Method and device for three-dimensional visualization from video signals, notably for electron microscopy

Claim 1

A method of three dimensional visualization of an object, including the following steps: (a) producing a number (n) of sets of video signals (Sk; k varying from 1 to n) respectively corresponding to a number (n) of base images (Vk) of the object taken with the same field, but at different photographing angles (Ak) corresponding to relative turning of the object around a common axis passing through the object and perpendicular to the optical axis of observation; (b) registering said sets of video signals (Sk), (c) dividing each of the base images (Vk) of the object in a plurality of adjacent elementary portions (P) corresponding to adjacent bands parallel to a common general direction, (d) selecting in each set of video signals the video signals corresponding to, respectively, said portions, (e) forming a composite image divided into a plurality of adjacent regions, said adjacent regions having the same configuration as that of said portions and said composite image having a number of adjacent regions which equals the number of said portions of each base image so that the portions of each base image are respectively associated with the regions of the composite image, each of said regions being composed of a number (n) of associated portions respectively defined from the selected video signals of each set of video signals, by arranging for each region of the composite image the selected video signals corresponding to the associated portions in an order corresponding to the respective photographing angles (ak), said step of forming a composite image being operated simultaneously with the step of (f) changing the magnification of said adjacent elementary portions between the general direction of said adjacent elementary portions (P) and the direction which is perpendicular thereto, in a ratio equal to said number (n) (g) positioning in optical cooperation with the composite image thus formed a lenticular grating comprising elementary lenses, in which the grid of the lenticular grating reproduces and corresponds to the shape of said regions.

Claim 2

A method of three dimensional visualization of an object, including the following steps: (a) producing a number (n) of sets of video signals (Sk; k varying from 1 to n) respectively corresponding to a number (n) of base images (Vk) of the object taken with the same field, but at different photographing angles (Ak) corresponding to relative turning of the object around a common axis passing through the object and perpendicular to the optical axis of observation; (b) registering said sets of video signals (Sk), (c) dividing each of the base images (Vk) of the object in a plurality of adjacent elementary portions (P) corresponding to adjacent bands parallel to a common general direction, (d) selecting in each set of video signals the video signals corresponding to, respectively, said portions, (e) forming a composite image divided into a plurality of adjacent regions, said adjacent regions having the same configuration as that of said portions and said composite image having a number of adjacent regions which equals the number of said portions of each base image so that the portions of each base image are respectively associated with the regions of the composite image, each of said regions being composed of a number (n) of associated portions respectively defined from the selected video signals of each set of video signals, by arranging for each region of the composite image the selected video signals corresponding to the associated portions in an order corresponding to the respective photographing angles (ak), said step of forming a composite image being operated simultaneously with the step of (f) changing the magnification of said adjacent elementary portions between the general direction of said adjacent elementary portions (P) and the direction which is perpendicular thereto, in a ratio equal to said number (n) (g) positioning in optical cooperation with the composite image thus formed a lenticular grating comprising elementary lenses, in which the grid of the lenticular grating reproduces and corresponds to the shape of said regions.

Claim 13

A method of three dimensional visualization of an object, including the following steps: (a1) producing a number (n) of sets of video signals (Sk; k varying from 1 to n) respectively corresponding to a number (n) of base images (Vk) of the object taken with the same field, but at different photographing angles (Ak) corresponding to relative turning of the object around a common axis passing through the object and perpendicular to the optical axis of observation; (a2) repeating the operation (a1) a number (p) of times with different photographing angles corresponding to relative turning of the object around a second common axis perpendicular to said first common axis and to said optical axis, (b) registering said sets of video signals (Sk), (c) forming a bidimensional division of each base images (Vl) of the object in a grid of a plurality of adjacent elementary portions (P), said division of the grid being operated parallel to two common general directions respectively parallel to said first and second common axis, (d) selecting in each set of video signals the video signals corresponding to respective said portions, (e) forming a composite image divided into a plurality of adjacent regions, said adjacent regions having the same configuration as that of said portions and said composite image having a number of adjacent regions which equals the number of said portions of each base image so that the portions of each base image are respectively associated with the regions of the composite image, each of said regions being composed of a grid of np associated portions respectively defined from the selected video signals of each set of video signals, by arranging for each region of the composite image the selected video signals corresponding to the associated portions, in an order corresponding to the respective photographing angles (Ak), said step of forming a composite image being operated simultaneously with the step (f) changing the magnification of said adjacent elementary portions in a ratio equal to said number (n) on said number (p) between the first general direction of said adjacent elementary portions (P) and the second general direction perpendicular thereto, (g) positioning in optical cooperation with the composite image thus formed a lenticular grating comprising elementary lenses, in which the grid of the lenticular grating reproduces and corresponds to the shape of said regions.

