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US6483933B1 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Digital-to-film radiographic image conversion including a network

Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Co LLC
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Filing: 1999-12-27
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Granted: 2002-11-19
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Expires: 2019-12-27
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Abstract

Abstract A method for converting a digital image to an analog-simulative film-like digital image includes (a.) obtaining digital image input values for a number of pixels, each pixel having a digital image input value X, wherein the range of input values for all pixels defines the input dynamic range; (b.) for each pixel, determining an analog-simulative film-like output value Y = ∑ i = 1 M   A i   X Pi + Bi wherein A i , pi, and B i are real numbers, and M is an integer value greater than or equal to 1; and (c.) communicating the analog-simulative film-like digital image or data associated therewith to a remote facility over a network.

Inventors

  • 👤 Shuanghe Shi
  • 👤 James Martin Hill
  • 👤 Kenneth Scott Kump

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 22:02
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B42/00; G03B42/02; A; A61; A61B; A61B6/00; A61B6/58; A61B6/581; G06; G06T; G06T5/00; G06T5/20; A61B6/54; A61B6/548

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim 116 words
A method for converting a digital image to an analog-simulative film-like digital image comprising: a. obtaining digital image input values for a number of pixels, each pixel having a digital image input value X, wherein the range of input values for all pixels defines the input dynamic range; b. for each pixel, determining an analog-simulative film-like output value Y = ∑ i = 1 M  A i  X Pi + B i wherein A i , pi, and B i are real numbers, and M is an integer value greater than or equal to 1; and c. communicating the analog-simulative film-like digital image or data associated therewith to a remote facility over a network.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 116 words
A method for converting a digital image to an analog-simulative film-like digital image comprising: a. obtaining digital image input values for a number of pixels, each pixel having a digital image input value X, wherein the range of input values for all pixels defines the input dynamic range; b. for each pixel, determining an analog-simulative film-like output value Y = ∑ i = 1 M  A i  X Pi + B i wherein A i , pi, and B i are real numbers, and M is an integer value greater than or equal to 1; and c. communicating the analog-simulative film-like digital image or data associated therewith to a remote facility over a network.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 173 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining an analog-simulative film-like output value Y includes: a. for pixels having input values X<X 1 wherein X 1 is a value within the input dynamic range, determining for each pixel an analog-simulative film-like output value Y = ∑ i = 1 M  A l i  X Pli + B l i wherein A 1i , p 1i , and B 1i are real numbers, M is an integer number greater than or equal to 1, and p 1i >1, b. for pixels having input values X>X 2 wherein X 2 is a value within the input dynamic range and X 2 ≧X 1 , determining for each pixel an analog-simulative film-like output value Y = ∑ i = 1 M  A 3  i  X P3i + B 3  i wherein A 3i , p 3i , and B 3i are real numbers, M is an integer number greater than or equal to 1, and p 3i <1.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 9 words
The method of claim 2 wherein A 1i <1.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 9 words
The method of claim 2 wherein A 3i >1.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 84 words
The method of claim 2 wherein X 2 >X 1 , and further comprising the step, for pixels having input values X 1 ≦X≦X 2 , of determining for each pixel an analog-simulative film-like output value Y = ∑ i = 1 M  A 2  i  X P2i + B 2  i wherein A 2i , p 2i , and B 2i are real numbers, M is an integer number greater than or equal to 1, and p 2i ≈1.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 9 words
The method of claim 5 wherein A 2i >1.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 9 words
The method of claim 6 wherein A 1i <1.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 9 words
The method of claim 6 wherein A 3i >1.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 184 words
A method for converting a digital image to an analog-simulative film-like digital image comprising: a. obtaining digital image input values from a number of pixels, each pixel having an input value X, wherein the range of input values for all pixels defines the input dynamic range; b. for pixels having input values X<X 1 wherein X 1 is a value within the input dynamic range, determining for each pixel an analog-simulative film-like output value Y=A 1 X p1 +B 1 wherein A 1 , p 1 , and B 1 are real numbers and p 1 >1; c. for pixels having input values X>X 2 wherein X 2 is a value within the input dynamic range and X 2 ≧X 1 , determining for each pixel an analog-simulative film-like output value Y=A 3 X p3 +B 3 wherein A 3 , p 3 , and B 3 are real numbers and p 3 <1; d. generating an output image in accordance with the output values of the pixels; and e. communicating the output image or image data to a remote facility over a network.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 184 words
