Server device, image transmission method, terminal device, image reception method, program, and image processing system

1. A method implemented by an apparatus, comprising at least one processor, the method comprising acts of:

transmitting, via at least one network, a request to another apparatus for still medical image data generated from moving medical image data, the request comprising at least one criterion, the request further comprising information identifying at least one image processing technique for use in generating still medical image data from moving medical image data; and

receiving still medical image data matching the at least one criterion in the request, the still medical image data being generated by applying, to moving image data, the at least one image processing technique identified in the request.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one image processing technique comprises a technique that processes a plurality of image frames from moving medical image data to produce a still medical image having improved image quality.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information identifying the at least one image processing technique comprises an identifier for a version of an image processing program for use in generating the still medical image data from the moving medical image data.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising acts of:

receiving user input via at least one input device; and

selecting the version of the image processing program based at least in part on the user input.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the information identifying the at least one image processing technique comprises an indication that a newest image processing technique is to be used in generating the still medical image data from the moving medical image data.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the information identifying the at least one image processing technique comprises an indication that a newest version of an image processing program be used in generating the still medical image data from the moving medical image data.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising acts of:

using at least one medical imaging device to capture a moving medical image and thereby generate the moving medical image data; and

transmitting the moving medical image data to the other apparatus.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising acts of:

receiving user input via at least one input device; and

determining the at least one criterion based at least in part on the user input.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein:

time information is received from the user via the at least one input device; and

the at least one criterion is determined based at least in part on the time information.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein:

personal identification information is received from the user via the at least one input device; and

the at least one criterion is determined based at least in part on the personal identification information.

11. An apparatus comprising at least one processor programmed to:

receive, via at least one network, a request from another apparatus for still medical image data generated from moving medical image data, the request comprising at least one criterion, the request further comprising information identifying at least one image processing technique for use in generating still medical image data from moving medical image data;

use the at least one criterion in the request to obtain still medical image data generated by applying the at least one image processing technique to at least one image frame from moving medical image data; and

respond to the request by transmitting the obtained still medical image data.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising at least one storage device, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

receive the moving medical image data from the other apparatus; and

store the moving medical image data in the at least one storage device.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

determine, based on the information identifying at least one image processing technique for use in generating still medical image data from moving medical image data, that a newest version of an image processing program is to be used;

identify a newest version of the image processing program; and

use the newest version of the image processing program to generate the still medical image data from the moving medical image data.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising at least one storage device, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

use the at least one criterion to retrieve the moving medical image data from the at least one storage device; and

generate the still medical image data based at least in part on the moving medical image data.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising at least one storage device, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

use the at least one criterion to retrieve the still medical image data from the at least one storage device, the still medical image data having been previously generated based at least in part on the moving medical image data.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the still medical image data is previously generated still medical image data, and wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

determine whether a new image processing technique is available;

if it is determined that a new image processing technique is available, use the new image processing technique to generate new still medical image data based at least in part on the moving medical image data; and

replace the previously generated still medical image data with the new still medical image data.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

apply the at least one image processing technique to a plurality of image frames from the moving medical image data to generate a still medical image having improved image quality.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the information identifying the at least one image processing technique comprises an identifier for a version of an image processing program, and wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

determine whether the identified version of the image processing program is available; and

if it is determined that the identified version of the image processing program is not available, use a nearest available version of the image processing program to generate the still medical image data from the moving medical image data.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the at least one image processing technique comprises an image processing technique selected from a group consisting of:

reconfiguration-type super-resolution processing, learning-type super-resolution processing, and blurring removal processing.

20. A system comprising:

a first apparatus comprising at least one first processor programmed to:

transmit, via at least one network, a request to a second apparatus for still medical image data generated from moving medical image data, the request comprising at least one criterion, the request further comprising information identifying at least one image processing technique for use in generating still medical image data from moving medical image data; and

the second apparatus, wherein the second apparatus comprises at least one second processor programmed to:

receive, via the at least one network, the request for still medical image data;

use the at least one criterion in the request to obtain still medical image data generated by applying the at least one image processing technique to at least one image frame from moving medical image data; and

respond to the request by transmitting the obtained still medical image data to the first apparatus,

wherein the at least one first processor is further programmed to:

receive the obtained still medical image data from the second apparatus.