of annotations from a pre-defined, but extendable, list. The annotations are placed at a user-selected X, Y location on the image, and stored in a searchable database. Thus, they can be searched in order to retrieve, organize, group, or display desired electronic images or collections of such images. The annotations may be text, images, sounds, etc. The invention provides a flexible, easy to learn, rapid, low error rate and satisfying interface for accomplishing such tasks.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A computer software-mediated method for annotating an image aspect of an electronic image, wherein said software:
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(A) causes said electronic image containing said image aspect to be displayed to a user in a computer-generated interface;
(B) causes said interface to permit the user to access and query a searchable electronic database of annotations for an annotation term, and optionally permitting said user to add a desired annotation term to said database; and
(C) causes an annotation of said database to become associated with said image aspect, such that;
(1) the annotation, in response to a request by a user, is displayed positioned so as to permit a user to identify the associated image aspect in said displayed image;
(2) the annotation association is stored in a second searchable electronic database so as to permit a user to retrieve said electronic image by querying said second electronic database for said annotation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A computer software-mediated method for retrieving an electronic image containing a desired image aspect, wherein said image is stored in a computer-managed database of images, and wherein said image aspect is associated with an annotation, said association being stored in a searchable electronic database, said method comprising:
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(A) querying said searchable electronic database for image aspects that are associated with said annotation;
(B) retrieving from said database an electronic image containing an image aspect associated with said annotation of step (A);
(C) displaying said retrieved electronic image and said annotation of step (A) to a user, in response to said user'"'"'s request, such that the position of the annotation permits a user to identify the associated image aspect in said displayed image. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30)
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19. A method for retrieving collections of electronic images containing a desired image aspect or related family of image aspects, wherein said images are stored in a database of images, and wherein said image aspects are each associated with an annotation or related family of annotations, each such said association being stored in a searchable electronic database, said method comprising:
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(A) querying said searchable electronic database for image aspects that are associated with said annotation or related family of annotations;
(B) retrieving from said database electronic images containing an image aspect or related family of image aspects associated with said annotation or related family of annotations of step (A);
(C) displaying said retrieved electronic images and said annotation(s) of step (A) to a user, in response to said user'"'"'s request, such that the position of the annotation permits said user to identify the associated image aspect.
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28. An electronic image stored in a database of images and displayed at the request of a user, said image containing a desired image aspect associated with an annotation, wherein, in response to a user'"'"'s request, said image can be displayed with said annotation on said electronic image such that the position of the annotation permits said user to identify the associated image aspect.
- 31. A collection of electronic images each stored in a database of images and displayed at the request of a user, and each such image containing a desired image aspect or related family of image aspects, associated with an annotation or related family of annotations, wherein in response to a user'"'"'s request, said images or collections thereof can be displayed with said annotation on said electronic images such that the position of the annotations permits a user to identify the associated image aspect.
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34. A computer system specially adapted by software to store one or more electronic images or collections of such images, at the request of a user, and each containing a desired image aspect or related family of image aspects, associated with an annotation or related family of annotations, wherein in response to a user'"'"'s request, said images or collections thereof can be displayed with said annotation on said electronic images such that the position of the annotation permits a user to identify the associated image aspect.
Specification