Method and apparatus for imaging volume data using voxel values

Claim 1

A method of generating a two dimensional representation of a three dimensional data set along a selected orientation of view comprising the steps of: generating a first image volume representing said three dimensional data set; storing said first image volume in a first image memory comprising a plurality of volume elements (voxels); generating a new background plane of voxels of said image volume by combining in a host computer a background plane of voxels of said image volume with a foreground plane of voxels of said image volume along a selected orientation of view, said new background plane of voxels having color and opacity values determined as a function of the color and opacity of the background plane of voxels and the foreground plane of voxels, wherein said function is given by: BG'=FG+(1-(FG)(A))(BG) where; BG'=the color and opacity components of the corresponding voxel in said new background plane; FG=the color and opacity components of a selected voxel; A=the opacity of said selected voxel; BG=the color and opacity components of previously combined voxels; successively repeating in said host computer the prior step for each new background plane of voxels and successive foreground plane of voxels through an nth foreground plane of voxels where n represents the total number of said foreground planes of voxels.

Claim 2

A method of generating a two dimensional representation of a three dimensional data set along a selected orientation of view comprising the steps of: generating a first image volume representing said three dimensional data set; storing said first image volume in a first image memory comprising a plurality of volume elements (voxels); generating a new background plane of voxels of said image volume by combining in a host computer a background plane of voxels of said image volume with a foreground plane of voxels of said image volume along a selected orientation of view, said new background plane of voxels having color and opacity values determined as a function of the color and opacity of the background plane of voxels and the foreground plane of voxels, wherein said function is given by: BG'=FG+(1-(FG)(A))(BG) where; BG'=the color and opacity components of the corresponding voxel in said new background plane; FG=the color and opacity components of a selected voxel; A=the opacity of said selected voxel; BG=the color and opacity components of previously combined voxels; successively repeating in said host computer the prior step for each new background plane of voxels and successive foreground plane of voxels through an nth foreground plane of voxels where n represents the total number of said foreground planes of voxels.

Claim 3

An apparatus for generating a two dimensional display of a three dimensional data set comprising: first storage means coupled to an image generating means for storing an image volume as a plurality of homogeneous arrays each said array comprising a plurality of volume elements (voxels); a host computer including processing means coupled to said first storage means for assigning a color value and an opacity value to each voxel to create a second image volume; second storage means coupled to said processing means for storing said second image volume; said host computer including combining means coupled to said second storage means for successively combining a background plane of voxels and a foreground plane of voxels to generate a new background plane of voxels having color and opacity values that are a function of the color and opacity values of the background plane of voxels and foreground plane of voxels, wherein said function is given by: BG'=FG+(1-(FG)(A))(BG) where; BG'=the color and opacity components of the corresponding voxel in said new background plane; FG=the color and opacity components of a selected voxel; A=the opacity of said selected voxel; BG=the color and opacity components of previously combined voxels.

Claim 4

An apparatus for generating a two dimensional display of a three dimensional data set comprising: first storage means coupled to an image generating means for storing an image volume as a plurality of homogeneous arrays each said array comprising a plurality of volume elements (voxels); a host computer including processing means coupled to said first storage means for assigning a color value and an opacity value to each voxel to create a second image volume; second storage means coupled to said processing means for storing said second image volume; said host computer including combining means coupled to said second storage means for successively combining a background plane of voxels and a foreground plane of voxels to generate a new background plane of voxels having color and opacity values that are a function of the color and opacity values of the background plane of voxels and foreground plane of voxels, wherein said function is given by: BG'=FG+(1-(FG)(A))(BG) where; BG'=the color and opacity components of the corresponding voxel in said new background plane; FG=the color and opacity components of a selected voxel; A=the opacity of said selected voxel; BG=the color and opacity components of previously combined voxels.

