Viewing Digital Slides

Abstract

Virtual slide image data and corresponding information are stored in a data storage area on a virtual slide image server. A client viewer requests image data at a particular resolution. The image server obtains corresponding image data from the data storage area at a resolution nearest to the requested resolution. The image data is then sent to the client viewer. The client viewer receives the image data and scales the image data to the requested resolution prior to displaying the image data.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION[0001]The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 787,773 filed 26 Feb. 2004, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 563,437 filed 3 May 2000 and a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 371,586 filed 21 Feb. 2003, where U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 787,773 claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60 / 451,079 filed 28 Feb. 2003 and U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60 / 485,873 filed 9 Jul. 2003, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention generally relates to computer facilitated viewing of large images and more specifically relates to computer facilitated viewing of virtual microscope slides.[0004]2. Related Art[0005]In the growing field virtual microscopy, the first challenges to be overcome were related to the digital imaging of microscope slide...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

Facilitates fast and efficient access and manipulation of large virtual slide images, supporting collaborative viewing and three-dimensional visualization, thereby addressing the challenges of managing and viewing large datasets created by line scanning technology.

Problems solved by technology

Although slow and cumbersome, conventional image tiling solutions did succeed in scanning microscope slides to create a virtual slide.

Accordingly, the viewing aspect of virtual microscopy was not very challenging for conventional image tiling solutions.

However, the creation of a single image file for a virtual slide, while much more efficient and less time consuming, creates new challenges for the viewing of these virtual slides.

Images