US 5,179,598 A · Method for identifying and displaying particular features of an object

Abstract

A method for highlighting particular features of an image photographically captured and stored in a computer is disclosed. The method essentially comprises capturing an image of an object using a video or similar electronic camera and storing the image as a series of numbers in the memory of a computer. The computer contains an image capture board and a graphics board so as to acquire and display the image on a monitor. The operator enlarges a region of the image of interest so as to display the individual pixels comprising the image. The operator, through the computer, selects individual pixels from the image to comprise a test set of pixels to be used to discriminate against all of the pixels comprising the image. Once the test set is defined, the eigenvectors and eigenvalues of the test set are calculated to define an ellipsoid encompassing substantially all of the test set data points. In essence, the ellipsoid defines an envelope in color space. The image is scanned using the test set to either accept or reject each of the pixels comprising the image. The accepted or rejected pixels are assigned a value to be used in producing a second display which highlights the desired pixels. The operator may alter the test set by adding more pixels or change the dimensions of the ellipsoid to produce a different display. Certain operations and calculations may be performed on the second image highlighting characteristics of the first image produced of object.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A method for displaying characteristics of a core sample, comprising the steps of:

(a) generating a first image of the core sample with an image collecting instrument and storing the first image as a plurality of pixels in a memory means;
(b) identifying a test set of pixels from the plurality of pixels in said memory means, the test set of pixels being representative of a selected characteristic of the core sample;
(c) deriving, from the test set of pixels, an envelope of values having substantially the same variance and covariance as the test set of pixels, wherein deriving the envelope, further comprises:
(i) computing a mean-centered covariance matrix of the test set of pixels;
and
(ii) computing, from the mean-centered covariance matrix, eigenvectors and eigenvalues of an ellipsoid representing the envelope of values which encloses the test set of pixels;
(d) determining whether selected pixels in the first image are within the envelope of values;
and
(e) displaying a second image of the core sample using a displaying means, wherein the selected pixels determined to be within the envelope are visually distinguishable from the selected pixels determined to be outside the envelope.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method for identifying and displaying particular features of an object

Life of this patent

Method for identifying and displaying particular features of an object

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims9