Method and System for Dynamic Image Processing

• US 20090138544A1
• Filed: 11/21/2007
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AGFA Healthcare NV (Agfa-Gevaert N.V.)
• Original Assignee: AGFA Healthcare NV (Agfa-Gevaert N.V.)
• Inventors: Zeilinger, Gunter, Dennison, Donald K., Potwarka, John J., Mroz, Lukas, Wegenkittl, Rainer, Kanitsar, Armin
• Granted Patent: US 8,793,301 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5083 Techniques for rebalancing the load in a distributed system
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/20 Processor architectures; Processor configuration, e.g. pipelining
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/16 involving adaptation to the client's capabilities

Abstract

A method of processing an image wherein one or more processing functions are executed. Firstly, the steps involved in the one or more processing functions are determined where each of the one or more processing functions can include one or more processing steps. Secondly, the resource requirements associated with each of the processing functions are determined. The resource availability for the one or more resource requirements on a client is determined. Thirdly, and finally, each of the one or more processing functions are selectively allocated to the at least one of the client and the server in the case where the client does not have the required resource availability.

Claims

1. A method of processing an image wherein one or more processing functions are executed, the method comprising:

(a) determining the steps involved in the one or more processing functions wherein each of the one or more processing functions may comprise one or more processing steps;

(b) determining one or more resource requirements associated with each of the one or more processing functions;

(c) determining a resource availability for the one or more resource requirements upon a client; and

(d) selectively allocating each of the one or more processing functions to at least one of the client and the server where the client does not have the required resource availability.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more processing functions are executed sequentially to process the image.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more resource requirements are determined based on data associated with the image.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more resource requirements may be selected from a group comprising:

hardware requirements, memory requirements, processor requirements, network requirements and available renderers.

5. A computer-readable medium upon which a plurality of instructions are stored, the instructions for performing the steps of the method as claimed in claim 1.

6. A method of distributed processing of an image wherein one or more processing functions are executed, the method comprising:

(a) executing one or more processing steps associated with the one or more processing functions at a client if the one or more processing steps can be executed at the client;

(b) providing client output data based on the executed one or more processing steps to a server for execution if the one or more processing steps can not be executed at the client based on not meeting the one or more resource requirements associated with the one or more processing steps; and

(c) receiving server output data based on the server executed one or more processing steps for the execution at the client of the remaining one or more processing steps.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the one or more resource requirements are selected from a group comprising:

hardware requirements, processing requirements, memory requirements, network requirements and available renderers.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein a rendering pipeline comprises the one or more processing functions.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the one or more processing functions, are executed sequentially to process the image.

10. A computer-readable medium upon which a plurality of instructions are stored, the instructions for performing the steps of the method as claimed in claim 6.

11. A system for processing an image, wherein one or more processing functions are executed, the system comprising:

(a) a memory for storing a plurality of instructions; and

(b) a processor coupled to the memory, said processor configured for;

(i) determining the steps involved in the one or more processing functions wherein each of the one or more processing functions may comprise one or more processing steps;

(ii) determining one or more resource requirements associated with each of the one or more processing functions;

(ii) determining a resource availability for the one or more resource requirements upon a client; and

(iv) selectively allocating each of the one or more processing functions to at least one of the client and the server where the client does not have the required resource availability.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the one or more processing functions are executed sequentially to process the image.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the one or more resource requirements are determined based on data associated with the image.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the one or more resource requirements, may be selected from a group comprising:

hardware requirements, memory requirements, processor requirements, network requirements and available renderers.

15. A system for distributed processing of an image wherein one or more processing functions are executed;

the system comprising;

(a) a memory for storing a plurality of instructions; and

(b) a processor coupled to the memory, said processor configured for;

(i) executing one or more processing steps associated with the one or more processing functions at a client if the one or more processing steps can be executed at the client;

(ii) providing client output data based on the executed one or more processing steps to a server for execution if the one or more processing steps can not be executed at the client based on not meeting the one or more resource requirements associated with the one or more processing steps; and

(iii) receiving server output data based on the server executed one or more processing steps for the execution at the client of the remaining one or more processing steps.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the one or more resource requirements are selected from a group comprising:

hardware requirements, processing requirements, memory requirements, network requirements and available renderers.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein a rendering pipeline comprises the one or more processing functions.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the one or more processing functions are executed sequentially to process the image.