Method of and system for storing, communicating, and displaying image data

• US 7,170,521 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2002
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: UltraVisual Medical Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Chylla, Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): Tung; Kee M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HAU H
• Application Number:
  US10/116,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20020184238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,763 Days
• Field of Search: 345501-506, 345/418, 345/419, 345/531, 345/543, 345/530, 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 382/305
• US Class Current: 345/543
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00827 Arrangements for reading an image from an unusual original, e.g. 3-dimensional objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2129 Recording in, or reproducing from, a specific memory area or areas, or recording or reproducing at a specific moment
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2187 with image input from a plurality of different locations or from a non-central location, e.g. from one or more users
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/001 Sharing resources, e.g. processing power or memory, with a connected apparatus or enhancing the capability of the still picture apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0065 Converting image data to a format usable by the connected apparatus or vice versa

Abstract

A system for storing, communicating, and displaying image or graphic data over a network. The system includes a client that is connectable to a server via a network. The server is configured to store an image file having image data, where the structure of the image file preferably includes submatrices. The submatrices allow the system to render the images using an adaptive rendering technique.

Claims

1. A method of rendering an image of a multidimensional item, the rendering occurring at one of a server and a client, the server and the client in communication with a network, the method comprising:

storing a data file at the server, the data file including image data that is constructable to form the multidimensional item, wherein at least some of the image data is structured as submatrices satisfying the equation

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising:

communicating a portion of the image data from the server to the client via the network, the communicated portion of the image data including image data far displaying the image at the client; and

displaying the image at the client.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein communicating a portion of the image data occurs after rending the image at the server when the determination is made to render the image at the server.

4. A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the communicated portion of the image data is the rendered image.

5. A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein communicating a portion of the image data occurs before rending the image at the client when the determination is made to render the image at the client.

6. A method as set forth in claim 5 wherein rending the image at the client includes rendering the image using the communicated portion of the image data.

7. A method as set forth in claim 2 and further comprising:

storing the communicated portion of image data at the client.

8. A method as set forth in claim 7 and further comprising:

determining a second image;

determining whether the stored image data at the client includes data necessary for rendering the second image;

rendering the second image at the client when the stored image data includes the data necessary for rendering the second image; and

displaying the second image.

9. A method as set forth in claim 8 and further comprising:

communicating a second portion of the image data from the server to the client via the network when the stored imaged data does not include the data necessary for displaying the other image; and

storing the communicated second portion of the image data at the client.

10. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the multidimensional item is a representation of at least a portion of a physical object.

11. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the multidimensional item is a graphic.

12. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the image is an image plane.

13. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises:

determining an image is based on the received request.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the value of n_d is subject to the constraint

15. A method of displaying images of a multidimensional item at a client, the multidimensional item being stored as a data file at a server, the data file including image data constructable to form the multidimensional item, the method comprising:

receiving a request for a first image;

communicating a first portion of the image data to the client, the first portion of the image data including data for displaying the first image;

storing the first portion of the image data at the client, the storing of the image data resulting in stored data, wherein at least some of the image data is structured as submatrices satisfying the equation

16. A method as set forth in claim 15 and further comprising:

rendering the second image with the stored data when the stored data includes the data for displaying the second image; and

displaying the second image.

17. A method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the multidimensional item is representative of an object.

18. A method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the multidimensional item is a graphic.

19. A method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the structure of the data file includes submatrices,

wherein communicating a first portion of the image data includes communicating a first plurality of the submatrices to the client, the first plurality of submatrices including the data for displaying the first image, and

wherein storing the first portion of the image data includes storing the first plurality of submatrices at the client.

20. A method as set forth in claim 19 wherein communicating a second portion of the image data includes communicating a second plurality of the submatrices to the client, the second plurality of submatrices including at least a portion of the data for displaying the second image, and

wherein storing the second portion of the image data includes storing the second plurality of submatrices at the client resulting in the stored data including the data for displaying the second image.

21. A method as set forth in claim 20 and further comprising:

rendering the second image with the stored data when the stored data includes the data for displaying the second image.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the value of n_d is subject to the constraint

23. A method of communicating image data to a client for displaying images of an item, the method comprising:

providing an image file having image data;

storing the provided image file at a server, the stored image file including the image data structured as submatrices, wherein at least some of the submatrices satisfy the equation

24. A method as set forth in claim 23 wherein the third plurality of submatrices includes the second plurality of submatrices.

25. A method as set forth in claim 24 wherein the third plurality of submatrices includes at least one of the submatrices of the first plurality.

26. A method as set forth in claim 24 wherein the third plurality of submatrices is the submatrices of the second plurality of submatrices.

27. A method as set forth in claim 23 and further comprising:

after receiving the request from the client, determining the second plurality of submatrices for communication to the client.

28. A method as set forth in claim 23 wherein storing the provided image file includes structuring the image data of the provided image file as an array of submatrices.

29. A method as set forth in claim 28 wherein the image data of the provided image file is structured as an array of parallel planes, and

wherein structuring the image data of the provided image file includes converting the provided image data from an array of parallel planes to the array of submatrices.

30. A method as set forth in claim 28 wherein the image data of the provided image file is structured as a three-dimensional array, and

wherein structuring the image data of the provided image file includes converting the provided image data from a three-dimensional array to an array of submatrices.

31. A method as set forth in claim 23 wherein receiving a request from the client includes receiving a request for a desired second image;

wherein the method further includes determining the plurality of the submatrices that includes the image data renderable to form the second image; and

wherein the determined submatrices being the second plurality of submatrices.

32. A method as set forth in claim 31 wherein receiving a request from the client includes receiving a request for the second plurality of submatrices.

33. The method of claim 23, wherein the value of n_d is subject to the constraint

34. A method of displaying images of a three-dimensional item, the three dimensional item being stored at a server as an image file having image data, the image data structured with submatrices, the method comprising:

receiving a first plurality of the submatrices from the server;

storing the first plurality of submatrices, the storing of the submatrices resulting in stored submatrices, wherein at least same of the submatrices satisfy the equation

35. A method as set forth in claim 34 and further comprising:

if the stored submatrices include the image data renderable to form the second image,

rendering the second image, and

displaying the second image.

36. A method as set forth in claim 34 and further comprising:

displaying the second image.

37. A method as set forth in claim 34 wherein the first and second images are image planes.

38. A method as set forth in claim 34 wherein communicating a request includes communicating a request for the plurality of submatrices necessary to render the second image.

39. A method as set forth in claim 34 wherein the three-dimensional item represents a medical image of at least a portion of a patient.

40. The method of claim 34, wherein the value of n_d is subject to the constraint

41. A method of storing an image file in memory, the method comprising:

receiving a three-dimensional image file by the server having image data representing a three-dimensional item;

structuring the received image file using submatrices, wherein at least some of the submatrices satisfy the equation

42. A method as set forth in claim 41 wherein the submatrices are contiguous.

43. A method as set forth in claim 41 wherein the image data of the received image file is structured as an array of planes, and

wherein structuring the received image file includes converting the received image file from an array of planes to an array of submatrices.

44. A method as set forth in claim 41 wherein the image data of the received image file is structured as a three-dimensional array, and

wherein structuring the received image file includes convening the received image file from an a three-dimensional array to an array of submatrices.