Image processing apparatus and method

• US 20030007674A1
• Filed: 04/26/2002
• Published: 01/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tsujii, Osamu, Sato, Makoto
• Granted Patent: US 7,031,506 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/132
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 Biomedical image inspection

Abstract

An apparatus having image processing function performs image processing method. In the image processing method, a first portion of data is acquired as a data stream obtained from image data that has been sequentially converted and encoded, then the acquired data is decoded to obtain a two-dimensional image. The two-dimensional image is analyzed to determine a region of interest within the two-dimensional image. Then, a second portion of data is acquired as a data stream obtained from the image data based on the region of interest. Thus, areas that are useful to the diagnosis can be displayed promptly and in detail.

Claims

1. An apparatus having an image processing function, comprising:

first acquisition means for acquiring a first portion of data as a data stream obtained from image data that has been sequentially converted and encoded;

decoding means for decoding the data acquired by said first acquisition means and obtaining a two-dimensional image;

analysis means for analyzing the two-dimensional image obtained by said decoding means and determining a region of interest within the two-dimensional image; and

second acquisition means for acquiring a second portion of data as a data stream obtained from the image data based on the region of interest determined by said analysis means.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data stream of the first portion acquired by the first acquisition means corresponds to image quality capable of executing an analysis by said analysis means.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said analysis means provides medical diagnostic support for the two-dimensional image obtained by said decoding means.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising setting means for setting a data volume of the first portion acquired by said first acquisition means according to a diagnostic purpose.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the region of interest is a region deemed to be tested positive based on results of the medical diagnostic support provided by said analysis means.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second acquisition means acquires a data stream that expresses details of the two-dimensional image corresponding to the region of interest output by said analysis means.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said second acquisition means requests an apparatus that provides the data stream to provide the data stream that expresses the details of the two-dimensional image corresponding to the region of interest output by said analysis means.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second acquisition means acquires a data stream so that an image quality of a region corresponding to the region of interest becomes better than an image quality obtained by the data stream acquired by said first acquisition means.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus causes said decoding means and said analysis means to operate on the basis of the data stream acquired by said second acquisition means.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying the two-dimensional image decoded by said decoding means and displaying the region of interest determined by said analysis means.

11. A method of image processing, comprising:

a first acquisition step of acquiring a first portion of data as a data stream obtained from image data that has been sequentially converted and encoded;

a decoding step of decoding the data acquired in the first acquisition step and obtaining a two-dimensional image;

an analysis step of analyzing the two-dimensional image obtained in the decoding step and determining a region of interest within the two-dimensional image; and

a second acquisition step of acquiring a second portion of data as a data stream obtained from the image data based on the region of interest determined in the analysis step.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the data stream of the first portion acquired in the first acquisition step corresponds to image quality capable of executing an analysis by the analysis step.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the analysis step provides medical diagnostic support for the two-dimensional image obtained in the decoding step.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising a setting step of setting a data volume of the first portion acquired in the first acquisition step according to a diagnostic objective.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the region of interest is a region deemed to be tested positive based on results of the medical diagnostic support provided in the analysis step.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the second acquisition step acquires a data stream that expresses details of the two-dimensional image corresponding to the region of interest output by the analysis step.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the second acquisition step requests an apparatus that provides the data stream to provide the data stream that expresses the details of the two-dimensional image corresponding to the region of interest output by the analysis step.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein the second acquisition step acquires a data stream so that an image quality of a region corresponding to the region of interest is better than an image quality obtained by the data stream acquired in the first acquisition step.

19. The method according to claim 11, wherein the decoding step and the analysis step operate on the basis of data stream acquired in the second acquisition step.

20. The image processing method according to claim 11, further comprising a display step of displaying the two-dimensional image decoded in the decoding step and the region of interest determined in the analysis step.

21. A program that causes a computer to execute an image processing method, the image processing method comprising:

a first acquisition step of acquiring a first portion of data as a data stream obtained from image data that has been sequenced, converted and encoded;

a decoding step of decoding the data acquired in the first acquisition step and obtaining a two-dimensional image;

an analysis step of analyzing the two-dimensional image obtained in the decoding step and determining a region of interest within the two-dimensional image; and

a second acquisition step of acquiring a second portion of data as a data stream obtained from the image data based on the region of interest determined in the analysis step.

22. A computer readable recording medium containing a program that causes a computer to execute an image processing method, the image processing method comprising:

a first acquisition step of acquiring a first portion of data as a data stream obtained from image data that has been sequentially converted and encoded;

a decoding step of decoding the data acquired in the first acquisition step and obtaining a two-dimensional image;

an analysis step of analyzing the two-dimensional image obtained in the decoding step and determining a region of interest within the two-dimensional image; and

a second acquisition step of acquiring a second portion of data as a data stream obtained from the image data based on the region of interest determined in the analysis step.

23. A computer into which a computer-readable recording medium containing a program that causes the computer to execute an image processing method, the image processing method comprising:

a first acquisition step of acquiring a first portion of data as a data stream obtained from image data that has been sequentially converted and encoded;

a decoding step of decoding the data acquired in the first acquisition step and obtaining a two-dimensional image;

an analysis step for analyzing the two-dimensional image obtained in the decoding step and determining a region of interest within the two-dimensional image; and

a second acquisition step for acquiring a second portion of data as a data stream obtained from the image data based on the region of interest determined in the analysis step.