Method and apparatus for generating a plurality of parameters of an object in a field of view

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 said locations traced in step (d) correspond to positions along the boundary of said object.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein said locations traced in step (d) correspond to positions interior to the boundary of said object.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein another of said plurality of parameters of said object is the area of said object.

Claim 6

The method of claim 4 wherein said step (b) (2) further comprises the steps of: assigning a number to each pixel location with said numbers being sequential starting from left to right for the representation that is a representation of the area of said field of view.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5 wherein said step (e) further comprises the steps of: (i) if present pixel location (X m , Y n ) compared to previously traced pixel location (X j , Y k ) is such that Y n <Y k , then adding present pixel value P i (X m -1, Y i ) to B (ii) subtracting B from A to derive the area of said object.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1 wherein said step (b) (2) further comprises the steps of: assigning a number to each pixel location (X m , Y n ) with said number calculated as follows ##EQU3## where P(X i Y n ) is the grey scale value at the pixel location of (X i ,Y n ), for the representation that is a representation of the integrated optical density of said field of view.

Claim 9

The method of claim 7 wherein said step (e) further comprises the steps of: (i) if present pixel location (X m , Y n ) compared to the previously traced pixel location (X j ,Y k ) is such that Y n <Y k , then adding present pixel value Pi(X m ,Y n ) to A Y n >Y k , then adding present pixel value P i (X m -1,Y n ) to B (ii) subtracting B from A to derive the integrated optical density of said object.

Claim 10

The method of claim 1 wherein said step (c) further comprises the steps of: (c)(1) segmenting said electrical signal into a plurality of pixels and digitizing the image intensity of each pixel into an electrical signal representing the greyscale value to form a first representation of said image; (c)(2) processing the electrical signal of each of said greyscale value of said first representation to form a second representation of said image by comparing the greyscale value of each pixel to a pre-set threshold value such that as a result a "0" is assigned at each pixel location which is outside the boundary of said object and a "1" is assigned everywhere else; (c)(3) converting said second representation into a third representation by assigning a value to a pixel (x,y) in accordance with ##EQU4## where a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h are the values of the eight nearest neighbors surrounding pixel (X,Y) in accordance with ______________________________________ g d h c pixel (X,Y) a f b e. ______________________________________

Claim 11

The method of claim 9 wherein said step (d) further comprises the steps of: scanning said third representation until a first non-zero P(X,Y) value is reached; comparing said P(X,Y) value and an input direction value to a look-up table to determine the next location of the non-zero value of P(X,Y) and forming a chaining code.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein another of said plurality of parameters of said object is the area of said object.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said processing means further comprises: means for assigning a number to each pixel location with said numbers being sequential starting from left to right for the representation that is a representation of the area of said field of view.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said calculating means further comprises: means for adding the value of the present pixel location P i (X m ,Y n ) to A if Y n <Y k and P i (X m -1,Y i ) to B if Y n >Y k where Y k is the Y component of (X j Y k ), the location of the immediately preceding pixel that was traced, and means for subtracting B from A to derive the area of said object.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said processing means further comprises: means for assigning a number to each pixel location (X m ,Y n ) with said number calculated as follows: ##EQU5## where P(X i ,Y n ) is the greyscale value at the pixel location of (X i ,Y n ).

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said calculating means further comprises: means for adding the value of the present pixel location P i (X m ,Y n ) to A if Y n <Y k and P i (X m -1,Y n ) to B if Y n >Y k where Y k is the Y component of (X j ,Y k ), the location of the immediately preceding pixel that was traced; and means for subtracting B from A to derive the integrated optical density of said object.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said generating means further comprises: means for forming a first representation of said image by segmenting said image into a plurality of pixels and digitizing the image intensity of each pixel into an electrical signal representing the greyscale value; means for processing the electrical signal of each of said greyscale value to form a second representation of said image; logic means for converting said second representation into a third representation whereby the value of a pixel at a location (hereinafter: pixel (X,Y)) in the second representation and the values of the nearest adjacent neighbors of said pixel at said location are converted into a single value at said corresponding location (hereinafter: P(X,Y)) in said third representation; storage means for storing said third representation; and table means for storing various possible values of P(X,Y), said table means for receiving a value of P(X,Y) and an input direction value, and for producing an output direction value to indicate the next location of P(X,Y) having a non-zero value, said non-zero values of P(X,Y) form the boundary of said object.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said logic means is adapted to convert said second representation in accordance with the following rules; (1) If pixel (X,Y)=0, then assign 0 to P(X,Y); (2) If pixel (X,Y)=1, and all eight nearest neighbors of pixel (X,Y)=0, then assign 0 to P(X,Y); (3) If pixel (X,Y)=1 and all four nearest neighbors of pixel (X,Y)=1, then assign 0 to P(X,Y); (4) Otherwise assign a non-zero value to P(X,Y) wherein said value assigned to P(X,Y) is a number composed of the values of the eight nearest neighbors of pixel (X,Y).