IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, METHOD, AND COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUM

• US 20110128367A1
• Filed: 11/05/2010
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yoshioka, Shigeatsu, Kimoto, Masashi
• Granted Patent: US 9,324,124 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/79
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/368 details of associated display arrangements, e.g. mounting of LCD monitor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/00 General purpose image data processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30004 Biomedical image processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/40 Scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting

Abstract

In one example embodiment, an information processing apparatus displays a first image associated with an observation target object. In this example embodiment, the first image has a first zoom magnification and a first display range which has a first center position. In one example embodiment, the information processing apparatus enables a user to change the first zoom magnification by selecting a first position of the displayed first image. In response to the first position being selected, the information processing apparatus displays a second image associated with the observation target image. In this example embodiment, the second image has a second zoom magnification which is different from the first zoom magnification. The second image also has a second display range which has a second center position which is different from the first center position. In this example embodiment, the second center position corresponds to the selected position.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a display device operatively coupled to the processor;

an input device operatively coupled to the processor; and

a memory device operatively coupled to the processor, the memory device storing instructions that cause the processor, in cooperation with the display device, the input device and the memory device, to;

(a) display a first image associated with an observation target object, the first image having;

(i) a first zoom magnification; and

(ii) a first display range having a first center position;

(b) enable a user to change the first zoom magnification by selecting a first position of the displayed first image; and

(c) in response to the first position being selected, display a second image associated with the observation target image, the second image having;

(i) a second zoom magnification which is different from the first zoom magnification; and

(ii) a second display range having a second center position which is different from the first center position, the second center position corresponding to the selected position.

2. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the observation target object includes a section of biological tissue.

3. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the displayed first image is observed by a microscope.

4. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the input device to enable the user to select the first position of the displayed first image using a displayed cursor pointer.

5. The information processing apparatus of claim 4, wherein when the first position is selected, a second position of the displayed cursor pointer corresponds to the selected first position.

6. The information processing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the display device to, in response to the first position being selected, display the cursor pointer at the second center position.

7. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the display device to, before the second image is displayed, display a third image having:

(a) a third zoom magnification which is different from the first zoom magnification and the second zoom magnification; and

(b) a third display range having a third center position which is different from the first center position and the second center position.

8. The information processing apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

(a) the displayed third image includes a third position which corresponds to the selected first position of the first image; and

(b) a first distance between the third position and the third center position is smaller than a second distance between the selected first position and the first center position.

9. The information processing apparatus of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the display device to display a cursor pointer at the third position.

10. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

(a) the information processing apparatus operates using a first mode; and

(b) the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the input device to;

(i) enable the user change the operation of the information processing apparatus from the first mode to a second, different mode; and

(ii) in response to the user changing the operation of the information processing apparatus to the second, different mode, and in response to the position being selected, display a fourth image associated with the observation target image, the fourth image having;

(A) a fourth zoom magnification which is different from the first zoom magnification; and

(B) a fourth display range having a fourth center position which corresponds to the first center position.

11. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

(a) after the second image is displayed, enable the user to change the second zoom magnification by zooming out; and

(b) in response to the to second zoom magnification being changed by zooming out, display a fifth image having a fifth display range having a fifth center position which corresponds to the second center position.

12. A method of operating an information processing apparatus including instructions, the method comprising:

(a) causing a processor to execute the instructions to operate with a display device to display a first image associated with an observation target object, the first image having;

(i) a first zoom magnification; and

(ii) a first display range having a first center position;

(b) causing the processor to execute the instructions to operate with an input device to enable a user to change the first zoom magnification by selecting a first position of the displayed first image; and

(c) in response to the first position being selected, causing the processor to execute the instructions to operate with the display device to display a second image associated with the observation target image, the second image having;

(i) a second zoom magnification which is different from the first zoom magnification; and

(ii) a second display range having a second center position which is different from the first center position, the second center position corresponding to the selected position.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the observation target object includes a section of biological tissue.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the displayed first image is observed by a microscope.

15. The method of claim 12, which includes causing the processor to execute the instructions to operate with the input device to enable the user to select the first position of the displayed first image using a displayed cursor pointer.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein when the first position is selected, a second position of the displayed cursor pointer corresponds to the selected first position.

17. The method of claim 15, which includes, in response to the first position being selected, causing the processor to execute the instructions to operate with the display device to display the cursor pointer at the second center position.

18. The method of claim 12, which includes causing the processor to execute the instructions to operate with the display device to, before the second image is displayed, display a third image having:

(a) a third zoom magnification which is different from the first zoom magnification and the second zoom magnification; and

(b) a third display range having a third center position which is different from the first center position and the second center position.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein:

(a) the displayed third image includes a third position which corresponds to the selected first position of the first image; and

(b) a first distance between the third position and the third center position is smaller than a second distance between the selected first position and the first center position.

20. The method of claim 19, which includes causing the processor to execute the instructions to operate with the display device to display a cursor pointer at the third position.

21. The method of claim 12, which includes:

(a) the information processing apparatus operating using a first mode; and

(b) causing the processor to execute the instructions to operate with the input device to;

(i) enable the user change the operation of the information processing apparatus from the first mode to a second, different mode; and

(ii) in response to the user changing the operation of the information processing apparatus to the second, different mode, and in response to the position being selected, display a fourth image associated with the observation target image, the fourth image having;

(A) a fourth zoom magnification which is different from the first zoom magnification; and

(B) a fourth display range having a fourth center position which corresponds to the first center position.

22. The method of claim 12, which includes:

(a) causing the processor to execute the instructions to operate with the input device to, after the second image is displayed, enable the user to change the second zoom magnification by zooming out; and

(b) in response to the to second zoom magnification being changed by zooming out, causing the processor to execute the instructions to operate with the display device to display a fifth image having a fifth display range having a fifth center position which corresponds to the second center position.

23. A computer-readable medium storing instructions structured to cause an information processing apparatus to:

(a) display a first image associated with an observation target object, the first image having;

(i) a first zoom magnification; and

(iii) a first display range having a first center position;

(b) enable a user to change the first zoom magnification by selecting a position of the displayed first image; and

(c) in response to the position being selected, display a second image associated with the observation target image, the second image having;

(i) a second zoom magnification which is different from the first zoom magnification; and

(ii) a second display range having a second center position which is different from the first center position, the second center position corresponding to the selected position.