Annotation of electronically-transmitted images

• US 20030147099A1
• Filed: 02/07/2002
• Published: 08/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Larry M. Heimendinger, Richard J. McConnell
• Original Assignee: Larry M. Heimendinger, Richard J. McConnell
• Inventors: McConnell, Richard J., Heimendinger, Larry M.
• Application Number:
  US10/072,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20030147099A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/462
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3225 of data relating to an image, a page or a document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3245 of image modifying data, e.g. handwritten addenda, highlights or augmented reality information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3261 of multimedia information, e.g. a sound signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission

Abstract

A system for annotating image data prompts a user to annotate image data and transmits the annotation to a recipient according to predefined preferences to facilitate simultaneous review of the image data and the annotation by the recipient.

Claims

1. An annotation processing apparatus comprising:

an image data interface;

an annotation interface; and

a processor, coupled to said image data interface and said annotation interface;

wherein said processor detects a transmission of image data presented at said image data interface and controls said annotation interface to prompt a user to supply an annotation.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a data storage coupled to said processor;

and

wherein said processor controls said data storage to store said annotation received via said annotation interface.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising a communications interface coupled to said processor;

and

wherein said processor retrieves said annotation from said storage and transmits said annotation to a recipient via said communications interface.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said processor controls said image data interface to emulate one of a network, a network device and a computer.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said processor controls said data storage to store an image data received via said image data interface;

and

wherein said processor retrieves said image data from said storage and transmits said image data to said recipient via said communications interface.

6. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said processor creates a modified image data by modifying an image data received via said image data interface;

and

wherein said processor causes said modified image data to be transmitted to said recipient via said communications interface.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said modified image data includes an indication of separate annotation.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said modified image data and said image data are formatted according to different protocols.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a user interface coupled to said processor;

and

wherein said processor receives via said user interface a user command to control an operation of the apparatus.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said annotation interface comprises a telephone handset.

11. A method of annotating an image data comprising the steps of:

receiving a transmission of said image data to a recipient;

receiving from an annotation source an annotation corresponding to the image data; and

transmitting said annotation to the recipient.

12. The method according to claim 11 further comprising the step of transmitting said image data to the recipient for the image data.

13. The method according to claim 11 further comprising the step of retrieving from storage a transmission preference corresponding to the recipient;

and wherein said step of transmitting comprises the step of transmitting said annotation to the recipient in accordance with said transmission preference.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein said transmission of said image data to the recipient is by a first communications protocol;

wherein the transmission of said annotation to the recipient is by a second communications protocol; and

wherein said first communications protocol is different from said second communications protocol.

15. The method according to claim 13 wherein said transmission of said image data to the recipient is by a first communications system;

wherein the transmission of said annotation to the recipient is by a second communications system; and

wherein said first communications system is different from said second communications system.

16. The method according to claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

retrieving from storage a transmission preference corresponding to the recipient;

displaying said transmission preference to a user; and

receiving from the user a transmission instruction; and

wherein said step of transmitting comprises the step of transmitting said annotation to the recipient in accordance with said transmission instruction.

17. The method according to claim 11 wherein said annotation source is a user-controlled audio input device.

18. The method according to claim 11 wherein said annotation source is a user-controlled video input device.

19. The method according to claim 11 further comprising the step of transmitting an indication of annotation to the recipient.

20. The method according to claim 11 further comprising the step of modifying said image data to include an indication of annotation.

21. A method of annotating an image data comprising the steps of:

receiving a transmission of said image data to a recipient;

receiving from an annotation source an annotation corresponding to the image data;

displaying said annotation to a user;

receiving from the user a second annotation; and

transmitting said second annotation to the recipient for the image data.

22. A method of annotating an image data comprising the steps of:

receiving a transmission of said image data to a recipient;

displaying said image data to a user;

receiving a selection of a portion of said image data from the user;

receiving from an annotation source an annotation corresponding to said portion; and

transmitting said annotation to the recipient.

23. The method according to claim 22 further comprising the steps of generating an address corresponding to said portion;

and

transmitting said address to the recipient.

24. An image data and annotation communication system comprising:

an image and annotation processing system; and

a communications network coupled to said image and annotation processing system.

25. A system according to claim 24 further comprising a source of image data coupled to said image and annotation processing system.

26. A system according to claim 24 further comprising an annotation source coupled to said image and annotation processing system.

27. A system according to claim 24 further comprising an annotation playback system coupled to said communications network.

28. A system according to claim 24 wherein said communications network comprising communications systems utilizing at least one of a satellite communications system, a local area network, a wide area network, the Internet, a public telephone system, an optical communications system, and a wireless communications system.

29. A system according to claim 24 wherein said image and annotation processing system comprises:

an annotation transmission device operable to transmit an annotation through said communications network by a first protocol different than a second protocol by which an image data is transmitted through said communications network.

30. A system according to claim 24 wherein said image and annotation playback system comprises:

a facsimile machine having a handset; and

a voice messaging system.