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:
Aug. 15, 2000
Filed:
Apr. 23, 1999
Ricardo Scott Avila, Clifton Park, NY (US);
Lisa Sobierajski Avila, Clifton Park, NY (US);
Brian Peter Geiser, Hartland, WI (US);
William Thomas Hatfield, Schenectady, NY (US);
Vaishali Vilas Kamat, Waukesha, WI (US);
Todd Michael Tillman, West Milwaukee, WI (US);
General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);
Abstract
In performing for three-dimensional ultrasound imaging of an object from any angle relative to the plane of acquisition, a human body is scanned to acquire multiple images forming a data volume. The system computer generates a multiplicity of reformatted slices through the data volume and parallel to the imaging plane. For each projected pixel, a ray is cast through the reformatted slices onto the imaging plane. For each pixel along the ray, the accumulated intensity is calculated as a function of the pixel and opacity values for the pixel being processed, the accumulated intensity calculated at the preceding pixel the remaining opacity for the subsequent pixels. The final accumulated intensity for each ray is obtained when the remaining opacity reaches a predetermined minimum. The accumulated intensities for all cast rays form the projected image.