Patent Application
20060033752
Not applicable.
Not applicable
Image archiving and communication systems have become an extremely important component in the management of digitized image data, particularly in the field of aerial imaging or medical imaging. Such systems often function as central repositories of image data, receiving the data from various sources. The image data is stored and made available to various individuals for viewing, analysis, or diagnosis.
Typically an image of a surface or volume is represented by pixels. Each pixel represents a spatial point or region. Data collected regarding the region is typically processed to generate a composite metric for the pixel region. The underlying data for the pixel may vary over time or frequency. For example, in a computed tomography (CT) system, intensity measurements are taken over a time interval and averaged to generate the composite metric. Each pixel is assigned a color based on its computed composite metric. In a aerial imaging system, a survey volume may be viewed using a plurality of frequencies. An average intensity value across the spectrum may be calculated for each pixel. Again, the color of the pixel is determined by the computed average.
The pixilated images provide useful visual data regarding the analysis volume. The color variations allow a viewer to efficiently discriminate between different regions of interest. However, in some cases the underlying time sequence or spectrum data is also important for analyzing a particular region. The pixelization of the data using the data using a composite metric may mask important data or provide a misleading measurement. For example, if the underlying data has widely varying values across time or frequency, the average statistic may not be informative. In a CT environment, intensity measurements are useful for distinguishing between living and dead tumor tissue. If cancerous tissue is still living, targeted radiation or chemical treatment may be conducted. However, in areas where the tissue is not living, no treatment is necessary. In some cases, the diagnosing viewer may wish to view the underlying time to confirm the status of the tissue before targeting further treatment.
Current viewing systems sometimes allow viewing of the underlying data on a display separate from the pixelized image. This arrangement adds cost and complexity because of the need for extra equipment. Also, ease of use is reduced as the user must transition between the two displays to see the pixel data versus the underlying data.
This section of this document is intended to introduce various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present invention described and/or claimed below. This section provides background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. It should be understood that the statements in this section of this document are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
One aspect of the present invention is seen in a method for displaying an image including a plurality of pixels. The method includes defining a plurality of pixel groups for the image. Each pixel group includes at least one pixel. A pixel chart is generated for each pixel group. The pixel chart shows underlying data associated with the pixel group. The pixel chart is superimposed on the image over its associated pixel group.
Another aspect of the present invention is seen in a system including a display unit, a data collection unit adapted to collect underlying data, and a data processing unit. The data processing unit is adapted to generate an image including a plurality of pixels for displaying on the display unit based on the underlying data, define a plurality of pixel groups for the image, each pixel group including at least one pixel, generate a pixel chart for each pixel group, the pixel chart showing the underlying data associated with the pixel group, and superimpose the pixel chart on the image over its associated pixel group.
These and other objects, advantages and aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which there is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention. Such embodiment does not necessarily represent the full scope of the invention and reference is made, therefore, to the claims herein for interpreting the scope of the invention.
The invention will hereafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements, and:
One or more specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.
Referring now to
Although the data collection unit 110, data processing unit 120, and display unit 130 are illustrated as separate entities, one or more of them may be integrated into a single unit. The data collection unit 110, data processing unit 120, and display unit 130 may be located remote from one another. In the case of an aerial imaging system, the data collection unit 110 may be housed on a satellite or airplane, and the data processing and display units 120, 130 may be located at a central facility. The data from the data collection unit 110 may be sent to the data processing unit 120 in real-time or near real-time, or alternatively, the data collection unit 110 may store the collected data for later communication with the data processing unit 120.
The application of the present invention is not limited to any particular imaging application or image type. The data used to generate the pixel chart image 140 may be time-varying or may vary across frequency. The composite metric may be generated from the underlying data using any number of mathematical or statistical techniques. A non-limiting list of exemplary composite characteristics may include a mean value, a median value, a maximum value, a minimum value, a variance value, a slope or other curve fit parameter, an intercept, a time constant, a value at a particular time in the time series, a value at a particular frequency in a spectrum, etc. Again, the invention may be applied to any particular form for the composite metric.
As the zoom levels increase, less pixels 200 may be included in each group 220 until such a point that each pixel 200 is individually discernable and has its own chart 210. In another embodiment, the charts 210 may not be visible until the user has zoomed in to a predetermined level. Again, pixel groups 220 may be formed and the chart 210 may represent combined values across the pixel group 220 or the pixel charts 210 may not be displayed until the individual pixels are discernible.
In
The various zoom levels show different types of information. At the highest zoom level, the specific data for each pixel is viewable. This allows the user to evaluate the time series or spectrum used to generate the composite metric and thus the pixel color or shading. If the imaging system 100 is used for medical imaging, such as CT imaging, the pixel level zoom shown in
The pixel chart image 140, as described herein, offers numerous advantages. A viewer may readily zoom and pan to different regions of the pixel chart image 140 and see the underlying data associated with the pixels 200 or pixel groups 220. The charts 210 provide both quantitative information by showing the underlying and qualitative information by altering the texture of the pixel chart image 140.
The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as the invention may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings herein. Furthermore, no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown, other than as described in the claims below. It is therefore evident that the particular embodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified and all such variations are considered within the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the protection sought herein is as set forth in the claims below.
