JPH09107378A - Mail system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily attain generation and transmission/reception of a mail including multimedia data in the mail system. SOLUTION: When a link button LB is clicked while image data ID1, ID2 read from a database and received document data TD or the like are displayed in parallel, relating information to relate them to each other is set. When one of displayed data is selected and a mail button MB is clicked, the related data are sent in the lump as a mail based on the relating information.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a mail system for handling multimedia data, and more particularly, to automatically set association between data (files) and automatically send the associated data in an email. About the mail system to do.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional mail system, not only text but also various types of media data such as images and sounds (multimedia data) are exchanged. When inserting multimedia data in a mail (e-mail) and transmitting the same, the user himself / herself needs to write the symbol (directory path or the like) of the multimedia data in the mail according to a predetermined description format and transmit it. Basically, all media data are independent. Therefore, on the side that receives the mail, the symbol inserted in the mail is used as a tag to actually access and reproduce the corresponding data.

[0003]

As described above, conventionally, when sending a mail including multimedia data, the user himself / herself has to describe all the multimedia data according to a predetermined format and send the mail. There was a problem that the burden was heavy.

The present invention has been made in view of the above situation, and it is an object of the present invention to reduce the burden on the user and to easily generate and send / receive a mail including multimedia data.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the mail system according to the first aspect of the present invention is
Storage means for storing a plurality of files, and associating means for associating the plurality of files stored in the storage means,
Instructing means for instructing transmission and destination of an arbitrary file, transmitting means for transmitting information specifying a file to be transmitted in response to the instruction of the instructing means, and receiving the information transmitted by the transmitting means. Reading means for reading the file to be transmitted from the storage means and for reading and displaying the file associated with the file in response to the associating means.

Further, in the mail system according to the second aspect of the present invention, associating means for associating a plurality of files, instructing means for instructing transmission and destination of an arbitrary file, the instructing means and the associating means. In response to the instruction, the determination unit determines whether or not a file associated with the file instructed by the instruction unit exists, and the instruction unit instructed by the instruction by the instruction unit and the determination by the determination unit. A transmission means for transmitting the file and the file associated with the file to the destination instructed by the instruction means; and a display means for receiving the file transmitted by the transmission means and displaying the received file. Is characterized by.

According to the mail systems of the first and second aspects of the present invention, when the transmission of one of the associated files (data) is instructed, the other file is also automatically transmitted. Therefore, related data can be transmitted without making complicated settings.

[0008] The association may be performed, for example, when a predetermined operation is performed with a plurality of files displayed,
It may be performed when a single file is instructed to be transmitted while displaying a plurality of files. When new data is input, the file is displayed and the newly input data. You may go between files. With such a configuration, the association itself between the files can be performed very easily.

In order to achieve the above object, a third aspect of the present invention is provided.
The mail system according to the aspect includes a database and a plurality of terminals, and in the mail system for exchanging mails between the terminals, each terminal reads the data from the database and the data read from the reading means. A display unit for displaying on the display screen, an input unit for inputting character data on the same display screen as the display screen, and a relation for setting related information for associating the image data displayed on the display screen with the character data. Attached means, an instruction means for selecting the data displayed on the screen and instructing the transmission, a transmitting means for transmitting the information for specifying the data selected by the instructing means, and another terminal. Received information, reads the selected data from the database based on the information, and associates the associated data by the associating means. Reads relevant data from broadcast from the database, and comprising: a reading means, the displaying the read data.

According to the mail system having the above structure, the associating means associates the image data with the character data,
When transmission of one of the associated data is instructed, the other is automatically transmitted. Therefore, the data can be easily associated with each other, and the related data can be transmitted without complicated settings.

For destinations that do not share a database,
It may be configured to transmit data related to the selected data.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A mail system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below by taking a medical mail system as an example. As shown in FIG. 1, this medical system includes an examination modality 12 connected via an in-hospital LAN 11.
And a patient information database (DB) 13, diagnostic terminal devices 14 _{1 to} 14 _n, and a gateway 15, which are connected to a LAN of another clinic through a public line or a dedicated line.

