JP3485953B2 - Image communication system - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image communication system for digital communication between an image forming device and a hard copy device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, image data created by an image creating apparatus (hereinafter referred to as a client) such as an MRI apparatus or an X-ray apparatus is diagnosed by displaying it on an image display apparatus attached to the client. Is used for. When taking a hard copy of such image data, conventionally, the image data is transmitted in the form of an analog signal to a hard copy device (hereinafter referred to as an imager server) and is temporarily displayed on a monitor provided in the imager server. After that, this display image is photographed to obtain a hard copy.

However, in such a conventional method, the connection form becomes one-to-one because of transmission by an analog signal. That is, only one imager server can be connected to one client, and there is a drawback that flexibility is lacking in the current situation in which medical diagnostics are used more frequently and labor is divided. It is also known that image data is converted from analog to digital in a video format to transfer the data, but this method is essentially the same as the case of transferring with an analog signal except that the image quality is slightly improved. There is no significant difference.

Further, as a further advanced method, a client displays the image on the monitor, gradation conversion is performed on this image to convert it into a digital signal, and this digital signal is transferred to the imager server side to take a hard copy. Some of them are also used. Actually, the data to be transferred is not limited to the image data, but it is necessary to simultaneously transfer the information to be overwritten on the image (hereinafter referred to as “overlay”). After overlaying the overlay and images with the number of pixels on the client side, they are transferred to the imager server side.

However, in such a conventional method, if the number of pixels of the image and the number of pixels of the overlay are different, the two cannot be overlapped as they are. In fact, it is often the case that an overlay with more pixels than the image is used to increase the resolution of the overlay, and conversely, an image with more pixels than the overlay is used to increase the resolution of the image. In such a case, the process of unifying the number of pixels is performed on the client side, the image and the overlay are superimposed, and then transferred to the imager server side.

Therefore, the client side needs to perform processing for matching the number of pixels of the overlay with the number of pixels of the image, which requires occupying a large amount of resources such as a storage device.
It put a heavy burden on the processing capacity and the traffic generated by the content. As a result, on the client side, not only the image output function but also other functions have a drawback that throughput and response time are deteriorated.

Further, when an image or overlay is enlarged in order to make the numbers of pixels coincide with each other, accompanying artefacts (errors and distortions which do not exist originally in the processed output) occur. That is, when enlarging an image, the image quality deteriorates, and when enlarging an overlay, the display of characters and figures is crushed, which makes it difficult to read.

[0008]

As described above, in the conventional apparatus, when the image and the overlay having different numbers of pixels are transferred from the client side to the imager server side, the processing load on the client side becomes large. There was a drawback.

The present invention has been made to solve such a conventional problem, and an object thereof is to provide an image and an overlay to the imager server side without imposing a heavy load on the client side. An object is to provide an image communication system capable of transferring.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, the first invention of the present application is to provide a communication means for communicating image information generated by an image creating apparatus, an overlay overlappingly displayed on the image, and incidental information of the image. In the image communication system having a hard copy device for transmitting a digital signal separately according to the above, and for making a hard copy of the image from the transmitted image signal, the image when the hard copy device is provided and is provided in the hard copy device. Of at least one of enlargement, gradation conversion, and superimposing, and means for sorting each item of supplementary information and outputting a hard copy.

[0011]

[0012]

[0013]

[0014]

According to the present invention constructed as described above, when the image data is transferred from the client to the imager server, the image and the overlay are transferred as separate data, and the size ratio of the image and the overlay is transferred. , The overlay origin position, and additional information such as gradation conversion are transferred at the same time. Then, on the imager server side, processing such as enlargement, gradation conversion, and superposition is performed, and film photographing is performed. Therefore, the processing load on the client side is reduced, and the degree of freedom when shooting a film is increased. or,
According to the present invention, when the imager server shoots a film, it is possible to output the film by classifying it into each inspection room, each film size, etc. using the incidental information.

[0015]

[0016]

[0017]

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic connection form of the image communication system according to the present embodiment, in which a plurality of clients 1 (two in the figure) and a plurality of imager servers 2 (two in the figure) form a network 3. Connected through.

The clients 1 (1a, 1b, ...) Are devices for creating images and are installed in, for example, a hospital or the like.
An RI apparatus and an X-ray diagnostic apparatus. The imager server 2 (2a, 2b, ...) Is a device that makes a hard copy of the image data created by each of the clients 1.