Claim 5

An apparatus for generating a two dimensional display of a three dimensional data set comprising: image generating means for generating a first image volume representing said three dimensional data set; first storage means coupled to said image generating means for storing said image volume as a plurality of homogeneous arrays, each of said arrays comprising a plurality of scan lines having a plurality of volume elements (voxels); a host computer including processing means coupled to said first storage means for assigning a color and opacity value to each voxel to create a second image volume; second storage means coupled to said processing means for storing said second image volume; said host computer including combining means coupled to said second storage means for combining all voxels of one of said scan lines with all voxels of a next consecutive of said scan lines along a selected view path to produce a combination image volume comprising voxels having color and opacity values based on a function of the color and opacity values of voxels in previously combined scan lines; display means coupled to said combining means for displaying said combination image volume; and said function is given by: BG'=FG+(1-(FG)(A))(BG) where: BG'=the color and opacity components of the corresponding voxel in said combination image volume; FG=the color and opacity components of a selected voxel; A=the opacity of said selected voxel; BG=the color and opacity components of previously combined voxels.

Claim 6

An apparatus for generating a two dimensional display of a three dimensional data set comprising: image generating means for generating a first image volume representing said three dimensional data set; first storage means coupled to said image generating means for storing said image volume as a plurality of homogeneous arrays, each of said arrays comprising a plurality of scan lines having a plurality of volume elements (voxels); a host computer including processing means coupled to said first storage means for assigning a color and opacity value to each voxel to create a second image volume; second storage means coupled to said processing means for storing said second image volume; said host computer including combining means coupled to said second storage means for combining all voxels of one of said scan lines with all voxels of a next consecutive of said scan lines along a selected view path to produce a combination image volume comprising voxels having color and opacity values based on a function of the color and opacity values of voxels in previously combined scan lines; display means coupled to said combining means for displaying said combination image volume; and said function is given by: BG'=FG+(1-(FG)(A))(BG) where: BG'=the color and opacity components of the corresponding voxel in said combination image volume; FG=the color and opacity components of a selected voxel; A=the opacity of said selected voxel; BG=the color and opacity components of previously combined voxels.

Claim 12

An apparatus for generating a two dimensional display of a three dimensional data set comprising: image generating means for generating a first image volume representing said three dimensional data set; first storage means coupled to said image generating means for storing said image volume as a plurality of homogeneous arrays, each of said arrays comprising a plurality of scan lines having a plurality of volume elements (voxels); processing means coupled to said first storage means for assigning a color and opacity value to each voxel to create a second image volume; second storage means coupled to said processing means for storing said second image volume; combining means comprising a plurality of parallel processors coupled to said second storage means for combining one of said scan lines with a next consecutive of said scan lines along a selected view path to produce a combination image volume comprising voxels having color and opacity values based on a function of the color and opacity values of voxels in previously combined scan lines; display means coupled to said combining means for displaying said combination image volume; and said function is given by: BG'=FG+(1-(FG)(A))(BG) where: BG'=the color and opacity components of the corresponding voxel in said combination image volume; FG=the color and opacity components of a selected voxel; A=the opacity of said selected voxel; BG=the color and opacity components of previously combined voxels.

Claim 13

An apparatus for generating a two dimensional display of a three dimensional data set comprising: image generating means for generating a first image volume representing said three dimensional data set; first storage means coupled to said image generating means for storing said image volume as a plurality of homogeneous arrays, each of said arrays comprising a plurality of scan lines having a plurality of volume elements (voxels); processing means coupled to said first storage means for assigning a color and opacity value to each voxel to create a second image volume; second storage means coupled to said processing means for storing said second image volume; combining means comprising a plurality of parallel processors coupled to said second storage means for combining one of said scan lines with a next consecutive of said scan lines along a selected view path to produce a combination image volume comprising voxels having color and opacity values based on a function of the color and opacity values of voxels in previously combined scan lines; display means coupled to said combining means for displaying said combination image volume; and said function is given by: BG'=FG+(1-(FG)(A))(BG) where: BG'=the color and opacity components of the corresponding voxel in said combination image volume; FG=the color and opacity components of a selected voxel; A=the opacity of said selected voxel; BG=the color and opacity components of previously combined voxels.