A method for converting a digital image to an analog-simulative film-like digital image comprising: a. obtaining digital image input values from a number of pixels, each pixel having an input value X, wherein the range of input values for all pixels defines the input dynamic range; b. for pixels having input values X<X 1 wherein X 1 is a value within the input dynamic range, determining for each pixel an analog-simulative film-like output value Y=A 1 X p1 +B 1 wherein A 1 , p 1 , and B 1 are real numbers and p 1 >1; c. for pixels having input values X>X 2 wherein X 2 is a value within the input dynamic range and X 2 ≧X 1 , determining for each pixel an analog-simulative film-like output value Y=A 3 X p3 +B 3 wherein A 3 , p 3 , and B 3 are real numbers and p 3 <1; d. generating an output image in accordance with the output values of the pixels; and e. communicating the output image or image data to a remote facility over a network.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 13 words
The method of claim 9 wherein A 1 <1 and A 3 >1.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of printing the output image on translucent film.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 59 words
The method of claim 9 wherein X 2 >X 1 , and further comprising the step, for pixels having input values X 1 ≦X≦X 2 , of determining for each pixel an analog-simulative film-like output value Y=A 2 X p2 +B 2 wherein A 2 , p 2 , and B 2 are real numbers and p 2 ≈1.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 9 words
The method of claim 12 wherein A 2 >1.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 13 words
The method of claim 13 wherein A 1 <1 and A 3 >1.
Claim 17
Independent Claim 177 words
A method for converting a digital image to an analog-simulative film-like digital image comprising: a. obtaining digital image input values from a number of pixels, each pixel having an input value X ranging between X min and X max , the range between X min and X max defining the dynamic range of the input values; b. dividing the dynamic range into N intervals, N being an integer number of at least 1; c. for each interval, determining for each input value therein an analog-simulative film-like output value Y = ∑ i = 1 M  A i  X Pi + B i wherein M is an integer value greater than or equal to 1, X is the input value, A i , p i , and B i are real numbers, and p i decreases with each interval after a first interval adjacent Xmin; and d. generating an output image in accordance with the output values of the pixels; and e. communicating the output image or image data to a remote facility over a network.
Claim 18
Independent Claim 177 words
A method for converting a digital image to an analog-simulative film-like digital image comprising: a. obtaining digital image input values from a number of pixels, each pixel having an input value X ranging between X min and X max , the range between X min and X max defining the dynamic range of the input values; b. dividing the dynamic range into N intervals, N being an integer number of at least 1; c. for each interval, determining for each input value therein an analog-simulative film-like output value Y = ∑ i = 1 M  A i  X Pi + B i wherein M is an integer value greater than or equal to 1, X is the input value, A i , p i , and B i are real numbers, and p i decreases with each interval after a first interval adjacent Xmin; and d. generating an output image in accordance with the output values of the pixels; and e. communicating the output image or image data to a remote facility over a network.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 26 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the B i term(s) are chosen to provide a continuous curve for Y as X varies across the N intervals.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of printing the output image on translucent film.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 35 words
The method of claim 15 wherein: a. p i >1 for at least one interval close to X min , and b. p i <1 for at least one interval close to X max .
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method of claim 18 wherein N≧3, and wherein p i ≈1 for at least one interval between X min and X max .
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 32 words
The method of claim 15 wherein N≧3, and wherein A i >1 for at least one interval between a first interval adjacent X min and a last interval adjacent X max .

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5046118A Cited
US5172419A Cited
US5164993A Cited
US5671070A Cited
US5447153A Cited
US6067342A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2005-11-18 2006-05-20 2006-11-19 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2009-11-18 2010-05-20 2010-11-19 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2013-11-18 2014-05-20 2014-11-19 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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