Therefore, if each client 1 and each imager server 2 are installed at any place in the hospital, the image data from the client 1 required at a desired place can be obtained and a hard copy can be created. is there.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of the client 1. The client 1 shown in FIG. 1 has a transfer data creation device 9 that creates transfer data from the overlay 6, image data 7, and incidental information 8. This transfer data creation device 9 is control data obtained from the client manager 4. The data creation mode is designated by 5.

The image data 7 is an image photographed by a medical image photographing apparatus such as MRI, and the overlay 6 is information overwritten on the image data 7. For example, it is a symbol indicating the imaged region of the patient or the date of image pickup. Also,
The incidental information 8 is information regarding the image data 7 and is information such as the origin of overlay and gradation conversion.

The client manager 4 outputs control data 5 for creating a transfer image based on an input command from an operator, and includes an image / overlay management unit 4a, a client queue management unit 4b, and an imager. It is composed of the server designation management unit 4c, and reference numeral 4d is data indicating the imager server processing state.

The image / overlay management unit 4a determines the number of bits and gradation of the image 7 and overlay 6 to be transferred to the imager server 2, and outputs data such as window center, window width, and look-up table.

The client queue management unit 4b manages each data stored on the client side.

The imager server designation management unit 4c manages whether or not data can be transferred to the designated imager server based on the processing state 4d of each imager server 2. Then, the control data 5 is created according to an instruction from each of the management units 4a, 4b, 4c.

Reference numeral 10 in the figure is a transfer data queue, which temporarily stores the data to be transferred.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of the imager server 2. As shown, the imager server 2 includes an imager management unit 11 and a queue management unit 1.
3 and the storage device 16 and the like.

The imager management unit 11 includes imager servers (2a, 2b, ...) Including the imager server 2.
For managing each imager server 2
Imager server status file 11c that stores the status of the
Based on this state, each imager server (2a, 2a
(b, ...) Backup, a backup management unit 11a that performs load sharing, and a load sharing management unit 11b. Also, the imager server status file 11c
Is given information from the imager state detection device 12 which detects the processing status, failure, etc. of each imager server.

The queue manager 13 manages the operation of each of the queues 16a, 16b, 16c, which will be described later, and includes a storage management unit 13a and an automatic queue jump management unit 13b.
And an agent management unit 13c.

The storage management unit 13a manages the number of films to be received and a plurality of queues. The management of the number of films to be received is the imager server status file 11
The number of receivable films is managed with reference to c, which can prevent excessive reception. Also,
The management of a plurality of queues means that a plurality of data queues (for example, film size, inspection, technician, inspection room, device) are provided for each item, and the plurality of data queues are managed. This allows the output films to be sorted by item.

The queue automatic jump management unit 13b preferentially shoots the same data as the film size in the supply magazine 24 (described later) among the data stored in the data queues 16b and 16c (described later), In the case of having a plurality of supply magazines 24, when the supply magazine storing a film of a certain film size runs out of film, the data of the same size as the film stored in the other supply magazine is photographed first. Perform processing. Also, the queue is deleted by the queue deletion command from the client 1.

The argent management unit 13c performs processing so that the data designated by the client 1 as argent (urgent) is prioritized to be photographed.

The network I / F 14 takes in the data transferred from the client 1 via the network 3 into the imager server 2, and supplies this data into the storage device 16 via the storage device I / F 15. To be done.

The storage device 16 is provided with a control information queue 16a for storing control information and a plurality of data queues 16b, 16c (two in the figure) for storing transfer data from each client 1, and a queue management unit. A read-out device 17 operating under the control of each data queue 16b, 1
The stored data in 6c is read out.

The overlay enlarging device 18 enlarges (or reduces) the overlay 6 (see FIG. 2) transferred from the client 1 to a desired size and outputs it to the overlay / monochrome inverting device 21.

The gradation conversion device 19 is used for the image data 7 (see FIG.
The image enlarging device 20 enlarges (or reduces) the image data after the tone conversion to a desired size.

The overlay / black-and-white reversing device 21 executes a process of superimposing the overlay and the image data, and inverts the black and white of the overlay when the image data and the overlay are substantially the same color and difficult to recognize. To make the display clear.

