Data Distribution System

Abstract

An interactive method for allowing a user to obtain image data for diagnostic purposes from a server having access to stored data, comprising: connecting a user's computer to the server over a communication network; receiving from the server image reconstruction software for the user's computer; requesting specific image data for transmission from the server to the user's computer; progressively transmitting the requested specific image data over the network from the server to user's computer; and repeatedly reconstructing diagnostic quality images, from the progressively received image data, at different quality levels, using the reconstruction software on the user's computer.

1 . An interactive method for allowing a user to obtain image data for diagnostic purposes from a server having access to stored data, comprising: 
 connecting a user's computer to the server over a communication network;    receiving from the server image reconstruction software for the user's computer;    requesting specific image data for transmission from the server to the user's computer;    progressively transmitting the requested specific image data over the network from the server to user's computer; and    repeatedly reconstructing diagnostic quality images, from the progressively received image data, at different quality levels, using the reconstruction software on the user's computer.    
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , comprising image processing said reconstructed image using said reconstruction software on said user's computer.  
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1 , comprising: 
 receiving from the server image selection software for the user's computer,    wherein said image selection software is used for said requesting.    
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein said image selection software controls the transmission of the image data.  
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein said image selection software displays images from said server.  
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein said image selection software and said reconstruction software are received together.  
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein said image selection software and said reconstruction software comprise a single software unit.  
   
   
       8 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein said image selection software is operative to stop the transmission of the data, after at least a low quality image is reconstructed and viewed from said data.  
   
   
       9 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein said image selection software is operative to restart the transmission of the data of the entire image, after said stopping.  
   
   
       10 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein said image selection software controls processing of data at said server, prior to its transmission.  
   
   
       11 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein said processing comprises reducing said data from a large bit-per-pixel ratio to a small bit-per-pixel ratio, independently of details of said request, except an identification of the data requested.  
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 10 , comprising interactively providing user input to said image selection software, to affect said control.  
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein said image selection software controls said server to selectively transmit only portions of the image data.  
   
   
       14 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein the image selection software comprises application software coded using a device independent network programming language.  
   
   
       15 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein the reconstruction software comprises application software coded using a device independent network programming language.  
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein said language comprises Java.  
   
   
       17 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein said language comprises ActiveX.  
   
   
       18 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein reconstructing comprises: 
 reconstructing images of progressively improving quality from the progressively received data;    using the produced improved images of progressively produced quality to decide on processing of the images, wherein said processing comprises gray-level windowing; and    processing said images, prior to the progressively received data being completely received.    
   
   
       19 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein reconstructing comprises: 
 reconstructing images of progressively improving quality from the progressively received data;    using the produced improved images of progressively produced quality to decide on processing of the images; and    interactively selecting regions of interests in the images based on said progressively improved images, prior to the progressively received data being completely received.    
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said data is progressively transmitted while a lower quality image is being reconstructed from said data.  
   
   
       21 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein reducing the bit-per-pixel ratio comprises: 
 calculating an average “M” of the gray values in the image and a standard deviation “S” of said gray values; and    resealing these values in the range [(M−S/2)..(M+S/2)] to obtain a new lower number of bits per pixel.    
   
   
       22 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein reducing the bit-per-pixel ratio comprises: 
 estimating the mean and standard deviation of the gray levels locally; and    resealing these values to obtain a new lower number of bits per pixel.    
   
   
       23 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein progressively transmitting the requested data over the network comprises: 
 recomposing the image into a pyramidal structure comprised of layers, said layers ranging sequentially from a layer having the least amount of data to a layer having the most data; and    transmitting the layers making up the pyramid individually starting with the layer with the least amount of data to enable the user to view a progressively improving image to decide on further transmission of the image.    
   
   
       24 . A method according to  claim 23 , wherein recomposing the image into a pyramidal structure comprises reducing the image to provide the different layers at the transmitting end for progressive transmittal.  
   
   
       25 . A method according to  claim 24 , wherein reducing comprises discarding alternate rows and columns to create an image that is a quarter of the size of the original image.  
   
   
       26 . A method according to  claim 23 , comprising: 
 providing a first layer with reduced resolution in the pyramidal structure;    providing remaining layers that contain residual values with increased resolution; and    progressively receiving the data used to provide images based on the received data of progressively improved resolution.    
   
   
       27 . A method according to  claim 1 , comprising: 
 compressing the requested data transmitted over the network; and    decompressing the received required data to provide images.    
   
   
       28 . A method according to  claim 27 , wherein compressing comprises spatially decorrelating the data by predicting each pixel at the current resolution using its spatial casual neighbors.  
   
   
       29 . A method according to  claim 27 , wherein compressing comprises temporally decorrelating each pixel by predicting each pixel value at the current resolution using the values of temporal neighbors from previous images.  
   
   
       30 . A method according to  claim 28 , wherein a predictor X used in predicting each pixel value for a single image is equal to f(a, b, c), wherein a, b and c are previously predicted neighboring pixels.  
   
   
       31 . A method according to  claim 29 , wherein a predictor X used in predicting each pixel value for a group of images equals f(a, b, c, a 1 , b 1 , cl, x 1 ) wherein a, b and c are previously predicted neighboring pixels in a same image and a 1 , b 1 , c 1  and x 1  are corresponding pixels in a previously predicted image of the image group.  
   
   
       32 . A method according to  claim 27 , wherein said compressing and said decompressing use entropy coding and decoding respectively.  
   
   
       33 . A method according to  claim 32 , wherein said entropy coding and decoding are accomplished using Golomb Rice entropy coding and decoding.  
   
   
       34 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein connecting the user computer to the server over a communication network comprises connecting over the Internet.  
   
   
       35 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein connecting the user computer to the server over a communication network comprises using a dial up communication system.  
   
   
       36 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein connecting the user computer to the server over the communication network comprises using networking facilities.  
   
   
       37 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the stored data comprises data for a plurality of “postage stamp” images.  
   
   
       38 . A method according to  claim 37 , comprising using “postage stamp” images as a catalog for selecting those images for which no further data is to be transmitted and those images for which further data is to be transmitted.  
   
   
       39 . A method according to  claim 37 , wherein said postage stamps comprise a lowest level in a pyramidal representation of said images.  
   
   
       40 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein progressively transmitting comprises serially transmitting a sequence of images of increasing resolution, each image being progressively transmitted.  
   
   
       41 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein progressively transmitting comprises transmitting data operative to reconstruct images of increasing resolution.  
   
   
       42 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein progressively transmitting the requested data over the network comprises segmenting an image into background parts and tissue parts, and transmitting the tissue parts first.  
   
   
       43 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said requesting comprises requesting after said receiving and during a same session.  
   
   
       44 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said reconstructing comprises showing progressively reconstructed images.  
   
   
       45 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein said server processes said image data for enhancing transmission thereof.  
   
   
       46 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said server only transmits image data received from a data store connected to said server by a network connection.  
   
   
       47 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the image reconstruction and processing software comprises application software coded using a device independent network programming language.  
   
   
       48 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein said image selection software controls said server to selectively transmit only a region of interest of said image.  
   
   
       49 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said connecting and said receiving are performed via an industry standard browser software.  
   
   
       50 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein receiving from the server image reconstruction software is performed in each session in which the user receives progressively transmitted images.  
   
   
       51 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein receiving from the server image reconstruction software is performed after requesting image data by the user.