The examination modality 12 is composed of imaging devices such as a CT scan device 12 ₁ , an X-ray device 12 ₂ and an electrocardiogram device 12 _3, and a diagnostic image (examination result image) obtained as a result of examination is used as patient information. Send to DB13.

The patient information DB 13 is an examination modality 1
2. Inspection result image and diagnostic terminal device 14 ₁ supplied from 2
Findings physician input from to 14 _n, the data of the annotation, such as accumulated as patient data (patient data file), manages. Data of different media, for example, bitmap image data and character data are stored as different files.

FIG. 2 shows the structure of patient data (patient data file) stored in the patient information DB 13. Each patient data includes a file name part D1 in which a file name is described, a patient information part D2 in which information such as a patient name, an examination department, and a type of examination is described, and data in which an identifier indicating the type of actual data is described. Attribute part D3, image data such as inspection result image, or actual data part D4 in which actual data such as text data such as findings and annotations are described, link information in which the name of the associated (linked) file is described Part D5
Etc.

The diagnostic terminals 14 _{1 to} 14 _n are hospital LANs.
It is a device for searching and downloading patient data such as test results and doctor's findings from the patient information DB 13 via 11, and displaying and updating these patient data. The gateway 15 is connected to the LAN of another clinic through a public line or a dedicated line, and is connected to the LAN 11 of the hospital and L of another clinic.
Controls sending and receiving of data to and from the AN.

Next, the configuration of each of the diagnostic terminal devices 14 _{1 to} 14 _n will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in the figure, each of the diagnostic terminal devices 14 _{1 to} 14 _n includes a display device 21, an external storage device 22, a memory 23, an MPU (microprocessor unit) 24, an I / O port 25, and a mouse 26.
, Keyboard 27, and CCU (communication control unit) 28
And a bus 29.

The display device 21 displays image data such as an inspection result image and text data such as findings and annotations. The external storage device 22 is composed of a hard disk device or the like, and stores the patient data downloaded from the patient information DB 13. The memory 23 includes a RAM, a ROM, etc., and stores the patient data to be displayed from the patient data downloaded to the external storage device 22 and also relates to the processing for associating patient data described below, the mail creation, and the transmission / reception processing. The control program and the like are stored. In addition, the memory 23
Is a diagnostic terminal device 14 ₁ connected to the hospital LAN _11.
Store a list of ~ 14 _n addresses.

The MPU 24 controls processing of image data, input / output of patient data, transmission / reception of mails, etc. according to a program stored in the memory 23. I / O port 25
Notifies the MPU 24 of data input from the mouse 26 and the keyboard 27. A CCU (communication control unit) 28 performs transmission control such as error checking of communication data, communication line control, interface control and the like. The bus 29 transmits data.

Next, the inspection and diagnosis processing using the medical mail system having the above-mentioned configuration will be described with reference to the data flow shown in FIG. First, each patient is inspected using an arbitrary examination modality 12 and image data as an examination result is acquired. The acquired examination result is transmitted from the examination modality 12 to the patient information DB 13 via the in-hospital LAN 11 and is accumulated as the patient data shown in FIG. 2 (41).

When making a diagnosis using the image data stored in the patient information DB 13, the doctor in charge has a viewer on the display device 21 of his own diagnostic terminal device (here, the diagnostic terminal device 14 ₁ ). Open, mouse 26, keyboard 2
7. The patient name, examination type, etc., which are key items for searching the examination result image, are entered by using 7, etc. The input key item is notified to the MPU 24 via the I / O port 25 and the bus 29. The MPU 24 sends this key item to the bus 29,
Patient information DB 13 via CCU 28 and hospital LAN 11
(43).

The patient information DB 13 selects a patient data file containing patient data corresponding to the key item. The patient information DB 13 stores the selected patient data file in the hospital LA
It is returned to the diagnosis terminal device 14 ₁ of the medical doctor in charge via N11 (42).

The diagnostic terminal device 14 ₁ stores the returned patient data file in the external storage device 22 via the CCU 28.
, And display it on the display device 21.

The doctor in charge makes a diagnosis based on the patient data (image data) displayed on the display device 21, and inputs findings, annotations, etc. by text or pointing using the mouse 26 and the keyboard 27. The input data is displayed on a predetermined window on the screen, for example.

