IP Library Granted Patent US 11,436,735
Granted Patent B2
US 11,436,735 · App. 15/550,402 · Granted Sep 6, 2022

Three-dimensional object image generation

Inventors: David Lieblich (Worcester, MA); Nirupam Sarkar (Westford, MA); Daniel B. Keesing (Brookline, MA)
Assignee: ANALOGIC CORPORATION
G06T7/12G06T15/08G06T2207/10081G06T2207/20132G06T2207/30112
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,436,735
App. No.
15/550,402
Granted
Sep 6, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A volume of an object is extracted from a three-dimensional image to generate a three-dimensional object image, where the three-dimensional object image represents the object but little to no other aspects of the three-dimensional image. The three-dimensional image is yielded from an examination in which the object, such as a suitcase, is situated within a volume, such as a luggage bin, that may contain other aspects or objects that are not of interest, such as sidewalls of the luggage bin. The three-dimensional image is projected to generate a two-dimensional image, and a two-dimensional boundary of the object is defined, where the two-dimensional boundary excludes or cuts off at least some of the uninteresting aspects. In some embodiments, the two-dimensional boundary is reprojected over the three-dimensional image to generate a three-dimensional boundary, and voxels comprised within the three-dimensional boundary are extracted to generate the three-dimensional object image.

Claims (49)

1. A method for generating a three-dimensional object image from a three-dimensional image depicting an object and a secondary object, comprising:

projecting the three-dimensional image along a first axis to generate a first two-dimensional projection image;

first adding a two-dimensional boundary encompassing the object responsive to the first two-dimensional projection image;

second adding a three-dimensional boundary encompassing the object within the three-dimensional image by projecting the two-dimensional boundary over at least a portion of the three-dimensional image; and

extracting voxels comprised within the three-dimensional boundary to generate the three-dimensional object image depicting the object but not depicting the secondary object.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the object is a suitcase.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the secondary object is a luggage bin.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

projecting the two-dimensional boundary along a second axis, different than the first axis, to generate a first one-dimensional projection line; and

identifying a first set of one or more edges of the object responsive to the first one-dimensional projection line.

5. The method of claim 4 , comprising:

projecting the two-dimensional boundary along a third axis, different than the first axis and different than the second axis, to generate a second one-dimensional projection line; and

identifying a second set of one or more edges of the object responsive to the second one-dimensional projection line.

6. The method of claim 5 , comprising characterizing the two-dimensional boundary responsive to the first set of one or more edges and the second set of one or more edges.

7. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

reprojecting the two-dimensional boundary over at least a portion of the three-dimensional image to generate a three-dimensional sub-image.

8. The method of claim 7 , comprising:

projecting the three-dimensional sub-image along a second axis, different than the first axis, to generate a second two-dimensional projection image.

9. The method of claim 8 , comprising:

identifying a third set of one or more edges of the object responsive to the second two-dimensional projection image.

10. The method of claim 9 , the second adding the three-dimensional boundary comprising adding the three-dimensional boundary responsive to the third set of one or more edges.

11. The method of claim 8 , the comprising:

projecting the second two-dimensional projection image along a third axis, different than the second axis, to generate a third one-dimensional projection line; and

identifying a third set of one or more edges of the object responsive to the third one-dimensional projection line.

12. The method of claim 1 , comprising, prior to the projecting:

adding a search path relative to the three-dimensional image;

generating a set of planes angled at a predefined angle relative to the search path;

identifying a first boundary plane by sequentially examining the set of planes to identify a first edge of the object; and

trimming the three-dimensional image responsive to the first boundary plane.

13. The method of claim 1 , at least one of the first adding the two-dimensional boundary or second adding the three-dimensional boundary responsive to user input.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional image is yielded from a radiation examination of the object and the secondary object.

15. A system comprising:

a processing unit; and

memory configured to store instructions that when executed by the processing unit perform a method, comprising:

projecting a three-dimensional image of an object and a secondary object in which the object is situated during a radiation examination to generate a two-dimensional projection image;

adding a two-dimensional boundary encompassing the object responsive to the two-dimensional projection image;

projecting the two-dimensional boundary over a portion of the three-dimensional image to add a three-dimensional boundary encompassing the object; and

extracting voxels comprised within the three-dimensional boundary to generate a three-dimensional object image depicting the object but not depicting the secondary object.

16. The method of claim 15 , the method comprising presenting the two-dimensional projection image to a user.

17. The method of claim 16 , the adding comprising adding the two-dimensional boundary responsive to user input received responsive to the presenting.

18. The method of claim 15 , the projecting comprising projecting the three-dimensional image along a first axis and the method comprising:

projecting the two-dimensional projection image along a second axis, different than the first axis, to generate a one-dimensional projection line; and

identifying an edge of the object responsive to the one-dimensional projection line.

19. The method of claim 18 , the adding comprising adding the two-dimensional boundary responsive to the edge.

20. A computer-readable medium comprising computer executable instructions that when executed perform a method for generating a three-dimensional object image from a three-dimensional image depicting an object and a secondary object, the method comprising:

projecting a three-dimensional image along a first axis to generate a first two-dimensional projection image;

adding a two-dimensional boundary encompassing the object responsive to the first two-dimensional projection image;

adding a three-dimensional boundary encompassing the object within the three-dimensional image by projecting the two-dimensional boundary over at least a portion of the three-dimensional image; and

extracting voxels comprised within the three-dimensional boundary to generate the three-dimensional object image depicting the object but not depicting the secondary object.

Assignments (4)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 19, 2023
From: ANALOGIC CORPORATION
To: TRUIST BANK, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 064954/0027 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 15, 2023
From: MIDCAP FINANCIAL TRUST
To: ANALOGIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064917/0544 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 22, 2018
From: ANALOGIC CORPORATION; SOUND TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: MIDCAP FINANCIAL TRUST
Reel/Frame 046414/0277 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 29, 2017
From: LIEBLICH, DAVID; SARKAR, NIRUPAM; KEESING, DANIEL B.
To: ANALOGIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 044247/0723 →