Analyzing pixel data by imprinting objects of a computer-implemented network structure into other objects
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- (a) specifying a first object class;
(b) specifying a second object class;
(c) generating a first object network, wherein each object of the first object network belongs to the first object class, wherein the first object network includes a first object that is linked to a first plurality of pixel locations;
(d) generating a second object network, wherein each object of the second object network belongs to the second object class, wherein the second object network includes a second object that is linked to a second plurality of pixel locations, wherein all of the objects of the second object network are linked to a third plurality of pixel locations, and wherein the third plurality of pixel locations includes the second plurality of pixel locations;
(e) generating a third object network by imprinting each object of the first object network into the second object network, wherein the third object network includes a third object that is linked to a fourth plurality of pixel locations, wherein the fourth plurality of pixel locations is a subset of the third plurality of pixel locations and is calculated from the first plurality of pixel locations;
(f) determining a characteristic of the third object by measuring the third object; and
(g) displaying the third object on a computer display.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An analysis system analyzes digital images using a computer-implemented network structure that includes a process hierarchy, a class network and a data network. The data network includes image layers and object networks. Objects in a first object network are segmented into a first class, and objects in a second object network are segmented into a second class. One process step of the process hierarchy involves generating a third object network by imprinting objects of the first object network into the objects of the second object network such that pixel locations are unlinked from objects of the second object network to the extent that the pixel locations were also linked to objects of the first object network. The imprinting step allows object-oriented processing of digital images to be performed with fewer computations and less memory. Characteristics of an object of the third object network are then determined by measuring the object.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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(a) specifying a first object class; (b) specifying a second object class; (c) generating a first object network, wherein each object of the first object network belongs to the first object class, wherein the first object network includes a first object that is linked to a first plurality of pixel locations; (d) generating a second object network, wherein each object of the second object network belongs to the second object class, wherein the second object network includes a second object that is linked to a second plurality of pixel locations, wherein all of the objects of the second object network are linked to a third plurality of pixel locations, and wherein the third plurality of pixel locations includes the second plurality of pixel locations; (e) generating a third object network by imprinting each object of the first object network into the second object network, wherein the third object network includes a third object that is linked to a fourth plurality of pixel locations, wherein the fourth plurality of pixel locations is a subset of the third plurality of pixel locations and is calculated from the first plurality of pixel locations; (f) determining a characteristic of the third object by measuring the third object; and (g) displaying the third object on a computer display. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method comprising:
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in a specification mode specifying a first object class and a second object class; selecting process steps of an image analysis script that define a segmentation method that generates a first object network belonging to the first object class and a second object network belonging to the second object class; selecting an imprinting process step of the image analysis script by selecting the first object class and the second object class; selecting a measurement process step of the image analysis script by specifying characteristics of a target object; saving the image analysis script to a memory; acquiring pixel values that are associated with pixel locations of a digital image; and in an execution mode running the image analysis script, wherein the image analysis script; executes the process steps of the segmentation method and generates the first object network and the second object network, wherein the first object network includes a first object, and wherein the second object network includes a second object; imprints the first object network into the second object network such that a third object network is generated, wherein the third object network includes a third object; and determines a characteristic of the third object. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for analyzing a digital image by performing the steps of:
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(a) generating a first plurality of objects by linking a first plurality of pixel locations on the digital image to the first plurality of objects, wherein the first plurality of objects forms a first object network; (b) linking each of the first plurality of objects to a first object class; (c) generating a second plurality of objects by linking a second plurality of the pixel locations to the second plurality of objects, wherein the second plurality of objects forms a second object network, wherein a third plurality of the pixel locations includes those pixel locations that belong both to the first plurality and to the second plurality of the pixel locations; (d) linking each of the second plurality of objects to a second object class; (e) generating a third object network by imprinting the first plurality of objects into the second plurality of objects such that the third plurality of pixel locations are relinked from objects of the second plurality of objects to objects of the third object network; and (f) determining a characteristic of an object of the third object network by measuring the object.
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24. A method comprising:
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(a) specifying a first object class, wherein a first plurality of objects belongs to the first object class; (b) specifying a second object class, wherein a second plurality of objects belongs to the second object class; (c) acquiring pixel values that are associated with pixel locations; (d) generating the first plurality of objects by linking a first plurality of the pixel locations to the first plurality of objects, wherein the first plurality of objects forms a first object network; (e) linking each of the first plurality of objects to the first object class; (f) generating the second plurality of objects by linking a second plurality of the pixel locations to the second plurality of objects, wherein the second plurality of objects forms a second object network, wherein a third plurality of the pixel locations includes those pixel locations that belong both to the first plurality and to the second plurality of the pixel locations; (g) linking each of the second plurality of objects to the second object class; (h) generating a third object network by imprinting the first plurality of objects into the second plurality of objects such that objects of the first plurality of objects that become part of the third object network are linked to the third plurality of pixel locations, and objects of the second plurality of objects that become part of the third object network are not linked to the third plurality of pixel locations; (i) determining a characteristic of an object of the third object network by measuring the object; and (j) displaying the object of the third object network on a computer display. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method comprising:
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specifying a first object class, wherein a first plurality of objects belongs to the first object class; specifying a second object class, wherein a second plurality of objects belongs to the second object class; selecting a first process step to be added to an image analysis script, wherein the first process step performs a first segmentation of objects of an object network into the first object class, wherein the first process step is selected from a database of process steps; selecting a second process step to be added to the image analysis script, wherein the second process step performs a second segmentation of the objects of the object network into the second object class; saving the image analysis script to a memory; acquiring pixel values that are associated with pixel locations of a digital image; and running the image analysis script, wherein the image analysis script; executes the first process step by linking a first plurality of the pixel locations to the first plurality of objects; executes the second process step by linking a second plurality of the pixel locations to the second plurality of objects, wherein a third plurality of the pixel locations includes those pixel locations that belong both to the first plurality and to the second plurality of the pixel locations; imprints the first plurality of objects into the second plurality of objects such that each of the third plurality of the pixel locations is unlinked from an object of the second plurality of objects and remains linked to an object of the first plurality of objects; and determines a characteristic of an object linked to pixel locations of the third plurality of the pixel locations by measuring the object. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37)
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38. A system comprising:
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a display on which a digital image having pixel locations is displayed, wherein an object corresponds to a first plurality of the pixel locations on the digital image; and means for measuring the object, wherein the object is part of a first object network, wherein the means generates a second object network by linking a second plurality of the pixel locations to objects of the second object network, wherein the means generates a third object network by linking a third plurality of the pixel locations to objects of the third object network, wherein a fourth plurality of the pixel locations includes those pixel locations that belong both to the second plurality and to the third plurality of the pixel locations, and wherein the means generates the first object network by imprinting the objects of the second object network into the objects of the third object network such that the fourth plurality of the pixel locations are unlinked from objects of the third object network and remain linked to objects of the second object network. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
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Specification