EP0242365A1 - Digital imagery and analysis system - Google Patents

Digital imagery and analysis system

Info

Publication number
EP0242365A1
EP0242365A1 EP86901302A EP86901302A EP0242365A1 EP 0242365 A1 EP0242365 A1 EP 0242365A1 EP 86901302 A EP86901302 A EP 86901302A EP 86901302 A EP86901302 A EP 86901302A EP 0242365 A1 EP0242365 A1 EP 0242365A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
images
digital signals
image
analysis
pair
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP86901302A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Gerd Rudiger Dowideit
Denis Gene Newman
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
University of Queensland UQ
Original Assignee
University of Queensland UQ
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by University of Queensland UQ filed Critical University of Queensland UQ
Publication of EP0242365A1 publication Critical patent/EP0242365A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06T—IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
    • G06T7/00—Image analysis
    • G06T7/50—Depth or shape recovery
    • G06T7/55—Depth or shape recovery from multiple images
    • G06T7/593—Depth or shape recovery from multiple images from stereo images
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N13/00—Stereoscopic video systems; Multi-view video systems; Details thereof
    • H04N13/20—Image signal generators
    • H04N13/204—Image signal generators using stereoscopic image cameras
    • H04N13/239—Image signal generators using stereoscopic image cameras using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06T—IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
    • G06T2207/00—Indexing scheme for image analysis or image enhancement
    • G06T2207/10—Image acquisition modality
    • G06T2207/10004—Still image; Photographic image
    • G06T2207/10012—Stereo images
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N13/00—Stereoscopic video systems; Multi-view video systems; Details thereof
    • H04N13/10—Processing, recording or transmission of stereoscopic or multi-view image signals
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N13/00—Stereoscopic video systems; Multi-view video systems; Details thereof
    • H04N13/10—Processing, recording or transmission of stereoscopic or multi-view image signals
    • H04N13/189—Recording image signals; Reproducing recorded image signals
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N13/00—Stereoscopic video systems; Multi-view video systems; Details thereof
    • H04N13/20—Image signal generators
    • H04N13/204—Image signal generators using stereoscopic image cameras
    • H04N13/207—Image signal generators using stereoscopic image cameras using a single 2D image sensor
    • H04N13/218—Image signal generators using stereoscopic image cameras using a single 2D image sensor using spatial multiplexing
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N13/00—Stereoscopic video systems; Multi-view video systems; Details thereof
    • H04N13/20—Image signal generators
    • H04N13/257—Colour aspects
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N13/00—Stereoscopic video systems; Multi-view video systems; Details thereof
    • H04N13/30—Image reproducers
    • H04N13/324—Colour aspects
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N13/00—Stereoscopic video systems; Multi-view video systems; Details thereof
    • H04N13/30—Image reproducers
    • H04N13/332—Displays for viewing with the aid of special glasses or head-mounted displays [HMD]
    • H04N13/334—Displays for viewing with the aid of special glasses or head-mounted displays [HMD] using spectral multiplexing
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N13/00—Stereoscopic video systems; Multi-view video systems; Details thereof
    • H04N13/30—Image reproducers
    • H04N13/398—Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N13/00—Stereoscopic video systems; Multi-view video systems; Details thereof
    • H04N2013/0074—Stereoscopic image analysis
    • H04N2013/0081—Depth or disparity estimation from stereoscopic image signals

