US2021134016A1PendingUtilityA1
Method and apparatus for assigning colours to an image
Est. expirySep 13, 2033(~7.1 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
G06T 11/10G06F 18/22G06F 18/23H04N 1/62G06T 7/11G06T 2207/20112G06T 7/10G06T 2207/20092G06T 2200/04G06T 7/90H04N 1/60G06K 9/4652G06K 9/52G06T 11/001G06K 9/6215G06K 9/6218
63
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Claims
Abstract
A computer-implemented method and system for assigning colours to an image or part thereof. The method comprises: segmenting a cluster of pixels or voxels by pixel or voxel value within the image or part thereof; and (a) highlighting features within the image or part thereof, or (b) obscuring or masking details in the image or part thereof, comprising: assigning a colour to each pixel or voxel in the image or part thereof having a pixel or voxel value in the cluster of pixels or voxels.
Claims
exact text as granted — not AI-modified1 . A computer-implemented method of assigning colours to an image or part thereof, the method comprising:
segmenting a cluster of pixels or voxels by pixel or voxel value within the image or part thereof; and (a) highlighting features within the image or part thereof, or (b) obscuring or masking details in the image or part thereof, comprising: assigning a colour to each pixel or voxel in the image or part thereof having a pixel or voxel value in the cluster of pixels or voxels.
2 . A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pixel or voxel value is an intensity value.
3 . A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the image is a medical image.
4 . A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein segmenting the cluster of pixels or voxels comprises:
identifying or selecting at least one pixel or voxel value within the image or part thereof; creating a pixel or voxel value profile curve from a reference point (xi, 0) corresponding to the at least one pixel or voxel value to all pixel or voxel values in a selected pixel or voxel value scheme; detecting a closest point (s1) on the pixel or voxel value profile curve to the reference point (xi, 0); locating a point of inflexion on the pixel or voxel value profile curve between the reference point (xi, 0) and the closest point (s1); and segmenting a portion of the pixel or voxel value profile curve between the reference point (x i , 0) and the point of inflexion, the segmented portion of the pixel or voxel value profile curve constituting a cluster of pixel or voxel values corresponding to the at least one pixel or voxel value.
5 . A method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein a length of the pixel or voxel value profile curve is a minimum perceptible pixel or voxel value difference and the method includes adjusting the minimum perceptible pixel or voxel value difference.
6 . A method as claimed in claim 5 , including:
(i) subdividing a length of the pixel or voxel value profile curve between the reference point (x i , 0) and a point corresponding to the minimum perceptible pixel or voxel value difference into a set of pixel or voxel values; or (ii) subdividing a length of the pixel or voxel value profile curve between the reference point (x i , 0) and a point corresponding to the minimum perceptible pixel or voxel value difference into a set of pixel or voxel values, and automatically determining when all pixel or voxel values within the desired cluster of pixels or voxels have been identified.
7 . A method as claimed in claim 4 , further comprising automatically segmenting another cluster of pixels or voxels by automatically analysing another portion of the pixel or voxel value profile curve.
8 . A method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising automatically segmenting another cluster of pixels or voxels by pixel or voxel value within the image or part thereof.
9 . A method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising assigning different colours to the segmented cluster of pixels or voxels.
10 . A method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein assigning colours to the image or part thereof, comprises:
selecting a sequence of colours for assignment to the image or part thereof; determining a minimum intensity I MIN within the image or part thereof; determining a maximum intensity I MAX within the image or part thereof; and determining relative intensity values RIV(i) for each pixel or voxel i according to:
R
I
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i
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=
f
(
I
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i
)
-
I
MI
N
I
M
AX
-
I
M
IN
)
where I(i) is an intensity of pixel or voxel i, and f is a preselected function; and
assigning colours to at least some pixels or voxels in the image or part thereof based on the relative intensity values and an order of each of the colours in the sequence.
11 . A method as claimed in claim 10 , comprising: (i) selecting intensity values in the original image and applying the method only to pixels or voxels of the intensity values thus selected; (ii) selecting automatically the image or a part thereof based on one or more criteria; and/or (iii) generating a new image by colouring the image or part thereof according to the sequence of colours.
12 . A method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein
f
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I
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i
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-
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=
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-
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.
13 . A system for assigning colours to an image or part thereof, the system comprising:
a colour assignor; wherein the system is configured: to segment a cluster of pixels or voxels by pixel or voxel value within the image or part thereof; and (a) to highlight features within the image or part thereof, or (b) to obscure or mask details in the image or part thereof, comprising assigning a colour with the colour assignor to each pixel or voxel in the image or part thereof having a pixel or voxel value in the cluster of pixels or voxels.
