Method and apparatus for the simultaneous display and correlation of independently generated images

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the reference image is accomplished by locating the landmarks in the image to be the reference image at a predefined numerical position in the sequence of images during landmark location.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein said locations in each displayed image that correspond to the selected location on the reference image are identified by displaying a cursor at those locations.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of displaying images includes the step acquiring said images from Nondestructive Evaluation data acquisition apparatus, from digitized video input of images, and/or from returning stored image for display.

Claim 6

An interactive display system including a monitor, computer means, for movement of a location identifier on the monitor and a means for input of commands to the computer, the improvement to enable said display system to correlate corresponding positions in multiple independently generated images on the same object further compromises: a means for display of at least two images or an object on the display means; a means for appearance of a location identifier on a predetermined displayed reference image; a means for correlating through employment of a mapping function a location identifier on each of the alternate displays to a corresponding position as depicted by said location identifier on the reference image; means for moving the location identifier on the reference image; means for correlating a response to a movement of the location identifier on the reference image to the respective movement of said location identifiers on the other alternate displayed images with the result that a change in the position of the location identifier on the reference image will result in a corresponding change in the alternate image location identifier producing the effect that one location identifier tracks the other with respect to their physical location on the displayed object; whereby images can be compared at specific locations and their relationship to each other or an image demonstrating failure location can be evaluated.

Claim 7

An interactive display system including a monitor, computer means, for movement of a location identifier on the monitor and a means for input of commands to the computer, the improvement to enable said display system to correlate corresponding positions in multiple independently generated images on the same object further compromises: a means for display of at least two images or an object on the display means; a means for appearance of a location identifier on a predetermined displayed reference image; a means for correlating through employment of a mapping function a location identifier on each of the alternate displays to a corresponding position as depicted by said location identifier on the reference image; means for moving the location identifier on the reference image; means for correlating a response to a movement of the location identifier on the reference image to the respective movement of said location identifiers on the other alternate displayed images with the result that a change in the position of the location identifier on the reference image will result in a corresponding change in the alternate image location identifier producing the effect that one location identifier tracks the other with respect to their physical location on the displayed object; whereby images can be compared at specific locations and their relationship to each other or an image demonstrating failure location can be evaluated.

Claim 8

The interactive graphics display of system of claim 5 wherein said location identifier appearing on each image other than the reference image is the location identifier which appeared on the reference image moved rapidly from image to image appearing at the locations specified by said mapping function, or in the alternative, if the apparatus will support multiple location identifiers unique to each image these location identifiers will appear to track simultaneously controlled by said mapping function.

Claim 9

The interactive display system of claim 5 wherein said system includes a high capacity data storage system wherein information for the generation of the images by the computer is stored and supplied to the computer by said system.

Claim 10

The interactive display system of claim 5 wherein said system includes a Nondestructive Evaluation data acquisition apparatus which generates an information stream and a means for utilizing said information stream in a format including a direct input signal which requires no signal processing, a direct input signal which must be processed, and a visual information display which must be processed.