Definitions

  • THIS INVENTION relates to digital imagery and analysis system.
  • engineering e.g. monitoring of engineering structure deformation, monitoring the stability of rock slopes, faces, ore stockpiles; measurement of the volume of ore bodies and stockpiles; monitoring surfaces under stress; exploration drilling analysis; automatic terrain evaluation; and monitoring of equipment in measurement of wheel wear/deformation on railway rolling stock and railway track wear/deformation;
  • the present invention resides in apparatus for 3-D stereometric analysis of surfaces including: means to generate a stereo image pair of the surface being measured; means to convert the analog signals corres ⁇ ponding to the image pair to respective digital signals; checking the correlation between the respective digital signals; and processing the digital signals to produce an output.
  • the means to generate the stereo image pair may include an optical mirror and filter arrangement mounted on a base-bar to produce two geometrically different images on a light sensitive video tube e.g. of a colour video camera, a pair of spaced video cameras, ultra ⁇ sound or x-ray sources.
  • a light sensitive video tube e.g. of a colour video camera, a pair of spaced video cameras, ultra ⁇ sound or x-ray sources.
  • the analog signals may be stored e.g. in a video tape recorder and/or may be passed for on-line processing.
  • the signals are passed through a monitor to enable the operator to observe the signals being transmitted for processing.
  • the analog signals are converted to digital signals via an A/D multiplexing circuit and then fed to a digital correlation to reconstitute the image positions for identical object points in both images, in order to compute the 3-D object position of such points.
  • the signals are preferably processed by a suitable computer/microprocessor and the output may be fed to the monitor, an exterial storage unit and/or a printer/plotter is required by the operator who may control the system from a control panel incorporating a key board.
  • a digital imagery and analysis system for a 3-D object including: means to generate image pairs of the object; means to convert the analog signals corres- ponding to the images into respective digital signals and storing the digital signals in a data archive; and means to process the digital signals to produce an output corresponding to the images.
  • the image pair generating means may include the video system for generating the stereo image pairs hereinbefore described NM , CAT-scan, x-ray, ultra ⁇ sound and like image generating devices.
  • the output may be fed to a central analysis and archive unit for processing or the operator can call up data and images from that unit to enable comparison of the generated images with the called data and images.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic layout of a video imaging system for 3-dimentional analysis of surfaces
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic layout of a multi- input digital image archive and data base system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
  • the stereo image pair of the object e.g. a human head 10
  • the stereo image pair of the object is produced by an optical mirror and filter arrangement 11 mounted on a base-bar.
  • a green filter and a red filter and two mirrors in each half of the light path provide superimposition of the two geometrically different images of the object 10 onto the light sensitive video tube of a colour video camera 12 so that each of the two images can be retrieved separately from the monitor.
  • the output from the video camera 12 is fed to a video tape recorder (VTR) 13 for in situ image capture without on-line processing and/or reprocessing of image pairs captured (and possibly processed) earlier. (For on-line processing, the VTR 13 is bypassed.)
  • VTR video tape recorder
  • the signals are passed through an analog filter 14 to a video frame store 15.
  • the filter unit 14 removes noise and very low frequency signals from the video signal.
  • the filter unit is preferably a variable band pass filtering unit which may be controlled manually and/or digitally by the microprocessor.
  • the video frame store 15 enables single frame processing of the signals.
  • the still composite video signal is fed to a colour monitor 16 in order to display the stored and filtered video frame, separate the red and green signals from the composite video (for restoratioa of the two video images), allow VDU display controlled by the micro- processor and/or allow for an optional display of graphic overlay generated by the microprocessor software system from measurement data.
  • the red and green signals are fed to a chain of signal delay lines 17, A/D converters (for multiplexing) 18 and a digital signal correlator 19 to reconstitute image positions for identical object points in both images. These image positions are required in order to compute the 3-D object position of such points.
  • the number of points surveyed depends on the overall resolution of the system (e.g. the number of image lines and number of image line elements produced by the A/D converter timing unit and the resolution accuracy of the delay lines).
  • the digital signal delay in front of the cor ⁇ relator unit will have a resolution of one image line element as produced by the A/D conversion.
