System and method for graphical image data acquistion, storage, and retrieval

A method for acquisition, storage, and retrieval of a plurality of image datas corresponding to a plurality of inspection areas of a physical surface comprising the steps of:

• graphically drawing a virtual diagram of the physical surface and a plurality of virtual inspection areas on the virtual diagram on a graphical interface, the virtual inspection areas representing corresponding physical inspection areas on the physical surface for which image datas are to be collected;
• sensing a plurality of image datas of the plurality of physical inspection areas of the physical surface with a sensor connected to the graphical interface;
• displaying the virtual diagram with a display device connected to the graphical interface;
• storing the plurality of image datas of the physical inspection areas sensed by the sensor and naming an image file of each image data of each respective physical inspection area stored according to a graphical position of the corresponding virtual inspection area on the virtual diagram in an image storage connected to the graphical interface;
• selecting a virtual inspection area on the virtual diagram corresponding to a desired physical inspection area of interest with a selector connected to the graphical interface;
• retrieving an image file of the desired physical inspection area from the image storage for display by the display device;
• and
• visually indicating a status of the virtual inspection areas of the virtual diagram displayed by the display device with a status generator connected to the graphical interface by color coding of the virtual inspection areas.

A computerized system for acquisition, storage, and retrieval of a plurality of image datas corresponding to a plurality of physical inspection areas of a physical surface comprising:

• a graphical interface means for graphically drawing a virtual diagram of the physical surface and a plurality of virtual inspection areas on the virtual diagram, the virtual inspection areas representing corresponding physical inspection areas on the physical surface for which image datas are collected;
• a sensing means connected to said interface means for sensing a plurality of image datas of the plurality of physical inspection areas of the physical surface;
• a display means connected to said interface means for selectively displaying the image data and the virtual diagram;
• an image storage means connected to said interface means for collecting the plurality of image datas of the physical inspection areas sensed by said sensing means and for naming an image file of each image data of each respective physical inspection area according to a graphical position of the corresponding virtual inspection area on the virtual diagram;
• a selection means connected to said interface means for selecting a virtual inspection area on the virtual diagram corresponding to a desired physical inspection area of interest and for retrieving an image file of the desired physical inspection area from said image storage means for display by said display means;
• a status means connected to said interface means for visually indicating a status of the virtual inspection areas of the virtual diagram displayed by said display means;
• and
• an inspection requirements means for storing a desired inspection program of successive physical inspection areas for the physical surface and for indicating a next desired virtual inspection area corresponding to a next desired physical inspection area on the physical surface after said sensor means senses each successive physical inspection area.

A computerized system for acquisition, storage, and retrieval of a plurality of image datas corresponding to a plurality of physical inspection areas of a physical surface comprising:

• a graphical interface means for graphically drawing a virtual diagram of the physical surface and a plurality of virtual inspection areas on the virtual diagram, the virtual inspection areas representing corresponding physical inspection areas on the physical surface for which image datas are collected;
• a sensing means connected to said interface means for sensing a plurality of image datas of the plurality of physical inspection areas of the physical surface;
• a display means connected to said interface means for selectively displaying the image data and the virtual diagram;
• an image storage means connected to said interface means for collecting the plurality of image datas of the physical inspection areas sensed by said sensing means and for naming an image file of each image data of each respective physical inspection area according to a graphical position of the corresponding virtual inspection area on the virtual diagram;
• a selection means connected to said interface means for selecting a virtual inspection area on the virtual diagram corresponding to a desired physical inspection area of interest and for retrieving an image file of the desired physical inspection area from said image storage means for display by said display means;
• and
• a sensor specifications storage means for identifying a type of said sensor means and for choosing appropriately sized virtual inspection areas on the virtual diagram corresponding to a physical inspection footprint of said sensor means.

A computerized system for acquisition, storage, and retrieval of a plurality of image datas corresponding to a plurality of physical inspection areas of a physical surface comprising:

• a graphical interface means for graphically drawing a virtual diagram of the physical surface and a plurality of virtual inspection areas on the virtual diagram, the virtual inspection areas representing corresponding physical inspection areas on the physical surface for which image datas are collected so that points of the physical surface are mapped to points of the virtual diagram:
• a sensing means connected to said interface means for sensing a plurality of image datas of the plurality of physical inspection areas of the physical surface;
• a display means connected to said interface means for selectively displaying the image data and the virtual diagram;
• an image storage means connected to said interface means for collecting the plurality of image datas of the physical inspection areas sensed by said sensing means and for naming an image file of each image data of each respective physical inspection area according to a graphical position of the corresponding virtual inspection area on the virtual diagram;
• a selection means connected to said interface means for selecting a virtual inspection area on the virtual diagram corresponding to a desired physical inspection area of interest and for retrieving an image file of the desired physical inspection area from said image storage means for display by said display means;
• a locating means connected to said interface means for locating said sensor means with reference to the physical surface;
• and
• a sensor control means connected to said graphical interface for moving said sensor means into position to sense image data of predetermined physical inspection areas corresponding to predetermined virtual inspection areas.

