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Method and system for selecting at least one optimal view of a three dimensional image

  • US 6,256,037 B1
  • Filed: 11/27/1998
  • Issued: 07/03/2001
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1998
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A method of selecting at least one optimal surface of a three dimensional image, the three dimensional imagebeing generated in a corrdinate space by an image-defining array having a plurality of ordered image properties, each ordered image property in the image-defining array having a unique associated spatial coordinate in the coordinate space such that each ordered image property is mappable to the unique associated spatial coordinate, having a plurality of surfaces, each surface of the plurality of surfaces having an associated image-defining subarray in the image-defining array such that each surface of the plurality of surfaces is generated by mapping each ordered image property of the associated image-defining subarray onto the unique associated spatial coordinate, and having a selected visible surface shown in a display, the selected visible surface being one of the plurality of surfaces of the three dimensional image;

  • the displayhaving a plurality of display coordinates, selectably displaying views such that a series of distinct selected visible surfaces of the plurality of surfaces of the three dimensional image are viewable thereon, and having an associated one-to-one projection means for projecting each selected visible surface of the three dimensional image onto the display, such that a view-specific one-to-one correspondence exists between each display coordinate and the spatial coordinate projected thereon;

    the method being implemented using a data processor havinga memory, the memory having access to the image-defining array;

    a coordinate space modeling means loaded in memory for modeling and manipulating the coordinate space, the coordinate space modeling means being responsive to a group of commands to (1) rotate the coordinate space;

    (2) translate a selected visible surface of the coordinate space; and

    , (3) pivot a selected visible surface about an arbitrary axis on the selected visible surface;

    a user interface means for selecting commands from the group of commands, the user interface means communicating with the coordinate space modeling means to relay selected commands to the coordinate space modeling means; and

    mapping means operable for each visible surface of the three dimensional image to map each ordered image property of the associated image-defining subarray for each visible surface onto the unique associated spatial coordinate in the coordinate space to generate the visible surface of the three dimensional image;

    such that the at least one optimal surface includes at least two spatial coordinates of interest;

    the method comprising;

    (a) interacting with the coordinater space via the interface means and the coordinate space modeling means to generate a series of views of the three dimensional image in the display, each view including at least one selected visible surface of the three dimensional image;

    (b) selecting a plurality of spatial coordinates of interest from said series of views, each spatial coordinate of interest in said plurality of spatial coordinates of interest being selected by selecting a display coordinate in an associated view in said series of views using the user interface means, and by determining the spatial coordinate of interest based on said associated view and the view-specific one-to-one correspondence between said selected display coordinate and said spatial coordinate of interest mapped thereon;

    (c) manipulating the coordinate space via the coordinate space modeling means to orient a selected visible surface of the coordinate space, such that the selected visible surface of the coordinate space corresponds to said at least one optimal surface.

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