Claim 14

A method of three dimensional visualization of an object, including the following steps: (a1) producing a number (n) of sets of video signals (Sk; k varying from 1 to n) respectively corresponding to a number (n) of base images (Vk) of the object taken with the same field, but at different photographing angles (Ak) corresponding to relative turning of the object around a common axis passing through the object and perpendicular to the optical axis of observation; (a2) repeating the operation (a1) a number (p) of times with different photographing angles corresponding to relative turning of the object around a second common axis perpendicular to said first common axis and to said optical axis, (b) registering said sets of video signals (Sk), (c) forming a bidimensional division of each base images (Vl) of the object in a grid of a plurality of adjacent elementary portions (P), said division of the grid being operated parallel to two common general directions respectively parallel to said first and second common axis, (d) selecting in each set of video signals the video signals corresponding to respective said portions, (e) forming a composite image divided into a plurality of adjacent regions, said adjacent regions having the same configuration as that of said portions and said composite image having a number of adjacent regions which equals the number of said portions of each base image so that the portions of each base image are respectively associated with the regions of the composite image, each of said regions being composed of a grid of np associated portions respectively defined from the selected video signals of each set of video signals, by arranging for each region of the composite image the selected video signals corresponding to the associated portions, in an order corresponding to the respective photographing angles (Ak), said step of forming a composite image being operated simultaneously with the step (f) changing the magnification of said adjacent elementary portions in a ratio equal to said number (n) on said number (p) between the first general direction of said adjacent elementary portions (P) and the second general direction perpendicular thereto, (g) positioning in optical cooperation with the composite image thus formed a lenticular grating comprising elementary lenses, in which the grid of the lenticular grating reproduces and corresponds to the shape of said regions.

Claim 17

A device for three dimensional visualization of an object, including: (a) means for producing a number (n) of sets of video signals (Sk; k varying from 1 to n) respectively corresponding to a number (n) of base images (Vk) of the objects taken with the same field, but at different photographing angles (Ak) corresponding to relative turning of the object around a common axis passing through the object and perpendicular to the optical axis of observation, (b) means for registering said sets of video signals (Sk), (c) means for dividing each base images (Vk) of the object in a plurality of adjacent elementary portions (P) corresponding to adjacent bands parallel to a common general direction, (d) means for selecting in each set of video signals the video signals corresponding to, respectively, said portions, (e) means for forming a composite image divided into a plurality of adjacent regions, said adjacent regions having the same configuration as that of said portions and said composite image having a number of adjacent regions which equal the number of said portions of each base image so that the portions of each base image are respectively associated with the regions of the composite image, each of said regions being composed of a number (n) of associated portions respectively defined from the selected video signals of each set of video signals, by arranging for each region of the composite image the selected video signals corresponding to the associated portions in an order corresponding to the respective photographing angles (Ak), (f) means for changing the magnification of said adjacent elementary portions between the general direction of said adjacent elementary portions (P) and the direction which is perpendicular thereto, in a ratio equal to said number (n), (g) a lenticular grating comprising elementary lenses and having a grid which reproduces and corresponds to the shape of said regions said lenticular grating being positioned in optical cooperation with the composite image.

