Keratograph autoscanner system

Claim 1

A system for analyzing an image of an object which includes superimposed contour lines, comprising video means for generating electronic signals representative of the image by line scanning; means for digitizing the video signals a scan line at a time; computer means responsive to the digitized video signals for storing the image in the form of the digitized scan line data, and being adapted for detecting and storing intersection address locations of the contour lines along selected reference lines; a monitor controlled by the video means and stored addresses for displaying the image and intersection locations; the computer means being further adapted to detect the intersection addresses based upon highest-magnitude peak values of the digitized video signals along the selected reference lines, and to correct intersection addresses by selectively writing in high or low values; and adjustable correction control means interfacing with the computer means for selectively positioning correction cursors on the monitor image to thereby generate the address of the intersection correction.

Claim 2

A system for analyzing an image of an object which includes superimposed contour lines, comprising video means for generating electronic signals representative of the image by line scanning; means for digitizing the video signals a scan line at a time; computer means responsive to the digitized video signals for storing the image in the form of the digitized scan line data, and being adapted for detecting and storing intersection address locations of the contour lines along selected reference lines; a monitor controlled by the video means and stored addresses for displaying the image and intersection locations; the computer means being further adapted to detect the intersection addresses based upon highest-magnitude peak values of the digitized video signals along the selected reference lines, and to correct intersection addresses by selectively writing in high or low values; and adjustable correction control means interfacing with the computer means for selectively positioning correction cursors on the monitor image to thereby generate the address of the intersection correction.

Claim 6

A system for analyzing an image of an object which includes superimposed contour lines, comprising video means for generating electronic signals representative of the image; means for digitizing the electronic signals; computer means responsive to the digitized electronic signals for detecting and storing the intersection address locations of the contour lines along selected reference lines based upon the highest-magnitude peak values of the digitized electronic signals along the selected reference lines; a monitor controlled by the video means and stored addresses for displaying the image and intersection locations; correction control means interfacing with the computer means for selectively positioning correction cursors on the monitor image at selected locations corresponding to missing or incorrectly positioned intersection locations; and wherein the computer means is adapted for correcting intersection addresses by selectively writing in high or low values at the addresses of said selected locations.

Claim 7

A system for analyzing an image of an object which includes superimposed contour lines, comprising video means for generating electronic signals representative of the image; means for digitizing the electronic signals; computer means responsive to the digitized electronic signals for detecting and storing the intersection address locations of the contour lines along selected reference lines based upon the highest-magnitude peak values of the digitized electronic signals along the selected reference lines; a monitor controlled by the video means and stored addresses for displaying the image and intersection locations; correction control means interfacing with the computer means for selectively positioning correction cursors on the monitor image at selected locations corresponding to missing or incorrectly positioned intersection locations; and wherein the computer means is adapted for correcting intersection addresses by selectively writing in high or low values at the addresses of said selected locations.

Claim 12

A system for analyzing an image of an object which includes superimposed contour lines, comprising a video camera for generating electronic video signals representative of the image by line scanning; means for digitizing the video signals a scan line at a time; computer means including a memory responsive to the digitized video signals for storing the image in the form of the digitized scan line data, and being adapted for detecting and storing the intersection addresses of the contour lines along selected reference lines based upon the highest-magnitude peak values of the digitized video along the selected reference lines; a monitor controlled by the video camera and stored addresses for displaying the image locations; adjustable correction control means interfacing with the computer means for selectively positioning correction cursors on the monitor image to thereby generate the address of the intersection corrections; and an interface circuit comprising the signal digitizing means; buffer storage for transferring the digitized scan line data to the computer memory; intersection address storage means for storing the intersection addresses of the contour lines along the selected reference lines and for storing the corrected intersection addresses; a logic circuit adapted for selectively receiving the video signals and the intersection addresses to responsively superimpose the address locations on the monitor image; and a multiplex circuit responsive to field signals and horizontal and vertical sync signals inherent to the video image for controlling transfer of the digitized scan line data to the computer means and transfer of the intersection address data to the intersection address storage means.

Claim 13

A system for analyzing an image of an object which includes superimposed contour lines, comprising a video camera for generating electronic video signals representative of the image by line scanning; means for digitizing the video signals a scan line at a time; computer means including a memory responsive to the digitized video signals for storing the image in the form of the digitized scan line data, and being adapted for detecting and storing the intersection addresses of the contour lines along selected reference lines based upon the highest-magnitude peak values of the digitized video along the selected reference lines; a monitor controlled by the video camera and stored addresses for displaying the image locations; adjustable correction control means interfacing with the computer means for selectively positioning correction cursors on the monitor image to thereby generate the address of the intersection corrections; and an interface circuit comprising the signal digitizing means; buffer storage for transferring the digitized scan line data to the computer memory; intersection address storage means for storing the intersection addresses of the contour lines along the selected reference lines and for storing the corrected intersection addresses; a logic circuit adapted for selectively receiving the video signals and the intersection addresses to responsively superimpose the address locations on the monitor image; and a multiplex circuit responsive to field signals and horizontal and vertical sync signals inherent to the video image for controlling transfer of the digitized scan line data to the computer means and transfer of the intersection address data to the intersection address storage means.

Claim 17

A method of using a video camera and a computer to determine the topography of a corneal surface, comprising using the camera to provide a video corneal image comprising a matrix of scan lines and superimposed reference curves such a Placido rings or mires; digitizing the image matrix one scan line at a time; determining the intersectional position of the reference curves along at least one selected axis; checking the accuracy of the detected reference curve positions by displaying the reference curve positions on the video image; selectively positioning correction cursors at the correct reference curve positions on the image for controlling correctional movement of the detected reference curve positions; storing the address of the correction cursors in the computer as the corrected reference curve address; and displaying the corrected video corneal image.

Claim 18

A method of using a video camera and a computer to determine the topography of a corneal surface, comprising using the camera to provide a video corneal image comprising a matrix of scan lines and superimposed reference curves such a Placido rings or mires; digitizing the image matrix one scan line at a time; determining the intersectional position of the reference curves along at least one selected axis; checking the accuracy of the detected reference curve positions by displaying the reference curve positions on the video image; selectively positioning correction cursors at the correct reference curve positions on the image for controlling correctional movement of the detected reference curve positions; storing the address of the correction cursors in the computer as the corrected reference curve address; and displaying the corrected video corneal image.