Methods for the electronic annotation, retrieval, and use of electronic images

• US 20020054059A1
• Filed: 10/15/2001
• Published: 05/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mind Fusion, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: University of Maryland
• Inventors: Schneiderman, B.A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,010,751 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/700
• 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 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/968 interface for database querying and retrieval

Abstract

The present invention provides software for electronically annotating electronic images, such as drawings, photographs, video, etc., through the drag-and-drop of annotations from a pre-defined, but extendable, list. The annotations are placed at a user-selected X, Y location on the image, and stored in a searchable database. Thus, they can be searched in order to retrieve, organize, group, or display desired electronic images or collections of such images. The annotations may be text, images, sounds, etc. The invention provides a flexible, easy to learn, rapid, low error rate and satisfying interface for accomplishing such tasks.

Claims

1. A computer software-mediated method for annotating an image aspect of an electronic image, wherein said software:

(A) causes said electronic image containing said image aspect to be displayed to a user in a computer-generated interface;

(B) causes said interface to permit the user to access and query a searchable electronic database of annotations for an annotation term, and optionally permitting said user to add a desired annotation term to said database; and

(C) causes an annotation of said database to become associated with said image aspect, such that;

(1) the annotation, in response to a request by a user, is displayed positioned so as to permit a user to identify the associated image aspect in said displayed image;

(2) the annotation association is stored in a second searchable electronic database so as to permit a user to retrieve said electronic image by querying said second electronic database for said annotation.

2. The computer software-mediated method of claim 1, wherein said computer is a personal computer, and said wherein said displayed image is displayed on the screen of a computer.

3. The computer software-mediated method of claim 1, wherein in (C), said software permits said user to associate said annotation with said image aspect by permitting said user to select, drag and drop said annotation to a userselected location in the displayed electronic image.

4. The computer software-mediated method of claim 1, wherein said electronic image contains more than one image aspect.

5. The computer software-mediated method of claim 1, wherein said annotation is a textual annotation.

6. The computer software-mediated method of claim 1, wherein said image is selected from the group consisting of a photograph, a writing, and a drawing.

7. The computer software-mediated method of claim 6, wherein said electronic image is a photograph.

8. The computer software-mediated method of claim 7, wherein said image aspect to be annotated is a person depicted in said photograph.

9. The computer software-mediated method of claim 8, wherein said annotation is a name of said person depicted in said photograph.

10. A computer software-mediated method for retrieving an electronic image containing a desired image aspect, wherein said image is stored in a computer-managed database of images, and wherein said image aspect is associated with an annotation, said association being stored in a searchable electronic database, said method comprising:

(A) querying said searchable electronic database for image aspects that are associated with said annotation;

(B) retrieving from said database an electronic image containing an image aspect associated with said annotation of step (A);

(C) displaying said retrieved electronic image and said annotation of step (A) to a user, in response to said user'"'"'s request, such that the position of the annotation permits a user to identify the associated image aspect in said displayed image.

11. The computer software-mediated method of claim 10, wherein said computer is a personal computer, and said wherein in said step (C), said image is displayed on the screen of a computer.

12. The computer software-mediated method of claim 10, wherein said software permits said user to associate said annotation with said image aspect by permitting said user to select, drag and drop said annotation to a userselected location in the displayed electronic image.

13. The computer software-mediated method of claim 10, wherein said electronic image contains more than one image aspect.

14. The computer software-mediated method of claim 10, wherein said annotation is a textual annotation.

15. The computer software-mediated method of claim 10, wherein said electronic image is selected from the group consisting of a photograph, a writing, and a drawing.

16. The computer software-mediated method of claim 15, wherein said electronic image is a photograph.

17. The computer software-mediated method of claim 16, wherein said desired image aspect is a person depicted in said photograph.

18. The computer software-mediated method of claim 17, wherein said annotation is a name of said person depicted in said photograph.

20. The computer software-mediated method of claim 19, wherein said computer is a personal computer, and said wherein in said step (C), said image is displayed on the screen of a computer.

21. The computer software-mediated method of claim 19, wherein said software permits said user to associate said annotation with said image aspect by permitting said user to select, drag and drop said annotation to a user-selected location in the displayed electronic image.

22. The computer software-mediated method of claim 19, wherein said electronic image contains more than one image aspect.

23. The computer software-mediated method of claim 19, wherein said annotation is a textual annotation.

24. The computer software-mediated method of claim 19, wherein said electronic image is selected from the group consisting of a photograph, a writing, and a drawing.

25. The computer software-mediated method of claim 24, wherein said electronic image is a photograph.

26. The computer software-mediated method of claim 25, wherein said desired image aspect is a person depicted in said photograph.

27. The computer software-mediated method of claim 26, wherein said annotation is a name of said person depicted in said photograph.

29. The electronic image of claim 28, wherein said annotation was associated with said image aspect by having been selected, dragged and dropped into its position in the displayed electronic image.

30. The electronic image of claim 28, wherein said annotation is a textual annotation.

19. A method for retrieving collections of electronic images containing a desired image aspect or related family of image aspects, wherein said images are stored in a database of images, and wherein said image aspects are each associated with an annotation or related family of annotations, each such said association being stored in a searchable electronic database, said method comprising:

(A) querying said searchable electronic database for image aspects that are associated with said annotation or related family of annotations;

(B) retrieving from said database electronic images containing an image aspect or related family of image aspects associated with said annotation or related family of annotations of step (A);

(C) displaying said retrieved electronic images and said annotation(s) of step (A) to a user, in response to said user'"'"'s request, such that the position of the annotation permits said user to identify the associated image aspect.

28. An electronic image stored in a database of images and displayed at the request of a user, said image containing a desired image aspect associated with an annotation, wherein, in response to a user'"'"'s request, said image can be displayed with said annotation on said electronic image such that the position of the annotation permits said user to identify the associated image aspect.

31. A collection of electronic images each stored in a database of images and displayed at the request of a user, and each such image containing a desired image aspect or related family of image aspects, associated with an annotation or related family of annotations, wherein in response to a user'"'"'s request, said images or collections thereof can be displayed with said annotation on said electronic images such that the position of the annotations permits a user to identify the associated image aspect.

32. The collection of electronic images of claim 31, wherein said annotation was associated with said desired image aspect or related family of image aspects by having been selected, dragged and dropped into its respective location in the displayed electronic image.

33. The electronic image of claim 31, wherein said annotation is a textual annotation.

35. The computer system of claim 34, wherein said annotation or related family of annotations was associated with said desired image aspect or related family of image aspects by having been selected, dragged and dropped into its respective location in the displayed electronic image.

36. The electronic image of claim 34, wherein said annotation is a textual annotation.

34. A computer system specially adapted by software to store one or more electronic images or collections of such images, at the request of a user, and each containing a desired image aspect or related family of image aspects, associated with an annotation or related family of annotations, wherein in response to a user'"'"'s request, said images or collections thereof can be displayed with said annotation on said electronic images such that the position of the annotation permits a user to identify the associated image aspect.