Claim 17

A method of generating a two dimensional representation of a three dimensional data set comprising the steps of: generating a first image volume, said first image volume representing said three dimensional data set; storing said first image volume in a first image memory as a plurality of homogeneous storage arrays, each array comprising a plurality of scan lines having a plurality of volume elements (voxels); assigning each voxel a color value and an opacity value; for each scan line of each of said arrays, generating a combination image volume in a host computer by combining all voxels of one of said scan lines with all voxels of a next consecutive of said scan lines along a selected view path; repeating in said host computer the prior step for each consecutive of said scan lines with each previously generated combination image volume through an nth scan line where n represents the total number of said scan lines; said combination image volume having voxels whose color and opacity values are determined by: BG'=FG+(1-(FG)(A))(BG) where; BG'=the color and opacity components of the corresponding voxel in said combination image volume; FG=the color and opacity components of a voxel of one of said scan lines; A=the opacity of said voxel of one of said scan lines; and BG=the composite color and opacity components of the corresponding voxel in previously combined scan lines.

Claim 18

A method of generating a two dimensional representation of a three dimensional data set comprising the steps of: generating a first image volume, said first image volume representing said three dimensional data set; storing said first image volume in a first image memory as a plurality of homogeneous storage arrays, each array comprising a plurality of scan lines having a plurality of volume elements (voxels); assigning each voxel a color value and an opacity value; for each scan line of each of said arrays, generating a combination image volume in a host computer by combining all voxels of one of said scan lines with all voxels of a next consecutive of said scan lines along a selected view path; repeating in said host computer the prior step for each consecutive of said scan lines with each previously generated combination image volume through an nth scan line where n represents the total number of said scan lines; said combination image volume having voxels whose color and opacity values are determined by: BG'=FG+(1-(FG)(A))(BG) where; BG'=the color and opacity components of the corresponding voxel in said combination image volume; FG=the color and opacity components of a voxel of one of said scan lines; A=the opacity of said voxel of one of said scan lines; and BG=the composite color and opacity components of the corresponding voxel in previously combined scan lines.

Claim 19

A method of generating a combination volume element (voxel) representative of a plurality of adjacent voxels viewed from a selected orientation comprising the steps of: assigning to each voxel a color value and an opacity value; storing each voxel in a first storage means; generating a combination voxel by combining in a host computer one of said plurality of adjacent voxels along a selected view path with a next consecutive of said plurality of voxels along said selected view path such that said combination voxel has a color and opacity value determined as a function of said color and opacity of said one voxel and said next consecutive voxel; successively repeating in said host computer the prior step for each next consecutive of said voxels such that each successive combination voxel has color and opacity values determined by: BG'=FG+(1-(FG)(A))(BG) where; BG'=the color and opacity components of the corresponding voxel in said combination volume; FG=the color and opacity components of a selected voxel; A=the opacity of said selected voxel; and BG=the color and opacity components of previously combined voxels.

Claim 20

A method of generating a combination volume element (voxel) representative of a plurality of adjacent voxels viewed from a selected orientation comprising the steps of: assigning to each voxel a color value and an opacity value; storing each voxel in a first storage means; generating a combination voxel by combining in a host computer one of said plurality of adjacent voxels along a selected view path with a next consecutive of said plurality of voxels along said selected view path such that said combination voxel has a color and opacity value determined as a function of said color and opacity of said one voxel and said next consecutive voxel; successively repeating in said host computer the prior step for each next consecutive of said voxels such that each successive combination voxel has color and opacity values determined by: BG'=FG+(1-(FG)(A))(BG) where; BG'=the color and opacity components of the corresponding voxel in said combination volume; FG=the color and opacity components of a selected voxel; A=the opacity of said selected voxel; and BG=the color and opacity components of previously combined voxels.

