Method and apparatus for monitoring electronic transmission of an image

• US 20050047634A1
• Filed: 05/12/2004
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GMBH (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Schmidt, Wilfried
• Granted Patent: US 7,508,995 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/130
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/00 General purpose image data processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/002 for television cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/32 Transforming X-rays cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from X-rays H04N23/30; circuitry of SSIS for transforming X-rays into image signals H04N25/30

Abstract

In a monitoring method and image processing apparatus for monitoring electronic transmission of an image, an image detector supplies an input image to a processing circuit that caches it in an image storage. The cached image, or an image derived therefrom, is forwarded as an output image to a viewing device, which outputs the image to a viewer. To monitor the image transfer, an insertion circuit upstream from the processing circuit inserts a dynamic input test signal into the input image. A test circuit downstream from the processing circuit tests whether the output image contains a dynamic output test signal corresponding with the input test signal. Given the absence of the dynamic output test signal, alarm notification is provided to the viewer.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring electronic transmission of an image comprising the steps of:

inserting a dynamic input test signal into an electronic source image to produce an electronic input image;

supplying said input image to a processing circuit and, in said processing circuit, caching said input image in an image memory, as a cached image;

in said processing circuit, generating an output image containing a dynamic output test signal, said output image being selected from the group consisting of said cached image and an image derived from said cached image, and emitting said output image from said processing circuit and displaying said output image;

testing said output image emitted from said processing circuit as to whether said dynamic output test signal corresponds to said dynamic input test signal; and

generating a humanly perceptible notification if said dynamic output test signal differs from said dynamic input test signal.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of inserting said dynamic input test signal into said source image comprises supplying said source image to an insertion circuit, preceding said processing circuit, and generating said dynamic input test signal in said insertion circuit and inserting said dynamic input test signal into said source image in said insertion circuit.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of inserting said dynamic input test signal into said source image comprises supplying said source image to an insertion circuit, supplying said dynamic input test signal to said insertion circuit, and inserting said dynamic input test signal into said source image in said insertion circuit.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said source image has an image edge, and comprising inserting said dynamic input test signal into said source image at said image edge.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising generating said source image as an x-ray image.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of generating a humanly perceptible notification comprises discontinuing display of said output image.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 comprising, if display of said output image is discontinued, displaying said input image in place thereof.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of generating a humanly perceptible notification comprises generating and displaying a predetermined message.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising:

inserting said dynamic input test signal into said input image in an insertion circuit;

testing said output image from said processing circuit in a test circuit, monitoring operation of said insertion circuit with said test circuit and generating a warning from said test circuit if erroneous operation of said insertion circuit is detected; and

monitoring operation of said test circuit with said insertion circuit and generating a warning from said insertion circuit if erroneous operation of said test circuit is detected.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 comprising:

if said test circuit detects erroneous operation of said insertion circuit, taking over insertion of said dynamic input test signal into said source image in said test circuit; and

if said insertion circuit detects erroneous operation of said test circuit, taking over testing of said output signal from said processing circuit in said insertion circuit.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising, in said processing circuit, generating said output image by subtracting a reference image from said cached image.

12. An apparatus for monitoring electronic transmission of an image comprising:

an insertion circuit for inserting a dynamic input test signal into an electronic source image to produce an electronic input image;

a processing circuit connected to said insertion circuit and being supplied with said input image, said processing circuit having an image memory and said processing circuit caching said input image in said image memory, as a cached image;

said processing circuit generating an output image containing a dynamic output test signal, said output image being selected from the group consisting of said cached image and an image derived from said cached image, and emitting said output image;

a display connected to said processing circuit for displaying said output image; and

a test circuit connected to said processing circuit and also supplied with said output image for testing said output image as to whether said dynamic output test signal corresponds to said dynamic input test signal, and said test circuit generating a humanly perceptible notification if said dynamic output test signal differs from said dynamic input test signal.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein said insertion circuit generates said dynamic input test signal.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein said dynamic input test signal is externally supplied to said insertion circuit.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein said source image has an image edge, and wherein said insertion circuit inserts said dynamic input test signal into said source image at said image edge.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein, as said humanly perceptible notification, said test circuit discontinues display of said output image at said display.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 16 wherein said processing circuit, if display of said output image is discontinued by said test circuit, displays said input image at said display in place thereof.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein said test circuit, as said humanly perceptible notification, generates a predetermined message at said display.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein said test circuit monitors operation of said insertion circuit and generates a warning if erroneous operation of said insertion circuit is detected, and wherein said insertion circuit monitors operation of said test circuit and generates a warning if erroneous operation of said test circuit is detected.

20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 19 wherein:

if said test circuit detects erroneous operation of said insertion circuit, said test circuit takes over insertion of said dynamic input test signal into said source image in said test circuit; and

if said insertion circuit detects erroneous operation of said test circuit, said insertion circuit takes over testing of said output signal from said processing circuit in said insertion circuit.

21. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein said processing circuit, generates said output image by subtracting a reference image from said cached image.

22. A computer program product operating an insertion circuit, a processing circuit and a test circuit for monitoring electronic transmission of an image, said computer program product:

causing a dynamic input test signal to be inserted, in said insertion circuit, into an electronic source image to produce an electronic input image;

causing said input image to be supplied from said insertion circuit to a processing circuit and, in said processing circuit to be, cached in an image memory, as a cached image;

causing said processing circuit to generate an output image containing a dynamic output test signal, said output image being selected from the group consisting of said cached image and an image derived from said cached image, and to emit said output image from said processing circuit and to display said output image;

causing said output image emitted from said processing circuit to be tested in said test circuit as to whether said dynamic output test signal corresponds to said dynamic input test signal; and

causing said test circuit to generate a humanly perceptible notification if said dynamic output test signal differs from said dynamic input test signal.

23. A computer program product as claimed in claim 22 causing said dynamic input test signal to be generated in said insertion circuit.

24. A computer program product as claimed in claim 22 causing said insertion circuit to receive said dynamic input test signal from an external source.

25. A computer program product as claimed in claim 22 wherein said source image has an image edge, and said computer program product causing said dynamic input test signal to be inserted into said source image at said image edge.

26. A computer program as claimed in claim 22 causing discontinuing display of said output image as said humanly perceptible notification.

27. A computer program product as claimed in claim 26 wherein, if display of said output image is discontinued, said computer program product causes said input image to be displayed in place thereof.

28. A computer program product as claimed in claim 22 causing generation and display of a predetermined message as said humanly perceptible notification.

29. A computer program product as claimed in claim 22 causing said test circuit to monitor operation of said insertion circuit and to generate a warning from said test circuit if erroneous operation of said insertion circuit is detected, and causing said insertion circuit to monitor operation of said test circuit and to generate a warning from said insertion circuit if erroneous operation of said test circuit is detected.

30. A computer program product as claimed in claim 29 wherein:

if said test circuit detects erroneous operation of said insertion circuit, said computer program product causes said test circuit to take over insertion of said dynamic input test signal into said source image in said test circuit; and

if said insertion circuit detects erroneous operation of said test circuit, said computer program product causes said insertion circuit to take over testing of said output signal from said processing circuit in said insertion circuit.

31. A computer program product as claimed in claim 22 causing said processing circuit to generate said output image by subtracting a reference image from said cached image.