The doctor in charge reads out arbitrary patient data such as patient data such as past examination result images and findings and patient data of other patients from the patient information DB 13 in order to confirm the progress of the medical condition. It can be displayed on the display device 21. Further, it is also possible to perform processing or adjustment such as enlargement, reduction, marking, etc. of the displayed image using a normal image processing technique and display this.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a display image on the display device 21. In this display example, the image data ID ₁ of the file name "A001" and the image data ID of the file name "B001" which is an enlarged image of the image data of the file name "A001"
_{In this example, 2} and the document data TD of the file name “C001” including the findings of the doctor in charge are displayed side by side.

A link button LB for associating patient data, a mail button MB for instructing mail transmission, a destination input field AC for inputting a mail transmission address, and the like are also arranged on the display screen.

When the diagnosis is completed, the doctor in charge determines whether to associate (link) the image displayed on the screen with the patient data such as the findings. If you decide to associate,
The mouse 26 clicks the link button LB on the screen. This operation is performed by the MPU2 via the I / O port 25.
4 is notified, the MPU 24 executes the association program stored in the memory 23 to correlate the displayed patient data.

As shown in FIG. 5, this associating process is performed with an image having a file name "A001" and a file name "B00".
An example in which an image of "1" and a document of file name "C001" are displayed will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, the MPU 24 determines whether or not the patient data displayed on the display device 21 exists (step S1). In this example, since the patient data is displayed on the screen, the flow proceeds to step S2, and all the file names of other displayed patient data are written in the link information part D5 of each patient data. That is, the link information part D5 of the patient data file with the file name "A001"
"B001" and "C001" for the file name "B00
"A0" in the link information part D5 of the patient data file of "1".
01 ”and“ C001 ”are written in the link information part D5 of the patient data file with the file name“ C001 ”, respectively,“ A001 ”and“ B001 ”. After updating the link information of each patient data, the MPU 24 transmits each updated patient data to the patient information DB 13, and the patient information DB 13
The link information part D5 of each patient data above is updated (step S3), and the associating process ends.

If the displayed patient data does not exist, a message such as "There is no data to be associated" is displayed (step S4), and the association process ends. Through the above processing, the patient data on the screen are automatically associated with each other.

Incidentally, arbitrary patient data may be designated and excluded from the objects of association. In this case, M
The PU 24 does not write the file name of the patient data removed from the association target to the link information part D5 of the other patient data file, and does not write the other file name to the link information part D5 of the patient data file.

It is also possible to cancel the association. In this case, for example, using a viewer or the like, the display device 21 displays the association information of the patient data whose association is to be released.
, And specify the association you want to cancel. In response to this designation, the MPU 24 deletes the association information and the corresponding file name in the link information part D5 of the corresponding patient data.

When there is a problem that the attending doctor cannot judge the medical condition of the patient, it is necessary to seek the opinion from the in-hospital or out-of-hospital specialist. In this case, if it is possible to adjust the time with the other specialist, exchanging patient data while explaining conditions such as a real-time conference,
It is possible to seek judgment. However, if the time cannot be adjusted or if there is no urgency, the necessary patient data is sent to the specialist as an email (46), and the patient data is examined at the convenience of the specialist, and the diagnostic results such as findings. It is effective to return (47) by mail processing.

Therefore, when transmitting patient data as an email, the doctor in charge selects one patient data to be transmitted on the screen, then clicks the email button MB, and then inputs the transmission address in the destination input field AC. To do. This operation is notified to the MPU 24, the MPU 24 executes the mail transmission program stored in the memory 23, and executes the mail transmission process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7.

First, the MPU 24 stores each patient data displayed on the display device 21 in the information DB 13 (step S11). Next, the MPU 24 determines whether the input destination is inside or outside the hospital from the list of addresses stored in the memory 23 (step S12). When the destination is in the hospital, information (pointer) that can specify the patient information file including the desired patient data such as the file name of the selected patient data and the storage position on the patient information DB 13 is transmitted to the destination terminals 14 _{2 to} 14 _n . Then (46, step S13), the mail transmission process ends.

