3D modeling system

• US 20040070582A1
• Filed: 10/11/2002
• Published: 04/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonocine, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kevin Michael Kelly and Roger Royce To Sonocine I, Matthew Warren Smith To Sonocine Incorporated
• Inventors: Smith, Matthew Warren, Kelly, Kevin Michael, Royce, Roger
• Granted Patent: US 6,825,838 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4254 using sensors mounted on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/483 involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/08 Volume rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/10 Constructive solid geometry [CSG] using solid primitives, e.g. cylinders, cubes

Abstract

A computer-based 3D modeling system for constructing a virtual 3D representation from a plurality of data images of 2D cross sections having a mutual spatial relationship. The plurality of data images and the associated orientation and positioning information are extractable from a data source module. A frame creation module constructs a rectangular frame for each image slice. A texture-mapping module maps the image slice onto the associated frame as a texture. A rotation transform module rotates each frame appropriately about one or more axes based upon the orientation information associated with each data image to achieve the correct orientation in 3D space. A translation transform module translates each frame based upon the positioning information associated with each data image to achieve the correct position in 3D space.

Claims

1. A computer-based 3D modeling system for constructing a virtual 3D representation from a plurality of data images of 2D cross sections having a mutual spatial relationship comprising

a data source module through which can be extracted the plurality of data images of 2D cross sections having orientation and positioning information for each of the plurality of data images according to the mutual spatial relationship;

a frame creation module capable of creating a planar frame for each of the plurality of data images from the data source module;

a texture-mapping module capable of mapping each of the plurality of data images from the data source module onto its corresponding planar frame from the frame creation module as a texture;

a rotation transform module capable of using the orientation information for rotating each planar frame from the texture-mapping module about one or more axes in virtual 3D space according to the orientation information;

a translation transform module capable of using the positioning information for translating each planar frame from the texture-mapping module in virtual 3D space according to the positioning information.

2. The computer-based 3D modeling system of claim 1, the translation transform module receiving each planar frame from the texture-mapping module through the rotation transform module.

3. The computer-based 3D modeling system of claim 1, the data source module being capable of converting to a grayscale representation the plurality of data images of 2D cross sections.

4. The computer-based 3D modeling system of claim 1, the data source module being capable of converting the orientation information associated with each data image of 2D cross section to radians from its native angular units.

5. The computer-based 3D modeling system of claim 1, the data source module being capable of converting the positioning information associated with each data image of 2D cross section to fractions of a millimeter from its native measurement units.

6. The computer-based 3D modeling system of claim 1, the frame creation module being capable of creating each planar frame from two adjoining triangle primitives.

7. The computer-based 3D modeling system of claim 1, the planar frames being two-sided planar frames.

8. The computer modeling system of claim 7, the texture-mapping module being capable of mapping each data image of 2D cross section onto each side of the corresponding planar frame as a texture.

9. The computer-based 3D modeling system of claim 8, the texture mapping module being capable of setting the texture associated with each side of each of the planar frames to entirely and exactly fit each side of the frame without cropping, wrapping, or leaving any portion of the frame uncovered.

10. The computer-based 3D modeling system of claim 7, the frame creation module being capable of creating each planar frame from four triangle primitives, two constituting one side of the frame, and two constituting the other side of the frame.

11. The computer-based 3D modeling system of claim 1 further comprising

a data source including an ultrasound scanning device in data communication with the data source module.

12. The computer-based 3D modeling system of claim 11, the data source further including a position determining device and a rotation angle sensor coupled with the ultrasound scanning device.

13. The computer-based 3D modeling system of claim 1, the data source interface converting the plurality of data images of 2D cross sections to a standardized bitmap format.

14. A method for generating a computer-based virtual 3D representation comprising

obtaining a plurality of data images of 2D cross sections along with orientation and positioning information for each data image;

creating a planar frame for each data image;

mapping each data image onto its corresponding planar frame as a texture;

rotating each planar frame about one or more axes in virtual 3D space using the orientation information;

translating each planar frame in virtual 3D space using the positioning information.

15. A method of reviewing a computer-based 3D representation generated according to the method of claim 14, comprising

displaying the plurality of rotated and translated frames as a virtual 3D representation on a screen, and reviewing it using one or more of rotating the virtual 3D representation, advancing into the virtual 3D representation using a clipping plane, adjusting the transparency of the virtual 3D representation, adjusting the translucency of the virtual 3D representation, adjusting the color of pixels used to represent the virtual 3D representation on the screen, adjusting the contrast of pixels used to represent the virtual 3D representation on the screen, adjusting the brightness of the virtual 3D representation, adjusting the gamma of the virtual 3D representation, resizing the virtual 3D representation, dynamically translating the viewpoint into the virtual 3D representation, and dynamically moving the viewpoint relative to the virtual 3D representation.

16. A method of manipulating computer-based images, comprising

adjusting translucency by manipulating the alpha value of individual pixels, including obtaining a specific color value for that pixel, selecting a threshold value, calculating a computed value by subtracting a maximum color value from the specific color value, comparing the computed value to the threshold value, setting the alpha value equal to the maximum color value if the computed value is greater than or equal to the threshold value, and calculating the alpha value by dividing the computed value by a selected value if the computed value is less than the threshold value.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising

adjusting contrast by manipulating the color values of individual pixels, including mathematically modifying at least one color component for pixels with a calculated alpha value less than the maximum color value.

18. A method of manipulating computer-based images, comprising

adjusting translucency by manipulating the alpha value of individual pixels, including obtaining a specific color value for that pixel, selecting a threshold value, calculating a computed value by subtracting a maximum color value from the specific color value, comparing the computed value to the threshold value, setting the alpha value to the max color value if the computed value is greater than or equal to the threshold value, and calculating the alpha value if less than the threshold value by dividing the computed value by a selected value.

19. The method of claim 18, setting the alpha value to the max color value being if the computed value is greater than the threshold value.

20. A method of manipulating computer-based images, comprising

adjusting translucency by manipulating the alpha value of individual pixels, including obtaining a specific color value for that pixel, selecting a threshold value, calculating a computed value by subtracting a maximum color value from the specific color value, comparing the computed value to the threshold value, setting the alpha value to the max color value if the computed value is less than or equal to the threshold value, and calculating the alpha value if greater than the threshold value by dividing the computed value by a selected value.