Method, software module, and integrated circuit for color visualization and separation

US11501444B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Universität Heidelberg · DE

Inventors

• Nektarios Valous · Heidelberg, DE
• Niels HALAMA · Heidelberg, DE
• Inka ZOERNIG · Frankfurt, DE
• Dirk Jager · New York, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 10, 2019
• Grant date: Nov 15, 2022
• Expiry date: May 14, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06V2201/03
• WIPO field: Computer technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for color visualization and separation of a natural and medical image comprising pixels defined by color pixel vector a=[a1a2, a3] in a Cartesian color space (e.g. RGB), where the color pixel vector is represented by a pure quaternion q=+a1i+a2j+a3k with i,j, k satisfying: i2=j2=k2=ijk=−1, ij=−ji=k,jk=−kj=i, ki=−ik=j and the image is decomposed into q+ and q using the orthogonal 2D planes split concept according to: (formula (I)) wherein/and g are pure unit quaternions or f and g describe interactively determined or computed colors (s1, s2). The method allows not only visualizing and separating certain colors in a digital image in a rapid fashion, but also permits a flexible definition pertinent to the kind of colors that can be visualized or separated by defining the corresponding decompositions by means of pure unit quaternions/and g. Colors s1, s2 can be defined manually or computed automatically from the image.