JPH04296986A - Image processing controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To transfer the images without giving any burden to an operator by canceling a processing wait state when a preparation end signal is received from the transfer destination and sending automatically the image data stored in a temporary storage medium to the transfer destination. CONSTITUTION:A recording device 26 sends the device state signal data to an image processing controller 1 in a start state and with a state change. The device state signal data are held by a main memory as a recording device state table via a recording device control interface. Then the transfer of the image data is permitted only in an operatable state and with presence of the expendables after the data are read out the recording device state table corresponding to the number of a storage to be transferred. Otherwise, that is, when the preparation is not complete at the transfer destination, the images are temporarily stored in a temporary storage medium 10. Then the images are automatically transferred from the medium 10 when a preparation end signal is received from the transfer destination.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[Purpose of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing control device applied to a CR system.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art A computed radiography (hereinafter referred to as CR) system uses an image reading device to read out image information stored in an imaging plate, and performs desired image processing on this image information by an image processing control device. It is hard-copied onto film by an image writing device such as a post-imager. Further, in parallel with hard copying by this image writing device, the read image information (image data) can also be transferred to an image recording device consisting of an external recording medium such as a magnetic tape, an optical disk, or another filing device.

[0003] In this case, the transfer instruction is issued at the same time as the ID registration device associates the photographed imaging plate with patient information and examination information, prior to the image reading operation by the image reading device.

Conventionally, when an image that has been instructed to be transferred to the image writing device or image recording device is read out by an image reading device, the film of the imager that is the image writing device, various external recording media that is the image recording device, etc. If the image data is not prepared, temporarily store the image data in a temporary storage medium provided in the image processing control device.
After the preparation of the image writing device and image recording device is completed, the image data is retrieved from the temporary recording medium according to the instructions of the operator.
Transfer to an image writing device or an image recording device is performed.

[0005]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Conventionally, when transferring image data to an image writing device or an image recording device, an operator always instructs the operation after completing preparations for the image writing device or image recording device. There is a problem in that it imposes a large burden on the user because the image data transfer operation must be performed using the image data transfer method. Normally, operators should concentrate on preparing film and developer for the imager, which is an image writing device, or preparing and replenishing consumables such as various recording media, which is an image recording device. This is not desirable for efficiently operating the CR system.

The present invention has been made in response to the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing control device that can efficiently operate a CR system without imposing a large burden on the operator. This is the purpose. [Structure of the invention]

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an image processing control device having a temporary storage medium for temporarily storing image data to be transferred, in which preparation of a transfer destination recording device is performed. When the image data is not completed, the image data is temporarily stored in the temporary storage medium to hold the processing waiting state, and when the preparation of the recording device is completed, a preparation completion signal is received from the recording device and the image data is stored in the temporary storage medium. The apparatus is characterized by comprising an image transfer control means for automatically transferring image data from the image data to the recording apparatus.

[0008]

[Operation] When the transfer destination recording device, such as an image writing device or an image recording device, is not yet ready, the image data is stored in a temporary storage medium and kept in a waiting state for processing. Next, when the preparation of the recording device is completed, a preparation completion signal is received from the recording device, the processing waiting state is canceled, and the image data stored in the temporary storage medium is automatically transferred to the recording device. As a result, when the recording device is ready, image data can be automatically transferred without bothering the operator, thereby reducing the burden on the operator.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an image processing control device according to the present invention. The ID registration device control interface 4 inputs "patient information, examination information, and information indicating whether data is to be transferred to the image recording device" (hereinafter referred to as ID information) from the registration device, and this ID information is transferred to the data bus 3. an image reading device control interface 6 for inputting an imaging plate number from an image reading device to be described later, an image acquisition interface 7, an image processing unit 8, and further inputting device status signal data from a recording device to be described later. Image recording interfaces 1 and 111 to image recording interfaces N and 11N, a main memory 9 that stores this device status signal data via the data bus 3, a temporary storage medium 10, and device status signal data indicating preparation completion from a recording device to be described later. It is comprised of a recording device 1 control interface 121 to a recording device N control interface 12N for inputting information, and an operation instruction means 13.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a CR system to which the image processing control device of this embodiment is applied, in which 20 is an image reading device for reading out image information stored in an imaging plate, and 22 is for creating the ID information. 10 and 13 are temporary storage media and operation instruction means (keyboard, etc.) provided in the image processing control device 1, and 24 is an ID registration device that instructs the transfer of the read image data. an image writing device such as an imager that writes after performing desired image processing by the processing control device 1;
Reference numeral 26 denotes an image recording device consisting of various external recording media that records image data in parallel with writing based on the transfer instruction. Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

As shown in FIG. 3, the ID registration device 22 creates a data format of ID information consisting of the following items: imaging plate number a, patient information b, examination information c, and data transfer information d. It is stored in the system disk 5 via the registered device control interface 4. The key for reading this ID information is the imaging plate number a. Each imaging plate is assigned a unique number, and the ID registration device 22 associates the imaging plate number with various information and transfers it to the image processing control device 1.

