Server device, image transmission method, terminal device, image reception method, program, and image processing system

• US 9,400,869 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2012
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): BERARDESCA, PAUL M
• Application Number:
  US14/350,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20140232899A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 imagedata.

Claims

1. A method implemented by an apparatus, comprising at least one processor, the method comprising acts of:

transmitting, via at least one network, a request to another apparatus for still medical image data generated from moving medical image data, the request comprising at least one criterion, the request further comprising information identifying at least one image processing technique for use in generating still medical image data from moving medical image data; and

receiving still medical image data matching the at least one criterion in the request, the still medical image data being generated by applying, to moving image data, the at least one image processing technique identified in the request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one image processing technique comprises a technique that processes a plurality of image frames from moving medical image data to produce a still medical image having improved image quality.

3. The method of claim 1, 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 medical image data from the moving medical image data.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising acts of:

receiving user input via at least one input device; and

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

5. The method 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 medical image data from the moving medical image data.

6. The method 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 medical image data from the moving medical image data.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising acts of:

using at least one medical imaging device to capture a moving medical image and thereby generate the moving medical image data; and

transmitting the moving medical image data to the other apparatus.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising acts of:

receiving user input via at least one input device; and

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

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

time information is received from the user via the at least one input device; and

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

10. The method of claim 8, wherein:

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

the at least one criterion is determined 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 medical image data generated from moving medical image data, the request comprising at least one criterion, the request further comprising information identifying at least one image processing technique for use in generating still medical image data from moving medical image data;

use the at least one criterion in the request to obtain still medical image data generated by applying the at least one image processing technique to at least one image frame from moving medical image data; and

respond to the request by transmitting the obtained still medical 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 medical image data from the other apparatus; and

store the moving medical 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:

determine, based on the information identifying at least one image processing technique for use in generating still medical image data from moving medical image data, that a newest version of an image processing program is to be used;

identify a newest version of the image processing program; and

use the newest version of the image processing program to generate the still medical image data from the moving medical 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 medical image data from the at least one storage device; and

generate the still medical image data based at least in part on the moving medical 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 medical image data from the at least one storage device, the still medical image data having been previously generated based at least in part on the moving medical image data.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the still medical image data is previously generated still medical 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 medical image data based at least in part on the moving medical image data; and

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

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

apply the at least one image processing technique to a plurality of image frames from the moving medical image data to generate a still medical image having improved image quality.

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 medical image data from the moving medical 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 medical image data generated from moving medical image data, the request comprising at least one criterion, the request further comprising information identifying at least one image processing technique for use in generating still medical image data from moving medical image data; 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 medical image data;

use the at least one criterion in the request to obtain still medical image data generated by applying the at least one image processing technique to at least one image frame from moving medical image data; and

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

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

receive the obtained still medical image data from the second apparatus.