Method and apparatus for generating large compound ultrasound image

A method for providing a compound image from a plurality of individual image frames, comprising the steps of:

• dividing the individual image frames into a plurality of sub-image regions;
• estimating local motion vectors of the respective sub-image regions between consecutive ones of the individual image frames;
• estimating global image motion based on the estimated local motion vectors;
• and
• displaying a compound image based on the estimated global image motion;
• wherein the step of estimating local motion vectors further comprises the steps of:
• calculating an initial estimation of the local motion vectors using a fast adaptive coarse/fine minimum-sum-absolute-difference (MSAD) search;
• and
• deriving a final estimation of the local motion vectors from the initial estimation of the local motion vectors by use of a fuzzy logic technique.

A method for providing a compound image from a plurality of individual image frames, comprising the steps of:

• dividing the individual image frames into a plurality of sub-image regions;
• estimating local motion vectors of the respective sub-image regions between consecutive ones of the individual image frames;
• estimating global image motion based on the estimated local motion vectors;
• and
• displaying a compound image based on the estimated global image motion;
• wherein the step of estimating global image motion further comprises the step of applying the estimated local motion vectors to a least-squares (L-S) process.

An apparatus for providing a compound image, comprising:

• an ultrasonic scanner providing a plurality of individual ultrasonic image frames;
• means for dividing the individual image frames into a plurality of sub-image regions;
• means for estimating local motion vectors of the respective sub-image regions between consecutive ones of the individual image frames by use of a minimum-sum-absolute-difference search;
• means for estimating global image motion based on the estimated local motion vectors;
• and
• means for displaying a compound image based on the estimated global image motion.

An apparatus for providing a compound ultrasonic image, comprising:

• an ultrasonic scanner providing a plurality of substantially adjacent ultrasonic image frames, said image frames each respectively having a plurality of sub-image regions;
• means for estimating local motion of the respective sub-image regions between consecutive ones of the image frames by calculating an initial estimation of the local motion and deriving a final estimation of the local motion from the initial estimation;
• means for estimating global image motion based on the estimated local motion;
• and
• means for displaying a compound image based on the estimated global image motion.