Patent ID: 8041156

Claim:
A system for storing image data objects and for retrieving the image data objects, the system comprising: a memory for storing imaging data objects, each image data object being stored in a single-frame image data standard or a multi-frame image data standard; and a processor coupled to the memory configured to: detect a data transmission negotiation from an external imaging device for a workflow request for one or more requested image data objects; when a data transmission negotiation is detected, determine a first set of negotiations particulars of the negotiation, the first set of negotiation particulars comprising an indication of the image data standard supported by the external imaging device and an indication of a type of workflow request; determine whether to convert the one or more requested image data objects based on the first set of negotiation particulars; and if the requested image data objects is to be converted, determining whether to convert the requested image data objects to the single-frame image data standard or the multi-frame image data standard; wherein the external imaging device supports at least one of the single-frame image data standard or the multi-frame image data standard; wherein the workflow request type is a retrieve type for retrieving one or more requested image data objects from the memory or a store type for storing one or more requested image data objects to the memory; wherein each single-frame image data object comprises pixel data associated with one or more meta-data attributes; and wherein the processor converting a first requested single-frame image data object and a second requested single-frame image data to the multi-frame image data standard comprises the steps of: (i) determining one or more shared meta-data attributes of the first and second requested image data objects by determining which of the one or more meta-data attributes of the first requested image data object and the one or more meta-data attributes of the second requested image data object are the same; (ii) associating the shared meta-data attributes from (i) as one entity within a multi-frame image data object; and (iii) associating the pixel data of the first requested image data object and the pixel data of the second requested image data object as separate entities within the multi-frame image data object.