Electronic image processing device for the detection of motions

An electronic device for the processing of sets of image data representing respectively three-dimensional digital images of the same region, taken at successive instants, said device comprising:

• means capable of defining a three-dimensional shape of interest on the basis of at least one of said sets of image data, as well as of extracting from each of said sets of image data, image data of characteristic points of the said shape of interest;
• processing means capable of establishing, on the basis of the image data of said characteristic points, a four-dimensional transformation in space and time, making it possible to pass from the characteristic points extracted from a first image of the sequence, to the characteristic points extracted from another image of the sequence;
• and
• means for displaying selected data derived from parameters of the said transformation;
• wherein the four-dimensional transformation is a planispheric transformation, and the processing means are capable of defining in a three-dimensional Cartesian space a three-dimensional “planispheric” reference system derived from a combination of spherical and cylindrical reference systems, and formed by three orthogonal vectors parallel to the characteristic directions of the shape of interest in said Cartesian space.

In a method for processing sets of image data respectively representing three-dimensional digital images of one and the same region, taken at successive instants forming a sequence, the method comprising:

• defining a three-dimensional shape of interest on the basis of at least one of the sets of image data,
• extracting from each of said sets of image data, image data representing characteristic points of said shape of interest;
• on the basis of said image data of the characteristic points, establishing a four-dimensional transformation in space and time, making it possible to pass from characteristic points extracted from a first image of the sequence, to characteristic points extracted from another image of the sequence;
• and
• deriving, from parameters of said transformation, selected data representing motion of said shape of interest,
• said selected data further representing the spatial-temporal evolution of the characteristic points in the shape of interest.

A method for processing sets of image data respectively representing three-dimensional digital images of one and the same region, taken at successive instants, said method comprising:

• defining a three-dimensional shape of interest on the basis of at least one of the sets of image data,
• extracting from each said set image data representing characteristic points of said shape of interest;
• on the basis of the said image data of the characteristic points, establishing a four-dimensional transformation in space and time, making it possible to pass from characteristic points extracted from a first image of the sequence, to the characteristic points extracted from another image of the sequence;
• and
• deriving, from parameters of said transformation, selected data representing the motion of said shape of interest;
• wherein the four-dimensional transformation is a planispheric transformation.