Claim 21

An apparatus for generating a two dimensional display of a three dimensional data set comprising: image generating means for generating a first image volume representing said three dimensional data set; first storage means coupled to said image generating means for storing said image volume as a plurality of homogeneous arrays, each of said arrays comprising a plurality of scan lines having a plurality of volume elements (voxels); a host computer coupled to said first storage means for assigning a color and opacity value to each voxel to create a second image volume; second storage means coup ted to said host computer for storing said second image volume; combining means coupled to said second storage means for combining all voxels of one of said scan lines with all voxels of a next consecutive of said scan lines along a selected view path to produce a combination image volume comprising voxels having color and opacity values determined by: BG'=FG+(1-(FG)(A))(BG) where; BG'=the color and opacity components of the corresponding voxel in said combination image volume; FG=the color and opacity components of a selected voxel; A=the opacity of said selected voxel; BG=the color and opacity components of previously combined voxels; and display means coupled to said combining means for displaying said combination image volume.

Claim 22

An apparatus for generating a two dimensional display of a three dimensional data set comprising: image generating means for generating a first image volume representing said three dimensional data set; first storage means coupled to said image generating means for storing said image volume as a plurality of homogeneous arrays, each of said arrays comprising a plurality of scan lines having a plurality of volume elements (voxels); a host computer coupled to said first storage means for assigning a color and opacity value to each voxel to create a second image volume; second storage means coup ted to said host computer for storing said second image volume; combining means coupled to said second storage means for combining all voxels of one of said scan lines with all voxels of a next consecutive of said scan lines along a selected view path to produce a combination image volume comprising voxels having color and opacity values determined by: BG'=FG+(1-(FG)(A))(BG) where; BG'=the color and opacity components of the corresponding voxel in said combination image volume; FG=the color and opacity components of a selected voxel; A=the opacity of said selected voxel; BG=the color and opacity components of previously combined voxels; and display means coupled to said combining means for displaying said combination image volume.

Claim 23

A method of generating a volume element (voxel) representative of a combination of voxels in an image volume along a selected orientation of view, each voxel having a color and opacity value, comprising the steps of: providing a background voxel along a selected orientation of view; providing a foreground voxel adjacent to said background voxel along said selected orientation of view; storing said background voxel and said foreground voxel in a storage means; generating a new background voxel by combining in a host computer said background voxel and said foreground voxel such that said new background voxel has a color value and an opacity value given by: BG'=FG+(1-(FG)(A))(BG) where; BG'=the color and opacity components of said new background voxel; FG=the color and opacity components of a selected voxel; A=the opacity of said selected voxel; and BG=the color and opacity components of previously combined voxels.

Claim 24

A method of generating a volume element (voxel) representative of a combination of voxels in an image volume along a selected orientation of view, each voxel having a color and opacity value, comprising the steps of: providing a background voxel along a selected orientation of view; providing a foreground voxel adjacent to said background voxel along said selected orientation of view; storing said background voxel and said foreground voxel in a storage means; generating a new background voxel by combining in a host computer said background voxel and said foreground voxel such that said new background voxel has a color value and an opacity value given by: BG'=FG+(1-(FG)(A))(BG) where; BG'=the color and opacity components of said new background voxel; FG=the color and opacity components of a selected voxel; A=the opacity of said selected voxel; and BG=the color and opacity components of previously combined voxels.

Claim 25

A method for rendering a two dimensional representation of a three dimensional data set from a selected orientation of view comprising the steps of: generating an image volume comprised of voxels, each said voxel having a color value and an opacity value representative of data in said three dimensional data set; storing said image volume in a storage means; determining the color and opacity of pixels in a two dimensional projection plane, said projection plane representing a desired plane of view of said image volume, by successively combining in a host computer voxels of said image volume behind said projection plane performed for said voxels along a line of selected orientation of view successively toward said projection plane associated with each said pixel in said projection plane; said color and opacity of each successively combined voxel is given by: BG'=FG+(1-(FG)(A))(BG) where; BG'=the color and opacity components of said each successively combined voxel; FG=the color and opacity components of a selected voxel; A=the opacity of said selected voxel; and BG=the color and opacity components of previously combined voxels.

