SERVER DEVICE, IMAGE TRANSMISSION METHOD, TERMINAL DEVICE, IMAGE RECEPTION METHOD, PROGRAM, AND IMAGE PROCESSING SYSTEM

• US 20140232899A1
• Filed: 10/16/2012
• Published: 08/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ootsuki, Tomoyuki, Aisaka, Kazuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,400,869 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/222.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0025 characterised by electronic signal processing, e.g. eye models
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/12 for looking at the eye fundus, e.g. ophthalmoscopes A61B3/13 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30041 Eye; Retina; Ophthalmic
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/73 Deblurring; Sharpening
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00413 using menus, i.e. presenting the user with a plurality of selectable options H04N1/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/741 by increasing the dynamic range of the image compared to the dynamic range of the electronic image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/951 by using two or more images to influence resolution, frame rate or aspect ratio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/21 Circuitry for suppressing or minimising disturbance, e.g. moiré or halo

Abstract

In some embodiments, methods and apparatus are provided for transmitting, via at least one network, a request to another apparatus for still image data generated from moving image data, the request comprising at least one criterion, and receiving still image data generated from moving image data matching the at least one criterion in the request. In further embodiments, methods and apparatus are provided for receiving the request via at least one network, using the at least one criterion in the request to obtain still image data generated from moving image data, and responding to the request by transmitting the obtained still image data.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising at least one processor programmed to:

transmit, via at least one network, a request to another apparatus for still image data generated from moving image data, the request comprising at least one criterion; and

receive still image data generated from moving image data matching the at least one criterion in the request.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

include in the request information identifying at least one image processing technique for use in generating the moving image data from the still image data.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the information identifying the at least one image processing technique comprises an identifier for a version of an image processing program for use in generating the still image data from the moving image data.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising at least one input device, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

receive user input via the at least one input device; and

select the version of the image processing program based at least in part on the user input.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the information identifying the at least one image processing technique comprises an indication that a newest image processing technique is to be used in generating the still image data from the moving image data.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the information identifying the at least one image processing technique comprises an indication that a newest version of an image processing program be used in generating the still image data from the moving image data.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one imaging device configured to capture a moving image and thereby generate the moving image data, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

transmit the moving image data to the other apparatus.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one input device, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

receive user input via the at least one input device; and

determine the at least one criterion based at least in part on the user input.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

receive time information from the user via the at least one input device;

and

determine the at least one criterion based at least in part on the time information.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

receive personal identification information from the user via the at least one input device; and

determine the at least one criterion based at least in part on the personal identification information.

11. An apparatus comprising at least one processor programmed to:

receive, via at least one network, a request from another apparatus for still image data generated from moving image data, the request comprising at least one criterion;

use the at least one criterion in the request to obtain still image data generated from moving image data; and

respond to the request by transmitting the obtained still image data.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising at least one storage device, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

receive the moving image data from the other apparatus; and

store the moving image data in the at least one storage device.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

use a newest version of an image processing program to generate the still image data from the moving image data.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising at least one storage device, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

use the at least one criterion to retrieve the moving image data from the at least one storage device; and

generate the still image data based at least in part on the moving image data.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising at least one storage device, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

use the at least one criterion to retrieve the still image data from the at least one storage device, the still image data having been previously generated based at least in part on the moving image data.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the still image data is previously generated still image data, and wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

determine whether a new image processing technique is available;

if it is determined that a new image processing technique is available, use the new image processing technique to generate new still image data based at least in part on the moving image data; and

replace the previously generated still image data with the new still image data.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the request received from the other device comprises information identifying at least one image processing technique, and wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

use the identified at least one image processing technique to generate the still image data based at least in part on the moving image data.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the information identifying the at least one image processing technique comprises an identifier for a version of an image processing program, and wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

determine whether the identified version of the image processing program is available; and

if it is determined that the identified version of the image processing program is not available, use a nearest available version of the image processing program to generate the still image data from the moving image data.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one image processing technique comprises an image processing technique selected from a group consisting of:

reconfiguration-type super-resolution processing, learning-type super-resolution processing, and blurring removal processing.

20. A system comprising:

a first apparatus comprising at least one first processor programmed to;

transmit, via at least one network, a request to a second apparatus for still image data generated from moving image data, the request comprising at least one criterion; and

the second apparatus, wherein the second apparatus comprises at least one second processor programmed to;

receive, via the at least one network, the request for still image data;

use the at least one criterion in the request to obtain still image data generated from moving image data; and

respond to the request by transmitting the obtained still image data to the first apparatus,

wherein the at least one first processor is further programmed to;

receive the obtained still image data from the second apparatus.