  • Subsequent correlation can be done directly to the same resolution and to about half that interval by analysis within the microprocessor correlation control real time loop.
  • An improvement of this resolution is achieved by the two analog delay lines in front of the A/D converter. These delays will have a delay range in the magnitude of +- one line element timing interval as used by the A/D conversion and essentially they act as a fine tuning system.
  • Both delay lines are under control of the microprocessor real time loop which in turn also references to time signals such as the A/D converter clock and the video sync pulse in order to evaluate the image position of a matching point.
  • the sync pulse count will give the image line position, while the A/D clock pulse count plus the delay on the left signal line will provide for the in-line position of a matching point in the left image, and for the right image respectively using the right signal line delay. (Connections for sync pulse and A/D clock are not shown in the drawings. )
  • Image position determination and sequence is fully under control of the software in the micro ⁇ processor 20.
  • Accuracies of image position determination will be: for line count at a level of video line resolution; for in-line count better than A/D conversion resolution only limited by the definition of the filtered video signal. Thus, it is expected to gain an improvement by having the filter unit(s) also under software control.
  • microprocessor software As outlined above indirectly, the measurement procedure is controlled by microprocessor software.
  • An Intel iSBC 286 single board computer system may be used as this microprocessor type is software compatible with 8086 and 8088 microprocessors which can also be utilized in systems requiring lower processor speeds.
  • control panel and keyboard unit 21 User interaction with the system is achieved at measurement and data analysis stages via a control panel and keyboard unit 21 as well as through VDU capa- bility and optional graphics display on the image display monitor 16.
  • a printer/plotter 22 can be connected for hard copy output as well as a digital mass storage system 22 in form of magnetic disk or tape systems (floppy disc, mag. tape cassette, etc.).
  • the software package for the system can be developed to achieve: real time loop for control of .image correlation; solution for imaging equations (co-linearity equations) ; solution for corrective functions (lens distortion, non-linearity in signal path in particular during line generation and delays); measurement sequence control;
  • 3-D position data presentation routines to derive information such as distances, angles, volumes, etc.; refined analysis routines according to applications; and optional graphics functions according to applications.
  • the video system shown generally in the dotted line box 50, provides non-intrusive images of the human head 10.
  • image pairs can be obtained from intrusive image sources e.g. nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), CAT-scan, x-ray and ultrasound devices and their inputs fed to the video image frame store for processing in the manner hereinbefore described. This enables the data base or the item under study to be markedly increased.
  • analog and digital delays can be simulated by the software and so the out ⁇ put from the video frame store 15 can be fed direct to the A/D converter 18 and the microprocessor 20, as indicated by the dashed lines.
  • imagery system described above can form the part of an on-line imagery and analysis system shown schematically in FIG. 2.
  • the image pairs generated by the video system 50 and from the NMR 51, CAT-scan 52, x-ray 53 and ultra ⁇ sound 54 devices can be fed through a suitable in/out device 55, together with data stored on a disk or tape storage unit 56, into a data archive 57-
  • a user can call up the data through an operating system 59 and an analysis system 60 which converts the data in the archive 57 into a form suitable for the user.
  • the out ⁇ put data from the system may be displayed e.g. on a VDU and/or supplied as a hard copy e.g. on a printer on a display and/or output unit 61.
  • the output data can also be fed to a computer-aided-manufacturing (CAM) unit 62 which could control e.g. a numerically controlled milling machine in which are manufactured prosthesis for home replacement surgery.
  • the operating system 59 can be connected e.g. via modems and landlines to a central analysis unit 63 to which is connected a central archive unit 64 and inputs/outputs 65 manned by experts in the field.
  • the central archive and analysis system could be installed in a major city and the on ⁇ line systems provided in a number of " regional cities.
  • a doctor in a regional city could send the images of a patient to the central archive and analysis system for consideration and comment by specialists in the field or could call for data relating to particular diseases or disabilities, including images of persons suffering such diseases and showing how the diseases progress.
  • data relating to particular diseases or disabilities including images of persons suffering such diseases and showing how the diseases progress.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Computer Vision & Pattern Recognition (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Analysing Materials By The Use Of Radiation (AREA)
  • Image Processing (AREA)
  • Ultra Sonic Daignosis Equipment (AREA)