When the imaging plate that has been photographed is set in the image reading device 20 shown in FIG. 2, the imaging plate number (this is expressed as a barcode, for example, and is configured to be readable by a barcode reader) is input to the image processing control device 1 via the image reading device control interface 6 and interpreted,
ID information registered in advance is read from the system disk 5 using this imaging plate number as a key. At this time, the number d1 of recording devices to be transferred, which is included in the data transfer information d in the data format of FIG. 3, is detected, and it is determined whether this recording device is currently capable of recording. Further, d includes a number sequence d2 of the recording device. As an example, the contents are shown when d1 is indicated as "020103". This judgment operation is performed as follows.

Image processing control device 1 and image writing device 24
As shown in FIG. 2, there are an image line L1 for image data and a control line L mainly for exchanging status signals and timing signals on the recording apparatus side, as shown in FIG.
2 is connected. The status signal data from the recording device has a format, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, consisting of the following items: operable/inoperable (a) and consumables present/absent (b).

The recording apparatus issues this apparatus status signal data to the image processing control apparatus 1 at the time of startup and when there is a change in status. This device status signal data is held in the main memory 9 as a recording device status table in the format shown in FIG. 5 via the recording device control interfaces 1, 121 to 12N shown in FIG. The data in the recording device status table that corresponds to the number of the recording device to which the previous image data should be transferred is read, and transfer is possible only when it is operational and has consumables; otherwise, it is stored in the temporary storage medium 10. The image data is temporarily stored and transferred when the recording device is ready. This is done as follows.

If data cannot be transferred to the recording device, the temporary storage medium 10 becomes the recording destination for the image data. When this recording is completed, data prompting the transfer process to the temporarily deferred recording device is registered in the processing queue as shown in FIG. Furthermore, the contents are as shown in FIG. The program ends here.

When the operator completes the preparation of the recording device to be transferred, the device status signal data is sent as described above. This data is sent to the recording device 1 control interface 121.
The program read through 12N runs as an interrupt trigger generated by this interface when data is received. This program reflects the read data in the recording device status table shown in FIG. Then, it sends the event specified in the event waiting information scheduling program and starts running. The program transitions to a waiting state in preparation for the next interrupt. If the pointer to the next registered record in the processing queue and the pointer to the next read record do not match, the scheduling program determines that there is a process to be executed, reads the corresponding waiting process description record, and updates the read pointer. do.

Based on the number string of the recording device in the waiting process description in FIG. 7, check the target recording state from the recording device status table in FIG. Automatically executes the program given by the process type described in the process description record. It goes without saying that this wait process description record is given as a parameter to this program. Furthermore, if the state of the target recording device is such that transfer is not yet possible, the scheduling program registers the same waiting process description record in the process queue again. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the above series of operations.

As described above, according to this embodiment, when image data is transferred, the image data is temporarily stored in a storage medium and held in a processing waiting state until preparations on the transfer destination recording device side are completed. Since the image data in the temporary storage medium is automatically transferred to the recording device only when the preparation completion signal is received, the data transfer is performed automatically without any intervention by the operator. Therefore, the operator is freed from unnecessary operations and can concentrate on his or her original work, such as preparing film and developer for the imager, which is an image writing device, or preparing and replenishing consumables such as various recording media, which is an image recording device. Can be done. This allows the CR system to operate efficiently.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to automatically transfer image data without bothering the operator, thereby eliminating a large burden on the operator.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an image processing control device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a CR system to which the image processing control device of this embodiment is applied.

FIG. 3 is a data format of ID information used in this embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a format of recording device status signal data used in this embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a format of a recording device status table used in this embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an example format of an image data processing queue in this embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a format of an example of a description record of image data waiting processing used in this embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of this embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Image processing control device 4 ID registration device control interface 5 System disk 9 Main memory 10 Temporary storage medium 111 to 11N Image recording interface 12
1 to 12N Recording device control interface 20
Image reading device 24 Image writing device 26 Image recording device

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1: An image processing control device having a temporary storage medium for temporarily storing image data to be transferred, comprising:
When the transfer destination recording device is not ready, the image data is temporarily stored in the temporary storage medium and kept in a processing waiting state, and when the recording device is ready, the recording device sends a ready message. An image processing control device comprising: image transfer control means for receiving a signal and automatically transferring image data from the temporary storage medium to a recording device.