Method of and apparatus for editing annotation command data

• US 6,675,352 B1
• Filed: 05/27/1999
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Osaki, Takanobu, Ban, Hideyuki, Matsuo, Hitoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): YUAN, ALMARI ROMERO
• Application Number:
  US09/320,557
• Time in Patent Office: 1,685 Days
• Field of Search: 707/500.01, 707/512, 707/537, 345/724, 345/725, 345/726, 345/723, 715/500.1, 715/537, 715/512
• US Class Current: 715/203
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/468 allowing annotation or message recording
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/329 on a disc [VTOC]
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

An annotation command data for annotating a displayed image is in the form of an original data block having a first data area holding an initial state for the displayed image and a second data area holding one or more commands and a starting time point of execution for each of the commands. Execution of each command is started at its associated starting time point of execution. For editing of the annotation command data, the original data block may be divided to produce therefrom plural secondary data blocks each having an initial state, a part of the one or more commands and a starting time point of execution for each of the part of the commands, so that one of the secondary data blocks is deleted, or a new data block having an initial state, one or more commands and starting time point of execution therefor is inserted between the secondary data blocks.

Claims

1. A method of editing annotation command data to which starting time points of execution are attached, the annotation command data being arranged according to the starting time points of execution, the method comprising the steps of:

recording as an initial state a state of a to-be-annotated image and annotations on said to-be-annotated image both existing at an initial state recording time when the recording is started;

recording command data and a starting time point of execution of the command data, wherein a data block is formed which includes the initial state and the command data with the starting time point of execution;

reproducing the initial state of the to-be-annotated image and said annotations;

reproducing the command data to execute it at the starting time points of execution to annotate the to-be-annotated image, wherein the to-be-annotated image held in the data block is annotated;

dividing said command data to which the starting time points of execution are attached in the data block into command data of a first data block and command data of a second data block; and

making an initial state of the second data block identical with a state of the first data block obtained by executing all the command data of the first data block, wherein said annotation command data includes such a command that the result of execution of said command is dependent upon another command that has an earlier starting time point of execution than said command.

2. A method of editing an annotation command data recorded on a medium, said annotation command data being in the form of an original data block including a first initial state for a to-be-annotated image and a first series of annotation commands and a starting time point of execution for each of the first commands, said first initial state being representative of a state of the to-be-annotated image at a first initial state recording time when recording of the first initial state is started and including an annotation on the to-be-annotated image existing at the first initial state recording time when the first initial state recording is started, said first commands being for annotating said to-be-annotated image having the annotation existing at the first initial state recording time, the method comprising the steps of:

reproducing, on a display screen, said initial state of said to-be-annotated image having said annotation;

executing a former part of said first series of commands at their associated starting points of execution to annotate said to-be-annotated image, and reproducing, on said display screen, a sequence of changes of a displayed image caused by the execution of said former part of the first series of commands;

preparing, from said original data block, a former data block including a former initial state identical with said first initial state and a former series of commands identical with said executed former part of said first series of commands and a former starting time point of execution for each of said former series of commands identical with the starting time point of execution for each of said executed former part of said first series of commands;

preparing an insertion data block including a second initial state and a second series of annotation commands and a second starting time point of execution for each of said second series of commands, said second initial state being identical with a state in which said former part of said first series of commands have been executed;

executing said second series of commands at their associated starting points of execution of said insertion data block to annotate the displayed image in said second initial state and reproducing, on said display screen, a sequence of changes of the displayed image caused by the execution of said second series of commands;

preparing, from said original data block, a latter data block including a latter initial state and a latter series of commands identical with the remaining part of said first series of commands and a latter starting time point of execution for each of said latter series of commands; and

placing said former data block, said insertion block and said latter data block on said medium, said former data block, said insertion block and said latter data block being associated in their location with each other to form a data block unit in which said insertion data block is inserted between said former and latter data blocks prepared from said original data block, said latter time point of execution being adjusted in consideration of the insertion of said insertion data block, wherein the annotation command data includes such a command that the result of execution of said command is dependent upon another command that has an earlier starting time point of execution than said command.

3. A method of editing an annotation command data recorded on a medium, said annotation command data being in the form of an original data block including a first initial state for a to-be-annotated image and a first series of annotation commands and a starting time point of execution for each of the first commands, said first initial state being representative of a state to the to-be-annotated image at a first initial state recording time when recording of the first initial state is started and including an annotation on the to-be-annotated image existing at the first initial state recording time when the first initial state recording is started, said first commands being for annotating said to-be-annotated image, the method comprising the steps of:

reproducing, on a display screen, said initial state of said to-be-annotated image having said annotation;

executing a former part of said first series of commands at their associated starting points of execution to annotate said to-be-annotated image and reproducing, on said display screen, a sequence of changes of a displayed image caused by the execution of said former part of the first series of commands;

preparing, from said original data block, a former data block including a former initial state identical with said first initial state and a former series of commands identical with said executed former part of said first series of commands and a former starting time point of execution for each of said former series of commands identical with the starting time point of execution for each of said executed former part of said first series of commands;

preparing, from said original data block, a temporary data block including a temporary initial state identical with a state in which said former part of said first series of commands have been executed and a temporary series of commands identical with the remaining part of said first series of commands and a temporary starting time point of execution for each of said temporary series of commands;

executing a former part of said temporary series of commands at said temporary starting time point of execution to annotate the displayed image in said temporary initial state and reproducing, on said display screen, a sequence of changes of the displayed image caused by the execution of said former part of the temporary series of commands;

preparing, from said original data block, an intermediate data block including an intermediate initial state identical with a state in which said former part of said temporary series of commands have been executed and an intermediate series of commands identical with said executed former part of said temporary series of commands and an intermediate starting time point of execution for each of said intermediate series of commands identical with the starting time point of execution for each of said executed former part of said temporary series of commands;

preparing, from said original data block, a latter data block including a latter initial state identical with a state in which said former part of said temporary series of commands have been executed and a latter series of commands identical with the remaining part of said temporary series of commands and a latter starting time point of execution for each of said latter series of commands; and

placing said former data block and said latter data block on said medium, said former data block and said latter data block being associated in their location with each other to form a data block unit in which said intermediate data block has been deleted, said latter time point of execution being adjusted in consideration of the deletion of said intermediate data block, wherein the annotation command data includes such a command that the result of execution of said command is dependent upon another command that has an earlier starting time point of execution than said command.