When the destination is out of the hospital, it is judged whether or not a file name is described in the link information part D5 of the selected patient data (step S14). When the file name is described in the link information part D5, the MPU 24 selects the selected patient data and all the patient data files whose file names are described in the link information part D5, the gateway 15, a public line or a dedicated line, The data is transmitted to the terminal devices 17 _{1 to} 17 _{m of the} specialist via the LAN of another clinic (44, step S15). When the file name of other patient data does not exist in the link information part D5, only the selected patient data is transmitted (step S16), and the mail transmission process is ended.

[0038] If the destination is a hospital, the diagnosis terminal apparatus 14 ₂ to 14 _n which has received the mail accesses patient information DB13 on the basis of information received as a mail (pointer) (49), appropriate from the patient information DB13 The patient data to be downloaded is downloaded via the in-hospital LAN 11 (48), and the type of data (image, text, etc.) stored in the actual data section D4 is determined from the contents of the data attribute section D3,
The actual data is read out in an appropriate format and displayed on the display device 21. At this time, all the patient data described in the link information section D5 of the patient data is also downloaded and displayed. The receiving specialist will make a diagnosis based on these patient data, enter findings, etc., and then link button L
Click B. The file name of each is described in the link information part D5 of the patient data received as an e-mail and the link information part D5 of the patient data created by the specialist in response to this, and these patient data are associated with each other (step S2). . Further, these patient data are updated on the patient information DB 13 (step S3). After that, the specialist selects any one of the displayed patient data, clicks the mail button MB, and further inputs the address of the transmitting doctor. As a result, patient information D
The content of B13 is updated and the identification information (pointer) of the selected patient data file is returned to the medical doctor in charge of the transmission (47, steps S11 to S13).

The terminal 14 ₁ of the medical doctor in charge receives the returned mail, and based on the identification information included in the received mail, the corresponding patient data and the findings of the specialist associated with the patient data. Patient data DB1 patient information
The result of the requested diagnosis can be obtained by reading (42) from 3. Therefore, the diagnosis efficiency and the reliability of the diagnosis can be improved.

On the other hand, when the destination is a specialist in another clinic, all the associated patient data are stored in the gateway 1
5. It is transmitted to the terminal devices 17 _{1 to} 17 _m of the specialist through the public line or the private line and the LAN of the other clinic (44). Therefore, a specialist in another clinic does not share the patient information DB 13, but can receive all information necessary for diagnosis.

The doctor of the other clinic makes a diagnosis based on the patient data contained in the received mail, inputs the diagnosis result, findings, etc., and then clicks the link button LB. The file name of each is described in the link information part D5 of the patient data received as an email by this click and the link information part D5 of the patient data such as the diagnosis result created by the specialist, and these patient data are associated with each other. To be After that, the specialist in the other clinic selects any displayed patient data, clicks the mail button MB, inputs the destination, and returns all the associated patient data to the sending doctor in charge ( 45).

The doctor in charge who has received the return of the mail from the specialist can obtain the diagnosis result included in the returned mail, and can improve the diagnosis efficiency and the reliability of the diagnosis.

As described above, according to this mail system, patient data can be easily associated,
Moreover, the associated data (files) can be collectively sent as an email.

In the above-mentioned mail system, it is necessary to click the link button LB to correlate the displayed patient data with each other, then select one patient data and instruct to send the mail. However, for example, when the mail button MB is clicked, all the patient data displayed on the display device 21 are associated with each other, and when the destination is in the hospital, the identification information for identifying any one patient data is set as the destination. Alternatively, when the destination is out of the hospital, all associated patient data may be transmitted. In this case, the MPU 24 may continuously perform the link processing shown in FIG. 6 and the mail processing shown in FIG. 7 in response to the click of the mail button MB.

Further, when document data such as findings and annotations is input while image data is displayed, the process of FIG. 6 may be executed to automatically associate these data with each other. The associating process may be executed when the MPU 24 opens the text file for annotation, and the file type identification process is performed after the input is completed to recognize that the newly created file is a text file. You may perform it at the time when it was done. Further, when an input operation, for example, a click operation or a drag operation of the mouse 26, an operation of a key of the keyboard 27, or the like is performed while a plurality of patient data are displayed, the association process of FIG. 6 is executed, The displayed patient data may be automatically associated. In this case, the patient data can be automatically associated with each other without the user's intention.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the link information between the patient data is held by each patient data itself, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the related information is stored in another area such as a dedicated file or a memory. It may be stored and referred to at any time.

