Patent EP0420546A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0420546A2
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Manipulating image data
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1990-09-24
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-09-24
Abstract
Abstract A method of editing image data produced from reconstructed tomographic data comprises the creation and editing of a bit map with bits corresponding to each data element of the image. The bit map permits faster processing of editing commands. The resultant image is displayed from a boolean combination of the edited bit map and the original data elements. Rapid altering of the boolean combination allows "toggling" of the edited image with an unedited image for clarity. The edited bit map may be used to edit a three dimensional reconstruction by substituting pad values for the image data according to the state of the bit map. The bit map may be altered to track certain editing processes such as connectivity or region growing. Apparatus for carrying out the method is disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 David Michael Frazee
- 👤 Carl Ross Crawford
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 02:15
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T17/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of editing images formed of a plurality of words of image data each word associated with a voxel of an imaged object comprising the steps of: establishing a bit map comprised of a plurality of bits with each bit associated with a word; editing the bit map; logically combining each bit of the bit map with each bit of the corresponding word to produce a word of edited image data; and displaying the edited image data.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of editing images formed of a plurality of words of image data each word associated with a voxel of an imaged object comprising the steps of: establishing a bit map comprised of a plurality of bits with each bit associated with a word; editing the bit map; logically combining each bit of the bit map with each bit of the corresponding word to produce a word of edited image data; and displaying the edited image data.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
65 words
The method of claim one wherein the method of establishing the bit map comprises the steps: comparing the value of the word of image data associated with each bit to a threshold value to define an object selection criterion; and setting the associated bit in the bit map if its corresponding word of image data satisfies the object selection criterion defined by the threshold value.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
90 words
A method of editing three-dimensional images formed of a plurality of image data words each word associated with a voxel of a three dimensional imaged object comprising: establishing a three dimensional bit map comprised of a plurality of bits with each bit associated with an image data word; editing the bit map; producing from the plurality of image data words and the edited bit map, edited image data words corresponding to image words of the imaged object; extracting a surface from the edited image data; and displaying the extracted surface.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
90 words
A method of editing three-dimensional images formed of a plurality of image data words each word associated with a voxel of a three dimensional imaged object comprising: establishing a three dimensional bit map comprised of a plurality of bits with each bit associated with an image data word; editing the bit map; producing from the plurality of image data words and the edited bit map, edited image data words corresponding to image words of the imaged object; extracting a surface from the edited image data; and displaying the extracted surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
131 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the method of producing the edited image data words comprises the steps of: setting a word of the edited image data to the value of its corresponding image word if its associated bit in the bit map is not set and the value of its associated image word is outside of a predetermined range; setting a word of the edited image data to a predetermined pad value if its associated bit in the bit map is not set and its associated image word is within a predetermined range; and setting a word of the edited image data to the value of its corresponding image word if its associated bit in the bit map is set and its associated image word is within a predetermined range.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the pad value does not satisfy a surface defining criterion used to extract a surface from the edited image data.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of editing images formed of a plurality of image words, each word associated with a voxel of an imaged object comprising the steps of: (a) establishing a bit map comprised of a plurality of bits with each bit associated with an image word; (b) identifying a seed bit among the set bits within the bit map; (c) identifying the first tier neighbor bits to the seed bit; (d) setting the seed bit to zero; (e) identifying second tier neighbors to the first tier neighbors; (f) setting the first tier neighbor bits to zero; (g) treating the second tier neighbors as first tier neighbors; and (h) repeating steps (e)-(f) until there are no second tier neighbors.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of editing images formed of a plurality of image words, each word associated with a voxel of an imaged object comprising the steps of: (a) establishing a bit map comprised of a plurality of bits with each bit associated with an image word; (b) identifying a seed bit among the set bits within the bit map; (c) identifying the first tier neighbor bits to the seed bit; (d) setting the seed bit to zero; (e) identifying second tier neighbors to the first tier neighbors; (f) setting the first tier neighbor bits to zero; (g) treating the second tier neighbors as first tier neighbors; and (h) repeating steps (e)-(f) until there are no second tier neighbors.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
124 words
A method of displaying on a display terminal images formed of a plurality of image words each word associated with a voxel of an imaged object, the display terminal having a first and second display buffer memory for selectively displaying the boolean combination of the data in the display memories or the data of a single buffer, comprising the steps of: establishing a bit map comprised of a plurality of bits with each bit associated with an image word; editing the bit map; loading the bit map in the first display buffer memory; loading the image words in the second display buffer memory; displaying the boolean combination of the first display buffer and the second display buffer; and displaying the second display buffer only.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
124 words
A method of displaying on a display terminal images formed of a plurality of image words each word associated with a voxel of an imaged object, the display terminal having a first and second display buffer memory for selectively displaying the boolean combination of the data in the display memories or the data of a single buffer, comprising the steps of: establishing a bit map comprised of a plurality of bits with each bit associated with an image word; editing the bit map; loading the bit map in the first display buffer memory; loading the image words in the second display buffer memory; displaying the boolean combination of the first display buffer and the second display buffer; and displaying the second display buffer only.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
11 words
Apparatus arranged to carry out the method of any preceding claim.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
82 words
Apparatus for editing images formed of a plurality of words of image data each word associated with a voxel of an imaged object comprising: means for establishing a bit map comprised of a plurality of bits with each bit associated with a word; means for editing the bit map; means for logically combining each bit of the bit map with each bit of the corresponding word to produce a word of edited image data; and means for displaying the edited image data.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
82 words
Apparatus for editing images formed of a plurality of words of image data each word associated with a voxel of an imaged object comprising: means for establishing a bit map comprised of a plurality of bits with each bit associated with a word; means for editing the bit map; means for logically combining each bit of the bit map with each bit of the corresponding word to produce a word of edited image data; and means for displaying the edited image data.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
61 words
The apparatus claim 9 wherein the means for establishing the bit map: compares the value of the word of image data associated with each bit to a threshold value to define an object selection criterion; and sets the associated bit in the bit map if its corresponding word of image data satisfies the object selection criterion defined by the threshold value.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
99 words
Apparatus for editing three-dimensional images formed of a plurality of image data words each word associated with a voxel of a three dimensional imaged object comprising: means for establishing a three dimensional bit map comprised of a plurality of bits with each bit associated with an image data word; means for editing the bit map; means for producing from the plurality of image data words and the edited bit map, edited image data words corresponding to image words of the imaged object; means for extracting a surface from the edited image data; and means for displaying the extracted surface.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
99 words
Apparatus for editing three-dimensional images formed of a plurality of image data words each word associated with a voxel of a three dimensional imaged object comprising: means for establishing a three dimensional bit map comprised of a plurality of bits with each bit associated with an image data word; means for editing the bit map; means for producing from the plurality of image data words and the edited bit map, edited image data words corresponding to image words of the imaged object; means for extracting a surface from the edited image data; and means for displaying the extracted surface.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
127 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the means for producing the edited image data words: sets a word of the edited image data to the value of its corresponding image word if its associated bit in the bit map is not set and the value of its associated image word is outside of a predetermined range; sets a word of the edited image data to a predetermined pad value if its associated bit in the bit map is not set and its associated image word is within a predetermined range; and sets a word of the edited image data to the value of its corresponding image word if its associated bit in the bit map is set and its associated image word is within a predetermined range.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the pad value does not satisfy a surface defining criterion used to extract a surface from the edited image data.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
116 words
Apparatus for editing images formed of a plurality of image words, each word associated with a voxel of an imaged object comprising means arranged to: (a) establish a bit map comprised of a plurality of bits with each bit associated with an image word; (b) identify a seed bit among the set bits within the bit map; (c) identify the first tier neighbor bits to the seed bit; (d) set the seed bit to zero; (e) identify second tier neighbors to the first tier neighbors; (f) set the first tier neighbor bits to zero; (g) treat the second tier neighbors as first tier neighbors; and (h) repeat steps (e)-(f) until there are no second tier neighbors.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
116 words
Apparatus for editing images formed of a plurality of image words, each word associated with a voxel of an imaged object comprising means arranged to: (a) establish a bit map comprised of a plurality of bits with each bit associated with an image word; (b) identify a seed bit among the set bits within the bit map; (c) identify the first tier neighbor bits to the seed bit; (d) set the seed bit to zero; (e) identify second tier neighbors to the first tier neighbors; (f) set the first tier neighbor bits to zero; (g) treat the second tier neighbors as first tier neighbors; and (h) repeat steps (e)-(f) until there are no second tier neighbors.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
141 words
Apparatus for displaying on a display images formed of a plurality of image words each word associated with a voxel of an imaged object, the display having a first and second display buffer memory for selectively displaying the boolean combination of the data in the display memories or the data of a single buffer, comprising: the said display and first and second buffer memories; means for establishing a bit map comprised of a plurality of bits with each bit associated with an image word; means for editing the bit map; and control means for loading the bit map in the first display buffer memory; loading the image words in the second display buffer memory; causing the display of the boolean combination of the first display buffer and the second display buffer; and causing the display of the second display buffer only.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
141 words
Apparatus for displaying on a display images formed of a plurality of image words each word associated with a voxel of an imaged object, the display having a first and second display buffer memory for selectively displaying the boolean combination of the data in the display memories or the data of a single buffer, comprising: the said display and first and second buffer memories; means for establishing a bit map comprised of a plurality of bits with each bit associated with an image word; means for editing the bit map; and control means for loading the bit map in the first display buffer memory; loading the image words in the second display buffer memory; causing the display of the boolean combination of the first display buffer and the second display buffer; and causing the display of the second display buffer only.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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