Facsimile and static presentation processing – Facsimile – Auxiliary signal
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-23
2001-07-24
Grant, Jerome (Department: 2624)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Facsimile
Auxiliary signal
Reexamination Certificate
active
06266161
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image reading and transmitting system which transmits image data acquired by an image reading apparatus through a network to a variety of processing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been known image reading and transmitting systems for transmitting image data acquired by image reading apparatus through networks to processing apparatus for displaying, processing, printing, or storing the image data. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,264, the applicant proposed a medical system for reading a radiation image of a human body recorded on a stimulable phosphor sheet by laser beam scanning, and also for recording/reproducing or storing/managing the acquired image data after a variety of image processing is performed thereon. In the aforesaid medical system, the acquired radiation image data is transmitted through a local area network or the like to a display apparatus which is used by a doctor for diagnosis.
Systems as described above are generally provided in two forms. A first form automatically transmitts image data acquired by an image reading apparatus to a network, while a second form image data acquired by an image reading apparatus on a monitor or the like so that an operator who carries out the reading operation can examine whether or not the image data being displayed is wanted image data, and the operator carries out image data transmission to a network only when the image data is judged to be the wanted image data
The first form is the best from the viewpoint of an operator's operation efficiency. However, the first form results in a heavier workload on the end user, since unsuccessfully read image data are also transmitted over a network. Therefore leads to the fact that the user has to distinguish wanted image data from the unsuccessfully read image data. The first form is also not preferable from the viewpoint of network load, since unnecessary image data are also transmitted over a network.
On the other hand, the second form does not have the problems associated with the first form, since only wanted image data are transmitted to a network by an operator. However, in large hospitals where a large amount of radiation images must be processed every day, other problems such as sluggish image data transmission occur, due to the heavy workload on an operator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems of the two known forms. In other words, the object of the present invention is to provide an image reading and transmitting system that lowers the workload of an operator, with high reliability of image transmission, and with less network load.
The image reading and transmitting system of the present invention is a system which transmits image data acquired by an image reading apparatus included in the system through a network to one or more processing apparatus dealing with the image data, and comprises a stay processing apparatus for transmitting the acquired image data to the network after staying the image data for a predetermined time, a monitor for displaying the image data being stayed by the stay processing apparatus, and a transmission canceling means for canceling transmission of the stayed image data to the network.
The term “one or more processing apparatus dealing with the image data” includes for example, one or more of display apparatus and printers, personal computers, or workstations, all of which are remotely connected to the network.
The term “stay processing apparatus” does not necessarily mean an apparatus only aiming to stay image data. The stay processing apparatus can be a universal or general purpose workstation. In other words, any processing apparatus can be the stay processing apparatus as long as the processing apparatus is connected to a network and is capable of controlling a flow of image data. The stay processing apparatus can also be a processing apparatus which carries out other kinds of processing such as brightness control of the image data while stay processing is being carried out.
The “monitor” can be connected to the image reading apparatus. Alternatively, if the stay processing apparatus is a workstation, the monitor can be a display screen of the workstation. The “transmission canceling means” can be means included in the aforesaid stay processing apparatus. Alternatively, another processing apparatus may be placed between the stay processing apparatus and the network so that the transmission canceling means can be included in processing apparatus different from the stay processing apparatus. The transmission canceling means refers to, for example, software for deleting image data which is specified to be deleted, in response to an input via an input/output apparatus such as a display apparatus or a keyboard.
The term “predetermined time” means a sufficient time for an operator to judge, using the monitor, whether or not the image data being stayed is wanted image data, and, in the case where image data is judged to be poor quality image data, to cancel transmission of the poor quality image data by the aforesaid transmission canceling means.
The image reading and transmitting system of the present invention may further comprise a transmission facilitating means for transmitting the image data being stayed to the network before the predetermined time has elapsed. The term “transmission facilitating means” refers to, software for processing image data which is specified to be processed, in response to an input via input/output apparatus such as a display apparatus or a keyboard. For example, the transmission facilitating means resets a timer which measures how much of the predetermined time has elapsed, or gives a higher priority to an image data waiting in a transmission queue so that the image given the higher priority thereby can be transmitted to the network immediately without waiting for the predetermined time to elapse.
The image reading apparatus of the present invention may further comprise a stay time setting means for setting the predetermined time. To have the stay time setting means does not mean that setting the predetermined time is performed only by the image reading apparatus. The stay processing apparatus which carries out the stay processing may also comprise the same stay time setting means as the image reading apparatus.
The aforesaid “image reading apparatus” and “stay processing apparatus” can be connected locally. Alternatively, they can be connected via the aforesaid “network” or another network.
In accordance with the image reading and transmitting system of the present invention, the image data acquired by the image reading apparatus is stayed before being transmitted to the network, and the image data will automatically be transmitted to the network after the operator judges whether or not the image data being stayed is appropriate for diagnosis during the stay time which is sufficient for the operator to cancel transmission of the image data if necessary. Therefore, the operator does not need to carry out any operation other than to cancel transmission, and unnecessary image data are not transmitted to the network. In this manner, cases where a user of the image data is confused by unnecessary image data and a network load being increased unnecessarily will be avoided.
The image reading and transmitting system may further comprise a transmission facilitating means for transmitting image data being stayed before the predetermined stay time has elapsed. In this manner, the operator can immediately transmit the data of the image he or she has judged to be useful, and start examining the incoming image data. As a consequence, the operator can work efficiently.
The stay time may be set not only by the stay processing apparatus but also by the image reading apparatus. In this manner, the operator can set an appropriate stay time depending on the occurrence frequency of unsuccessful reading, while carrying out a reading operation.
REF
Fuji Photo Film Co. , Ltd.
Grant Jerome
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
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