The mail includes information indicating the layout of each patient data on the screen (display position and display size of each display data), so that when the receiving side opens the mail, the same screen as the sending side opens. May be.

Although the embodiment in which the present invention is applied to the medical field has been described, the present invention automatically generates links between data and commonly uses the links between applications without the user being aware of them. It is applicable to all other fields.

[0049]

According to the mail system of the present invention, associated data (files) are collectively transmitted when a mail is transmitted. Therefore, it is possible to easily generate, send and receive mails including data (images and texts) of different formats that are related to each other without performing complicated selection processing and setting. Further, the data (files) can be easily associated with each other.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a mail system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a structure of patient data.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a diagnostic terminal device.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a data flow in the mail system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a display example of a diagnostic terminal device.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an association process.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a mail transmission process.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 Hospital LAN 12 Modality for examination 12 ₁ CT scan device 12 ₂ X-ray device 12 ₃ Electrocardiogram device 13 Patient information DB 14 _{1 to} 14 _n Diagnostic terminal device 15 Gateway 21 Display device 22 External storage device 23 Memory 24 MPU (microprocessor unit) ) 25 I / O port 26 mouse 27 keyboard 28 CCU 29 bus

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A mail system for sending and receiving a mail, a storage means for storing a plurality of files, an associating means for associating the plurality of files stored in the storage means, and a transmission and destination of an arbitrary file. An instruction means for instructing, a transmitting means for transmitting information specifying a file to be transmitted in response to the instruction of the instructing means, and receiving the information transmitted by the transmitting means and transmitting the information from the storage means. Read-out means for reading the file and reading and displaying the file associated with the file in response to the associating means. 2. In a mail system for transmitting and receiving electronic mail, associating means for associating a plurality of files, instructing means for instructing transmission and destination of arbitrary files, and the instructing means and the associating means. In response, a discriminating unit that discriminates whether or not a file associated with the file instructed by the instructing unit exists, and the file instructed by the instructing unit according to the instruction by the instructing unit and the discrimination by the discriminating unit. And transmitting means for transmitting the file associated with the file to the destination instructed by the instructing means, and display means for receiving the file transmitted by the transmitting means and displaying the received file. Characteristic mail system. 3. The associating means includes a display device, and associates the plurality of files when a predetermined operation is performed while the plurality of files are displayed on the display device. The mail system according to claim 1 or 2. 4. The associating means includes a display device, and when a plurality of files are displayed on the display device and one of the plurality of files is instructed to be transmitted, the plurality of files are displayed. 3. The mail system according to claim 1, wherein the mail system is associated with. 5. The associating means includes a display device, and when new data is input in a state where the first file is displayed on the display device, the first file and the new file are newly input. The mail system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a second file composed of data is associated. 6. A mail system, comprising a database and a plurality of terminals, for exchanging mail between the terminals, wherein each terminal has reading means for reading data from the database, and data read by the reading means on a display screen. Display means for displaying, input means for inputting character data on the same display screen as the display screen, and associating means for setting related information for associating the image data displayed on the display screen with the character data. An instruction means for selecting the data displayed on the display screen and instructing transmission, a transmission means for transmitting information specifying the data selected by the instruction means, and information transmitted from another terminal Is received, the selected data is read from the database based on the information, and the association information is retrieved from the association information by the association means. Mail system characterized in that it comprises reading the data from the database, reading means for displaying the read data. 7. The instructing means comprises destination instructing means for instructing a destination of the mail, and the transmitting means comprises an address determining means for determining whether or not the destination instructed by the address instructing means shares a database. When the destination discriminating unit discriminates that the destination shares a database, the transmitting unit transmits the information for identifying the data designated by the instruction unit to the destination, and the destination is The mail system according to claim 6, wherein when it is determined that the database is not shared, the data instructed by the instructing means and the data associated with the data are transmitted to the destination.