Patent ID: 7010751
Filing Date: 2006-03-07
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A computer software-mediated method for annotating a user-selected target image aspect contained within an electronic image that comprises a plurality of inherently unrelated image aspects, in which the placement of all desired image annotations is not determined solely by the scale of the image, and the X, Y coordinates of the image's center, wherein said inherently unrelated image aspects include a target image aspect and a non-target image aspect, said method comprising: (A) displaying said electronic image using a computer-generated display interface; (B) accessing and querying a searchable electronic list of annotation terms for a desired annotation term, and permitting a user to add or edit said desired annotation term to said database list; (C) associating said desired accessed or added or edited annotation term of said electronic list with said selected target image aspect of said electronic image, wherein said associating comprises positioning said desired annotation term at a user-selected location within the displayed electronic image to identify said selected target image aspect and distinguish it from a non-target image aspect contained within said electronic image, wherein said positioning is accomplished by selecting dragging and dropping said desired annotation term to said user-selected location; (D) storing said accessed or added or edited annotation term and said electronic image containing said target image aspect in a searchable electronic database of annotation terms and electronic images; and (E) permitting a subsequent user to display an electronic image (D) containing said selected target image aspect upon the querying of said electronic database (D) for said associated annotation term, wherein said displayed electronic image (D) optionally displays said annotation term positioned to identify the associated target image aspect and distinguish it from non-target image aspects contained within said displayed electronic image (D), and permitting said subsequent user to add, or edit; and store a desired annotation term to said database list and to associate said new desired annotation term with an image aspect of said displayed electronic image.