System and method employing nonlinear interpolation for the display of surface structures contained within the interior region of a solid body
US4729098A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 5, 1985 |
| Grant date | Mar 1, 1988 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 5, 2005 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T2210/41
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for displaying three dimensional surface images includes the utilization of a case table for rapid retrieval of surface approximation information. Eight cubically adjacent data points associated with a given voxel element are compared with a predetermined threshold value or range to generate an eight bit vector. This eight bit vector is employed to rapidly produce vector lists of approximating surfaces. A non-linear interpolation operation is performed so as to more closely approximate the desired surface and to provide more accurate representations of vectors normal to the desired surface. The accurate representation of these normal directions provides means for accurately representing shading information on a display screen. The method and apparatus of the present invention are particularly useful for the display of medical images both from X-ray generated data and from data generated from various other sources including magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography. The present invention provides a means for rapid generation of three dimensional images so as to enable interactive use by medical practitioners.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.