Claim 26

A method for rendering a two dimensional representation of a three dimensional data set from a selected orientation of view comprising the steps of: generating an image volume comprised of voxels, each said voxel having a color value and an opacity value representative of data in said three dimensional data set; storing said image volume in a storage means; determining the color and opacity of pixels in a two dimensional projection plane, said projection plane representing a desired plane of view of said image volume, by successively combining in a host computer voxels of said image volume behind said projection plane performed for said voxels along a line of selected orientation of view successively toward said projection plane associated with each said pixel in said projection plane; said color and opacity of each successively combined voxel is given by: BG'=FG+(1-(FG)(A))(BG) where; BG'=the color and opacity components of said each successively combined voxel; FG=the color and opacity components of a selected voxel; A=the opacity of said selected voxel; and BG=the color and opacity components of previously combined voxels.

Claim 27

A method for generating a two dimensional representation of a three dimensional data set from a selected orientation of view comprising the steps of: determining the color and opacity of adjacent planes of voxels stored in a storage means associated with said three dimensional data set for said selected orientation of view, said planes of voxels being substantially perpendicular to the selected orientation of view; determining the color and opacity of pixels in a two dimensional projection plane representing a selected plane of view of said image volume, by successively combining in a host computer said planes of voxels of said image volume behind said projection plane along said selected orientation of view; the color and opacity of each combined plane of voxels being determined by: BG'=FG+(1-(FG)(A))(BG) where; BG'=the color and opacity components of the corresponding voxel in said each combined plane; FG=the color and opacity components of a selected voxel; A=the opacity of said selected voxel; and BG=the color and opacity components of previously combined voxels.

Claim 28

A method for generating a two dimensional representation of a three dimensional data set from a selected orientation of view comprising the steps of: determining the color and opacity of adjacent planes of voxels stored in a storage means associated with said three dimensional data set for said selected orientation of view, said planes of voxels being substantially perpendicular to the selected orientation of view; determining the color and opacity of pixels in a two dimensional projection plane representing a selected plane of view of said image volume, by successively combining in a host computer said planes of voxels of said image volume behind said projection plane along said selected orientation of view; the color and opacity of each combined plane of voxels being determined by: BG'=FG+(1-(FG)(A))(BG) where; BG'=the color and opacity components of the corresponding voxel in said each combined plane; FG=the color and opacity components of a selected voxel; A=the opacity of said selected voxel; and BG=the color and opacity components of previously combined voxels.

Claim 29

A method of generating a two dimensional representation of a three dimensional data set along a selected orientation of view comprising the steps of: generating a first image volume representing said three dimensional data set; storing said first image volume in a first image memory comprising a plurality of volume elements (voxels); generating a new background plane of voxels of said image volume by combining in a host computer a background plane of voxels of said image volume with a foreground plane of voxels of said image volume along a selected orientation of view, said new background plane of voxels having color and opacity values determined by: BG'=FG+(1-(FG)(A))(BG) where; BG'=the color and opacity components of the corresponding voxel in said each new background plane; FG=the color and opacity components of a selected voxel; A=the opacity of said selected voxel; BG=the color and opacity components of previously combined voxels; and successively repeating the prior step for each new background plane of voxels and successive foreground plane of voxels through an nth foreground plane of voxels where n represents the total number of said foreground planes of voxels.

Claim 30

A method of generating a two dimensional representation of a three dimensional data set along a selected orientation of view comprising the steps of: generating a first image volume representing said three dimensional data set; storing said first image volume in a first image memory comprising a plurality of volume elements (voxels); generating a new background plane of voxels of said image volume by combining in a host computer a background plane of voxels of said image volume with a foreground plane of voxels of said image volume along a selected orientation of view, said new background plane of voxels having color and opacity values determined by: BG'=FG+(1-(FG)(A))(BG) where; BG'=the color and opacity components of the corresponding voxel in said each new background plane; FG=the color and opacity components of a selected voxel; A=the opacity of said selected voxel; BG=the color and opacity components of previously combined voxels; and successively repeating the prior step for each new background plane of voxels and successive foreground plane of voxels through an nth foreground plane of voxels where n represents the total number of said foreground planes of voxels.

