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US5566282A
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Apparatus and method for the visualization of a three-dimensional scene by means of maximum intensity projection
Assignee: US Philips Corp
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Filing: 1994-02-15
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Granted: 1996-10-15
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Expires: 2014-02-15
Abstract
Abstract An arrangement and a method for maximum intensity projection of a three-dimensional scene on a two dimensional display (11), via the calculation of first or higher-order interpolated values of points (P 1 , . . . , P m ) along rays (61) casted through a voxel representation (50) of said scene avoids unnecessary interpolation operations by, firstly, determining an estimated minimum value for each ray (61) under consideration and for each sample point (P k ) an estimated maximum value for the interpolated value. Only if the estimated maximum value for a point exceeds the estimated minimum value for the ray (61), an interpolation is required. Both estimated extremes are obtained by comparing the values contributing to the interpolations, the estimated minimum value by an analog procedure or by reference to a neighboring ray.
Inventors
- 👤 Karel J. Zuiderveld
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 16:28
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T15/00; G06T15/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
235 words
Arrangement for visualization of a three-dimensional scene by means of maximum intensity projection, the arrangement comprising: a display having a two-dimensional matrix of pixels; a memory for storing data representing the three-dimensional scene as a plurality of voxel values; and computing means, having access to said memory, for assigning to said pixels of the two-dimensional matrix a greyvalue being a maximum of interpolated greyvalues along rays casted through the scene, which rays are associated in one-to-one correspondence with said pixels of the two-dimensional matrix, said computing means comprising: a) means for determining, for each ray, an estimated minimum greyvalue; b) means for determining for each point (P k ) of a plurality of points (P 1 , . . . P m ) along said ray an estimated maximum greyvalue, said estimated maximum greyvalue being derived from the voxel values of voxels within a predetermined neighborhood around said point (P k ); c) means for comparing the estimated maximum greyvalues of said points along said ray with said estimated minimum greyvalue for said ray; d) means for calculating an interpolated greyvalue for a point (P k ) along said ray when the estimated maximum greyvalue for said point (P k ) exceeds said estimated minimum greyvalue for said ray; and e) means for determining the maximum of the interpolated greyvalues for assignment to the pixel of the two-dimensional matrix to which said ray is associated.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
235 words
Arrangement for visualization of a three-dimensional scene by means of maximum intensity projection, the arrangement comprising: a display having a two-dimensional matrix of pixels; a memory for storing data representing the three-dimensional scene as a plurality of voxel values; and computing means, having access to said memory, for assigning to said pixels of the two-dimensional matrix a greyvalue being a maximum of interpolated greyvalues along rays casted through the scene, which rays are associated in one-to-one correspondence with said pixels of the two-dimensional matrix, said computing means comprising: a) means for determining, for each ray, an estimated minimum greyvalue; b) means for determining for each point (P k ) of a plurality of points (P 1 , . . . P m ) along said ray an estimated maximum greyvalue, said estimated maximum greyvalue being derived from the voxel values of voxels within a predetermined neighborhood around said point (P k ); c) means for comparing the estimated maximum greyvalues of said points along said ray with said estimated minimum greyvalue for said ray; d) means for calculating an interpolated greyvalue for a point (P k ) along said ray when the estimated maximum greyvalue for said point (P k ) exceeds said estimated minimum greyvalue for said ray; and e) means for determining the maximum of the interpolated greyvalues for assignment to the pixel of the two-dimensional matrix to which said ray is associated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
87 words
Arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the computing also comprises configured for handling sequentially in time the points (P 1 , . . . , P m ) along said ray, said handling means comprising: means for determining the estimated maximum greyvalue; means for comparing said estimated maximum greyvalue with a largest interpolated greyvalue determined for any of the points along said ray already handled; and means for skipping the calculation of an interpolated greyvalue if said estimated maximum greyvalue does not exceed said largest interpolated greyvalue.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
Arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the computing means is also comprises configured for determining the estimated maximum greyvalue of a point (P k ) as the maximum of all voxel values within a predetermined neighborhood of the point.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
60 words
Arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the computing means is also comprises configured for determining an estimated minimum greyvalue for a ray by calculating the interpolated greyvalue of a sample point on said ray, said sample point having a relatively small geometrical distance to a position where an adjacent ray is determined to have a large or its maximum greyvalue.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
77 words
Arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the computing means is also comprises configured for determining an estimated minimum greyvalue for a ray comprising: means for determining for each sample point (P k , k=1, . . . , m) on said ray a minimum value being the minimum of voxel values within a predetermined neighborhood of that sample point (P k ) and means for establishing a maximum of said minimum values as the estimated minimum greyvalue.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
60 words
Arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the computing means is also comprises configured for determining an estimated minimum greyvalue for a ray by calculating the interpolated greyvalue of a sample point on said ray, said sample point having a relatively small geometrical distance to a position where an adjacent ray is determined to have a large or its maximum greyvalue.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
