Dynamic annotation in user information system of IR camera

• US 9,423,940 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2013
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flir Systems AB (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Flir Systems AB (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Erlandsson, Mikael, George-Svahn, Erland, Sandbck, Torsten
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Quoc A
• Application Number:
  US13/952,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20140013201A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 715230-233, 715/756, 715/700, 715/972, 715/253, 715/975, 715/229
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/434 using image data, e.g. images, photos, pictures taken by a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/489 using time information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/532 Query formulation, e.g. graphical querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/54 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• 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: G06F 16/583 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5838 using colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5866 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, manually generated location and time information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/587 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/20 for generating image signals from infrared radiation only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

The present invention relates in general to the field of applications and functions of an IR-camera device operated by a user in connection with the recording of IR images and to processing of IR images on a computer application program. A system for managing annotations to IR images comprising selectable annotation input functions that are actuatable by means of control commands displayed on the display is disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for managing annotations to IR images, the IR image annotation system comprising a processor configured to provide selectable annotation input functions that are actuatable using control commands displayed on the display,

wherein a first instance of the IR image annotation system is synchronized with a second instance of the IR image annotation system;

wherein entered annotation information or data is transferred between said instances and stored in respective instances;

wherein the transfer of data between said instances of the IR image annotation system is performed in either direction;

wherein the first instance of the IR image annotation system is an IR camera;

wherein the annotation input functions are configured to be activated, added or changed in real time in response to a control command from a user;

wherein the processor is configured to provide a synchronization functionality that detects changes and starts synchronizing data when any new input data, new application functions, new template or other information is saved on either the first instance of the IR image annotation system or on the second instance of the IR image annotation system;

wherein the annotation input functions comprise input fields that use accumulated information from stored data according to predetermined rules; and

wherein the predetermined rules comprise one or more of;

most frequently used information, most recently used information, most likely match of a partial information input, alphabetical ordering, numerical ordering, an association with a location of the IR camera, an association with an object recognized by imaging processing of a captured image, an association with a type of measurement, an association with a measurement application, and/or an association with an error or phenomenon detected by the IR camera.

2. The IR image annotation system of claim 1, wherein the second instance of the IR image annotation system is a computer.

3. The IR image annotation system of claim 1, wherein the annotation input functions comprise a sketch annotation function configured to generate a sketch annotation dependent on a sketch marked on an IR image and input on a display using a sketch input device.

4. The IR image annotation system of claim 1, wherein the annotation input functions comprise an annotations data structure configured for annotations in the form of a selection of text input fields, calculator programs or statistical calculation programs useful for handling IR image data.

5. The IR image annotation system of claim 4, wherein the annotation data structure and/or the annotation input functions are changeable by a user.

6. The IR image annotation system of claims 1, wherein templates for the annotation data structure and/or templates for the annotation input functions are creatable, and wherein said templates for the annotation input functions are created using a collection of annotation data structures or predefined or user defined templates for annotation.

7. The IR image annotation system of claim 1, wherein the accumulated information from the stored data is used for an automatic preset or suggested annotation value.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising performing the systems functions as defined in the system of claim 1.

10. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing computer program product for managing annotations to IR images, the computer program product comprising code portions adapted to cause a processor to perform systems functions defined for the system of claim 1.

8. A method for managing annotations to IR images in an IR image annotation system comprising a first instance of the IR image annotation system and a second instance of the IR image annotation system, the method comprising:

receiving control commands indicating a selection of annotation input functions;

selecting annotation input functions based on the received control commands;

synchronizing the first instance of the IR image annotation system with the second instance of the IR image annotation system by transferring entered annotation information or data is between said instances,

wherein the transfer of data between said instances of the IR image annotation system is performed in either direction,

wherein the first instance of the IR image annotation system is an IR camera,

wherein the annotation input functions are configured to be activated, added or changed in real time in response to a control command from a user,

wherein the synchronizing of the first and the second instances comprises detecting changes and starting synchronizing data when any new input data, new application functions, new template or other information is saved on either the first instance of the IR image annotation system or on the second instance of the IR image annotation system,

wherein the annotation input functions comprise input fields that use accumulated information from stored data according to predetermined rules, and

wherein the predetermined rules comprise one or more of;

most frequently used information, most recently used information, most likely match of a partial information input, alphabetical ordering, numerical ordering, an association with a location of the IR camera, an association with an object recognized by imaging processing of a captured image, an association with a type of measurement, an association with a measurement application, and/or an association with an error or phenomenon detected by the IR camera; and

storing the transferred annotation information or data in respective instances, such that the most recent information is present in the first instance of the IR image annotation system and in the second instance of the IR image annotation system.

11. An IR image annotation system for managing annotations to IR images, the IR image annotation system comprising a processor configured to provide text input functions that can be activated, added, or changed in real time using control commands displayed on the display,

wherein the processor is configured to provide a synchronization functionality that detects changes and starts synchronizing data between a first instance of the IR image annotation system and a second instance of the IR imaging annotation system when new input data, new application functions, new template or other information is saved on either the first instance of the IR image annotation system or on the second instance of the IR image annotation system;

wherein the synchronizing of data comprises transferring entered annotation information or data between said instances and storing the transferred annotation information or data in respective instances;

wherein the transferring of annotation information or data between said instances of the IR image annotation system is performed in either direction;

wherein the text input functions comprise input fields that use accumulated information from stored data according to predetermined rules; and

wherein the predetermined rules comprise one or more of;

most frequently used information, most recently used information, most likely match of a partial information input, alphabetical ordering, numerical ordering, an association with a location of an IR camera, an association with an object recognized by imaging processing of a captured image, an association with a type of measurement, an association with a measurement application, and/or an association with an error or phenomenon detected by the IR camera.