JP3737166B2 - Image recording device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus for recording image data obtained by a medical image diagnostic apparatus such as an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus or an endoscope apparatus.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, an image recording apparatus for recording image data obtained by a medical image diagnostic apparatus such as an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus or an endoscopic apparatus is usually connected to the medical image diagnostic apparatus by a data line and is recorded by an operator. When a recording instruction is issued using the instruction means, the image obtained by the medical image diagnostic apparatus is recorded.
[0003]
In such an image recording apparatus, a remote control device (hereinafter referred to as a remote control device) is used as the recording means. This remote control device is provided with a recording button for recording image data, a cursor key for selecting the recorded image data, a display button for displaying the selected image data, and the like.
[0004]
In the diagnosis using the medical image diagnostic apparatus, the image data is recorded by operating the remote controller of the image recording apparatus while performing the operation for obtaining the image data of the subject. However, the diagnosis process is invasive. Due to the need to increase diagnostic throughput, these operations need to be completed in a very short time.
[0005]
For example, if the desired image data is taken after the image data that has been recorded at the wrong timing and the recording timing fails, the unnecessary image data is deleted and recorded on the spot. It is customary to move on to the next diagnostic process as it is without any operation such as correction. Conventionally, such an image recording apparatus is mainly for recording a still image, and since the amount of data of one image is small, even if unnecessary image data exists, the image recording apparatus itself is seriously affected. Never give. Therefore, an operation such as re-deletion and deletion of recorded image data is not performed, and no means for realizing it is provided. Therefore, in such an image recording apparatus, when recording an image, all image data for which a recording instruction has been issued is recorded, including an image for which shooting timing has failed.
[0006]
On the other hand, image data can also be recorded by connecting a medical image diagnostic apparatus with a data line to a system in which video capture software or the like is installed in a general personal computer. In the image recording system using the video capture software or the like, the process performed immediately before can be canceled and the state before the process is executed can be restored. This function is selected by using a mouse on a menu displayed on the screen using a mouse, or a key operation (for example, a shift key and an A) indicating this function set in advance on a keyboard provided in the main body of the image recording system. The operation is performed by pressing the keys simultaneously.
[0007]
For example, in an image recording system using video capture software or the like, first, an instruction to record an image is issued, and the image data is temporarily stored in a memory. When this image data is saved as a data file, it is selected whether to save it as a new data file or to overwrite the previously saved data file. This is done by selecting from the menu displayed on the screen using the mouse, or by performing a key operation (for example, pressing the shift key and the B key at the same time) preset on the keyboard provided in the main body of the image recording system. It is selected by doing.
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional image recording apparatus, all image data for which a recording instruction has been issued is recorded, including images for which shooting timing has failed, and unnecessary image data is deleted and re-recorded on the spot. No operation has been performed. For this reason, when recording a moving image, the amount of data becomes enormous, which adversely affects the image recording system. That is, the data transfer speed is lowered, the storage period is shortened, and the response speed is lowered. Also, doctors observing and diagnosing images must make a diagnosis while judging each recorded image to determine which is a failed image and which is a successful image, reducing the efficiency of the diagnosis. Problem arises. In particular, when a moving image is recorded, it takes time to reproduce a plurality of image data, and the above problem becomes significant.
[0009]
In a general image recording system using video capture software or the like, when saving image data, it is necessary to select whether to save as a new data file or to overwrite the previously saved data file. After newly recording data, it is impossible to give a replacement instruction that erases the data recorded immediately before that point. In addition, once overwritten, the previously saved data file is erased, so it is not possible to cancel overwriting and restore the data file before overwriting.
[0010]
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an image recording apparatus capable of efficiently recording only necessary image data. Another object of the present invention is to provide an image recording apparatus capable of recovering the replaced image data.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention provides a frame memory for storing image data for a plurality of frames, a recording means for recording image data read from the frame memory, and image data newly stored in the recording means. Instructing means for outputting a command for recording or replacing recording, and when a new recording command is output by this instructing means, image data read for a predetermined frame from the frame memory is newly recorded in the recording means When a replacement recording command is output by the instruction means, the image data recorded in the recording means is replaced with image data read out from the frame memory for a predetermined frame, and recorded in the recording means before replacement. And a recording control means for changing the image data to temporary recording image data .
[0012]
In the image recording apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, when a new recording command is output by the instruction means , the image data read for a predetermined frame from the frame memory is newly recorded in the recording means and replaced by the instruction means. When a recording command is output, the image data recorded in the recording means is replaced with the image data read for a predetermined frame from the frame memory, and the image data recorded in the recording means before the replacement is used as temporary recording image data. change. Thereby, only necessary image data can be efficiently recorded.
[0015]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of an image recording apparatus according to the present invention.
