Processing apparatus, system, method and program for processing information to be shared

1. An information processing apparatus used for information sharing, the information processing apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device storing instructions which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

(a) receive, from a first information processing apparatus, area specifying information and location information, the area specifying information specifying a display area in an image, the display area including a plurality of partial images used at a high probability, the plurality of partial images being downloaded before the information sharing and stored in a plurality of different information processing apparatuses and the location information indicating at least one location of the plurality of partial images, wherein the plurality of partial images used at a high probability include a display operation record indicating at which magnification the plurality of partial images were viewed before the information sharing and how the display area was moved; and

(b) transmit, to a second information processing apparatus, the area specifying information and the location information.

2. The information processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the image includes data representative of a slice of a biological tissue.

3. The information processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

(a) the information processing apparatus includes a server;

(b) the first information processing apparatus includes a first user computer; and

(c) the second information processing apparatus includes a second user computer.

4. The information processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the area specifying information is determined based on a display record.

5. The information processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the area specifying information is determined based on annotation information.

6. The information processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second information processing apparatus is configured to determine whether the area specifying information and the location information need to be updated.

7. The information processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of different information processing apparatuses comprise the first information processing apparatus and the second information processing apparatus.

8. The information processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of different information processing apparatuses comprise a server, a chairman computer, and an audience computer.

9. An information processing apparatus used for information sharing, the information processing apparatus comprising a first user computer, the first user computer comprising: a processor; a display device; and

a memory device storing instructions which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

(a) in response to an operation input, determine area specifying information and location information, the area specifying information specifying a display area in an image, the display area including a plurality of partial images used at a high probability, the plurality of partial images being downloaded before the information sharing and stored in a plurality of different information processing apparatuses, and the location information indicating at least one location of the plurality of partial images, wherein the plurality of partial images used at a high probability include a display operation record indicating at which magnification the plurality of partial images were viewed before the information sharing and how the display area was moved;

(b) transmit the area specifying information and the location information to a first information processing apparatus, the first information processing apparatus being configured to, in response to receiving the area specifying information and the location information, transmit the area specifying information and the location information to a second information processing apparatus;

(c) transmit a request for the plurality of partial images to the at least one location indicated by the location information;

(d) receive the plurality of partial images from the at least one location; and

(e) display the received plurality of partial images,

the first information processing apparatus being a server and the second information processing apparatus being a second user computer.

10. The information processing apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the image includes data representative of a slice of a biological tissue.

11. The information processing apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of partial images includes:

(a) a first partial image stored at a first location; and

(b) a second partial image stored at a second location.

12. The information processing apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

(a) receive the first partial image from the first location; and

(b) receive the second partial image from the second location.

13. The information processing apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

(a) determine whether the first partial image is stored by the memory device;

(b) in response to a determination that the first partial image is stored by the memory device, read out the first partial image from the memory device; and

(c) for the first partial image, do not transmit a request to the at least one location indicated by the location information.

14. The information processing apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first location and the second location are in the plurality of different information processing apparatuses.

15. The information processing apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine the area specifying information based on a display record.

16. The information processing apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine the area specifying information based on annotation information.

17. An information processing apparatus used for information sharing, the information processing apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a display device; and

a memory device storing instructions which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

(a) receive area specifying information and location information from a first information processing apparatus, the area specifying information specifying a display area in an image, the display area including a plurality of partial images used at a high probability, the plurality of partial images being downloaded before the information sharing and stored in a plurality of different information

processing apparatuses and the location information indicating at least one location of the plurality of partial images, wherein the plurality of partial images used at a high probability include a display operation record indicating at which magnification the plurality of partial images were viewed before the information sharing and how the display area was moved;

(b) transmit a request for the plurality of partial images to the at least one location indicated by the location information;

(c) receive the plurality of partial images from the at least one location; and

(d) display the received plurality of partial images.

18. The information processing apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the image includes data representative of a slice of a biological tissue.

19. The information processing apparatus of claim 17 , wherein:

(a) the information processing apparatus includes a user computer; and

(b) the first information processing apparatus includes a server.

20. The information processing apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

(a) receive a first partial image from one of the plurality of different information processing apparatuses; and

(b) receive a second partial image from another of the plurality of different information processing apparatuses.

21. The information processing apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

(a) determine whether a first partial image is stored by the memory device;

(b) in response to a determination that the first partial image is stored by the memory device, read out the first partial image from the memory device; and

(c) for the first partial image, do not transmit a request to the at least one location indicated by the location information.

22. The information processing apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the area specifying information is determined based on a display record.

23. The information processing apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the area specifying information is determined based on annotation information.

24. The information processing apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of different information processing apparatuses comprise the first information processing apparatus and a second information processing apparatus.

25. A method of operating an information processing apparatus used for information sharing, the method comprising:

(a) causing a processor to execute instructions to receive, from a first information processing apparatus, area specifying information and location information, the area specifying information specifying a display area in an image, the display area including a plurality of partial images used at a high probability, the plurality of partial images being downloaded before the information sharing and stored in a plurality of different information processing apparatuses and the location information indicating at least one location of the plurality of partial images, wherein the plurality of partial images used at a high probability include a display operation record indicating at

which magnification the plurality of partial images were viewed before the information sharing and how the display area was moved; and

(b) causing the processor to execute instructions to transmit, to a second information processing apparatus, the area specifying information and the location information.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the image includes data representative of a slice of a biological tissue.

27. The method of claim 25 , wherein:

(a) the information processing apparatus includes a server;

(b) the first information processing apparatus includes a first user computer; and

(c) the second information processing apparatus includes a second user computer.

28. The method of claim 25 , wherein the area specifying information is determined based on a display record.

29. The method of claim 25 , wherein the area specifying information is determined based on annotation information.

30. The method of claim 25 , wherein the plurality of different information processing apparatuses comprise the first information processing apparatus and the second information processing apparatus.

31. A system used for information sharing, the system comprising:

a first information processing apparatus configured to, in response to an operation input, determine area specifying information and location information, the area specifying information specifying a display area in an image, the display area including a plurality of partial images used at a high probability, the plurality of partial images being downloaded before the information sharing and stored in a plurality of different information processing apparatuses and the location information indicating at least one location of the plurality of partial images, wherein the plurality of partial images used at a high probability include a display operation record indicating at which magnification the plurality of partial images were viewed before the information sharing and how the display area was moved;

a second information processing apparatus configured to receive the area specifying information and the location information from the first information processing apparatus, a third information processing apparatus configured to:

(a) receive the area specifying information and the location information from the second information processing apparatus;

(b) transmit a request for the plurality of partial images to the at least one location indicated by the location information;

(c) receive the plurality of partial images from the at least one location; and

(d) display the received plurality of partial images.

32. The system of claim 31 , wherein the plurality of different information processing apparatuses comprise the first information processing apparatus and the second information processing apparatus.