Claim 18

A device for three dimensional visualization of an object, including: (a) means for producing a number (n) of sets of video signals (Sk; k varying from 1 to n) respectively corresponding to a number (n) of base images (Vk) of the objects taken with the same field, but at different photographing angles (Ak) corresponding to relative turning of the object around a common axis passing through the object and perpendicular to the optical axis of observation, (b) means for registering said sets of video signals (Sk), (c) means for dividing each base images (Vk) of the object in a plurality of adjacent elementary portions (P) corresponding to adjacent bands parallel to a common general direction, (d) means for selecting in each set of video signals the video signals corresponding to, respectively, said portions, (e) means for forming a composite image divided into a plurality of adjacent regions, said adjacent regions having the same configuration as that of said portions and said composite image having a number of adjacent regions which equal the number of said portions of each base image so that the portions of each base image are respectively associated with the regions of the composite image, each of said regions being composed of a number (n) of associated portions respectively defined from the selected video signals of each set of video signals, by arranging for each region of the composite image the selected video signals corresponding to the associated portions in an order corresponding to the respective photographing angles (Ak), (f) means for changing the magnification of said adjacent elementary portions between the general direction of said adjacent elementary portions (P) and the direction which is perpendicular thereto, in a ratio equal to said number (n), (g) a lenticular grating comprising elementary lenses and having a grid which reproduces and corresponds to the shape of said regions said lenticular grating being positioned in optical cooperation with the composite image.

Claim 19

A device for three dimensional visualization of an object, including: (a1) means for producing a number (n) of sets of video signals (Sk): k varying from 1 to n) respectively corresponding to a number (n) of base images (Vk) of the object taken with the same field, but at different photographing angles (Ak) of the object taken with the same field, but at different photographing angles (Ak) corresponding to relative turning of the object around a first common axis passing through the object and perpendicular to the optical axis of observation, (a2) means for repeating the operation (a1) a number (p) of times with different photographing angles corresponding to relative turning of the object around a second common axis perpendicular to said first common axis and to said optical axis, (b) means for registering said sets of video signals (Sk), (c) means for forming a bidimensional division of each base images (Vk) of the object in a grid of a plurality of adjacent elementary portions (P), said division of the grid being operated parallel to two common general directions respectively parallel to said first and second common axis, (d) means for selecting in each set of video signals the video signals corresponding to, respectively, said portions, (e) means for forming a composite image divided into a plurality of adjacent regions, said adjacent regions having the same configurations as that of said portions of each base image and said composite image having a number of regions which equals the number of said portions of each base image so that the portions of each base image are respectively associated with the regions of the composite image, each of said regions being composed of a grid of np associated portions respectively defined from the selected video signals of each set of video signals, by arranging for each region of the composite image the selected video signals corresponding to the associated portions, in an order corresponding to the respective photographing angles (Ak), (f) means for changing the magnification of said adjacent elementary portions in a ratio equal to said number (n) on said number (p) between the first general direction of said adjacent elementary portions (P) and the second general direction perpendicular thereto, (g) means for positioning in optical cooperation with the composite image thus formed a lenticular grating comprising elementary lenses, the grid of the lenticular grating reproducing and corresponding to the shape of said regions.

Claim 20

A device for three dimensional visualization of an object, including: (a1) means for producing a number (n) of sets of video signals (Sk): k varying from 1 to n) respectively corresponding to a number (n) of base images (Vk) of the object taken with the same field, but at different photographing angles (Ak) of the object taken with the same field, but at different photographing angles (Ak) corresponding to relative turning of the object around a first common axis passing through the object and perpendicular to the optical axis of observation, (a2) means for repeating the operation (a1) a number (p) of times with different photographing angles corresponding to relative turning of the object around a second common axis perpendicular to said first common axis and to said optical axis, (b) means for registering said sets of video signals (Sk), (c) means for forming a bidimensional division of each base images (Vk) of the object in a grid of a plurality of adjacent elementary portions (P), said division of the grid being operated parallel to two common general directions respectively parallel to said first and second common axis, (d) means for selecting in each set of video signals the video signals corresponding to, respectively, said portions, (e) means for forming a composite image divided into a plurality of adjacent regions, said adjacent regions having the same configurations as that of said portions of each base image and said composite image having a number of regions which equals the number of said portions of each base image so that the portions of each base image are respectively associated with the regions of the composite image, each of said regions being composed of a grid of np associated portions respectively defined from the selected video signals of each set of video signals, by arranging for each region of the composite image the selected video signals corresponding to the associated portions, in an order corresponding to the respective photographing angles (Ak), (f) means for changing the magnification of said adjacent elementary portions in a ratio equal to said number (n) on said number (p) between the first general direction of said adjacent elementary portions (P) and the second general direction perpendicular thereto, (g) means for positioning in optical cooperation with the composite image thus formed a lenticular grating comprising elementary lenses, the grid of the lenticular grating reproducing and corresponding to the shape of said regions.