[0016]
As shown in FIG. 1, an image recording apparatus 1 includes a recording unit 3 as a recording unit, an instruction unit 5 as an instruction unit, a communication unit 7, a control unit 9 as a recording control unit, and a video capture board 11. And a display unit 13 as a display means.
[0017]
The recording unit 3 records image data obtained by a medical image diagnostic apparatus (not shown) such as an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus or an endoscope apparatus.
[0018]
The instruction unit 5 includes a recording instruction button 5a, a replacement instruction button 5b, and a recovery button 5c. When the recording instruction button 5a is pressed by the operator, a new recording command is output, and the replacement instruction button 5b. Is pressed by the operator, a replacement recording command is output, and when the recovery button 5c is pressed, a recovery command is output. The instruction unit 5 can also be used at a position away from the installation position of the control unit 9 via the communication unit 7, for example, around the subject.
[0019]
The communication unit 7 includes a communication cable and a communication interface (none of which is shown) for connecting the communication cable and the bus 15, and receives a new recording command, a replacement recording command, or a recovery command output from the instruction unit 5. The data is transmitted to the control unit 9 via the bus 15.
[0020]
When a new recording command or a replacement recording command is output by the instruction unit 5, the control unit 9 outputs a temporary write command for temporarily writing image data obtained by the medical image diagnostic apparatus at that time to the video capture board 11. Output to the capture board 11. In addition, when a new recording command is output from the instruction unit 5, the control unit 9 newly writes the image data transmitted from the video capture board 11 to the recording unit 3 with a new file name. Further, when the replacement recording command is output from the instruction unit 5, the control unit 9 changes the file name of the image data written in the recording unit 3 immediately before that to the temporary recording file name, and the video capture board 11 at that time. The latest image data transmitted from is written in the recording unit 3 with the file name before the change to replace the image data. Further, when the restoration command is output from the instruction unit 5 in a state where the image data is written in the recording unit 3 with the file name for temporary recording, the control unit 9 displays the latest image written in the recording unit 3. The image data is restored by deleting the data and returning the temporary recording file name to the original new file name. Further, the control unit 9 creates a recording list of image data recorded in the recording unit 3.
[0021]
The video capture board 11 includes a communication interface 21, a memory controller 23, an analog / digital (hereinafter referred to as A / D) conversion unit 25, and a frame memory 27, and an image obtained by a medical image diagnostic apparatus. Temporarily record data.
[0022]
The communication interface 21 connects the bus 15 and the memory controller 23, and transmits a temporary write command output from the control unit 9 to the memory controller 23 via the bus 15. Further, the image data read by the memory controller 23 is transmitted to the control unit 9 via the bus 15.
[0023]
The memory controller 23 temporarily writes the image data A / D converted by the A / D converter 25 in the frame memory 27. The memory controller 23 reads the image data temporarily written in the frame memory 27.
[0024]
The A / D conversion unit 25 performs A / D conversion on the image data supplied from the medical image diagnostic apparatus.
[0025]
The frame memory 27 includes a plurality of frames F1, F2, F3,..., Fn , and temporarily writes image data supplied from the memory controller 23. One frame F has a capacity for storing image data for one screen.
[0026]
The display unit 13 has a monitor (not shown), and when the recording instruction button 5a, the replacement instruction button 5b or the recovery button 5c is pressed by the operator, character information indicating that, for example, “recording instruction button ON” Etc. are displayed on the monitor.
[0027]
Next, the operation of the image recording apparatus 1 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. First, the operation when the image data obtained by the medical image diagnostic apparatus is written in the image recording apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
[0028]
The medical image diagnostic apparatus and the image recording apparatus 1 are connected in advance via a data line so that the image data obtained by the medical image diagnostic apparatus can be recorded in the image recording apparatus 1. In this state, the image data obtained by the medical image diagnostic apparatus is transmitted to the A / D converter 25 of the video capture board 11. The transmitted image data is A / D converted by the A / D converter 25 and temporarily written in the frame memory 27 by the memory controller 23 (step S1).
[0029]
At this time, when the image data is moving image data, the image data is written on the screen one by one from the frame F1. After the image data for one screen is written in the last frame Fn, the image data for one screen is written again in the frame F1. For example, in the case where 120 frames F are provided in the frame memory 27, when moving images are displayed for 30 screens per second, image data for 4 seconds is temporarily written back to the frame memory 27.
[0030]
In this state, when the image data obtained by the medical image diagnostic apparatus is written in the recording unit 3 of the image recording apparatus 1, the operator presses the recording instruction button 5 a of the instruction unit 5.
[0031]
When the recording instruction button 5 a is pressed, the instruction unit 5 outputs a new recording command to the control unit 9 via the communication unit 7 and the bus 15.
[0032]
When a new recording command is output, the control unit 9 outputs a temporary write command to the memory controller 23 via the bus 15 and the communication interface 21. The control unit 9 displays character information indicating that the recording instruction button 5 a has been pressed, for example, “recording instruction button ON” on the monitor of the display unit 13.
