Cumulative buffering for surface imaging

1. A method of cumulative buffering for surface imaging, the method comprising:

representing a workpiece model using a plurality of layer models;

displaying a display image of the workpiece model based on a previous update, the previous update comprising a previous display image and one or more previous subtractions made to the previous display image;

buffering a display image saved from the previous update;

subtracting a model representing a tool from the buffered display image to generate a subtracted display image comprising the one or more previous subtractions and a new subtraction, the new subtraction representing a top surface area of a portion of the buffered display image that is subtracted;

displaying the subtracted display image at a fixed angle on the display by subtracting the new subtraction from the buffered display image and drawing a representation of a surface area of the buffered display image located underneath the top surface area without clearing the buffered display image from the display;

wherein the subtracted display image comprises a first image portion representing a subtraction made to an upper layer of the plurality of layer models and further comprising a second image portion representing a subtraction made to a lower layer of the plurality of layer models;

wherein the first image portion has at least one visual characteristic that is different from a visual characteristic of the second image portion; and

saving the subtracted display image as the previous update such that any subsequent subtractions are performed on the subtracted display image.

2. A method of claim 1 , comprising displaying the model representing the tool using a CSG technique at the fixed angle.

3. A method of claim 1 , comprising repeating the steps of buffering, subtracting, displaying, and saving in response to a received update of location of the tool.

4. A method of claim 1 , wherein subtracting comprises:

determining depths of back surfaces of the model representing the tool; and

determining a surface area within the workpiece model at a location of the model representing the tool where each pixel on the surface has depth less than the depths of the back surfaces of the model representing the tool, and

wherein displaying comprises:

displaying the subtracted surface in the identified area in a corresponding color of a first layer model.

5. A method of claim 4 , wherein the first layer model has a depth greater than a second layer model from the plurality of layer models at the location of the model representing the tool.

6. A method of claim 4 , wherein determining further comprises determining each pixel on the surface area that has depth falling within a range of a depth of a front surface of the first layer model and a depth of a back surface of the first layer model, inclusive.

7. A method of claim 1 , wherein subtracting comprises:

representing a workpiece model using a plurality of layer models, the plurality including a top most layer model, a bottom most layer model, and one or more intermediate layer models;

determining depths of front surfaces of the top most layer model;

identifying a surface area of the workpiece model where each pixel on the surface area has depth greater than the depths of front surfaces of the top most layer model; and

displaying the identified surface area in a corresponding color of the top most layer model.

8. A method of claim 7 , wherein subtracting comprises:

for each of the one or more intermediate layer models,

determining depths of front surfaces of a particular intermediate layer model;

identifying a surface area of the workpiece model where each pixel on the surface area has depth greater than the depths of front surfaces of the particular intermediate layer model; and

displaying the identified surface area in a corresponding color of the particular intermediate layer model.

9. A method of claim 8 , wherein subtracting comprises:

determining depths of front surfaces of the bottom most layer model;

identifying a surface area of the workpiece model where each pixel on the surface area has depth greater than the depths of front surfaces of the bottom most layer model; and

displaying the identified surface area in a corresponding color of the bottom most layer model.

10. A method of claim 1 , wherein subtracting comprises:

determining depths of back surfaces of the model representing the tool;

identifying a surface area of a workpiece model at a location of the model representing the tool where each pixel on the surface area has depth less than the depths of the back surfaces of the model representing the tool;

displaying the identified surface area in a corresponding color of a wall layer model if the location of the model representing the tool is outside a boundary of the wall layer model; and

displaying the identified surface area in a color corresponding to an appropriate layer model based on depth if the location of the model representing the tool is within the boundary of the wall layer model.

11. A method of claim 1 , wherein the display image is a first display image and the fixed angle is a first fixed angle, the method comprising:

buffering a second display image saved from a previous update, the second display image having a viewing angle at a second fixed angle different than the first fixed angle;

subtracting the model representing the tool from the buffered second display image using the CSG technique;

displaying the subtracted second display image at the second fixed angle; and

saving the subtracted second display image.

12. A method of claim 1 , comprising representing an implant within the display image.

13. A method of claim 1 , comprising representing an implant within the display image using a first layer model from a plurality of layer models.

14. A method of claim 1 , wherein buffering comprises copying the display image saved from the previous update.

15. A method of claim 1 , wherein the display image is based on a medical image associated with a patient.

16. A method of claim 1 , wherein the model representing the tool comprises a burr model.

17. A method of claim 16 , wherein the burr model comprises a spherical primitive.

18. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program product including instructions being operable to cause a data processing apparatus to:

represent a workpiece model using a plurality of layer models;

display a display image of the workpiece model based on a previous update, the previous update comprising a previous display image and one or more previous subtractions made to the previous display image;

buffer a display image saved from the previous update;

subtract a model representing a tool from the buffered display image using a CSG technique to generate a subtracted display image comprising the one or more previous subtractions and a new subtraction, the new subtraction representing a top surface area of a portion of the buffered display image that is subtracted;

display the subtracted display image at a fixed angle on the display by subtracting the new subtraction from the buffered display image and drawing a representation of a surface area of the buffered display image located underneath the top surface without clearing the buffered display image from the display;

wherein the subtracted display image comprises a first image portion representing a subtraction made to an upper layer of the plurality of layer models and further comprising a second image portion representing a subtraction made to a lower layer of the plurality of layer models;

wherein the first image portion has at least one visual characteristic that is different from a visual characteristic of the second image portion; and

save the subtracted display image as the previous update such that any subsequent subtractions are performed on the subtracted display image.

19. A surgical computer system comprising:

at least one video card configured to:

represent a workpiece model using a plurality of layer models;

display a display image of the workpiece model based on a previous update, the previous update comprising a previous display image and one or more previous subtractions made to the previous display image;

buffer a display image saved from the previous update;

subtract a model representing a tool from the buffered display image using a CSG technique to generate a subtracted display image comprising the one or more previous subtractions and a new subtraction, the new subtraction representing a top surface area of a portion of the buffered display image that is subtracted;

display the subtracted display image at a fixed angle on the display by subtracting the new subtraction from buffered display image and drawing a representation of a surface area of the buffered display image located underneath the top surface without clearing the buffered display image from the display;

wherein the subtracted display image comprises a first image portion representing a subtraction made to an upper layer of the plurality of layer models and further comprising a second image portion representing a subtraction made to a lower layer of the plurality of layer models;

wherein the first image portion has at least one visual characteristic that is different from a visual characteristic of the second image portion; and

save the subtracted display image as the previous update such that any subsequent subtractions are performed on the subtracted display image.