Apparatus, method and computer-readable storage medium for transforming digital images

• US 9,626,476 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2014
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Change Healthcare Holdings, LLC (UnitedHealth Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Change Healthcare LLC (UnitedHealth Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rezaee, Mahmoud Ramze
• Primary Examiner(s): Fitzpatrick, Abita O
• Application Number:
  US14/227,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20150278442A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing

Abstract

An apparatus, method and computer-readable storage medium are provided for processing images, such as medical images, in accordance with an imaging calibration function during execution of an image viewing application, and also for processing other types of images with a different calibration function during execution of a different application. In regards to an apparatus, the apparatus is caused to identify, in conjunction with an image viewing application, an imaging calibration function. The apparatus is also caused to transform a digital image during execution of the image viewing application in accordance with the imaging calibration function and to output the digital image, following transformation, in accordance with the image viewing application. In conjunction with a different application, the apparatus is caused to identify a second calibration function, different than the imaging calibration function, and to cause output of a digital image following transformation in accordance with the second calibration function.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a processor and a memory storing executable instructions that in response to execution by the processor cause the apparatus to at least:

determine whether a display is to be driven by an image viewing application or a second application, wherein the second application is different than the image viewing application and is configured to display an image other than a medical image, wherein the display is configured to be alternately driven by the image viewing application and the second application;

in an instance in which the image viewing application is configured to drive the display;

identify an imaging calibration function;

transform, during execution of the image viewing application, a digital image that includes a plurality of pixels, each of which has a pixel value from among a plurality of pixel values, wherein the digital image is transformed by transforming the pixel value of at least some of the pixels to corresponding transformed pixel values processed according to the imaging calibration function, wherein the apparatus being caused to transform the digital image during execution of the image viewing application includes being caused to transform the pixel value of at least some of the pixels according to a lookup table associated with the imaging calibration function; and

cause output of the digital image in accordance with the image viewing application, wherein the digital image that is output comprises a medical image and includes the plurality of pixels of which at least some have a transformed pixel value; and

in an instance in which the second application, different than the image viewing application, is configured to drive the display;

identify a second calibration function, different than the imaging calibration function;

transform, during execution of the second application, a digital image by transforming the pixel value of at least some of the pixels to corresponding transformed pixel values processed according to the second calibration function; and

cause output of the digital image in accordance with the second application, wherein the digital image that is output is an image other than a medical image and includes a plurality of pixels of which at least some have been transformed in accordance with the second calibration function,

wherein the output of the digital image that is presented by the display includes pixels that have been transformed in accordance with a different calibration function depending upon whether the image viewing application or the second application is configured to drive the display.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus being caused to transform the digital image during execution of the second application includes being caused to transform the pixel value of at least some of the pixels according to a lookup table associated with the second calibration function, wherein the lookup table associated with the second calibration function is different than the lookup table associated with the imaging calibration function.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus being caused to output the digital image in accordance with the image viewing application includes being caused to present the digital image upon a display, wherein the imaging calibration function is dependent upon a type of the display, wherein the memory stores executable instructions that in response to execution by the processor further cause the apparatus to determine the type of display upon which the digital image is to be presented, and wherein the apparatus being caused to identify the imaging calibration function includes being caused to identify the imaging calibration function based upon the type of display.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the memory is configured to store a plurality of imaging calibration functions with each imaging calibration function associated with a respective type of display.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory stores executable instructions that in response to execution by the processor further cause the apparatus to set the imaging calibration function as an active calibration function upon actuation of the image viewing application and identification of the imaging calibration function and to reset the second calibration function as the active calibration function once the image viewing application is exited, wherein the apparatus being caused to transform the digital image includes being caused to transform the digital image in accordance with the active calibration function.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is caused to determine whether the display is to be driven by the image viewing application or the second application based on whether the image viewing application or the second application is executing in a foreground, wherein an application executing in the foreground is determined to be driving the display while an application executing in a background is determined to not be driving the display.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second application comprises a video game application, a word processing application, a movie player application or a mapping application.

6. A method comprising:

determining whether a display is to be driven by an image viewing application or a second application, wherein the second application is different than the image viewing application and is configured to display an image other than a medical image, wherein the display is configured to be alternately driven by the image viewing application and the second application;

in an instance in which the image viewing application is configured to drive the display;

identifying an imaging calibration function;

transforming, with a processor, a digital image during execution of the image viewing application, wherein the digital image includes a plurality of pixels, each of which has a pixel value from among a plurality of pixel values, and wherein the digital image is transformed by transforming the pixel value of at least some of the pixels to corresponding transformed pixel values processed according to the imaging calibration function, wherein transforming the digital image during execution of the image viewing application includes transforming the pixel value of at least some of the pixels according to a lookup table associated with the imaging calibration function; and

causing output of the digital image in accordance with the image viewing application, wherein the digital image that is output comprises a medical image and includes the plurality of pixels of which at least some have a transformed pixel value; and