A method for acquisition, storage, and retrieval of a plurality of image datas corresponding to a plurality of inspection areas of a physical surface comprising the steps of:

• graphically drawing a virtual diagram of the physical surface and a plurality of virtual inspection areas on the virtual diagram on a graphical interface, the virtual inspection areas representing corresponding physical inspection areas on the physical surface for which image datas are to be collected;
• sensing a plurality of image datas of the plurality of physical inspection areas of the physical surface with a sensor connected to the graphical interface;
• displaying the virtual diagram with a display device connected to the graphical interface;
• storing the plurality of image datas of the physical inspection areas sensed by the sensor and naming an image file of each image data of each respective physical inspection area stored according to a graphical position of the corresponding virtual inspection area on the virtual diagram in an image storage connected to the graphical interface;
• selecting a virtual inspection area on the virtual diagram corresponding to a desired physical inspection area of interest with a selector connected to the graphical interface;
• retrieving an image file of the desired physical inspection area from the image storage for display by the display device;
• visually indicating a status of the virtual inspection areas of the virtual diagram displayed by the display device with a status generator connected to the graphical interface;
• and
• modifying the surface at a selected physical inspection area when the corresponding virtual inspection area indicates an unacceptable status, and changing the status of the modified virtual inspection area on the virtual diagram after modification is effected.

A method for acquisition, storage, and retrieval of a plurality of image datas corresponding to a plurality of inspection areas of a physical surface comprising the steps of:

• graphically drawing a virtual diagram of the physical surface and a plurality of virtual inspection areas on the virtual diagram on a graphical interface, the virtual inspection areas representing corresponding physical inspection areas on the physical surface for which image datas are to be collected;
• sensing a plurality of image datas of the plurality of physical inspection areas of the physical surface with a sensor connected to the graphical interface;
• displaying the virtual diagram with a display device connected to the graphical interface;
• storing the plurality of image datas of the physical inspection areas sensed by the sensor and naming an image file of each image data of each respective physical inspection area stored according to a graphical position of the corresponding virtual inspection area on the virtual diagram in an image storage connected to the graphical interface;
• selecting a virtual inspection area on the virtual diagram corresponding to a desired physical inspection area of interest with a selector connected to the graphical interface;
• retrieving an image file of the desired physical inspection area from the image storage for display by the display device;
• visually indicating a status of the virtual inspection areas of the virtual diagram displayed by the display device with a status generator connected to the graphical interface:
• storing a desired inspection program of successive physical inspection areas for the physical surfaces and
• indicating a next desired virtual inspection area corresponding to a next desired physical inspection area on the physical surface after the sensor senses each successive physical inspection area.

A method for acquisition, storage, and retrieval of a plurality of image datas corresponding to a plurality of inspection areas of a physical surface comprising the steps of:

• graphically drawing a virtual diagram of the physical surface and a plurality of virtual inspection areas on the virtual diagram on a graphical interface, the virtual inspection areas representing corresponding physical inspection areas on the physical surface for which image datas are to be collected;
• sensing a plurality of image datas of the plurality of physical inspection areas of the physical surface with a sensor connected to the graphical interface;
• displaying the virtual diagram with a display device connected to the graphical interface;
• storing the plurality of image datas of the physical inspection areas sensed by the sensor and naming an image file of each image data of each respective physical inspection area stored according to a graphical position of the corresponding virtual inspection area on the virtual diagram in an image storage connected to the graphical interface;
• selecting a virtual inspection area on the virtual diagram corresponding to a desired physical inspection area of interest with a selector connected to the graphical interface;
• retrieving an image file of the desired physical inspection area from the image storage for display by the display device;
• identifying a type of the sensor from a sensor specifications storage;
• and
• choosing appropriately sized virtual inspection areas on the virtual diagram corresponding to a physical inspection footprint of the sensor.

A method for acquisition, storage, and retrieval of a plurality of image datas corresponding to a plurality of inspection areas of a physical surface comprising the steps of:

• graphically drawing a virtual diagram of the physical surface and a plurality of virtual inspection areas on the virtual diagram on a graphical interface, the virtual inspection areas representing corresponding physical inspection areas on the physical surface for which image datas are to be collected and with points of the physical surface mapped to points of the virtual diagram;
• sensing a plurality of image datas of the plurality of physical inspection areas of the physical surface with a sensor connected to the graphical interface;
• displaying the virtual diagram with a display device connected to the graphical interface;
• storing the plurality of image datas of the physical inspection areas sensed by the sensor and naming an image file of each image data of each respective physical inspection area stored according to a graphical position of the corresponding virtual inspection area on the virtual diagram in an image storage connected to the graphical interface;
• selecting a virtual inspection area on the virtual diagram corresponding to a desired physical inspection area of interest with a selector connected to the graphical interface;
• retrieving an image file of the desired physical inspection area from the image storage for display by the display device;
• locating the sensor with reference to the physical surface with a locating device connected to the graphical interface;
• and
• moving the sensor into position to sense image data of predetermined physical inspection areas corresponding to predetermined virtual inspection areas with a sensor control connected to the graphical interface.