Image display apparatus and method, and storage medium

• US 20020050986A1
• Filed: 08/06/2001
• Published: 05/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sanada, Shigeru, Inoue, Hitoshi
• Granted Patent: US 6,853,357 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/204
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/464 involving a plurality of displays
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1438 using more than one graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/003 to produce spatial visual effects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/111 Transformation of image signals corresponding to virtual viewpoints, e.g. spatial image interpolation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/122 Improving the 3D impression of stereoscopic images by modifying image signal contents, e.g. by filtering or adding monoscopic depth cues H04N13/128 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/133 Equalising the characteristics of different image components, e.g. their average brightness or colour balance
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/15 for colour aspects of image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/156 Mixing image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/189 Recording image signals; Reproducing recorded image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/194 Transmission of image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/207 using a single 2D image sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/254 in combination with electromagnetic radiation sources for illuminating objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/286 having separate monoscopic and stereoscopic modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/305 using lenticular lenses, e.g. arrangements of cylindrical lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/334 using spectral multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/337 using polarisation multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/341 using temporal multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/344 with head-mounted left-right displays

Abstract

There are provided an image display apparatus and an image display method, which are capable of clearly indicating to an observer subtle differences between two images of the same subject obtained at different times, without the need for complex image processing, and a storage medium storing a program for implementing the image display method. Two images of the same subject obtained at different times are inputted. A stereo display device displays the two inputted images in a manner enabling an observer to fuse the two inputted images together for stereoscopic viewing. A control means controls the stereo display device to display the two inputted images such that the two images are projected separately into the left and right eyes of the observer.

Claims

1. An image display apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting two images of the same subject obtained at different times;

display means for displaying the two inputted images in a manner enabling an observer to fuse the two inputted images together for stereoscopic viewing; and

display control means for controlling said display means to display the two inputted images such that the two inputted images are projected separately into left and right eyes of the observer.

2. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display means has a display screen, the image display apparatus comprising position designation means for designating a position on the display screen of said display means in accordance with operational input from the observer, and wherein said display control means is responsive to a position being designated by said position designation means, for controlling said display means to display a mark in the designated position on the display screen of said display means in a manner being superposed on each of the two images.

3. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the two images is an image produced from a radiation intensity distribution.

4. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the two images are a past image and a current image taken of the same human subject.

5. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 4, comprising spatial frequency accentuation means for carrying out spatial frequency accentuation processing on the images, and wherein said display control means controls said display means to display the images subjected to the spatial frequency accentuation processing.

6. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 5, comprising spatial frequency intensity setting means for setting a spatial frequency intensity of said spatial frequency accentuation processing in accordance with operational input from the observer, and wherein said spatial frequency accentuation means carries out the spatial frequency accentuation processing on the images at the set spatial frequency intensity.

7. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said display means has a color display function, and said display control means controls said display means to display the two images while changing colors of the two images independently.

8. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said display control means controls said display means to display the two images while making one of the two images flash.

9. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein a flashing interval at which the one of the two images is made to flash is variable.

10. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said display means has a display screen, and wherein said display control means controls said display means to carry out rotating, magnifying and shifting at least one of the two images on the display screen of said display means.

11. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising at least two single image display means for displaying each of the two images singly, and wherein said display control means controls said single image display means to display each of the two images singly.

12. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein each of said single image display means has a display screen, the image display apparatus comprising position designation means for designating a position on the display screen of said display means in accordance with operational input from the observer, and wherein said display control means is responsive to a position being designated by said position designation means, for controlling said display means to display a mark in the designated position on the display screen of said display means in a manner being superposed on each of the two images, and wherein, when the mark is displayed in the position designated by said position designation means on the display screen of said display means, said display control means controls said single image display means to also display the mark in a position corresponding to the designated position on the display screen of each of said at least two single image display means.

13. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 12, comprising storage means for separately storing each of the two images along with position information indicating the corresponding position of the mark.

15. An image display method as claimed in claim 14, comprising the steps of designating a position on a display screen of said display means in accordance with operational input from the observer, and controlling, in response to the position being designated by said position designation step, said display means to display a mark in the designated position on the display screen of said display means in a manner being superposed on each of the two images.

16. An image display method as claimed in claim 14, wherein each of the two images is an image produced from a radiation intensity distribution.

17. An image display method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the two images are a past chest X-ray image and a current chest X-ray image taken of the same human subject.

18. An image display method as claimed in claim 17, comprising a step of carrying out spatial frequency accentuation processing on the chest X-ray images, and wherein said display means is controlled to display the chest X-ray images subjected to said spatial frequency accentuation processing.

19. An image display method as claimed in claim 18, comprising a step of setting a spatial frequency intensity of said spatial frequency accentuation processing in accordance with operational input from the observer, and wherein said spatial frequency accentuation processing is carried out on the chest X-ray images at the set spatial frequency intensity.

20. An image display method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said display means has a color display function, and said display means is controlled to display the two images on said display means while changing colors of the two images independently.

21. An image display method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said display means is controlled to display the two images while making one of the two images flash.

22. An image display method as claimed in claim 21, wherein a flashing interval at which the one of the two images is made to flash is variable.

23. An image display method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said display means is controlled to carry out rotating, magnifying and shifting at least one of the two images on the display screen of said display means.

24. An image display method as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least two single image display means for displaying each of the two images singly are provided, and the image display method further comprises a step of controlling each of said single image display means to display a corresponding one of the two images singly.