14 . A system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the pixel or voxel value is an intensity value.
15 . A system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the image is a medical image.
16 . A system as claimed in claim 13 , comprising:
a colour selector configured to identify or select at least one pixel or voxel value within the image or part thereof; a profiler configured to create a pixel or voxel value profile curve from a reference point (x i , 0) corresponding to the at least one pixel or voxel value to all pixel or voxel values in a selected pixel or voxel value scheme; and an analyser configured to automatically analyse the pixel or voxel value profile curve by detecting a closest point (s 1 ) on the pixel or voxel value profile curve to the reference point (x i , 0), locating a point of inflexion on the pixel or voxel value profile curve between the reference point (x i , 0) and the closest point (s 1 ), and segmenting a portion of the pixel or voxel value profile curve between the reference point (x i , 0) and the point of inflexion, the segmented portion of the pixel or voxel value profile curve constituting a cluster of pixel or voxel values corresponding to the at least one pixel or voxel value.
17 . A system as claimed in claim 16 , wherein a length of the pixel or voxel value profile curve is a minimum perceptible pixel or voxel value difference.
18 . A system as claimed in claim 17 , wherein:
i) the system enables adjusting the minimum perceptible pixel or voxel value difference; and/or ii) the analyser subdivides a length of the pixel or voxel value profile curve between the reference point (x i , 0) and a point corresponding to the minimum perceptible pixel or voxel value difference into a set of pixel or voxel values; and/or iii) the analyser subdivides a length of the pixel or voxel value profile curve between the reference point (x i , 0) and a point corresponding to the minimum perceptible pixel or voxel value difference into a set of pixel or voxel values, and the length of the pixel or voxel value profile curve between the reference point (x i , 0) and a point corresponding to the minimum perceptible pixel or voxel value difference is equal to the minimum perceptible pixel or voxel value difference for a pixel or voxel value.
19 . A system as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the system is:
i) configured to automatically segment another cluster of pixels or voxels by automatically analysing another portion of the pixel or voxel value profile curve; and/or ii) configured to assign different colours to the segmented cluster of pixels or voxels.
20 . A system as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the colour selector is further configured for selecting a sequence of colours for assignment to the image or part thereof; and the system further comprises:
an intensity determiner for determining a minimum intensity I MIN within the image or part thereof, and for determining a maximum intensity I MAX within the image or part thereof; a relative intensity value determiner for determining a relative intensity value RIV(i) for each pixel or voxel i according to:
R
I
V
(
i
)
=
f
(
I
(
i
)
-
I
MI
N
I
M
AX
-
I
M
IN
)
where I(i) is an intensity of pixel or voxel i, and f is a preselected function; and
a colour assignor for assigning colours to at least some pixels in the image or part thereof based on the relative intensity values and an order of each of the colours in the sequence.
21 . A system as claimed in claim 20 , wherein
f
(
I
(
i
)
-
I
MI
N
I
MA
X
-
I
MI
N
)
=
(
I
(
i
)
-
I
MI
N
I
MA
X
-
I
MI
N
)
.
22 . A system for assigning colours to an image or part thereof, the system comprising a processor configured to:
segment a cluster of pixels or voxels by pixel or voxel value within the image or part thereof; and (a) highlight features within the image or part thereof, or (b) obscure or mask details in the image or part thereof, comprising assigning a colour to each pixel or voxel in the image or part thereof having an pixel or voxel value in the cluster of pixel or voxel values.
23 . A system as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the pixel or voxel value is an intensity value.
24 . A system as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the image is a medical image.
25 . A system as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
identify or select at least one pixel or voxel value within the image; create an pixel or voxel value profile curve from a reference point (x i , 0) corresponding to the at least one pixel or voxel value to all pixel or voxel values in a selected pixel or voxel value scheme; and analyse the pixel or voxel value profile curve by detecting a closest point (s 1 ) on the pixel or voxel value profile curve to the reference point (x i , 0), locating a point of inflexion on the pixel or voxel value profile curve between the reference point (x i , 0) and the closest point (s 1 ), and segmenting a portion of the pixel or voxel value profile curve between the reference point (x i , 0) and the point of inflexion, the segmented portion of the pixel or voxel value profile curve constituting a cluster of pixel or voxel values corresponding to the at least one pixel or voxel value.
26 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program that comprises instructions that, when executed on a computing device, control the device to perform the method of claim 1 .Join the waitlist — get patent alerts
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