The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 02, 1999
Filed:
Jun. 30, 1997
Jian-Feng Chen, Issaquah, WA (US);
Lee Weng, Bellevue, WA (US);
Siemens Medical Systems, Inc., Iselin, NJ (US);
Abstract
A system and method for 3-D ultrasound image registration and 3-D motion estimation. A calibrated 3-D speckle function is first pre-determined for the transducer and the tissue to be scanned. A series of image frames are identified and grouped into 3-D big and small blocks. Blocks representing speckle are identified and then, a full width half maximum value sum-absolute-difference technique is used to obtain an out-of-plane motion estimation based on decorrelation characteristics throughout the volume. For in-plane motion estimation, cross-correlation characteristics between pairs of frames are compared and, using a minimum sum absolute value technique, an estimate of in-plane motion is obtained. Fuzzy logic techniques are then used to obtain more accurate estimates. Finally, the out-of-plane motion estimate is updated based on decorrelation characteristics of the speckle frames used for the in-plane determination using a full width half maximum value technique.