The printing unit 22 prints the image processed by the superposing / black-and-white reversing device 21 on the printing paper supplied from the supply magazine 24, and receives the image.
Output to 5. Further, the developing unit 23 prints on the image film and outputs it to the film receiver 26.

In the image communication system thus constructed, the operation of this embodiment will be described below.

Imager server 2 from client 1 side
At the time of transferring the data to the side, the control data 5 obtained from the client manager 4 is added together with the image data 7, the overlay 6 and the supplementary information 8 to transfer the data. Then, in the imager server 2, the overlay enlargement device 18 enlarges the overlay, the image data is converted to a desired gradation by the gradation conversion device 19, and the image expansion device 20 enlarges the image. After that, the overlay / black-and-white reversing device 22
At, the image and overlay are overlaid.

Therefore, the client 1 side can transfer the overlay 6 and the image data 7 with different numbers of pixels, and the subsequent superimposing processing and the like are performed on the imager server 2 side. As a result, processing such as enlargement and superposition on the client 1 side becomes unnecessary, and throughput and response time can be improved. Moreover, since the configuration of the client 1 can be simplified, troubles such as breakdowns are reduced and reliability is improved.

Further, since the client 1 having a plurality of medical image capturing devices can share one imager server 2, the cost can be reduced as compared with the conventional method in which an imager is provided for each device. become. Furthermore, the artifacts (false images) generated by the processing in each medical image capturing device are collectively processed on the imager 1 side in a unified manner, so that there is no difference between the clients 1 and the output is performed. The accuracy of the image displayed is improved.

Further, according to this embodiment, the client 1
It is possible to adjust the gradation when displaying on the image display device on the side and the gradation conversion information transferred to the imager server 2 side to be optimum for each. That is, in a typical engineering workstation, the CRT monochrome or pseudo color frame buffer is 25
There are 6 gradations. Then, for example, 30 gray scales are reserved and the remaining 226 gray scales are released to the application because of the edge around the window and the gray scales for switch display peculiar to the system. In this case, client 1
The optimum number of gradations is when the dynamic range is maximized, that is, when the number of gradations is 226. However, since the imager server 2 may be provided with a larger dynamic range, it is possible to obtain a more suitable number of gradations. At this time, in the imager server 2, it is better to perform the gradation conversion using the original data that is not subjected to the gradation conversion, rather than the data whose gradation is converted by the client 1, that is, the data having the gradation number 226. .

In this embodiment, the ratio of image size and overlay size can be added to the control data 5 shown in FIG. With this, it is possible to specify an arbitrary enlargement ratio and a reduction ratio on the client 1 side, so that it is possible to correspond to an arbitrary display form. For example,
When the client 1 having the CRT display device of 1024 × 1024 pixels uses the multi-window display mode, the partially displayed 512 × 512 pixel window data is transferred to the imager server 2 with this size. Can be made. At this time, the image has a size of 1/4, and even if the image is small, the image can be created with the best accuracy. Further, the client may add information regarding the look-up table and information regarding the position and size of the gray scale to the control data and transmit the control data to the imager server. Based on this information, the imager server can add a gray scale of a desired size to a desired position of the image and output the film.

As a result, it is not necessary to create gray scale on the client side, the load on the client is reduced, and the throughput is improved.

Further, since the image data 7 and the overlay 6 are transferred as separate data, the imager server 2
Then, it becomes possible to display the overlay at an arbitrary position on the image.

Further, in the present embodiment, the function of the superposing / black and white reversing device 21 allows the black and white of the overlay to be controlled by the value of the image. For example 0 to 1023
There is an image having a density resolution of 1024 gradations, 0 means black and 1023 means white. When overlaying an overlay that means 0 is transparent and 1 is white for this image, if the overlay is 0, the value of the image is directly adopted as transparent, and when the overlay is 1, the image is black. If it falls within 512 gradations of a certain threshold value 511 that is 0 to gray, the overlay is white, and if it is within 512 to 1023 gradations, the color of the overlay is inverted to black. This makes it possible to prevent the overlay from always being buried in the image.

At this time, if the image frequently crosses the threshold in a local space, the display of the overlay may be difficult to see because the display is repeatedly inverted. That is, if the gradation of the image is in the vicinity of 511 to 512, black and white inversion can frequently occur. In this case, the threshold may be made to have a hysteresis, and black-and-white reversal control may be performed based on the average value of the surroundings, the form of the overlay, the meaning of the phrase, the figure, and the like.

Next, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the imager server 2 uses the data queues 16b and 16c.
Since it has the storage device 16 provided with, the transferred data can be sequentially received regardless of the state of the imager server 2. The state of the imager server 2 is, for example, the following case.

(A) During warming up (b) When the door is open (c) When there is no film in the supply magazine 24 (d) When the receive magazine 25 is full (e) The film size specified by the client 1 and the supply magazine 24 When the film size is different, the conventional imager server is a return-to-completion type, so that the next data transfer cannot be performed until the film photographing is completed, and the client 1 side is restricted in use. However, in the present embodiment, since the data transfer can be sequentially performed on the client 1 side regardless of the state of the imager server 2 as soon as the image capturing is completed, the efficiency of the processing on the client 1 is significantly improved.

Further, in order to prevent the processing on the client 1 side from being stopped even when the data cannot be received, for example, when the imager server 2 is not powered on, the transfer data queue 10 provided in the client 1 is used. Accumulate data.

Next, in the conventional case, the client 1
The imager server 2 and the imager server 2 are connected one-to-one, but in the present embodiment, the plurality of clients 1 (1a, 1b ...) And the plurality of imager servers 2 (2a, 2b ...) Are network-connected. Multiple to multiple connections are possible. As a result, the imager server 2 can be backed up, and the loads on the plurality of imager servers can be averaged.

That is, as described above, the imager management unit 11 of the imager server 2 has the imager server status file 11c created by the imager status detection device 12, the load distribution management unit 11b and the backup management. The unit 11a performs load distribution management and backup management, respectively. The load balancing management is to read the imager server status file 11c of another imager server, issue a data transfer request to the network I / F 14 according to the load status, and transfer data between the plurality of imager servers. Similarly for backup management, when the content of the imager server status file 11c indicates that film shooting is not possible (for example, failure), a transfer request is issued to the network I / F 14 and transfer to another imager server is performed. is there.

Further, the client 1 can know the processing status of the imager server (for example, the status of the data queue, the failure, the output destination of the film) by polling or the notification from the imager server 2. Utilizing this, the client 1 can specify the imager server 2 to be used in order of priority in order to average the load of the imager server 2. Further, it is possible to know from which imager server 2 the film is output.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a modification of this embodiment. In this modification, the imager server 2 is connected to the two networks 3a and 3b, and the imager server 2 further includes an archive control device 32 and a DB connection 36. That is, the networks 3a and 3b are connected to the protocol conversion device 3 via the network I / Fs 14a and 14b.
1 and the protocol converter 31 is connected to the imager server 2. The imager server 2 is connected to the archive control device 32, and the archive control device 32 is further connected to the DB device 3 via the DB I / F 35.
It is connected with 6. The network 3a is connected to, for example, the gateway 33, the workstation 34, and the hospital information system 37.

In such a structure, the DB device 36 is triggered by a transfer signal of transfer data to the imager server 2 or a shooting completion signal of the shooting device of the client 1.
Register the transfer data to. The transfer data can be archived by storing the transfer data in a removable magneto-optical disk in the DB device 36 or an optical disk in the autochanger.

The DB I / F 35 is a network I / F.
If there is a search request from the client 1 to the DB device 36, which is connected to the F14a, 14b, the DB
The device 36 is searched. And the imager server 2
Performs a process of outputting a series of information related to the patient, examination, image, etc. corresponding to the search request to a hard copy or outputting the image to a film. By this, DB
A search request from the client 1 to the device 36 can be immediately answered.

Furthermore, the protocol conversion device 31 can execute protocol conversion across the physical layer, the data link layer, the network layer, the transport layer, the presentation layer, and the application layer. The gateway function can be realized for the network 3b having a different protocol.
That is, it is possible to transfer data from the networks 3a and 3b having different protocols to the network 3b. This gateway function transfers data from the network 3a to the network 3b by using a transfer signal of transfer data to the imager server 2 or a signal of completion of shooting in the shooting device of the client 1 as a trigger. The imager server 2 can also transfer a series of information related to the target such as the patient, the examination, and the image as a search result to the network 3b by using the gateway function. As a result, data can be transferred between a plurality of networks having different protocols, and the versatility of the system is improved. Further, the storage device I / F 15 (see FIG. 3) of the imager server 2 can transfer data to a plurality of transfer destinations at the same time when the storage device 16 is accessed. At the same time as the transfer data is received, it can be output by the imager server 2 and stored in the DB device 36 via the archive control device 32 (see FIG. 4). That is, when the transfer data is stored in the DB device 36, it is not necessary to store the data in the imager server 2 once and read the data further. At the same time when the data is transferred to the imager server 2, the data is transferred to the DB device 36. Can be stored in. As a result, the throughput is improved, the response time to the client 1 is shortened, and the processing performance of the entire system can be improved.

