Method and apparatus for annotating full motion video and other indexed data structures

A method of annotation for a file of full motion video having indexed frames of video data, frames in the file having an index value, comprising:

• playing the file of full motion video on a display using a display routine;
• selecting, in response to user input, a video frame to be annotated from the file being played;
• creating, in response to user input, an annotation data structure using an annotation routine without modifying the video frame, the annotation data structure including a graphical element for display overlaying the selected video frame and an indication of an index value for the selected video frame;
• storing the annotation data structure in an annotation memory;
• monitoring the annotation memory while playing the file of full motion video to detect annotation structures for indexed video frames currently being displayed;
• overlaying the video frame on the display with the graphical element of the annotation data structure without modifying the video frame;
• and
• providing a graphical user interface having a window for displaying the full motion video being played, and an annotation control window, the annotation control window including graphical input elements providing access to tools for providing user input in the step of selecting and the step of creating.

An apparatus for display and annotation of a file of indexed data structures, data structures in the file having an index value, comprising:

• a display;
• a media manager, including resources to display the file of indexed data structures on the display;
• a device for user input;
• an annotation manager, including resources to select, in response to user input, an indexed data structure to be annotated from the file of indexed data structures being displayed, and resources to create, in response to user input, an annotation data structure without modifying the selected data structure and to store the annotation data structure in an annotation memory, the annotation data structure including a graphical element for display overlaying the selected data structure and an indication of an index value for the selected data structure;
• and
• play back resources, coupled with the media manager and the annotation manager, to monitor the annotation memory while the file of indexed data structures is displayed by the media manager to detect annotation data structures for indexed data structures currently being displayed, and to overlay the indexed data structure on the display with the graphical element of the annotation data structure without modifying the indexed data structure.

An apparatus for display and annotation of a file of full motion video, frames of video data in the file having an index value, comprising:

• a display;
• a media manager, including resources to display the file of full motion video on the display;
• an annotation manager, including resources to select, in response to user input, an indexed frame of video data to be annotated from the file of full motion video being displayed, and resources to create, in response to user input, an annotation data structure without modifying the selected frame and to store the annotation data structure in an annotation memory, the annotation data structure including a graphical element for display overlaying the selected frame and an indication of an index value for the selected frame;
• a user input device, coupled with the annotation manager, including tools for providing user input to the annotation manager, and a graphical user interface having a window for displaying the file of full motion video by the media manager, and an annotation control window, the annotation control window including graphical input elements providing access to the tools for providing user input to the annotation manager;
• and
• play back resources, coupled with the media manager and the annotation manager, to monitor the annotation memory while the file of full motion video is displayed by the media manager to detect annotation data structures for flames currently being displayed, and to overlay the frame on the display with the graphical element of the annotation data structure without modifying the frame.