Automated image annotation

• US 20060173909A1
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Carlson, Gerard J., Ritzenthaler, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,788,575 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 16/587 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location

Abstract

An automatic annotation transmission device including a memory, a processor, and a transmitter, is programmed with information related to a nearby photographic subject, and configured to transmit the information to a properly configured automatic annotation reception device. An electronic image capture device including a memory, a processor, and a receiver is configured to receive information from an automatic annotation transmission device, correlate the annotation information with one or more captured images and store the annotation information in a memory.

Claims

1. An automatic annotation reception device, comprising:

a processor;

a memory electrically coupled to said processor, configured to store images and annotation data; and

a receiver electrically coupled to said processor, configured to receive said annotation data from an automatic annotation transmission device when an image is captured;

wherein said processor is configured to correlate said annotation data with said image.

2. An automatic annotation reception device as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiver comprises an infrared receiver.

3. An automatic annotation reception device as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiver comprises an RF receiver.

4. An automatic annotation reception device as recited in claim 1, wherein said image is a still image.

5. An automatic annotation reception device as recited in claim 1, wherein said image is a video image.

6. An automatic annotation reception device as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a transmitter electrically coupled to said processor, configured to transmit a signal to said automatic annotation transmission device when an image is captured.

7. An automatic annotation reception device as recited in claim 6, wherein said signal causes the automatic annotation transmission device to begin transmission of annotation data.

8. An automatic annotation reception device as recited in claim 1, wherein said annotation data includes a date and time.

9. An automatic annotation reception device as recited in claim 1, wherein said annotation data includes a location.

10. An automatic annotation reception device as recited in claim 1, wherein said annotation data includes a title of an imaged object.

11. An automatic annotation reception device as recited in claim 1, wherein said annotation data includes information in more than one language.

12. An automatic annotation reception device as recited in claim 1, wherein said annotation data includes historical information.

13. An automatic annotation reception device as recited in claim 1, wherein said annotation data comprises a plurality of fields, configured to allow searches of less than all of said fields.

14. An automatic annotation reception device as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

a control, configured to allow a user to select to store less than all of said fields in said annotation data.

15. An automatic annotation reception device as recited in claim 1, wherein said automatic annotation reception device is a digital camera.

16. An automatic annotation transmission device, comprising:

a processor;

a memory electrically coupled to said processor, containing annotation data related to a nearby photographic subject; and

a transmitter electrically coupled to said processor, configured to transmit said annotation data from said memory to an automatic annotation reception device.

17. An automatic annotation transmission device as recited in claim 16, wherein said transmitter comprises an infrared light emitting diode.

18. An automatic annotation transmission device as recited in claim 16, wherein said transmitter comprises an RF transmitter.

19. An automatic annotation transmission device as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

a receiver electrically coupled to said processor, configured to receive a signal from an automatic annotation reception device.

20. An automatic annotation transmission device as recited in claim 19, wherein said signal causes the automatic annotation transmission device to begin transmission of annotation data.

21. An automatic annotation transmission device as recited in claim 16, wherein said annotation data includes a date and time.

22. An automatic annotation transmission device as recited in claim 16, wherein said annotation data includes a location.

23. An automatic annotation transmission device as recited in claim 16, wherein said annotation data includes a title of an imaged object.

24. An automatic annotation reception device as recited in claim 16, wherein said annotation data includes information in more than one language.

25. An automatic annotation reception device as recited in claim 16, wherein said annotation data includes historical information.

26. A method for the automatic annotation of images, comprising the steps of:

a) providing an automatic annotation transmission device, configured to automatically transmit annotation data related to a nearby photographic subject;

b) receiving the annotation data;

c) capturing an image;

d) correlating the annotation data with the image; and

e) storing the annotation data and image in a memory.

27. A method for the automatic annotation of images as recited in claim 26, further comprising the step of:

f) transmitting a signal to the automatic annotation transmission device, wherein said automatic annotation transmission device is configured to begin transmitting annotation data when said signal is received.

28. An automatic annotation reception device, comprising:

means for capturing an image;

means for receiving annotation data from an automatic annotation transmission device when said image is captured;

means for correlating said annotation data with said image; and

means for storing said annotation data and said image.

29. An automatic annotation transmission device, comprising:

means for storing annotation data related to a nearby photographic subject; and

means for transmitting said annotation data to an automatic annotation reception device.