Also, when a search request is issued to the DB device 36, as shown in FIG.
Since the DBs 4a and 14b are connected to the DB I / F 35, it is possible to improve the throughput and the processing performance without reading the imager server 2 once.

Further, the network I / F 14 shown in FIG.
Transfers the data transferred from the client 1 to the gateway 3
3 has a function of transferring to a work station (WS) 34, a function of transferring to a workstation (WS) 34, and a function of registering information such as the number of film shots in a hospital information system (HIS) 37.

Of these, the transfer data is transferred to the gateway 33.
With the function to transfer to, it becomes possible to connect with large-scale PACS, support multi-vendor system, connect with PC and EWS, etc. In addition, by the transfer function to WS34, WS
It is possible to perform image diagnosis on 34.

Furthermore, the transfer function to the HIS 37 makes it possible to improve the efficiency of hospital office work such as billing.

Since the image data is registered in the DB device 36 shown in FIG. 4, the function of transferring the registered image data to the gateway 33, the function of delivering it to the WS 34, the number of film shots to the HIS 37, etc. It is possible to realize a function of registering information and a function of returning image data from the DB device 36 to the client 1. As a result, when collecting images up to the client 1, it is possible to make a collection plan while comparing the images with past images.

[0065]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is not necessary for the client side to perform processing such as matching the pixel numbers of the image data and the overlay, and processing such as enlargement, gradation conversion, and superimposition is performed in the hard copy device. This reduces the burden on the user and increases the degree of freedom when shooting a film. In addition, when making a hard copy, it is possible to classify and output each inspection room, each film size, etc. by using the incidental information.

[0066]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a connection form of an image communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of a client.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of an imager server.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a modified example of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 client 2 imager server 3 network 4 Client manager 4a Image / Overlay Management Department 4b Client queue management unit 4c Imager server designation management unit 4d imager server processing status 5 control data 6 overlay 7 image data 8 incidental information 9 Transfer data creation device 10 Transfer data queue 11 Imager Management Department 11a Backup management department 11b Load balancing management unit 11c Imager server status file 12 Imager status detector 13 Queue manager 13a Storage device management unit 13b Queue automatic jump management department 13c Argent Management Department 14 Network I / F 15 Storage device I / F 16 storage 16a Control information queue 16b, 16c data queue 17 Reading device 18 Overlay expansion device 19 gradation converter 20 image magnifier 21 Overlay / Black / white reversing device 22 Printing department 23 Development Department 24 Supply Magazine 25 Receive Magazine 26 film receiver 31 Protocol Converter

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Takumi Kaneko 1385-1 Shimoishigami, Otawara, Tochigi Prefecture Nasu Plant, Toshiba Corporation (72) Inventor Takeharu Yonejima 1385-13.5 Shimoishi, Otawara, Tochigi Toshiba Medical Engineering Incorporated (56) Reference JP 5-94521 (JP, A) JP 4-90668 (JP, A) JP 4-154334 (JP, A) JP 5-2631 (JP, A) A) JP-A 1-284976 (JP, A) JP-A 2-29160 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 1/387

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. The image information generated by the image creating device, the overlay displayed on the image and the supplementary information of the image are separately transmitted as digital signals by the communication means, and the image signal of the image is transmitted from the transmitted image signal. An image communication system having a hard copy device for making a hard copy, and means for providing at least one of image enlargement, gradation conversion, and superimposition of an image when the hard copy is made, provided in the hard copy device. An image communication system provided in the hard copy device, comprising means for sorting each item of additional information and outputting a hard copy. 2. The hard copy device is provided with a queue for temporarily storing data.
The image communication system described. 3. The image communication system according to claim 1, wherein the hard copy device has a protocol conversion device that performs protocol conversion between the plurality of communication units. 4. The image communication system according to claim 1, wherein the hard copy device has a database device for registering transfer data.