in an instance in which the second application, different than the image viewing application is configured to drive the display;

identifying a second calibration function, different than the imaging calibration function;

transforming, during execution of the second application, a digital image by transforming the pixel value of at least some of the pixels to corresponding transformed pixel values processed according to the second calibration function; and

causing output of the digital image in accordance with the second application, wherein the digital image that is output is an image other than a medical image and includes a plurality of pixels of which at least some have been transformed in accordance with the second calibration function,

wherein the output of the digital image that is presented by the display includes pixels that have been transformed in accordance with a different calibration function depending upon whether the image viewing application or the second application is configured to drive the display.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein transforming the digital image during execution of the second application includes transforming the pixel value of at least some of the pixels according to a lookup table associated with the second calibration function, wherein the lookup table associated with the second calibration function is different than the lookup table associated with the imaging calibration function.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein causing output of the digital image in accordance with the image viewing application includes causing presentation of the digital image upon a display, wherein the imaging calibration function is dependent upon a type of the display, wherein the method further comprises determining the type of display upon which the digital image is to be presented, and wherein identifying the imaging calibration function includes identifying the imaging calibration function based upon the type of display.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising storing a plurality of imaging calibration functions with each imaging calibration function associated with a respective type of display.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

setting the imaging calibration function as an active calibration function upon actuation of the image viewing application and identification of the imaging calibration function; and

resetting the second calibration function as the active calibration function once the image viewing application is exited,

wherein transforming the digital image includes transforming the digital image in accordance with the active calibration function.

16. The method of claim 6, wherein determining whether the display is to be driven by the image viewing application or the second application is based on whether the image viewing application or the second application is executing in a foreground, wherein an application executing in the foreground is determined to be driving the display while an application executing in a background is determined to not be driving the display.

19. The method of claim 6, wherein the second application comprises a video game application, a word processing application, a movie player application or a mapping application.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein that, in response to execution by a processor, cause an apparatus at least to:

determine whether a display is to be driven by an image viewing application or a second application, wherein the second application is different than the image viewing application and is configured to display an image other than a medical image, wherein the display is configured to be alternately driven by the image viewing application and the second application;

in an instance in which the image viewing application is configured to drive the display;

identify an imaging calibration function;

transform a digital image during execution of the image viewing application, wherein the digital image includes a plurality of pixels, each of which has a pixel value from among a plurality of pixel values, and wherein the digital image is transformed by transforming the pixel value of at least some of the pixels to corresponding transformed pixel values processed according to the imaging calibration function, wherein the apparatus being caused to transform the digital image during execution of the image viewing application includes being caused to transform the pixel value of at least some of the pixels according to a lookup table associated with the imaging calibration function; and

cause output of the digital image in accordance with the image viewing application, wherein the digital image that is output comprises a medical image and includes the plurality of pixels of which at least some have a transformed pixel value; and

an instance in which the second application, different than the image viewing application is configured to drive the display;

identify a second calibration function, different than the imaging calibration function;

transform, during execution of the second application, a digital image by transforming the pixel value of at least some of the pixels to corresponding transformed pixel values processed according to the second calibration function; and

cause output of the digital image in accordance with the second application, wherein the digital image that is output is an image other than a medical image and includes a plurality of pixels of which at least some have been transformed in accordance with the second calibration function,

wherein the output of the digital image that is presented by the display includes pixels that have been transformed in accordance with a different calibration function depending upon whether the image viewing application or the second application is configured to drive the display.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the apparatus being caused to transform the digital image during execution of the second application includes being caused to transform the pixel value of at least some of the pixels according to a lookup table associated with the second calibration function, wherein the lookup table associated with the second calibration function is different than the lookup table associated with the imaging calibration function.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the apparatus being caused to output the digital image in accordance with the image viewing application includes being caused to present the digital image upon a display, wherein the imaging calibration function is dependent upon a type of the display, wherein the computer-readable program code portions further cause the apparatus to determine the type of display upon which the digital image is to be presented, and wherein the apparatus being caused to identify the imaging calibration function includes being caused to identify the imaging calibration function based upon the type of display.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the computer-readable program code portions further cause the apparatus to set the imaging calibration function as an active calibration function upon actuation of the image viewing application and identification of the imaging calibration function and to reset the second calibration function as the active calibration function once the image viewing application is exited, wherein the apparatus being caused to transform the digital image includes being caused to transform the digital image in accordance with the active calibration function.

17. The computer-readable storage of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is caused to determine whether the display is to be driven by the image viewing application or the second application based on whether the image viewing application or the second application is executing in a foreground, wherein an application executing in the foreground is determined to be driving the display while an application executing in a background is determined to not be driving the display.

20. The computer-readable storage of claim 11, wherein the second application comprises a video game application, a word processing application, a movie player application or a mapping application.