Image retrieval and registration system

• US 4,672,683 A
• Filed: 03/19/1985
• Issued: 06/09/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsueda, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Boudreau, Leo H.
• Application Number:
  US06/713,498
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 382/57, 382/48, 340/734, 340/799, 340/707, 364/521
• US Class Current: 382/305
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2175 with local image input
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3225 of data relating to an image, a page or a document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3245 of image modifying data, e.g. handwritten addenda, highlights or augmented reality information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3254 Orientation, e.g. landscape or portrait; Location or order of the image data, e.g. in memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3277 The additional information being stored in the same storage device as the image data

Abstract

A visual information retrieval and registration system including a memory device for storing schematic images and data images, and a display device for displaying simultaneously one of the schematic images and one of the data images readout of the memory device. When a position on the displayed schematic image is indicated by a light-pen, a data image of the indicated position is retrieved and displayed.

Claims

1. An image retrieval and registration system comprising:

first storing means for storing one or more schematic images which are used to register input images and to retrieve registered images;

second storing means for storing input images and retrieved images;

mixing means for forming a mixed image signal by mixing an image signal of a schematic image read out of said first storing means and an image signal of an input image or a retrieved image read out of said second storing means;

display means for receiving said mixed image signal from said mixing means and for displaying a mixed image of the schematic image and the input image or retrieved image;

indicating means for indicating a position of a part within the schematic image displayed on said display means; and

control means for registering the schematic image stored in said first storing means into said second storing means together with indicating data for indicating the position of a part within the schematic image indicated by said indicating means, and for retrieving at least one registered image stored in said second storing means, said at least one registered image having indicating data for indicating the position of a respective part within the schematic image indicated by said indicating means.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said mixing means generates a mixed image signal comprising one frame, and said displaying means comprises a single display screen for displaying said mixed image signal of one frame.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said mixing means generates a first image signal of the schematic image and a second image signal of the input image or retrieved image, and said displaying means comprises a first display screen for displaying said first image signal of the schematic image and a second display screen for displaying said second image signal of the input image or retrieved image.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said indicating means comprises denoting means for directly denoting a position of a part of the schematic image displayed on said displaying means.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein said denoting means comprises a light-pen.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein said indicating means further comprises means for displaying a marker on the schematic image displayed on the displaying means at a position which is denoted by said light-pen.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein said indicating means comprises marker displaying means for displaying on the schematic image displayed by said displaying means at least one marker at least one position indicated by said indicating data of said registered images.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein said indicating means comprises denoting means for directly denoting any one of the displayed markers on the schematic image.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein said denoting means comprises a light-pen.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein said schematic images are formed by graphic images.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein said schematic images are formed by data images.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein said schematic images are formed by images representing parts of a body.