System and method for displaying, and interactively excavating and examining a three dimensional volume

• US 4,685,070 A
• Filed: 08/03/1984
• Issued: 08/04/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WesternGeco LLC (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Flinchbaugh, Bruce E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/637,465
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 364/518, 364/521, 364/522, 364/410, 340/747, 367/68-71
• US Class Current: 345/424
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects

Abstract

A computer system displays, in two dimensions, a representation of a three-dimensional volume. The three-dimensional volume representation is a tessellation of cells, represented as three-dimensional units. The three-dimensional volume is represented by a plurality of digital numbers. A designator designates which of the digital numbers are to be represented in the two-dimensional display. Each digital number is represented by one cell. Also, each digital number represents a color. Each corresponding cell is colored in accordance with the digital number. A designator designates which of the digital numbers is to be represented by a cell in the three-dimensional representation. A cursor, controlled by a mouse, may be used to indicate which of the three-dimensional volume representation is to be excavated by indicating at the appropriate cells and then electronically ordering the excavation. The designator is changed thereby and the excavated cells are stripped away, exposing the cells immediately adjacent the excavated cells. The color of the cells indicates a parameter such as amplitude. The viewing angle of the three-dimensional volume representation is variable, allowing rotation in any direction of the three-dimensional display for examination of any surface.

Claims

1. A computer system for displaying and for interactively excavating and examining a three-dimensional volume, comprising:

(a) a source of three-dimensional arrays of data;

(b) designator means for selectively designating all or any desired part of the three dimensional data to be presented; and

(c) interactive, visual display means, responsive to the designator means, for presenting in two-dimensions a three-dimensional representation of any desired part of the three-dimensional data including drawing means for displaying the three-dimensional volume as a tessellation of cells corresponding to the designation by the designator means.

2. A computer system for displaying and for interactively excavating and examining a three-dimensional volume, comprising:

(a) a source of three-dimensional arrays of data including a data memory means storing a three-dimensional array of numbers;

(b) designator means for selectively designating all or any desired part of the three dimensional data to be presented including a designator memory means storing a three-dimensional array of bits, each bit designating a single one of the numbers; and

(c) interactive, visual display means, responsive to the designator means, for presenting in two-dimensions a three-dimensional representation of any desired part of the three-dimensional data, including drawing means for displaying the three-dimensional volume as a tessellation of cells corresponding to the designated bits of the designator memory means.

3. A computer system for displaying and for interactively excavating and examining a three-dimensional volume, comprising:

(a) a source of three-dimensional arrays of data;

(b) designator means for selectively designating all or any desired part of the three dimensional data to be presented; and

(c) interactive, visual display means, responsive to the designator means, for presenting in two-dimensions a three-dimensional representation of any desired part of the three-dimensional data, including drawing means for displaying the three-dimensional volume as a tessellation of cells corresponding to the designation by the designator means; and

manually operable electronic means for interacting with the display of the solid tessellation of cells for indicating a cell or cells to be excavated.

4. A computer system for displaying and for interactively excavating and examining a three-dimensional volume, comprising:

(a) a source of three-dimensional arrays of data including a data memory means storing a three-dimensional array of numbers;

(b) designator means for selectively designating all or any desired part of the three dimensional data to be presented, including a designator memory means storing a three-dimensional array of bits, each bit designating a single one of the numbers; and

(c) interactive, visual display means, responsive to the designator means, for presenting in two-dimensions a three-dimensional representation of any desired part of the three-dimensional data, including drawing means for displaying the three-dimensional volume as a tessellation of cells corresponding to the designated bits of the designator memory means, and electronic means for interacting with the display of the tessellation of cells for indicating a cell or cells to be excavated.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the designator memory means is operatively connected to the electronic means to permit a bit-for-cell correspondence wherein a bit set to a first digital state designates a cell and a bit set to a second digital state designates no cell, and wherein the designator memory means is operatively connected to the electronic means for setting those bits to the second digital state to of the cells to be excavated.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the interactive visual display means further comprises color means for color presentation of the tessellation of cells, wherein the color means is operatively connected to the data memory means and wherein each number corresponds to a desired color, for coloring each cell to correspond to its associated number.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein the interactive visual display means further comprises color means for color presentation of the tessellation of cells, wherein the color means is operatively connected to the data memory means and wherein each number corresponds to a desired color, for coloring each cell to correspond to its associated number.

8. A computer system for displaying and for interactively excavating and examining a three-dimensional volume, comprising:

(a) a source of three-dimensional arrays of data including a data memory means storing a three-dimensional array of numbers;

(b) designator means for selectively designating all or any desired part of the three dimensional data to be presented, including a designator memory means storing a three-dimensional array of bits, each bit designating a single one of the numbers; and

interactive, visual display means responsive to the designator means, for presenting in two-dimensions a three-dimensional representation of any desired part of the three-dimensional data, wherein the interactive visual display means comprises drawing means for displaying the three-dimensional volume as a tessellation of cells corresponding to the designated bits of the designator memory means, and wherein the interactive visual display means further comprises color means for color presentation of the tessellation of cells, wherein the color means is operatively connected to the data memory means and wherein each number corresponds to a desired color, for coloring each cell to correspond to its associated number.

9. A method of displaying, and interactively excavating and examining a three-dimensional volume in a computer system, comprising the steps of:

(a) representing the three-dimensional volume as three-dimensional array of data wherein the data are numbers;

(b) designating all or any portion of the three-dimensional data desired to be displayed;

(c) presenting in two dimensions any portion of the designated three-dimensional data, including drawing a plurality of cells to form the two-dimensional presentation as a tessellation of the cells.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

(d) indicating the cells to be excavated from the display of the tessellation of the cells;

(e) redesignating the three-dimensional data to be displayed by indicating the number that will not be represented by the cells to be excavated; and

(f) displaying the tessellation of cells not excavated.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

(g) assigning a color representation of each number; and

(h) coloring each cell in correspondence with its associated number.