System and method for performing volume rendering using shadow calculation
First Claim
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1. A method for performing a volume rendering of a 3D array of image data using shadow calculation, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving the 3D array of image data;
determining a viewing direction and position of a light source;
depending on the position of the light source, automatically selecting a shadow-calculation method comprising ray casting or texture-based volume rendering;
determining a number of slices to use;
slicing the array of image data into the determined number of slices with the slices either perpendicular to the viewing direction, perpendicular to a bisector between the viewing direction and the direction of light from the source, or perpendicular to a bisector between the mirrored viewing direction and the light direction;
calculating shadows if the position of the light source moves or if the shadow-calculation method has been changed;
rendering the slices with ray casting or texture-based volume rendering and incorporating the shadows determined by the latest shadow calculation independent of the rendering method by which they were calculated; and
displaying the rendered data on a screen of a display device using ray casting and/or texture-based volume rendering.
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Abstract
A method and a system are provided for performing volume rendering a 3D array of image data to produce images with an increased spatial information and thus increase the usefulness of the generated images.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method for performing a volume rendering of a 3D array of image data using shadow calculation, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving the 3D array of image data; determining a viewing direction and position of a light source; depending on the position of the light source, automatically selecting a shadow-calculation method comprising ray casting or texture-based volume rendering; determining a number of slices to use; slicing the array of image data into the determined number of slices with the slices either perpendicular to the viewing direction, perpendicular to a bisector between the viewing direction and the direction of light from the source, or perpendicular to a bisector between the mirrored viewing direction and the light direction; calculating shadows if the position of the light source moves or if the shadow-calculation method has been changed; rendering the slices with ray casting or texture-based volume rendering and incorporating the shadows determined by the latest shadow calculation independent of the rendering method by which they were calculated; and displaying the rendered data on a screen of a display device using ray casting and/or texture-based volume rendering. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for performing a volume rendering of a 3D array of image data using shadow calculation, the system comprising:
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a memory device for storing a program; at least one processor in communication with the memory device and operative with the program to; receive the 3D array of image data; determine a viewing direction and position of a light source; depending on the a position of the light source, automatically select a shadow-calculation method comprising ray casting or texture-based volume rendering; determine a number of slices to use; slice the array of image data into the determined number of slices with the slices either perpendicular to the viewing direction, perpendicular to a bisector between the viewing direction and the light direction, or perpendicular to a bisector between the mirrored viewing direction and the light direction; calculate shadows if the position of the light source moves or if the shadow-calculation method has been changed; render the slices with ray casting or texture-based volume rendering and incorporating the shadows determined by the latest calculation independent of the rendering method by which they were calculated; and a display in communication with the processor for displaying the rendered data in ray casting and/or texture-based volume rendering. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for performing on a processor a volume rendering of a 3D array of image data using shadow calculation, the computer program logic comprising:
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receiving the 3D array of image data; determining a viewing direction and position of a light source; depending on the position of the light source, automatically selecting a volume-rendering method comprising ray casting or texture-based volume rendering; determining a number of slices to use; slicing the array of image data into the determined number of slices with the slices either perpendicular to the viewing direction, perpendicular to the bisector between the viewing direction and the light direction, or perpendicular to the bisector between the mirrored viewing direction and the light direction; calculating ray traced shadows with a position of a light source being used either fixed or movable; rendering the slices with ray casting or texture-based volume rendering and incorporating the shadows determined by the latest shadow calculation independent of the rendering method by which they were calculated; and displaying the rendered data on a screen with ray casting and/or texture-based volume rendering.
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29. A computer-based system for performing a volume rendering of a 3D array of image data using shadow calculation, the system comprising:
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means for receiving the 3D array of image data; means for determining a viewing direction and position of a light source; means for, depending on the position of the light source, automatically selecting a shadow-calculation method comprising ray casting or texture-based volume rendering; means for determining a number of slices to use; means for slicing the array of image data into the determined number of slices with the slices either perpendicular to the viewing direction, perpendicular to a bisector between the viewing direction and the direction of light from the source, or perpendicular to a bisector between the mirrored viewing direction and the light direction; means for calculating shadows if the position of the light source moves or if the volume-rendering method has been changed; means for rendering the slices with ray casting or texture-based volume rendering and incorporating the shadows determined by the latest shadow calculation independent of the rendering method by which they were calculated; and means for displaying the rendered data on a screen of a display device with ray casting and/or texture-based volume rendering.
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Specification