Scanning system for identifying and labeling X-rays

• US 6,980,680 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2003
• Issued: 12/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Howtek Devices Corporation
• Original Assignee: Howtek Devices Corporation
• Inventors: Batchelder, Lee, Langille, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Johns, Andrew W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NAKHJAVAN, SHERVIN K
• Application Number:
  US10/373,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20040165700A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 382/128, 382/132, 250/559.02, 250/559.05, 250/559.06, 378/176
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00326 with a data reading, recognizing or recording apparatus, e.g. with a bar-code apparatus arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus G11B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00331 with an apparatus performing optical character recognition character recognition G06V30/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00334 with an apparatus processing barcodes or the like arrangements for sensing record carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32133 on the same paper sheet, e.g. a facsimile page header
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image

Abstract

A scanning system for scanning and identifying an X-ray film in a medical application includes a scanner configured to accept the X-ray film and provide an image digital signal representative of an image stored on the X-ray film, wherein the X-ray film includes an image portion and a text portion, and a computer configured to accept the image digital signal and convert text characters of the text portion into a text digital signal representative of the text characters. Optical character recognition software may be utilized to recognize and convert the text characters of an image signal into the digital signal. The scanning system may create a reflective label such as a bar code label or a text label that may be affixed to an associated X-ray film to aid in identification of such X-ray.

Claims

1. A method of creating a reflective label for identifying an X-ray film, said method comprising the steps of:

producing a digital image signal representative of an image on said X-ray film;

recognizing text characters from said digital image signal;

converting said text characters into a text digital signal representative of said text characters; and

outputting said reflective label, wherein said reflective label is representative of said text characters.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of affixing said reflective label to an associated X-ray film.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of converting said text digital signal into a bar code signal representative of said text characters, and wherein said reflective label comprises a bar code label.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said reflective label comprises text.

5. A scanning system for scanning and identifying an X-ray film in a medical application, said system comprising:

a scanner configured to accept said X-ray film and provide an image digital signal representative of an image stored on said X-ray film, wherein said X-ray film comprises an image portion and a text portion; and

a computer configured to accept said image digital signal, said computer comprising a machine readable medium whose contents cause said computer to perform a method comprising the steps of;

recognizing text characters from said text portion of said X-ray film;

converting said text characters into a text digital signal representative of said text characters; and

outputting said text digital signal in a text format wherein said text format comprises a reflective label.

6. A scanning system for scanning and identifying an X-ray film in a medical application, said system comprising:

a scanner configured to accept said X-ray film and provide an image digital signal representative of an image stored on said X-ray film, wherein said X-ray film comprises an image portion and a text portion; and

a computer configured to accept said image digital signal, said computer comprising a machine readable medium whose contents cause said computer to perform a method comprising the steps of;

recognizing text characters from said text portion of said X-ray film;

converting said text characters into a text digital signal representative of said text characters; and

converting said text digital signal into a bar code digital signal representative of said text characters on said X-ray film.

7. The scanning system of claim 6, wherein said method further comprises the step of outputting said bar code signal as a bar code label.

8. A scanning system for scanning and identifying an X-ray film in a medical application, said system comprising:

a scanner configured to accept said X-ray film and provide an image digital signal representative of an image stored on said X-ray film, wherein said X-ray film comprises an image portion and a text portion; and

a computer configured to accept said image digital signal and convert text characters of said text portion into a text digital signal representative of said text characters and to output said text digital signal in a text format wherein said text format comprises a reflective label to affix to said X-ray film.

9. A scanning system for scanning and identifying an X-ray film in a medical application, said system comprising:

a scanner configured to accept said X-ray film and provide an image digital signal representative of an image stored on said X-ray film, wherein said X-ray film comprises an image portion and a text portion; and

a computer configured to accept said image digital signal and convert text characters of said text portion into a text digital signal representative of said text characters, to convert said text digital signal into a bar code digital signal representative of said text characters on said X-ray film, and output said bar code signal as a bar code label to affix to said X-ray film.