Patent US5291889A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5291889A
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Apparatus and method for spatially positioning images
Assignee: Vanguard Imaging Ltd
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Filing: 1991-05-23
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Granted: 1994-03-08
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Expires: 2011-05-23
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method for facilitating the positioning of a live image with respect to a reference image in which the live and reference images are combined to produce a composite image that is displayed.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert O. Kenet
- 👤 Guillermo J. Tearney
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 16:15
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N5/00; H04N5/222; H04N5/262; H04N5/265; G; G06; G06T; G06T11/00; G06T2207/00; G06T2207/30; G06T2207/30004; G06T2207/30088
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 44
Claim 1
Independent Claim
64 words
A method of facilitating the positioning of a live image of a body surface with respect to a reference image of the same body surface, comprising: obtaining the live image; obtaining the reference image; intermingling the live and reference images to produce a composite image including alternately juxtaposing image portions of said live and reference images in a tesselation; and displaying said composite image.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
64 words
A method of facilitating the positioning of a live image of a body surface with respect to a reference image of the same body surface, comprising: obtaining the live image; obtaining the reference image; intermingling the live and reference images to produce a composite image including alternately juxtaposing image portions of said live and reference images in a tesselation; and displaying said composite image.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 in which the reference image includes the same body surface as the live image to facilitate positioning of temporally related images.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1 further including storing the reference image.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 further including digitizing at least one of the images.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 4 in which said intermingling of images is deterministic.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 4 in which said intermingling of images is linear.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 4 in which said intermingling of images is non-linear.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 4 in which each image is composed of a plurality of pixels.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 8 in which combining the images includes combining the pixels from said images to produce composite pixels.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 9 in which each composite pixel is taken from only one of the digital images.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 4 in which said intermingling of images is stochastic.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 further including displaying portions of the reference image before displaying the composite image.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 in which said tesselation comprises polygonal image areas.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
56 words
A method of facilitating the positioning of a live image with respect to a reference image, comprising: obtaining the live image; obtaining and storing the reference image; alternately selecting geometrically-shaped portions of the two images to produce a composite image comprising interspersed geometrically-shaped image portions of said live and reference images; and displaying the composite image.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
56 words
A method of facilitating the positioning of a live image with respect to a reference image, comprising: obtaining the live image; obtaining and storing the reference image; alternately selecting geometrically-shaped portions of the two images to produce a composite image comprising interspersed geometrically-shaped image portions of said live and reference images; and displaying the composite image.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 14 in which said geometrically-shaped image portions are polygons.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 14 in which said images are of the same body surface.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
73 words
A method of facilitating the positioning of a live digital image with respect to a digital reference image, comprising: obtaining the live digital image; obtaining and storing the digital reference image; displaying spaced portions of said digital reference image; and displaying spaced portions of said live image interspersed between said displayed digital reference image portions to create an intermingled composite display including alternately juxtaposed image portions of said live and reference digital images.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
73 words
A method of facilitating the positioning of a live digital image with respect to a digital reference image, comprising: obtaining the live digital image; obtaining and storing the digital reference image; displaying spaced portions of said digital reference image; and displaying spaced portions of said live image interspersed between said displayed digital reference image portions to create an intermingled composite display including alternately juxtaposed image portions of said live and reference digital images.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 17 in which said portions are geometrically-shaped.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 17 in which said images are of the same body surface.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
74 words
An apparatus for facilitating the positioning of a live image of a body surface with respect to a reference image of the same body surface, comprising: means for obtaining the live image; means for obtaining the reference image; means for intermingling the live and reference images to produce a composite image including means for alternately juxtaposing image portions of said live and reference images in a tesselation; and means for displaying said composite image.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
74 words
An apparatus for facilitating the positioning of a live image of a body surface with respect to a reference image of the same body surface, comprising: means for obtaining the live image; means for obtaining the reference image; means for intermingling the live and reference images to produce a composite image including means for alternately juxtaposing image portions of said live and reference images in a tesselation; and means for displaying said composite image.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 20 in which the reference image includes the same body surface as the live image to facilitate positioning of temporally related images.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 20 further including means for storing the reference image.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 20 further including means for digitizing at least one of the images.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 23 in which said means for intermingling images is stochastic.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 23 in which said means for intermingling images is deterministic.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 23 in which said means for intermingling images is linear.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 23 in which said means for intermingling images is non-linear.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 23 in which each image is composed of pixels.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 28 in which said means for combining said images includes means for combining the pixels from said images to produce composite pixels.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 29 in which each composite pixel is taken from only one of the digital images.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 20 further including means for displaying the reference image before displaying said composite image.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 20 in which said tesselation comprises polygonal image areas.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
64 words
An apparatus for facilitating the positioning of a live image with respect to a reference image, comprising: means for obtaining the live image; means for obtaining and storing the reference image; means for alternately selecting geometrically-shaped portions of the two images to produce a composite image comprising interspersed geometrically-shaped image portions of said live and reference images; and means for displaying said composite image.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
64 words
An apparatus for facilitating the positioning of a live image with respect to a reference image, comprising: means for obtaining the live image; means for obtaining and storing the reference image; means for alternately selecting geometrically-shaped portions of the two images to produce a composite image comprising interspersed geometrically-shaped image portions of said live and reference images; and means for displaying said composite image.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 33 in which said geometrically-shaped image portions are polygons.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 33 in which said images are of the same body surface.
Claim 41
Independent Claim
81 words
An apparatus for facilitating the positioning of a live digital image with respect to a digital reference image, comprising: means for obtaining the live digital image; means for obtaining and storing the digital reference image; means for displaying spaced portions of said digital reference image; and means for displaying spaced portions of said live image interspersed between said displayed digital reference image portions to create an intermingled composite display including alternately juxtaposed image portions of said live and stored digital images.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
81 words
An apparatus for facilitating the positioning of a live digital image with respect to a digital reference image, comprising: means for obtaining the live digital image; means for obtaining and storing the digital reference image; means for displaying spaced portions of said digital reference image; and means for displaying spaced portions of said live image interspersed between said displayed digital reference image portions to create an intermingled composite display including alternately juxtaposed image portions of said live and stored digital images.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 36 in which said portions are geometrically-shaped.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 36 in which said images are of the same body surface.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-03-07 | 1997-09-06 | 1998-03-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-03-07 | 2001-09-06 | 2002-03-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-03-07 | 2005-09-06 | 2006-03-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |