Image Summarization via Deformation Coverage Ratio

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image summarization methods fail to effectively handle large numbers of temporally or spatially continuous images, leading to inefficiencies in medical applications like endoscopic image analysis, where important details may be missed due to image deletion, as they do not account for the relationship between deleted and retained images.

Innovation Solution

An image processing device and method that utilizes deformation information to select reference and determination target images, calculating a coverage ratio to determine if an image can be deleted, ensuring critical areas are retained by projecting the reference image onto the determination target image and assessing feature quantities within specific areas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If image summarization is performed by deleting images from the sequence, then the number of images to be checked is reduced, but the risk of missing important details increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetime to check imagesVSAvoidrisk of missing important details

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual image review with an automated system that uses deformation information and coverage ratio calculations to objectively determine which images can be deleted. This mechanical/algorithmic substitution ensures consistent, reliable decision-making without human subjectivity while significantly reducing the time required to process large image sequences.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary analysis by calculating deformation information and coverage ratios for all images before final deletion decisions are made. This preliminary action allows the system to identify and preserve images that contain critical information while confidently deleting redundant ones, thereby maintaining reliability while reducing review time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of information

If more images are retained in the summary sequence, then the completeness of information is improved, but the efficiency of image analysis is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompleteness of captured informationVSAvoidefficiency of image analysis

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces quantitative parameters (deformation information, coverage ratio) to objectively evaluate image importance. By changing from subjective judgment to parameter-based evaluation, the system can efficiently determine the minimum set of images needed to preserve complete information, optimizing both information completeness and analysis efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses deformation information to create a virtual representation of how images relate to each other in the sequence. This copying approach allows the system to simulate the coverage of deleted images by retained images, ensuring that no critical information is lost while minimizing the number of images that need to be actually stored and reviewed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Device complexity

If simple image deletion is used for summarization, then the processing complexity is reduced, but the accuracy of information preservation is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing complexityVSAvoidaccuracy of information preservation

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces deformation information as an intermediary that bridges simple image deletion and accurate information preservation. This intermediary element allows the system to make informed deletion decisions by quantifying how much each image contributes to the overall information content, achieving high accuracy without excessive processing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS9576362B2Image processing device, information storage device, and processing method to acquire a summary image sequence

Publication Date: 2017.02.21 OLYMPUS CORPORATION(JP)

AI summary

An image processing device includes an image sequence acquisition section that acquires an image sequence that includes a plurality of images, and a processing section that performs an image summarization process that deletes some of the plurality of images included in the acquired image sequence to acquire a summary image sequence, the processing section selecting a reference image and a determination target image from the plurality of images, calculating a coverage ratio of the determination target image by the reference image based on deformation information about the reference image and the determination target image, and determining whether or not the determination target image can be deleted based on the coverage ratio.