[0033]
When the temporary write command is output, the memory controller 23 reads the image data temporarily written in the frame memory 27 and transfers it to the control unit 9 via the communication interface 21 and the bus 15 (step S5).
[0034]
At this time, when the image data is moving image data, the image data for a predetermined time, for example, 1 second is read back from that time, and transferred to the control unit 9 via the communication interface 21 and the bus 15. For example, when 120 frames F are provided in the frame memory 27 and a moving image is displayed for 30 screens per second, if a temporary write command is output after writing image data in the frame F2, the frames F2, F1, F120 are output. , F119,..., F93 are read out and transferred to the control unit 9.
[0035]
When the image data is transferred, the control unit 9 newly generates a file name for the image data (step S7). Then, the control unit 9 writes this image data in the recording unit 3 with the generated file name (step S9).
[0036]
The file name generation method uses, for example, the date function of the control unit 9 and adds the serial number of the file generated on that day to the date of the day, for example, “950707”. Generate as a file name.
[0037]
Next, when the recording instruction button 5a is pressed, the image data obtained by the medical image diagnostic apparatus at that time is written in the recording unit 3 with the file name “950801.2”. Thereafter, when the recording instruction button 5a is pressed in the same manner, the image data obtained by the medical image diagnostic apparatus at that time is written into the recording unit 3.
[0038]
Next, the operation when the image data is replaced and written in the recording unit 3 will be described with reference to FIG.
[0039]
When the image data is written to the recording unit 3 with the file name “950801.2” and then the image data is to be replaced, the operator presses the replacement instruction button 5 b of the instruction unit 5. When the replacement instruction button 5 b is pressed, the instruction unit 5 outputs a replacement recording command to the control unit 9 via the communication unit 7 and the bus 15.
[0040]
When the replacement recording command is output, the control unit 9 changes the file name of the image data written in the recording unit 3 immediately before that to a temporary recording file name, for example, “temp.” (Step S21).
[0041]
Then, the control unit 9 outputs a temporary write command to the memory controller 23 via the bus 15 and the communication interface 21. In addition, the control unit 9 displays character information indicating that the replacement instruction button 5 b has been pressed, for example, “replacement instruction button ON” on the monitor of the display unit 13.
[0042]
When the temporary write command is output, the memory controller 23 reads the image data temporarily written in the frame memory 27 and transfers it to the control unit 9 via the communication interface 21 and the bus 15. At this time, if the image data is moving image data, the image data for a predetermined time, eg, 1 second, is read back from that time and transferred to the control unit 9 via the communication interface 21 and the bus 15 (step S23). .
[0043]
Note that the memory controller 23 reads image data from the frame memory 27 and transfers it to the control unit 9 retroactively for a predetermined time after the temporary write command is output. The image data for the time may be A / D converted by the A / D conversion unit 25, and then temporarily written in the frame memory 27, and all the written image data may be transferred to the control unit 9.
[0044]
When the image data is transferred, the control unit 9 writes the image data into the recording unit 3 with the file name “950801.2” before the change of the image data changed to the temporary recording file name “temp.”. (Step S25).
[0045]
Thus, the image data written in the recording unit 3 immediately before the replacement instruction button 5b is pressed is changed to the file name “temp.” And is replaced with the image data obtained when the replacement instruction button 5b is pressed. The
[0046]
Next, an operation for restoring image data will be described with reference to FIG. For example, when the image data is being written in the recording unit 3 with the file name “temp.” For temporary recording , the operator presses the recovery button 5c of the instruction unit 5 to restore the image data. (Step S27). When the recovery button 5 c is pressed, the instruction unit 5 outputs a recovery command to the control unit 9 via the communication unit 7 and the bus 15.
[0047]
When the restoration command is output, the control unit 9 deletes the image data written in the recording unit 3 with the file name “950801.2”, and changes the temporary recording file name “temp.” To the original file name “950801”. .2 "(steps S29 and S31).
[0048]
As a result, the image data written with the temporary recording file name “temp.” Is returned to the new file name “950801.2” and recovered.
[0049]
As described above, in the image recording apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, when the recording instruction button 5a is pressed, the image data obtained by the medical image diagnostic apparatus is newly written in the recording unit 3, and the replacement instruction button 5b is pressed. In this case, the image data recorded in the recording unit 3 immediately before that is changed to the file name for temporary recording, replaced with the image data obtained by the image diagnostic apparatus at that time, and the recovery button 5c is pressed. In this case, the image data written with the file name for temporary recording is restored as new image data.
[0050]
Therefore, in the image recording apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, only necessary image data can be efficiently written in the recording unit 3.
