Centerline and tree branch skeleton determination for virtual objects
US7574024B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 2, 2001 |
| Grant date | Aug 11, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 23, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T2219/2012
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
In accordance with the present invention, a method for determining a centerline through a region of interest in a 3D image dataset is provided. The method includes identifying the boundaries of the region of interest and identifying the endpoints of the region of interest. For those points within the boundaries, a penalty value which is a function of the proximity of the point to a boundary is determined. A centerline is then identified by the path connecting the endpoints which has the minimum penalized distance wherein the penalized distance reflects the actual accumulated pathlength and the penalties associated with the points along the path. From the centerline, branches of a complete skeleton can be established by determining branch endpoints and then finding the minimum penalized distance from each endpoint the centerline or another intersecting branch.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.