Method and apparatus for rapidly evaluating digital data processing parameters

• US 20040236549A1
• Filed: 06/07/2004
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1996
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Holorad, LLC
• Original Assignee: Voxel
• Inventors: Dalton, Michael
• Application Number:
  US10/862,239
• Publication Number:
  US 20040236549A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/08 Volume rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects

Abstract

The present invention includes a method and apparatus for simulating, for example on a desktop computer, a specific view of a hologram. A preferred embodiment of this invention suitably enables, in medical imaging, the manipulation of intensity transformations (windowing and leveling), regions (cropping) and views (axial, coronal and lateral) and the display of the resulting simulations in substantially real time.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an approximation of substantially accurate pixel intensities is achieved by collapsing three-dimensional data onto a two-dimensional view, without the need for constructing complex summations of fringe patterns, as is typically required when constructing a hologram. A power function is suitably applied to each voxel in the data set. The values for a particular x, y coordinate are then summed along the z axis, with the resultant sum value being stored in a sum buffer for all values of x and y. The maximal value of the sum buffer is determined, then the sum buffer values are normalized by this maximum value. Finally, an inverse power function is applied to the normalized sum, then the results are scaled over the range of values of the output buffer. Consequently, the operator is able to view, in substantially real time, simulations of a single view of a hologram created from the selected parameters.

Claims

1. An apparatus for real-time simulation of digital information which can be applied to holography including:

an acquisition device configured to acquire 3-D measurement data;

a processor configured to calculate a first two-dimensional array of sums of said 3-D measurement data, wherein each of said 3-D measurement data is directly raised to a power K₁ to yield a quantity and adding a constant amount to said quantity to yield said first array of sums, wherein said constant amount is related to a noise value;

a sum buffer configured to store said first array of sums;

said processor configured to apply an inverse power function to said first array of sums to yield a second array;

a display device configured to display said second array; and

,

a maximum value register configured to store a maximum value of said first array, wherein said processor is further configured to determine said maximum value and scale said second array by said maximum value to yield a normalized array, and said display device is configured to display said normalized array.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said acquisition device includes at least one of a scanner, a network interface, a fast access secondary storage, a volumetric input buffer and a digital storage reader.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said 3-D measurement data includes a volumetric digital data set.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a look-up table, wherein said look-up table includes a look-up table configured to rapidly implement manipulations of intensity functions and configured to apply a power function to said 3-D measurement data.

36. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said two-dimensional array is calculated according to the equation (I_x,y^K₁+N_f) and said inverse power function is applied according to the equation ((I_x,y^K₁+N_f)/(max_x,y((I_x,y^K₁+N_f))))^1/K₂×

R, wherein I comprises an intensity of said 3-D measurement data, N_f comprises said constant amount, and R comprises a dynamic range of said display device.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein K₁ and K₂ each have a value in the range of 2.8-5.0.

38. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein K₁ and K₂ are equal value.

39. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein K₁ and K₂ each have a value equal to 3.2.

44. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said 3-D measurement data includes at least one of spatial, temporal, and physical units, wherein said 3-D measurement data includes physical measurement data or simulation measurement data.

45. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said noise value is related to a number of slices or measurements.

14. The apparatus of claim I further including a look-up table, wherein said look-up table includes an inverse look-up table configured to accelerate inverse transformations of said first array in said sum buffer.

23. A method for real-time simulation of digital information which can be applied to holography including the steps of:

acquiring 3-D measurement data, wherein said 3-D measurement data includes a header;

applying a power function directly to said 3-D measurement data to yield a second data set;

adding a constant amount to said second data set to yield a third data set, wherein said constant amount is related to a noise value;

summing said third data set into a two-dimensional array of sums;

determining a maximum value of said array of sums;

scaling said array of sums by said maximum value to yield a normalized array;

applying an inverse power function to said normalized array to yield a second two-dimensional array; and

,

displaying said second two-dimensional array on a display device having a range of values.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said acquiring step further includes limiting said 3-D measurement data, thereby increasing said speed of said applying a power function step, by at least one of processing a smaller number of slices, reducing a size of each image and a slabbing technique.

26. The method of claim 23 further including applying an intensity function to said 3-D measurement data.

27. The method of claim 23 further including arranging said 3-D measurement data in a planar, parallel volume.

28. The method of claim 23 further including reordering said 3-D measurement data in memory such that said 3-D measurement data is in a sequential order and arranging a fastest varying index down a stack of images to be summed, thereby avoiding multiple passes through said sum buffer and allowing for selection of views.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein said summing step includes summing all data values along one axis into said array of sums.

30. The method of claim 23 further including pre-computing a look-up table.

31. The method of claim 23, wherein said summing step includes providing a register variable sum for summing results of applying a power function to all voxels in each ray and storing said register variable sum in said sum buffer.

34. The method of claim 23, wherein said simulation includes creating a volumetric projection whereby a majority of voxels contribute to said array of sums.

35. The method of claim 23 further including determining whether said array of sums in an exposed region is greater than a maximum value in a cropped region.

40. The method of claim 23 wherein the method is applied according to the equation ((I_x,y^K₁+N_f)/(max_x,y((I_x,y^K₁+N_f))))^1/K₂×

R, wherein I comprises an intensity of said 3-D measurement data, N_f comprises said constant amount, and R comprises a dynamic range of said display device.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein K₁ and K₂ each have a value in the range of 2.8-5.0.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein K₁ and K₂ are equal value.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein K₁ and K₂ each have a value equal to 3.2.

46. The method of claim 23, wherein said 3-D measurement data includes at least one of spatial, temporal, and physical units, wherein said 3-D measurement data includes physical measurement data or simulation measurement data.

47. The method of claim 23, wherein said noise value is related to a number of slices or measurements.