[0051]
In the image recording apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the new recording and the replacement recording are switched by the recording instruction button 5a and the replacement instruction button 5b. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the new recording or replacement recording is performed. Switching means for switching to recording , for example, a changeover switch and a recording button as recording instruction means may be provided in the instruction section 5 to switch between new recording and replacement recording. In this case, the instruction unit 5 outputs a new recording command when the recording button is pressed after the switching means is set to the new recording side, and the recording button is pressed after the switching means is set to the replacement recording side. And a replacement recording command are output.
[0052]
The switching means may switch to new recording when the recording button is not pressed within a predetermined time after replacement recording. In this case, when the recording button is not pressed within a predetermined time after the switching means has been replaced, if the recording button is pressed after that, the image data obtained by the medical image diagnostic apparatus at that time is A new file name is newly written in the recording unit 3. Further, when the recording button is pressed within a predetermined time after the switching means is replaced and recorded, the file name of the image data recorded in the recording unit 3 immediately before that is changed to the temporary recording file name. The changed image data obtained by the medical image diagnostic apparatus at that time is written in the recording unit 3 with the file name before the change.
[0053]
Furthermore, after the switching means is switched to new recording or replacement recording by the operator using the switching means, the switching means does not change until the operator switches to new recording or replacement recording using the switching means. May be maintained.
[0054]
Further, in the image recording apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, when the replacement instruction button 5b is pressed, the file name of the image data written in the recording unit 3 immediately before that is changed to the file name for temporary recording, and then the medical image is displayed. The latest image data obtained by the diagnostic apparatus is written in the recording unit 3 with the file name before the change, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a list of all the image data recorded in the recording unit 3 A list creation unit for creating the image data, and an image data selection unit for selecting image data designated by the operator from the created list in the control unit 9, and the image data selection unit selects the image data selected by the image data selection unit. The file name may be changed to a temporary recording file name, and the latest image data may be written in the recording unit 3 with the file name before the change. In this case, all image data recorded in the recording unit 3 can be replaced.
[0055]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, when a new recording command is output by the instruction unit, the image data read for a predetermined frame from the frame memory is newly recorded in the recording unit, and the replacement recording is performed by the instruction unit. When a command is output, the image data recorded in the recording means is replaced with the image data read for a predetermined frame from the frame memory, and the image data recorded in the recording means before the replacement is changed to temporary recording image data. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently record only necessary image data.
[0056]
In addition, when a recovery command is output by the instruction unit in a state where the temporary recording image data is recorded on the recording unit, the image data replaced and recorded with the temporary recording image data is erased and temporarily stored. It is possible to restore the recording image data.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of an image recording apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a video capture board shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart schematically showing a flow of a writing operation of image data.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart schematically showing the flow of image data replacement and restoration operations.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image recording device 3 Recording part 5 Instruction part 5a Recording instruction button 5b Replacement instruction button 5c Recovery button 7 Communication part 9 Control part 11 Video capture board 13 Display part 15 Bus 21 Communication interface 23 Memory controller 25 A / D conversion part 27 Frame memory

Claims (7)

A frame memory for storing multiple frames of image data;
  Recording means for recording image data read from the frame memory;
  Instruction means for outputting a command to record or replace image data newly recorded in the recording means;
  When a new recording command is output by the instruction unit, image data read for a predetermined frame from the frame memory is newly recorded in the recording unit, and when a replacement recording command is output by the instruction unit, the recording unit A recording control means for replacing the image data recorded in the frame memory with image data read for a predetermined frame from the frame memory and changing the image data recorded in the recording means before the replacement to temporary recording image data;
An image recording apparatus comprising: The recording control unit includes a list creation unit that creates a list of all image data recorded in the recording unit, and an image data selection unit that selects image data designated by the operator from the created list When the replacement recording command is output by the instruction means, the image data selected by the image data selection unit is replaced with the image data read from the frame memory for a predetermined frame, and the image data selection 2. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image data selected by the recording unit is changed to image data for temporary recording. 2. The instruction unit according to claim 1, further comprising: a recording instruction unit for a command to record image data in the recording unit; and a switching unit for switching the recording command to a new recording or a replacement recording. 2. The image recording apparatus according to 2. 4. The image recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the switching means switches to new recording when the recording instruction is not output within a predetermined time after the replacement recording is performed. After the switching means is switched to new recording or replacement recording by the operator using the switching means, the switching means is maintained until the operator switches to new recording or replacement recording using the switching means. The image recording apparatus according to claim 3. The instructing means further outputs a restoration command for restoring the temporary recording image data, and the recording control means is configured to record the temporary recording image data in the recording means, And a recovery unit that deletes the image data that has been replaced with the temporary recording image data and recovers the temporary recording image data when a recovery command is output by the instruction unit. The image recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The display unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising display means for displaying on the screen whether the image data is newly recorded in the recording means or is recorded after replacement. Image recording device.

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