Systems and methods for efficient spatial feature analysis

• US 8,832,593 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2011
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Yates, J. Harlan, Rahmes, Mark, Haden, Robert, Brown, Patricia
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Matt
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shiberou, Mahelet
• Application Number:
  US13/327,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20130159924A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 715/790
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation

Abstract

Systems (100) and methods (300) for efficient spatial feature data analysis. The methods involve simultaneously generating two or more chip images (904) using image data defining a first image (508); concurrently displaying an array (906) comprising all or a portion of the chip images in a plug-in window (702); and displaying in the plug-in window information relating to an attribute (a1, a2) of a feature (A₅) contained in a selected one of the displayed chip images (1002). The chip images are generated in response to a user selection of a feature (A₁) contained in at least a portion of the first image displayed in an application window (504). Each of the chip images comprises a panned view, a zoomed view, or a panned-and-zoomed view of the first image including one or more features of a user-selected feature class.

Claims

1. A method for efficient spatial feature data analysis, comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, a user input for selecting a feature contained in an area of interest within a first image via a user-software interaction directly with the first image displayed in a display area of an application window, the first image comprising a plurality of features where the feature selected by the user input and at least one other feature of the plurality of features comprise multi-dimensional representations of objects which have at least one attribute in common;

in response to the user-software interaction, simultaneously and dynamically generating, by the computing device, a plurality of chip images using image data defining the first image and data specifying at least one attribute of the feature selected by the user input, each of the chip images comprising at least one of a panned-only view, a zoomed-only view, and a panned-and-zoomed view of the first image including at least one first feature of the plurality of features that is different from second features of the plurality of features which are contained in all other chip images, where the first and second features have at least one attribute in common; and

concurrently displaying, by the computing device, an array comprising the plurality of chip images in a plug-in window.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the array comprises a grid having a predefined grid size.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising changing, by the computing device, the grid size in response to a user input selecting a new grid size from a plurality of grid sizes.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

generating, by the computing device, a plurality of pages of chip images for the first image when a selected feature class has more than a maximum number of features that can fit in the grid of the pre-defined grid size;

wherein each of the plurality of pages of chip images comprises chip images that are different than the chip images of all other pages of the plurality of pages of chip images.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising paging forward or backward, by the computing device, through the plurality of pages of chip images in response to a user-software interaction.

6. The method according to claim 4, further comprising changing, by the computing device, visual contents of the plug-in window from a first page of the plurality of pages of chip images to a second user-specified one of the plurality of pages of chip images.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying, in the plug-in window, information relating to an attribute of a feature contained in a. selected one of the plurality of chip images displayed in the plug-in window.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising automatically updating, by the computing device, a view of the first image displayed in an application window to include at least the visual contents of a selected one of the plurality of chip images displayed in the plug-in window.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

sorting, by the computing device, the plurality of chip images in an ascending or descending order based on at least one user-specified feature attribute; and

displaying, in the plug-in window, the plurality of chip images in the ascending or descending order.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

filtering, by the computing device, the plurality of chip images based on at least one user-specified feature attribute; and

displaying, by the computing device, the plurality of chip images which have been filtered in the plug-in window.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising randomly selecting and displaying, by the computing device, a user-specified amount of the plurality of chip images.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

changing, by the computing device, a zoom level of scale of the plurality of chip images from a first zoom level of scale to a second zoom level of scale in response to a user-software interaction;

wherein the second zoom level of scale is a user-specified zoom level of scale, a pre-defined fixed zoom level of scale or a best-fit zoom level of scale.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising panning, by the computing device, the first image displayed in an application window such that a feature contained in a user-selected one of the plurality of chip images is shown in the application window.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising zooming, by the computing device, the first image displayed in an application window such that a feature contained in a user-selected one of the plurality of chip images is shown in the application window at a pre-defined zoom level of resolution.

15. The method according to claim 1, further comprising cycling, by the computing device, through a plurality of pages of chip images that were generated using the first image and at least one second image different from the first image.

16. The method according to claim 1, further comprising generating and displaying, by the computing device, at least one chip image comprising an area that is common to the first image and at least one second image.

17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising adding, by the computing device, a mark or annotation to at least one of the plurality of chip images in response to a user-software interaction.

18. The method according to claim 1, further comprising adding, by the computing device, a mark or annotation to all of the plurality of chip images that precede or succeed a selected one of the plurality of chip images in a sorted order.

