Methods and apparatus for dynamic transfer of image data

• US 7,280,702 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2004
• Issued: 10/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Chang, Paul Joseph, Bentancourt, Carlos A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Do; Anh Hong
• Application Number:
  US10/806,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20040179744A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• Field of Search: 382/232, 382/240, 382/239, 382/233, 709/247, 709/203, 715/744, 715/748, 715/733, 370/352, 370/465, 375/240.08
• US Class Current: 382/240
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/00 General purpose image data processing
• 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: H04N 1/2191 for simultaneous, independent access by a plurality of different users
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/132 Sampling, masking or truncation of coding units, e.g. adaptive resampling, frame skipping, frame interpolation or high-frequency transform coefficient masking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/162 User input
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/63 using sub-band based transform, e.g. wavelets

Abstract

A dynamic transfer syntax efficiently transfers data, including large data images, from a server to at least one client. Source data is transformed into a hierarchical representation. The hierarchical representation, consisting of essentially non-redundant data, is a plurality of levels of transform data, such that a level of the hierarchical representation comprises transform data sufficient to reconstruct the source data at a resolution corresponding to the level. The server transfers transform data from a level of the hierarchical representation corresponding to a desired resolution. To render a new view of the source image at the client, the client requests from the server coefficients of the transform data necessary to reconstruct the new view. In response to the request, the server transfers to the client the additional transform data, and the client reconstructs the new view from the coefficients transferred. A medical imaging application for the dynamic transfer syntax is disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for transferring data from a server to at least one client, said method comprising the steps of:

transforming source data into a hierarchical representation comprising a plurality of coefficients, said hierarchical representation comprising a plurality of levels of essentially non-redundant data, wherein a level of said hierarchical representation comprises transform data sufficient to reconstruct said source data at a resolution corresponding to said level;

transferring, from a client to a server, coordinates of coefficients of said transform data from a level of said hierarchical representation necessary to reconstruct at least a portion of said source data;

transferring, from said server to said client, O(N) coefficients to represent “

N”

pixels from said hierarchical representation requested by said client; and

transforming, at said client, said coefficients to generate pixels of said portion of said source data for display at said client.

2. A method for transferring data from a server to at least one client, said method comprising:

transforming source data into a hierarchical representation using a wavelet transform with fixed point kernels, said hierarchical representation comprising a plurality of levels of essentially non-redundant data, wherein a level of said hierarchical representation comprises transform data sufficient to reconstruct said source data at a resolution corresponding to said level;

requesting, from a client to a server, transform data from said hierarchical representation necessary to reconstruct at least a portion of said source data;

transferring, from said server to said client, said transform data from said hierarchical representation; and

constructing, at said client, said portion of said source data for display at said client with said transform data.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2, further comprising:

requesting, from said server, transform data from said hierarchical representation necessary to reconstruct a new portion of said source data;

transferring, from said server to said client, additional transform data from said hierarchical representation corresponding to said new portion of said source data; and

reconstructing said new portion of said source data with said additional transform data and said transform data originally transferred, whereby only incremental transform data necessary to construct said new portion of said source data at said client is transferred from said server to said client.

4. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

transforming said source data into a hierarchical representation comprises utilizing said wavelet transform to generate a plurality of low pass coefficients and a plurality of high pass coefficients;

requesting, from said server, transfor data from said hierarchical representation comprises transferring coefficient coordinates to said server to identify coefficients sufficient to re-construct said portion of said source data; and

constructing said portion of said source data comprises transforming said coefficients to generate said portion of said source data.

5. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein transferring, from said server to said client, said transform data comprises transferring O(N) coefficients to represent “

N”

pixels for display at said client, wherein “

N”

comprises an integer value.

6. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein transforming said source data into a hierarchical representation comprises executing a finite impulse response function to generate said transform data.

7. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein transforming said source data into a hierarchical representation comprises preserving geometry between said source data and said transform data, so that any portion of said source data is identifiable from a portion of said transform data.

8. A system comprising:

a server for storing source data in a hierarchical representation, wherein transform data is generated from source data using a wavelet transform with fixed point kernels, said hierarchical representation comprising a plurality of levels of essentially non-redundant data, wherein a level of said hierarchical representation comprises transform data sufficient to reconstruct said source data at a resolution corresponding to said level; and

at least one client, coupled to communicate with said server, for requesting transform data from said hierarchical representation necessary to reconstruct at least a portion of said source data;

wherein said server transfers said transform data requested by said client; and

wherein said client constructs said portion of said source data for display at said client with said transform data.

9. The system as set forth in claim 8, wherein:

said client further comprising software for requesting, from said server, transform data from said hierarchical representation necessary to reconstruct a new portion of said source data;

said server further comprising software for transferring, to said client, additional transform data from said hierarchical representation corresponding to said new portion of said source data; and

said client further comprising software for reconstructing said new portion of said source data with said additional transform data and said transform data originally transferred, whereby only incremental transform data necessary to construct said new portion of said source data at said client is transferred from said server to said client.

10. A system comprising:

a server for storing source data in a hierarchical representation, wherein transform data is generated from source data using a wavelet transform with fixed point kernels, said hierarchical representation comprising a plurality of levels of essentially non-redundant data, wherein a level of said hierarchical representation comprises transform data sufficient to reconstruct said source data at a resolution corresponding to said level, said server also capable of receiving a request, from at least one client, for transform data from said hierarchical representation necessary to reconstruct at least a portion of said source data, and said server also capable of transferring said transform data to said client;

wherein said client is capable of reconstructing said portion of said source image for display at said client with said transform data.

