System and method for generating quotations from a reference document on a touch sensitive display device

• US 7,971,140 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2010
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SecureNet Solutions Group, LLC
• Original Assignee: KD Secure LLC
• Inventors: Siegel, Marc, Tossing, Christopher, Ho, Albert
• Primary Examiner(s): Ries; Laurie
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mills; Frank D
• Application Number:
  US12/832,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20100269029A1
• Time in Patent Office: 355 Days
• Field of Search: 715/255
• US Class Current: 715/255
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/20 using renewable energy

Abstract

The present invention is a system and method for generating quotations from a reference document on a touch sensitive display device or other handheld device, including the following steps: (a) receiving a first input from a user designating a first point in a captured image of the reference document to define a first corner of a crop rectangle; (b) receiving a second input from the user designating a second point in the captured image to define a second corner of the crop rectangle, wherein the first input is released before the second input is initiated; (c) cropping the captured image from the first point to the second point of the crop rectangle when the second input is released to generate an image quotation; and (f) generating a quotation data object comprising the image quotation and a bibliographical reference to a referenced section of the reference document which contains the image quotation. After the image quotation has been cropped, it may be annotated using a similar two-touch method. The present invention may be used in smart phones such as Apple iPhones®, or industrial hand-held devices that inspectors may use to quote reference documents, and in other purposes.

Claims

1. A method for generating quotations from a safety standards document in an inspection compliance system to ensure inspection compliance, the method comprising:

capturing a photograph of a potential problem with a physical asset;

capturing an image of a portion of the safety standards document;

displaying the captured image of the safety standards document to be cropped by a user;

receiving a first input from the user designating a first point in the captured image to define a first corner of a crop rectangle;

receiving a second input from the user designating a second point in the captured image to define a second corner of the crop rectangle, wherein the first input is released before the second input is initiated;

cropping the captured image from the first point to the second point of the crop rectangle immediately when the second input is released to generate an image quotation, wherein the first and second inputs are touch inputs;

generating a quotation data object comprising the image quotation and a bibliographical reference back to a referenced section of the safety standards document which contains the image quotation in order to substantiate the potential problem identified in the photograph; and

providing the quotation data object to the inspection compliance system to substantiate statements of problems found during an inspection and statements of passed inspections.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein if the user does not immediately release the second input, allowing the user to drag the second point to visually edit a shape and a size of the crop rectangle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein if the user drags the second point near an edge of the captured image, and the safety standards document is larger than the captured image, then scrolling the captured image to show an area of the safety standards document in a direction of the dragged point.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the captured image of the safety standards document to be annotated by a user;

receiving a third input from the user designating a third point in the image to define a first corner of an annotation rectangle;

receiving a fourth input from the user designating a fourth point in the image to define a second corner of the annotation rectangle, wherein the third input is released before the fourth input is initiated; and

annotating the captured image from the first corner to the second corner of the annotation rectangle when the fourth input is released to generate an annotated image quotation.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

displaying a shape corresponding to the annotation rectangle of the captured image before annotating the captured image.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein if the user does not immediately release the fourth input, allowing the user to drag the fourth point to visually show a shape and a size of the annotation rectangle.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein if the user drags the fourth point near an edge of the captured image, and the safety standards document is larger than the captured image, then scrolling the captured image to show an area of the safety standards document in a direction of the dragged point.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein when the user selects an undo action after the crop operation has been completed, the original captured image is displayed.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein when the user selected an undo action a second time after the crop operation has been completed, the original safety standards document is displayed again.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a computer-readable link that refers back to the referenced portion of the safety standards document.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein if text selection is meaningful for the safety standards document, the user can perform a text quotation.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the text quotation is obtained by selecting a region of text.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the selected text may be edited by the user.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein after the user finalizes the quotation image, the edited text is saved along with a bibliographic reference to the referenced portion of the safety standards document.

15. A touch-sensitive hand-held system having a capability of generating quotations from a safety standards document in an inspection compliance system to ensure inspection compliance, the system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one or more memories, operatively coupled to the processor, and containing program code, which when executed causes the processor to execute a process comprising the steps to;

capture a photograph of a potential problem with a physical asset;

display the safety standards document;

capture an image of a portion of the displayed safety standards document;

crop and annotate the captured image of the safety standards document using a two-touch motion to generate an image quotation, wherein the crop and annotation operation is immediately executed when a second touch is released;

generate a quotation data object comprising the image quotation and a bibliographical reference back to a referenced section of the safety standards document which contains the image quotation in order to substantiate the potential problem identified in the photograph; and

provide the quotation data object to the inspection compliance system to substantiate statements of problems found during an inspection and statements of passed inspections.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

program code to generate a computer-readable link that refers back to the referenced portion of the safety standards document.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein if text selection is meaningful for the safety standards document, a user can perform a text quotation by selecting and then editing a region of text.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the program code further comprises steps to:

display the captured image of the safety standards document to be cropped by a user;

receive a first input from the user designating a first point in the captured image to define a first corner of a crop rectangle;

receive a second input from the user designating a second point in the captured image to define a second corner of the crop rectangle, wherein the first input is released before the second input is initiated; and

crop the captured image from the first point to the second point of the crop rectangle when the second input is released to generate a cropped image quotation.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the program code further comprises steps to:

display the captured image of the safety standards document to be annotated by a user;

receive a first input from the user designating a first point in the image to define a first corner of an annotation rectangle;

receive a second input from the user designating a second point in the image to define a second corner of the annotation rectangle; and

annotate the captured image from the first point to the second point of the annotation rectangle when the second input is released to generate an annotated image quotation.

20. A method for generating annotated quotations from a safety standards document on a touch-sensitive display device in an inspection compliance system to ensure inspection compliance, the method comprising:

capturing a photograph of a potential problem with a physical asset;

capturing an image of a portion of the safety standards document;

displaying the captured image of the safety standards document to be annotated by a user;

receiving a first input from the user designating a first point in the image to define a first corner of an annotation rectangle;

receiving a second input from the user designating a second point in the image to define a second corner of the annotation rectangle, wherein the first input is released before the second input is initiated;

annotating the captured image from the first point to the second point of the annotation rectangle immediately when the second input is released to generate an annotated image quotation, wherein the first and second inputs are touch inputs;

generating a quotation data object comprising the annotated image quotation and a bibliographical reference back to a referenced section of the safety standards document which contains the annotated image quotation in order to substantiate the potential problem identified in the photograph; and

providing the quotation data object to the inspection compliance system to substantiate statements of problems found during an inspection and statements of passed inspections.