Modularly expansible system for real time processing of a TV display, useful in particular for the acquisition of coordinates of known shape objects and method using said system in radiography.

Claim 2

A TV image or display real-time processing system, particularly for in-line acquisition of coordinates of objects or targets by bi-dimensional correlation techniques, characterized in that it comprises in combination and operatively interconnected circuit-wise,

Claim 3

(a) a TV camera means (T) adapted for scanning a field where at least one object or marker whose coordinates are to be detected is present; (b) a means (ST) of sampling the display recorded by said TV camera means; (c) a clock generator means adapted to synchronize at least said TV camera'means and to generate the coordinates and timing for said system; (d) an analog-to-digital converter means (C) adapted to convert information from said TV camera means (T) into a digital signal having preset characteristics; (e) a correlation means (CR) receiving as the- input thereto said digital signal to output a function of correlation of said input signal to a settable reference; (f) a reference weighing means (M) circuit-wise connected to said correlating means and cooperating therewith to supply said correlation function (mask); (g) a detector means (R) connected to the output from said correlation means and adapted to detect that a preset threashold has been exceeded in the correlation function and thus pick up the spots or more likely presence of said at least one object or marker; and (h) a minicomputer means (Me) for further processing said correlation function.

Claim 4

(a) a TV camera means (T) adapted for scanning a field where at least one object or marker whose coordinates are to be detected is present; (b) a means (ST) of sampling the display recorded by said TV camera means; (c) a clock generator means adapted to synchronize at least said TV camera'means and to generate the coordinates and timing for said system; (d) an analog-to-digital converter means (C) adapted to convert information from said TV camera means (T) into a digital signal having preset characteristics; (e) a correlation means (CR) receiving as the- input thereto said digital signal to output a function of correlation of said input signal to a settable reference; (f) a reference weighing means (M) circuit-wise connected to said correlating means and cooperating therewith to supply said correlation function (mask); (g) a detector means (R) connected to the output from said correlation means and adapted to detect that a preset threashold has been exceeded in the correlation function and thus pick up the spots or more likely presence of said at least one object or marker; and (h) a minicomputer means (Me) for further processing said correlation function.

Claim 5

A TV display processing system according to Claim 1, characterized in that said settable reference is such as to have a high correlation with said target and supply low values with the undesired background.

Claim 6

A TV display processing system according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it includes, at the output from said correlation means (CR), a digital-to-analog conversion means and Monitor means receiving said analog output to optimize said reference.

Claim 7

A TV display processing system according to Claim 1, wherein said correlation means (CR) comprises a digital processor adapted to in-line compute the correlation between portions of the display recorded on said TV camera means and the expected signal (target) and to supply the coordinates of the spots whereat said correlation reaches values in excess of said preset threshold.

Claim 8

A TV display processing system according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said clock generator means is adapted to supply vertical and horizontal synchronizations at 50 and 15,625 Hz to said TV camera means and Monitor, said vertical synchronization coinciding with the sampling period and synchronizing, therefore, said means of sampling said display.

Claim 9

A modularly expansible system for processing the TV display in real time, particularly for the acquisition of coordinates of known shape objects, according to Claim 1, comprising in combination operatively interconnected TV camera means circuit-wise which is adapted to scan the field where at least one of said objects or markers is present whose coordinates are to be detected, a means (ST) of sampling the display recorded by said TV camera means, clock generator means adapted to synchronize at least said TV camera means and to generate the coordinates and timing for said system, an analog-to-digital converter means (C) adapted to convert the information from said TV camera means (T) into a digital signal having preset characteristics, a correlation means (CR) receiving said digital signal at the input thereof and adapted to carry out a change on said signal to output a function of correlation between said input signal and a settable reference, a reference weighing means (M) circuit-wise connected to said correlator means and cooperating therewith to provide said correlation (mask) function, a detector means (R) connected to the output from said correlation means (CR) and adapted to detect that a preset threshold has been exceeded on the correlation function to obtain the spots of more likely presence of said at least one object or marker a minicomputer means (MC) for further processing the data thus obtained, said system being characterized in that said correlation means (CR) comprises a plurality of cascade connected stages, said stages including at least one stage adapted to parallelize a preset number of rows in the TV raster, at least one stage of column delay lines, at least one pre-adder stage, and a totalizing adder stage.

Claim 10

A system according to Claim 6, characterized in that said correlation means (CR) comprises five cascade connected stages.

Claim 12

A system according to Claim 8, characterized in that said five delay lines are controlled by a common control unit.

Claim 16

A system according to Claim 1, characterized in that it forms the first level in a multi-level hierarchical structure.

Claim 17

A method of real time processing a TV image or display, in particular for the acquisition of coordinates of known shape objects for use in radiography, by using a system according to Claim 6, comprising at least the following steps: a) providing at least one TV camera rigidly with the radiographic apparatus; b) providing marking elements or markers at reference spots on the patient; and c) detecting with the system according to any of the preceding claims and by real time and time-share processing of the TV signal, the spatial coordinates of said markers, and storing said markers in digital form on locating the patient positioning.

Claim 18

A method according to Claim 14, including, to reposition the patient for radiographic investigation and/or subsequent radiation application, at least the following steps: d) repositioning or keeping said markers at the same reference spots on the patient; e) regaining on monitors circles (targets) adapted to identify the optimum position already recorded in step c) above, simultaneously with the representation by light spots of the current position of said markers; f) positioning the patient until said current markers overlap on said monitor said targets; and g) real time computing, simultaneously with the positioning, a merit figure to quantify the position deviations and warn of the value of said merit figure dropping below a preset threshold.