19. The method according to claim 1, further comprising exporting, by the computing device, at least one of the plurality of chip images that has a mark or annotation added thereto to a file or table.

20. The method according to claim 1, further comprising storing, by the computing device, various settings that a user sets for at least one of a plurality of feature classes during at least one session.

21. A system, comprising:

at least one electronic circuit which

receives a user input for selecting a feature contained in an area of interest within a first image via a user-software interaction directly with the first image displayed in a display area of an application window, the image region comprising a plurality Of features, where the feature selected by the user input and at least one other feature of the plurality of features comprise multi-dimensional representations of objects which have at least one attribute in common;

in response to the reception of the user input, simultaneously and dynamically generates a plurality of chip images using image data defining the first image and data specifying at least attribute of the feature selected by the user input, each of the chip images comprising at least one of a panned-only view, a zoomed-only view, and a panned-and-zoomed view of the first image including at least one first feature of the plurality of features that is different from second features of the plurality of features which are contained in all other chip images, where the first and second features have at least one attribute in common, and

concurrently displays an array comprising the plurality of chip images in a plug-in window.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the array comprises a grid having a predefined grid size.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein the electronic circuit is further changes the grid size in response to a user input selecting a new grid size from a plurality of grid sizes.

24. The system according to claim 22, wherein the electronic circuit further:

generates a plurality of pages of chip images for the first image when a selected feature class has more than a maximum number of features that can fit in the grid of the pre-defined grid size;

wherein each of the plurality of pages of chip images comprises chip images that are different than the chip images of all other pages of the plurality of pages of chip images.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein the electronic circuit further to pages forward or backward through the plurality of pages of chip images in response to a user-software interaction.

26. The system according to claim 24, Wherein the electronic circuit further changes visual contents of the plug-in window from a first page of the plurality of pages of chip images to a second user-specified one of the plurality of pages of chip images.

27. The system according to claim 21, wherein the electronic circuit further displays in the plug-in window information relating to an attribute of a feature contained in a selected one of the plurality of chip images displayed in the plug-in window.

28. The system according to claim 21, wherein the electronic circuit further automatically updates a view of the first image displayed in an application window to include at least the visual contents of a selected one of the plurality of chip images displayed in the plug-in window.

29. The system according to claim 21, wherein the electronic circuit further:

sorts the plurality of chip images in an ascending order or descending order based on at least one user-specified feature attribute; and

displays the plurality of chip images in the ascending or descending order.

30. The system according to claim 21, wherein the electronic circuit further:

filters the plurality of chip images based on at least one user-specified feature attribute; and

displays the plurality of chip images which have been filtered in the plug-in window.

31. The system according to claim 21, wherein the electronic circuit further randomly selects and displays a user-specified amount of the plurality of chip images.

32. The system according to claim 21, Wherein the electronic circuit further:

changes a zoom level of scale of the plurality of chip images from a first zoom level of scale to a second zoom level of scale in response to a user-software interaction;

wherein the second zoom level of scale is a user-specified zoom level of scale, a predefined fixed zoom level of scale or a best-fit zoom level of scale.

33. The system according to claim 21, wherein the electronic circuit further pans the first image displayed in an application window such that a feature contained in a user-selected one of the plurality of chip images is shown in the application window.

34. The system according to claim 21, wherein the electronic circuit further zooms the first image displayed in an application window such that a feature contained in a user-selected one of the plurality of chip images is shown in the application window at a pre-defined zoom level of resolution.

35. The system according to claim 21, wherein the electronic circuit further cycles through a plurality of pages of chip images that were generated using the first image and at least one second image different from the first image.

36. The system according to claim 21, wherein the electronic circuit further generates and display at least one chip image comprising at least one area that is common to the first image and at least one second image.

37. The system according to claim 21, wherein the electronic circuit further adds a mark or annotation to at least one of the plurality of chip images in response to a user-software interaction.

38. The system according to claim 21, wherein the electronic circuit further adds a mark or annotation to all of the plurality of chip images that precede or succeed a selected chip image of the plurality of chip images in a sorted order.

39. The system according to claim 21, wherein the electronic circuit further exports at least one of the plurality of chip images that has a mark or annotation added thereto to a file or table.

40. The system according to claim 21, wherein the electronic circuit further store various settings that a user sets for at least one of a plurality of feature classes during at least one session.