Abstract

Appareil d'analyse stéréométrique tridimensionnelle de surfaces ou de corps, possédant une mémoire de trame vidéo (15) recevant des paires d'images stéréo sur une simple trame depuis un appareil vidéo tel qu'une caméra de télévision couleur (12), un scanneur (52) ou une machine à rayons x (53). Les paires d'images stéréo sont envoyées à une unité de multiplexage analogique-numérique (18) et à un microprocesseur (20) doté d'un logiciel permettant la commande de l'appareil et l'analyse des images. Lors du traitement des images, le système incorpore un organe de corrélation (19) qui reconstitue des positions d'image pour des points identiques des objets dans les deux images.Apparatus for three-dimensional stereometric analysis of surfaces or bodies, having a video frame memory (15) receiving pairs of stereo images on a single frame from a video device such as a color television camera (12), a scanner (52) or an x-ray machine (53). The stereo image pairs are sent to an analog-digital multiplexing unit (18) and to a microprocessor (20) provided with software allowing the control of the device and the analysis of the images. When processing images, the system incorporates a correlation member (19) which reconstructs image positions for identical points of the objects in the two images.

Description

- 1 -
Title: "DIGITAL IMAGERY AND ANALYSIS SYSTEM" BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
THIS INVENTION relates to digital imagery and analysis system.
(2) Prior Art
There are many potential applications for a system for non-destructive measurement of the geometric parameters of surfaces, and in particular, for such measurements of touch sensitive surfaces. In such applications, emphasis on objectivity is required. The potential applications include:
(a) medicine e.g. monitoring external changes in facial or limb configurations due to congenital mal- formations, disease or injury; measurements may also be obtained from.internal examination with alternative scanning devices; the system enables the special measure¬ ment data necessary for body reconstruction and the development of prosthetic replacement parts and the precise measurements required for reconstructive surgery in the determination of the reconstruction of body parts such as face, ears, nose and genitals.
(b) forensics e.g. reconstruction of faces from a skeletal or partially decomposed base or "Identikit" type reconstruction of faces;
(c) engineering e.g. monitoring of engineering structure deformation, monitoring the stability of rock slopes, faces, ore stockpiles; measurement of the volume of ore bodies and stockpiles; monitoring surfaces under stress; exploration drilling analysis; automatic terrain evaluation; and monitoring of equipment in measurement of wheel wear/deformation on railway rolling stock and railway track wear/deformation;
(d) the manufacturing industry e.g. quality controls; and (e) the military e.g. target analysis and identification.
Various systems for such analysis have been proposed but these have generally proved fairly inflexi- ble and limited in scope to laboratory tools only. SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a system which can measure the geometric para¬ meters of a surface with emphasis on objectivity. It is a preferred object to provide a system which can be controlled by an operation using a computer/microprocessor.
It is a further preferred object to provide a system which can be used for continuous or single frame processing.
It is a further preferred object to provide a system which can be incorporated into a system which also receives image from intrusive image devices.
Other preferred objects will become apparent from the following description.
In one aspect the present invention resides in apparatus for 3-D stereometric analysis of surfaces including: means to generate a stereo image pair of the surface being measured; means to convert the analog signals corres¬ ponding to the image pair to respective digital signals; checking the correlation between the respective digital signals; and processing the digital signals to produce an output.
The means to generate the stereo image pair may include an optical mirror and filter arrangement mounted on a base-bar to produce two geometrically different images on a light sensitive video tube e.g. of a colour video camera, a pair of spaced video cameras, ultra¬ sound or x-ray sources.
The analog signals may be stored e.g. in a video tape recorder and/or may be passed for on-line processing. Preferably the signals are passed through a monitor to enable the operator to observe the signals being transmitted for processing.
Preferably the analog signals are converted to digital signals via an A/D multiplexing circuit and then fed to a digital correlation to reconstitute the image positions for identical object points in both images, in order to compute the 3-D object position of such points.
The signals are preferably processed by a suitable computer/microprocessor and the output may be fed to the monitor, an exterial storage unit and/or a printer/plotter is required by the operator who may control the system from a control panel incorporating a key board. In a second aspect the present invention resides in a digital imagery and analysis system for a 3-D object including: means to generate image pairs of the object; means to convert the analog signals corres- ponding to the images into respective digital signals and storing the digital signals in a data archive; and means to process the digital signals to produce an output corresponding to the images.
The image pair generating means may include the video system for generating the stereo image pairs hereinbefore described NM , CAT-scan, x-ray, ultra¬ sound and like image generating devices. The output may be fed to a central analysis and archive unit for processing or the operator can call up data and images from that unit to enable comparison of the generated images with the called data and images.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
To enable the invention to be fully understood, preferred embodiments will now be described with refer- ence to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic layout of a video imaging system for 3-dimentional analysis of surfaces; and
FIG. 2 is a schematic layout of a multi- input digital image archive and data base system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIG. 1, the stereo image pair of the object e.g. a human head 10, is produced by an optical mirror and filter arrangement 11 mounted on a base-bar.
A green filter and a red filter and two mirrors in each half of the light path provide superimposition of the two geometrically different images of the object 10 onto the light sensitive video tube of a colour video camera 12 so that each of the two images can be retrieved separately from the monitor.
The output from the video camera 12 is fed to a video tape recorder (VTR) 13 for in situ image capture without on-line processing and/or reprocessing of image pairs captured (and possibly processed) earlier. (For on-line processing, the VTR 13 is bypassed.)
The signals are passed through an analog filter 14 to a video frame store 15. The filter unit 14 removes noise and very low frequency signals from the video signal. The filter unit is preferably a variable band pass filtering unit which may be controlled manually and/or digitally by the microprocessor.
The video frame store 15 enables single frame processing of the signals. The still composite video signal is fed to a colour monitor 16 in order to display the stored and filtered video frame, separate the red and green signals from the composite video (for restoratioa of the two video images), allow VDU display controlled by the micro- processor and/or allow for an optional display of graphic overlay generated by the microprocessor software system from measurement data.
The red and green signals (forming the left and right stereo images respectively) are fed to a chain of signal delay lines 17, A/D converters (for multiplexing) 18 and a digital signal correlator 19 to reconstitute image positions for identical object points in both images. These image positions are required in order to compute the 3-D object position of such points. The number of points surveyed depends on the overall resolution of the system (e.g. the number of image lines and number of image line elements produced by the A/D converter timing unit and the resolution accuracy of the delay lines). The digital signal delay in front of the cor¬ relator unit will have a resolution of one image line element as produced by the A/D conversion. Subsequent correlation can be done directly to the same resolution and to about half that interval by analysis within the microprocessor correlation control real time loop. An improvement of this resolution is achieved by the two analog delay lines in front of the A/D converter. These delays will have a delay range in the magnitude of +- one line element timing interval as used by the A/D conversion and essentially they act as a fine tuning system.
Both delay lines (the analog and the digital delay) are under control of the microprocessor real time loop which in turn also references to time signals such as the A/D converter clock and the video sync pulse in order to evaluate the image position of a matching point. The sync pulse count will give the image line position, while the A/D clock pulse count plus the delay on the left signal line will provide for the in-line position of a matching point in the left image, and for the right image respectively using the right signal line delay. (Connections for sync pulse and A/D clock are not shown in the drawings. )
Image position determination and sequence is fully under control of the software in the micro¬ processor 20.
Accuracies of image position determination will be: for line count at a level of video line resolution; for in-line count better than A/D conversion resolution only limited by the definition of the filtered video signal. Thus, it is expected to gain an improvement by having the filter unit(s) also under software control.
As outlined above indirectly, the measurement procedure is controlled by microprocessor software. An Intel iSBC 286 single board computer system may be used as this microprocessor type is software compatible with 8086 and 8088 microprocessors which can also be utilized in systems requiring lower processor speeds.
User interaction with the system is achieved at measurement and data analysis stages via a control panel and keyboard unit 21 as well as through VDU capa- bility and optional graphics display on the image display monitor 16.
Optionally a printer/plotter 22 can be connected for hard copy output as well as a digital mass storage system 22 in form of magnetic disk or tape systems (floppy disc, mag. tape cassette, etc.). The software package for the system can be developed to achieve: real time loop for control of .image correlation; solution for imaging equations (co-linearity equations) ; solution for corrective functions (lens distortion, non-linearity in signal path in particular during line generation and delays); measurement sequence control;
3-D position data presentation; routines to derive information such as distances, angles, volumes, etc.; refined analysis routines according to applications; and optional graphics functions according to applications.