Claim 31

An apparatus for generating a two dimensional display of a three dimensional data set, comprising; first storage means coupled to an image generating means for storing an image volume as a plurality of homogeneous arrays each said array comprising a plurality of volume elements (voxels); a host computer including processing means coupled to said first storage means for assigning a color value and an opacity value to each voxel to create a second image volume; second storage means coupled to said processing means for storing said second image volume; said host computer including combining means coupled to said second storage means for generating a combination image volume by successively combining a background plane of voxels and a foreground plane of voxels to generate a new background plane of voxels having color and opacity values that are determined by: BG'=FG+(1-(FG) (A)) (BG) where; BG'=the color and opacity components of the corresponding voxel in said combination image volume; FG=the color and opacity components of a selected voxel; A=the opacity of said selected voxel; BG=the color and opacity components of previously combined voxel; and display means coupled to said combining means for displaying said combination image volume.

Claim 32

An apparatus for generating a two dimensional display of a three dimensional data set, comprising; first storage means coupled to an image generating means for storing an image volume as a plurality of homogeneous arrays each said array comprising a plurality of volume elements (voxels); a host computer including processing means coupled to said first storage means for assigning a color value and an opacity value to each voxel to create a second image volume; second storage means coupled to said processing means for storing said second image volume; said host computer including combining means coupled to said second storage means for generating a combination image volume by successively combining a background plane of voxels and a foreground plane of voxels to generate a new background plane of voxels having color and opacity values that are determined by: BG'=FG+(1-(FG) (A)) (BG) where; BG'=the color and opacity components of the corresponding voxel in said combination image volume; FG=the color and opacity components of a selected voxel; A=the opacity of said selected voxel; BG=the color and opacity components of previously combined voxel; and display means coupled to said combining means for displaying said combination image volume.

Claim 33

An apparatus for generating a two dimensional display of a three dimensional data set comprising: image generating means for generating a first image volume representing said three dimensional data set; first storage means coupled to said image generating means for storing said image volume as a plurality of homogeneous arrays, each of said arrays comprising a plurality of scan lines having a plurality of volume elements (voxels); processing means coupled to said first storage means for assigning a color and opacity value to each voxel to create a second image volume; second storage means coupled to said processing means for storing said second image volume; combining means comprising a plurality of parallel processors coupled to said second storage means for combining one of said scan lines with a next consecutive of said scan lines along a selected view path to produce a combination image volume comprising voxels having color and opacity values determined by: BG'=FG+(1-(FG)(A))(BG) where; BG'=the color and opacity components of the corresponding voxel in said combination image volume; FG=the color and opacity components of a selected voxel; A=the opacity of said selected voxel; BG=the color and opacity components of previously combined voxels; and display means coupled to said combining means for displaying said combination image volume.

Claim 34

An apparatus for generating a two dimensional display of a three dimensional data set comprising: image generating means for generating a first image volume representing said three dimensional data set; first storage means coupled to said image generating means for storing said image volume as a plurality of homogeneous arrays, each of said arrays comprising a plurality of scan lines having a plurality of volume elements (voxels); processing means coupled to said first storage means for assigning a color and opacity value to each voxel to create a second image volume; second storage means coupled to said processing means for storing said second image volume; combining means comprising a plurality of parallel processors coupled to said second storage means for combining one of said scan lines with a next consecutive of said scan lines along a selected view path to produce a combination image volume comprising voxels having color and opacity values determined by: BG'=FG+(1-(FG)(A))(BG) where; BG'=the color and opacity components of the corresponding voxel in said combination image volume; FG=the color and opacity components of a selected voxel; A=the opacity of said selected voxel; BG=the color and opacity components of previously combined voxels; and display means coupled to said combining means for displaying said combination image volume.