25. An image display method as claimed in claim 15, wherein at least two single image display means for displaying each of the two images singly are provided, and the image display method comprises steps of displaying each of the two images singly on a corresponding one of said single image display means, and also displaying the mark in a position corresponding to the designated position on a display screen of each of said single image display means, when the mark is displayed in the designated position on the display screen of said display means.

26. An image display method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a step of separately storing each of the two images along with position information indicating the corresponding position of the mark.

28. A storage medium as claimed in claim 27, wherein said program comprises a position designation module for designating a position on a display screen of said display means in accordance with operational input from the observer, and wherein, in response to the position being designated by said position designation module, said display control module controls said display means to display a mark in the designated position on the display screen of said display means in a manner being superposed on each of the two images.

29. A storage medium as claimed in claim 28, wherein each of the two images is an image produced from a radiation intensity distribution.

30. A storage medium as claimed in claim 28, wherein the two images are a past chest X-ray image and a current chest X-ray image taken of the same human subject.

31. A storage medium as claimed in claim 30, wherein said program comprises a spatial frequency accentuation module for carrying out spatial frequency accentuation processing on the chest X-ray images, and said display control module controls said display means to display the chest X-ray images subjected to said spatial frequency accentuation processing.

32. A storage medium as claimed in claim 31, wherein said program comprises a spatial frequency intensity setting module for setting a spatial frequency intensity of said spatial frequency accentuation processing in accordance with operational input from the observer, and wherein said spatial frequency accentuation module carries out the spatial frequency accentuation processing on the chest X-ray images at the set spatial frequency intensity.

33. A storage medium as claimed in claim 27, wherein said display means has a color display function, and said display control module includes program instructions for controlling said display means to display the two images while changing colors of the two images independently.

34. A storage medium as claimed in claim 27, wherein said display control module includes program instructions for controlling said display means to display the two images on said display means while making one of the two images flash.

35. A storage medium as claimed in claim 27, wherein said display control module includes program instructions for controlling said display means to carry out rotating, magnifying and shifting at least one of the two images on the display screen of said display means.

36. A storage medium as claimed in claim 27, wherein said display means has a color display function, and said display control module includes program instructions for controlling said display means to display the two images while changing colors of the two images independently, program instructions for controlling said display means to display the two images while making one of the two images flash, and program instructions for controlling said display means to carry out rotating, magnifying and shifting at least one of the two images on the display screen of said display means.

37. A storage medium as claimed in claim 27, wherein at least two single image display means for displaying each of the two images singly are provided, and said display control module carries out display processing for controlling each of said single image display means to display a corresponding one of the two images singly.

38. A storage medium as claimed in claim 27, wherein at least two single image display means for displaying each of the two images singly are provided, and said display control module carries out display processing for controlling each of said single image display means to display a corresponding one of the two images singly, and, when the mark is displayed in the designated position on the display screen of said display means, also carries out processing for controlling said single image display means to also display the mark in a position corresponding to the designated position on a display screen of each of said single image display means.

39. A storage medium as claimed in claim 27, wherein said program comprises a storage module for separately storing each of the two images along with position information indicating the corresponding position of the mark.

14. An image display method of displaying two images of the same subject obtained at different times on display means in a manner such that an observer can fuse the two images together for stereoscopic viewing, the method comprising the steps of:

inputting the two images; and

controlling said display means to display the two inputted images such that the two inputted images are projected separately into left and right eyes of the observer, whereby the observer can fuse the images together.

27. A storage medium storing, so as to be readable by an information processing apparatus, a program for constructing an image display system for displaying two images of the same subject obtained at different times on display means in a manner such that an observer can fuse the two images together for stereoscopic viewing, the program comprising:

an input module for inputting the two images; and

a display control module for controlling said display means to display the two inputted images such that the two inputted images are projected separately into left and right eyes of the observer, whereby the observer can fuse the images together.

40. An image display apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing a plurality of images of the same subject along with information relating to a correspondence relationship between the images and times when the images were taken;

searching means for searching for images having a correspondence relationship therebetween from the plurality of images stored in said storage means;

display means for displaying two of the images in a manner enabling an observer to fuse the two images together for stereoscopic viewing; and

display control means for reading any two of the images from said storage means and controlling said display means to display the read two images.

41. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 40, wherein said display control means includes image processing means for carrying out different image processing on each of the two images displayed on said display means.

42. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 41, wherein said image processing means carries out processing to make the two images different in color.

43. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 41, wherein said image processing means carries out processing to make one of the two images flash.

44. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 40, wherein said display control means causes search results from said searching means to be displayed as a list of reduced images, and controls said display means to stereoscopically display two images selected from the displayed list.

46. An image display method as claimed in claim 45, wherein said second display step includes an image processing step of carrying out different image processing on each of the two images.

47. An image display method as claimed in claim 46, wherein said image processing step comprises carrying out processing to make the two images different in color.

48. An image display method as claimed in claim 46, wherein said image processing step comprises carrying out processing to make one of the two images flash.

49. An image display method as claimed in claim 46, wherein said first display step comprises displaying the search results as a list of reduced images, and said second display step comprises stereoscopically displaying two images selected from the displayed list.

45. An image display method comprising:

a storage step of storing a plurality of images of the same subject along with information relating to a correspondence relationship between the images and times when the images were taken;

a searching step of searching for images having a correspondence relationship therebetween from the stored images;

a first display step of displaying results of the search; and

a second display step of displaying any two images selected from the search results so as to be viewable as a stereoscopic image.