The video system, shown generally in the dotted line box 50, provides non-intrusive images of the human head 10. Where the surface features under study are to be related e.g. to bone structure, muscle and other tissue formation, image pairs can be obtained from intrusive image sources e.g. nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), CAT-scan, x-ray and ultrasound devices and their inputs fed to the video image frame store for processing in the manner hereinbefore described. This enables the data base or the item under study to be markedly increased.
In certain applications, the analog and digital delays can be simulated by the software and so the out¬ put from the video frame store 15 can be fed direct to the A/D converter 18 and the microprocessor 20, as indicated by the dashed lines.
Referring now to FIG. 2, the imagery system described above can form the part of an on-line imagery and analysis system shown schematically in FIG. 2.
The image pairs generated by the video system 50 and from the NMR 51, CAT-scan 52, x-ray 53 and ultra¬ sound 54 devices can be fed through a suitable in/out device 55, together with data stored on a disk or tape storage unit 56, into a data archive 57-
A user, operating e.g. a keyboard 58, can call up the data through an operating system 59 and an analysis system 60 which converts the data in the archive 57 into a form suitable for the user. The out¬ put data from the system may be displayed e.g. on a VDU and/or supplied as a hard copy e.g. on a printer on a display and/or output unit 61. The output data can also be fed to a computer-aided-manufacturing (CAM) unit 62 which could control e.g. a numerically controlled milling machine in which are manufactured prosthesis for home replacement surgery. The operating system 59 can be connected e.g. via modems and landlines to a central analysis unit 63 to which is connected a central archive unit 64 and inputs/outputs 65 manned by experts in the field.
For example, the central archive and analysis system could be installed in a major city and the on¬ line systems provided in a number of "regional cities. A doctor in a regional city could send the images of a patient to the central archive and analysis system for consideration and comment by specialists in the field or could call for data relating to particular diseases or disabilities, including images of persons suffering such diseases and showing how the diseases progress. By comparing the patient's images with the retrieved data and images, improved diagnosis of the disease, and its status and treatment can be provided.
While the system has immediate application in the medical field, it will be readily apparent to the skilled addressee that by selection of suitable imagery input devices, and appropriate controlling of analysis software, the system has a wide range of potential applications.
Various changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the scope of the present invention defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. Apparatus for 3-D stereometric analysis of surfaces including: means to generate a stereo image pair of the surface being measured; means to convert the analog signals corres¬ ponding to the image pair to respective digital signals; checking the correlation between the res¬ pective digital signals; and processing the digital signals to produce an output.
2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 wherein: the means to generate the stereo image pair includes an optical mirror and filter arrangement mounted on a base-bar to produce two geometrically different images on a light sensitive video tube of a colour video camera; a pair of spaced video camera; a pair of x-ray sources or a pair of ultrasound sources.
3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 wherein: the analog signals are converted to digital signals via an A/D multiplexing circuit and this is fed to a digital correlation unit to reconstitute the images position for identical object points in both images.
4. A'digital imagery and analysis system for a 3-D object including: means to generate image pairs of the object; means to convert the analog signals corres¬ ponding to the images into respective digital signals and storing the digital signals in a data archive; and means to process the digital signals to produce an output corresponding to the images.
5. . Apparatus as claimed in Claim 4 wherein: the image pair generating means includes a video image pair generating system, NMR, CAT-scan, x-ray and ultrasound image generating devices. - 1 1 -
6. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 4 wherein: the output is fed to a central analysis and archive unit for comparison with data and images stored in the unit.
7. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 5 wherein: the output is compared with data and images called up from a central analysis and archive unit.
EP86901302A 1985-02-13 1986-02-13 Digital imagery and analysis system Withdrawn EP0242365A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU9265/85 1985-02-13
AU926585 1985-02-13

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0242365A1 true EP0242365A1 (en) 1987-10-28

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EP86901302A Withdrawn EP0242365A1 (en) 1985-02-13 1986-02-13 Digital imagery and analysis system

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JP (1) JPS62501881A (en)
WO (1) WO1986005058A1 (en)

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FR2637758B1 (en) * 1988-10-12 1994-09-23 Drouard Gabriel METHOD FOR CREATING AND RENDERING A NEAR STEREOSCOPIC IMAGE IN SEQUENTIAL VIDEO IMAGING
EP0858290A1 (en) * 1995-10-16 1998-08-19 Integrated Dynamics Limited Method and apparatus to produce three-dimensional x-ray images
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