11. The server as set forth in claim 10, wherein:

said server further comprising software for receiving a request, from a client, for transform data from said hierarchical representation necessary to reconstruct a new portion of said source data; and

said server further comprising software for transferring, to said client, additional transform data from said hierarchical representation corresponding to said new portion of said source data, whereby said server only transfers incremental transform data necessary to construct said new portion of said source data at said client.

12. A computer readable media embodying a method for transferring data from a server to at least one client, said method comprising:

transforming source data into a hierarchical representation using a wavelet transform with fixed point kernels, said hierarchical representation comprising a plurality of levels of essentially non-redundant data, wherein a level of said hierarchical representation comprises transform data sufficient to reconstruct said source data at a resolution corresponding to said level;

requesting, from a server, transform data from said hierarchical representation necessary to reconstruct at least a portion of said source data;

transferring, from said server to said client, said transform data from said hierarchical representation; and

constructing, at said client said portion of said source data for display at said client with said transfonn data.

13. The computer readable media as set forth in claim 12, further comprising:

requesting, from said server, transform data from said hierarchical representation necessary to reconstruct a new portion of said source data;

transferring, from said server to said client, additional transform data from said hierarchical representation corresponding to said new portion of said source data; and

reconstructing said new portion of said source data wit said additional transform data and said transform data originally transferred, whereby only incremental transform data necessary to construct said new portion of said source data at said client is transferred from said server to said client.

14. The computer readable media as set forth in claim 12, wherein:

transforming said source data into a hierarchical representation comprises utilizing said wavelet transform to generate a plurality of low pass coefficients and a plurality of high pass coefficients;

requesting transform data comprises transfening coefficient coordinates to identify coefficients sufficient to re-construct said portion of said source data; and

constructing said portion of said source data comprises transforming said coefficients to generate said portion of said source image.

15. The computer readable media as set forth in claim 12, wherein transferring, from said server to said client said transform data comprises transferring 0(N) coefficients to represent “

N”

pixels for display at said client, wherein “

N”

comprises an integer value.

16. The computer readable media as set forth in claim 12, wherein transfonning said source data into a hierarchical representation comprises executing a finite impulse response function to generate said transform data.

17. The computer readable media as set forth in claim 12, wherein transforming said source data into a hierarchical representation comprises preserving geometry between said source data and said transform data, so that any portion of said source data is identifiable from a portion of said transform data.

18. A method for transferring data from a server to at least one client, said method comprising the steps of:

transforming source data into a hierarchical representation using a wavelet transform, said hierarchical representation comprising a plurality of levels of essentially non-redundant data, wherein a level of said hierarchical representation comprises transform data sufficient to reconstruct said source data at a resolution corresponding to said level;

determining, at a client, at least a portion of said transform data necessary to reconstruct desired portions of said source data;

determining, at said client, a number of blocks necessary for partitioning of said portion of said transform data into at least one block;

transferring, from said client to a server, a request for said block of transfonn data;

transferring, from said server to said client, said block of transform data requested by said client; and

constructing, at said client, said portion of said source data for display at said client with said transform data.

19. A computer readable media embodying a method for transferring data from a server to at least one client, said method comprising:

transforming source data into a hierarchical representation using a wavelet transform, said hierarchical representation comprising a plurality of levels of essentially non-redundant data, wherein a level of said hierarchical representation comprises transform data sufficient to reconstruct said sow-ce data at a resolution corresponding to said level;

determining, at a client, at least a portion of said transform data necessary to reconstruct desired portions of said source data;

determining, at said client, a number of blocks necessary for partitioning of said portion of said transform data into at least one block;

transferring, from said client to a server, a request for said block of transform data;

transferring, from said server to said client, said block of transfomi data requested by said client; and

constructing, at said client, said portion of said source data for display at said client with said transfoun data.

20. A method for transferring data from a server to at least one client, said method comprising:

transforming multi-component source data into a vector of multi-spectral transform data comprising a hierarchical representation with a plurality of levels of essentially non-redundant data, wherein a level of said hierarchical representation comprises multi-spectral transform, data sufficient to reconstruct said multi-component source data at a resolution corresponding to said level;

requesting, from a client to a server, multi-spectral transform data from said hierarchical representation necessary to reconstmct at least a portion of said multicomponent source data;

transferring, from said server to said client, said multi-spectral transform data from said hierarchical representation requested by said client; and

constructing, at said client, said portion of said multi-component source data for display at said client with said multi-spectral transform data.

21. The method as set forth in claim 20, wherein said multi-component source data comprises multi-dimensional source data.

22. The method as set forth in claim 21 wherein said multidimensional source data comprises three dimensional source data.

23. The method as set forth in claim 22, wherein said multi-component source data comprises multi-dimensional source data.

24. A computer readable media embodying a method for transferring data from a server to at least one client, said method comprising:

transforming multi-component source data into a vector of multi-spectral transform data comprising a hierarchical representation with a plurality of levels of essentially non-redundant data, wherein a level of said hierarchical representation comprises multi-spectral transform data sufficient to reconstruct said multi-component source data at a resolution corresponding to said level;

requesting, from a server, multi-spectral transform data from said hierarchical representation necessary to reconstruct at least a portion of said multicomponent source data;

transfening, from said server to said client, said multi-spectral transform data from said hierarchical representation requested by said client; and

constructing, at said client, said portion of said multi-component source data for display at said client wit said multi-spectral transform data.

25. The computer readable media as set forth in claim 24, wherein said multi-component source data comprises multi-dimensional source data.

26. The computer readable media as set forth in claim 25 wherein said multi-dimensional source data comprises three dimensional source data.

27. The computer readable media as set forth in claim 24, wherein said multi-component source data comprises multi-colored source data.