54 words
Arrangement according to claim 2 comprising an additional memory and computing means for storing in said additional memory for each voxel a local minimum value and/or a local maximum value, said local minimum or local maximum values being the minimum or maximum values of all voxel values within said predetermined neighborhood from said voxel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
Arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the computing means also comprises configured for determining the estimated maximum greyvalue of a point (P k ) as the maximum of all voxel values within a predetermined neighborhood of the point.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
77 words
Arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the computing means is also comprises configured for determining an estimated minimum greyvalue for a ray comprising: means for determining for each sample point (P k , k=1, . . . , m) on said ray a minimum value being the minimum of voxel values within a predetermined neighborhood of that sample point (P k ) and means for establishing a maximum of said minimum values as the estimated minimum greyvalue.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
60 words
Arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the computing means is also comprises configured for determining an estimated minimum greyvalue for a ray by calculating the interpolated greyvalue of a sample point on said ray, said sample point having a relatively small geometrical distance to a position where an adjacent ray is determined to have a large or its maximum greyvalue.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
54 words
Arrangement according to claim 3 comprising an additional memory and computing means for storing in said additional memory for each voxel a local minimum value and/or a local maximum value, said local minimum or local maximum values being the minimum or maximum values of all voxel values within said predetermined neighborhood from said voxel.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
76 words
Arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the computing means also comprises configured for determining an estimated minimum greyvalue for a ray comprises: means for determining for each sample point (P k , k=1, . . . , m) on said ray a minimum value being the minimum of voxel values within a predetermined neighborhood of that sample point (P k ) and means for establishing a maximum of said minimum values as the estimated minimum greyvalue.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
60 words
Arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the computing means is also comprises configured for determining an estimated minimum greyvalue for a ray by calculating the interpolated greyvalue of a sample point on said ray, said sample point having a relatively small geometrical distance to a position where an adjacent ray is determined to have a large or its maximum greyvalue.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
54 words
Arrangement according to claim 1 comprising an additional memory and computing means for storing in said additional memory for each voxel a local minimum value and/or a local maximum value, said local minimum or local maximum values being the minimum or maximum values of all voxel values within said predetermined neighborhood from said voxel.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
Arrangement according to claim 6, in which the voxels are arranged in a three-dimensional rectangular matrix and in which said predetermined neighborhood for a point comprises the voxel in which the point is located and all adjacent voxels.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
Arrangement according to claim 1, in which the computing means is arranged for calculating an interpolated greyvalue by means of a three-dimensional linear interpolation.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
152 words
Method for calculating, from a dataset of voxel values representing a scene in three-dimensions, a maximum intensity projection along a plurality of rays casted through the scene wherein to each ray a greyvalue is assigned, being a maximum of interpolated greyvalues along said ray, in which method for each ray: a) an estimated minimum greyvalue for said ray is determined; b) for each of a plurality of points along said ray an estimated maximum greyvalue is determined, said estimated maximum greyvalue being derived from voxel values of voxels within a predetermined neighborhood around said point; c) each estimated maximum greyvalue of said points is compared with said estimated minimum greyvalue; d) if it is established that, for a point along said ray an estimated maximum greyvalue exceeds said estimated minimum greyvalue for said ray an interpolated greyvalue for said point is calculated; and e) the maximum of the interpolated greyvalues is determined.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
152 words
Method for calculating, from a dataset of voxel values representing a scene in three-dimensions, a maximum intensity projection along a plurality of rays casted through the scene wherein to each ray a greyvalue is assigned, being a maximum of interpolated greyvalues along said ray, in which method for each ray: a) an estimated minimum greyvalue for said ray is determined; b) for each of a plurality of points along said ray an estimated maximum greyvalue is determined, said estimated maximum greyvalue being derived from voxel values of voxels within a predetermined neighborhood around said point; c) each estimated maximum greyvalue of said points is compared with said estimated minimum greyvalue; d) if it is established that, for a point along said ray an estimated maximum greyvalue exceeds said estimated minimum greyvalue for said ray an interpolated greyvalue for said point is calculated; and e) the maximum of the interpolated greyvalues is determined.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
57 words
Method according to claim 9 in which a preprocessing step is performed, the preprocessing step comprising the calculation and storage of a local minimum value and/or a local maximum value for each voxel, said local minimum or local maximum values being the minimum or maximum values of all voxel values within a predetermined neighborhood from said voxel.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-10-15 | 2000-04-15 | 2000-10-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-10-15 | 2004-04-15 | 2004-10-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-10-15 | 2008-04-15 | 2008-10-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |