Method of constructing three-dimensional image according to central projection method and apparatus for same

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to a central projection method, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining a position of a first point of view and a first plane of projection in an arithmetic unit so that a projection subject image read from a first memory is located between the view point and the projection plane;

(b) obtaining a positional relation between a projection subject point on said projection subject image and a projection point on said first projection plane;

(c) obtaining a distance between said first view point and said projection subject point;

(d) determining a pixel value of said projection point on the basis of said distance;

(e) writing a value corresponding to said pixel value into a second memory corresponding to said first projection plane;

(f) reading data from said second memory in accordance with a display area to construct a three-dimensional image; and

(g) displaying said three-dimensional image.

2. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 1, wherein the step (d) includes a step of determining the pixel value by a depth method.

3. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 1, wherein the step (a) includes a step of determining the position of said first view point by setting a first position on a scanogram image and setting a second position on said projection subject image.

4. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 1, wherein the step (d) includes a step of setting the pixel value of said projection subject point so that the displayed image becomes brighter as said projection subject point becomes nearer to said first view point.

5. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 1, wherein the step (d) includes a step of selecting a projection subject point nearest to said first view point to obtain said pixel value when there are a plurality of projection subject points to be projected onto one and the same projection point.

6. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

moving the position of said first view point by a predetermined distance so that said first view point approaches a pixel position having a largest valve in said distance, and defining the view point after the movement as a second view point;

setting a new projection plane in accordance with the movement of the view point and defining the new projection plane as a second projection plane; and

carrying out the steps (b) to (g) after replacing said first view point and said first projection plane by said second view point and said second projection plane, respectively.

7. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 6, wherein the step of setting said second projection plane includes a step of moving said first projection plane in the same direction as the direction of the movement of said first view point.

8. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 7, wherein the step of setting said second projection plane includes a step of setting said second projection plane so that a perpendicular drawn from said second view point to said second projection plane passes through the center of said second projection plane.

9. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 6, wherein the step of moving the view point includes a step of displaying pixel area choices so that a user can select a pixel area to which the view point will be moved, when there are a plurality of pixel areas with said distance not smaller than a predetermined value.

10. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 6, wherein the step of moving the view point includes a step of obtaining a representative position in a region by statistical processing when pixels with said distance not smaller than a predetermined value form said region.

11. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 10, wherein the step of moving the view point includes a step of obtaining the position of the center of said region as said representative position.

12. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 10, wherein the step of moving the view point includes a step of obtaining the position of the center of gravity of said region as said representative position.

13. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 10, wherein the step of moving the view point includes a step of obtaining the average of pixel values in said region and setting said average as the pixel value of the center position of said region.

14. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 1, wherein the step (b) includes the steps of:

setting a curved surface touching said first projection plane at the origin of a rectangular three-dimensional coordinate system containing said first projection plane as an X-Y plane so that said first view point is located on a line connecting the center of said curved surface and said origin and said projection subject image is located between said first view point and said curved surface;

projecting said projection subject point onto said curved surface to obtain a projection point Q on said curved surface;

obtaining the length L along said curved surface between said projection point Q and said origin; and

projecting said projection point Q onto said first projection plane with said length L to obtain the position of the projection point.

15. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 14, wherein said curved surface is a spherical surface.

16. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

moving the position of said first view point by a predetermined distance so that said first view point approaches a pixel position having a largest valve in said distance, and defining the view point after the movement as a second view point;

setting a new projection plane in accordance with the movement of the view point and defining the new projection plane as a second projection plane; and

carrying out the steps (b) to (g) after replacing said first view point and said first projection plane by said second view point and said second projection plane, respectively.

17. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 1, wherein the step (e) includes the steps of:

setting a curved surface touching said first projection plane at the origin of a rectangular three-dimensional coordinate system containing said first projection plane as an X-Y plane so that said first view point is located on a line connecting the center of said curved surface and said origin and said projection subject image is located between said first view point and said curved surface;

projecting said projection subject point onto said curved surface to obtain a projection point Q on said curved surface;

obtaining the length L along said curved surface between said projection point Q and said origin; and

projecting said projection point Q onto said first projection plane with said length L to obtain the position of the projection point.

18. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

moving the position of said first view point by a predetermined distance so that said first view point approaches a pixel position having a largest valve in said distance, and defining the view point after the movement as a second view point;

setting a new projection plane in accordance with the movement of the view point and defining the new projection plane as a second projection plane; and

carrying out the steps (b) to (g) after replacing said first view point and said first projection plane by said second view point and said second projection plane, respectively.

19. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 18, wherein the step of setting said second projection plane includes a step of moving said first projection plane in the same direction as the direction of the movement of said first view point.

20. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 19, wherein the step of setting said second projection plane includes a step of setting said second projection plane so that a perpendicular drawn from said second view point to said second projection plane passes through the center of said second projection plane.

21. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 17, wherein said curved surface is a spherical surface.

22. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 1, wherein the step (b) includes the steps of:

processing said projection subject image in accordance with a threshold value; and

setting points within a range of said threshold value as projection subject points.

23. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 1, wherein the step (f) includes a step of setting as said display area a predetermined range having as its center a point of intersection of a perpendicular drawn from said view point to said projection plane and said projection plane.

24. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to a central projection method, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining first and second view points slightly shifted left and right and a first projection plane in an arithmetic unit so that a projection subject image read from a first memory is located between said first and second view points and said projection plane;

(b) obtaining the first positional relation between a projection subject point on said projection subject image and a first projection point on said first projection plane;

(c) obtaining the first distance between said first view point and said projection subject point;

(d) determining the first pixel value of said first projection point on the basis of said first distance;

(e) writing a value corresponding to said first pixel value into a second memory corresponding to said first projection plane;

(f) obtaining the second positional relation between said projection subject point on said projection subject image and a second projection point on said first projection plane;

(g) obtaining the second distance between said second view point and said projection subject point;

(h) determining the second pixel value of said second projection point on the basis of said second distance;

(i) writing a value corresponding to said second pixel value into a third memory corresponding to said first projection plane;

(j) reading data from said second and third memories in accordance with a display area to construct two-in-a-set three-dimensional images which can be observed stereoscopically as a three-dimensional image; and

(k) displaying said three-dimensional images.

25. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 24, wherein each of the steps (d) and (h) includes a step of determining the pixel value by a depth method.

26. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 24, wherein each of the steps (d) and (h) includes a step of determining the pixel value by a volume rendering method.

27. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 24, wherein the step (a) includes a step of determining the positions of said first and second view points by setting first and second positions on a scanogram image and on said projection subject image for said first and second view points, respectively.

28. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 24, wherein each of the steps (d) and (h) includes a step of setting the pixel value of said projection subject point so that the displayed image becomes brighter as said projection subject point becomes nearer to the view point.

29. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 24, wherein each of the steps (d) and (h) includes a step of selecting a projection subject point nearest to the view point to obtain the pixel value when there are a plurality of projection subject points to be projected onto one and the same projection point.

30. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 24, further comprising the steps of:

moving the middle point between said first and second view points by a predetermined distance so that the middle point approaches a pixel position having a largest valve in said distance, and defining the first view point after the movement as a third view point and the second view point after the movement as a fourth view point;

setting a new projection plane in accordance with the movement of the view point and defining the new projection plane as a second projection plane; and

carrying out the steps (b) to (k) after replacing said first and second view points and said first projection plane by said third and fourth view points and said second projection plane, respectively.

31. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 30, wherein the step of setting said second projection plane includes the steps of:

moving said first projection plane in the same direction as the direction of the movement of said middle point; and

setting said second projection plane so that a perpendicular drawn from said middle point to said second projection plane passes through the center of said second projection plane.

32. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 24, wherein

the step (b) includes the steps of:

setting a curved surface touching said first projection plane at the origin of a rectangular three-dimensional coordinate system containing said first projection plane as an X-Y plane so that said middle point between said first and second view points is located on a line connecting the center of said curved surface and said origin and said projection subject image is located between said first and second view points and said curved surface;

projecting said projection subject point onto said curved surface from said first view point to obtain a projection point Q.sub.1 on said curved surface;

obtaining the length L.sub.1 along said curved surface between said projection point Q.sub.1 and said origin; and

projecting said projection point Q.sub.1 onto said first projection plane with said length L.sub.1 to obtain the position of said first projection point, and wherein

the step (f) includes the steps of:

projecting said projection subject point onto said curved surface from said second view point to obtain a projection point Q.sub.2 on said curved surface;

obtaining the length L.sub.2 along said curved surface between said projection point Q.sub.2 and said origin; and

projecting said projection point Q.sub.2 onto said first projection plane with said length L.sub.2 to obtain the position of said second projection point.

33. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 32, further comprising the steps of:

moving the middle point between said first and second view points by a predetermined distance so that the middle point approaches a pixel position having a largest valve in said distance, and defining the first view point after the movement as a third view point and the second view point after the movement as a fourth view point;

setting a new projection plane in accordance with the movement of the view point and defining the new projection plane as a second projection plane; and

carrying out the steps (b) to (k) after replacing said first and second view points and said first projection plane by said third and fourth view points and said second projection plane, respectively.

34. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 24, wherein the step (e) includes the steps of:

setting a curved surface touching said first projection plane at the origin of a rectangular three-dimensional coordinate system containing said first projection plane as an X-Y plane so that said middle point between said first and second view points is located on a line connecting the center of said curved surface and said origin and said projection subject image is located between said first and second view points and said curved surface;

projecting said projection subject point onto said curved surface from said first view point to obtain a projection point Q.sub.1 on said curved surface;

obtaining the length L.sub.1 along said curved surface between said projection point Q.sub.1 and said origin; and

projecting said projection point Q.sub.1 onto said first projection plane with said length L.sub.1 to obtain the position of said first projection point, and wherein the step (i) includes the steps of:

projecting said projection subject point onto said curved surface from said second view point to obtain a projection point Q.sub.2 on said curved surface;

obtaining the length L.sub.2 along said curved surface between said projection point Q.sub.2 and said origin; and

projecting said projection point Q.sub.2 onto said first projection plane with said length L.sub.2 to obtain the position of said second projection point.

35. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 34, further comprising the steps of:

moving the middle point between said first and second view points by a predetermined distance so that the middle point approaches a pixel position having a largest valve in said distance, and defining the first view point after the movement as a third view point and the second view point after the movement as a fourth view point;

setting a new projection plane in accordance with the movement of the view point and defining the new projection plane as a second projection plane; and

carrying out the steps (b) to (k) after replacing said first and second view points and said first projection plane by said third and fourth view points and said second projection plane, respectively.

36. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 34, wherein the step of setting said second projection plane includes the steps of:

moving said first projection plane in the same direction as the direction of the movement of said middle point; and

setting said second projection plane so that a perpendicular drawn from said middle point to said second projection plane passes through the center of said second projection plane.

37. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 34, wherein said curved surface is a spherical surface.

38. An apparatus for constructing a three-dimensional image according to a central projection method, comprising:

a storage means for storing a projection subject image;

an arithmetic processing means including

means for reading said projection subject image from said storage means and determining the position of a first view point and a first projection plane so that said projection subject image is located between the view point and the projection plane,

means for obtaining the positional relation between a projection subject point on said projection subject image and a projection point on said first projection plane,

means for obtaining the distance between said first view point and said projection subject point, and

means for determining the pixel value of said projection point on the basis of said distance;

a display memory means corresponding to said projection plane;

means for writing a value corresponding to said pixel value into said display memory means;

means for reading data from said display memory means in accordance with a display area to construct a three-dimensional image; and

means for displaying said three-dimensional image.

39. An apparatus for constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 38, wherein said arithmetic processing means further includes:

means for moving said view point and said projection plane in combination so that the position of said view point is moved by a predetermined distance toward a portion having a farthest valve in said distance; and

means for setting said projection plane so that a perpendicular drawn from said view point to said projection plane passes through the center of said projection plane.

40. An apparatus for constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 38, wherein said arithmetic processing means further includes:

means for setting a curved surface touching said first projection plane at the origin of a rectangular three-dimensional coordinate system containing said first projection plane as an X-Y plane so that said first view point is located on a line connecting the center of said curved surface and said origin and said projection subject image is located between said first view point and said curved surface;

means for projecting said projection subject point onto said curved surface to obtain a projection point Q on said curved surface;

means for obtaining the length L along said curved surface between said projection point Q and said origin; and

means for projecting said projection point Q onto said first projection plane with said length L to obtain the position of the projection point.

41. An apparatus for constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 40, further including:

means for moving said view point and said projection plane in combination so that the position of said view point is moved by a predetermined distance toward a portion having a farthest valve in said distance; and

means for setting said projection plane so that a perpendicular drawn from said view point to said projection plane passes through the center of said projection plane.

42. An apparatus for constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 40, wherein said curved surface is a spherical surface.

43. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to a central projection method, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining a position of a view point and a projection plane in an arithmetic unit so that an image to be projected read from a first memory is located between said view point and said projection plane;

(b) assuming that an imaginary light source is located at said view point and projection lines are radially emitted from said view point and pass through said image to be projected, and determining a point to be projected on a projection line;

(c) determining a quantity of light of said point to be projected on said projection plane;

(d) determining a pixel value of a projected point projected on said projection plane on the basis of said quantity of light;

(e) writing a value corresponding to said pixel value into a second memory corresponding to said projection plane;

(f) performing said steps (b) through (e) for each point to be projected of said image to be projected;

(g) reading data from said second memory in accordance with a display area to construct a three-dimensional image; and

(h) displaying said three-dimensional image.

44. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 1, wherein the step (d) includes a step of determining the pixel value by a volume rendering method.

45. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 43, wherein said step of determining a quantity of light comprises the steps of:

successively selecting said point to be projected in a direction from a point nearest to said view point to a farther point; and

determining a quantity of light of said point to be projected at every selection.

46. A central projection method comprising the steps of:

(a) determining a position of a view point and a projection plane in an arithmetic unit so that an image to be projected read from a first memory is located between said view point and said projection plane;

(b) setting a curved surface touching said projection plane at an origin of a rectangular three-dimensional coordinate system containing said projection plane as an X-Y plane so that said view point is located on a line connecting a center of said curved surface and said origin, and said image to be projected is located between said view point and said curved surface;

(c) projecting a point to be projected onto said curved surface to obtain a first projected point Q on said curved surface;

(d) obtaining a length L along said curved surface between said first projected point Q and said origin; and

(e) projecting said projected point Q onto said projection plane with said length L to obtain a second projected point on said projection plane.

47. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to a central projection method, comprising the steps of:

setting a view point, one or more images to be projected, and a projection plane in a memory space so that the one or more images to be projected are located between the view point and the projection plane;

obtaining an enlarged projected image on the projection plane viewed from the view point by a central projection method and determining pixel values of the projection plane; and

constructing a three-dimensional image on the basis of the pixel values and displaying the three-dimensional image.

48. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 47, wherein the step of setting a view point, one or more images to be projected, and a projection plane includes the step of setting the projection plane in accordance with a direction of a view line.

49. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 48, wherein the step of setting a view point, one or more images to be projected, and a projection plane includes the step of setting the projection plane so that the view line crosses the projection plane at an angle of 90.degree..

50. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 47, wherein the step of setting a view point, one or more images to be projected, and a projection plane includes the step of changing at least a position of the view point and a position of the projection plane while maintaining a constant distance between the view point and projection plane.

51. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 50, wherein the step of constructing a three-dimensional image and displaying the three-dimensional image includes the steps of:

constructing three-dimensional images on the basis of pixel data obtained each time the position of the view point and the position of the projection plane are changed; and

displaying the three-dimensional images as a moving image.

52. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 50, wherein the step of constructing a three-dimensional image and displaying the three-dimensional image includes the steps of:

successively storing in a memory pixel data obtained each time the position of the view point and the position of the projection plane are changed;

successively reading out at predetermined intervals the pixel data stored in the memory and constructing three-dimensional images; and

displaying the three-dimensional images as a moving image.

53. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 47, wherein the step of setting a view point, one or more images to be projected, and a projection plane includes the step of changing a distance between the view point and the projection plane to enable a desired enlarged image to be obtained.

54. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 53, wherein the step of constructing a three-dimensional image and displaying the three-dimensional image includes the steps of:

successively storing in a memory pixel data obtained each time the distance between the view point and the projection plane is changed;

successively reading out at predetermined intervals the pixel data stored in the memory and constructing three-dimensional images; and

displaying the three-dimensional images as a moving image.

55. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 47, wherein the step of constructing a three-dimensional image and displaying the three-dimensional image includes the steps of:

storing the pixel values in a memory corresponding to the projection plane;

reading out the pixel values stored in the memory in accordance with an area of the projection plane to be displayed and constructing a three-dimensional image; and

displaying the three-dimensional image.

56. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 47, wherein the step of setting a view point, one or more images to be projected, and a projection plane includes the step of tilting the projection plane with respect to an axis passing through a center of the projection plane.

57. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 47, wherein the step of setting a view point, one or more images to be projected, and a projection plane includes the step of tilting the one or more images to be projected with respect to an axis passing through a center of the one or more images to be projected.

58. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 57, wherein the step of tilting the one or more images to be projected includes the step of interpolating the one or more images to be projected to obtain one or more tilted images.

59. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 47, wherein the step of obtaining an enlarged projected image and determining pixel values is performed based on an assumption that light rays coincident with projection lines are radially emitted from an imaginary light source located at the view point and pass through the one or more images to be projected onto the projection plane and includes the step of obtaining the pixel values for each of the projection lines.

60. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 47, wherein the step of obtaining an enlarged projected image and determining pixel values is performed based on an assumption that light rays coincident with projection lines are radially emitted from an imaginary light source located at the view point and pass through the one or more images to be projected onto the projection plane and includes the steps of:

obtaining values to be projected on each of the projection lines for each of the one or more images to be projected; and

obtaining the pixel values by adding the values to be projected on each of the projection lines.

61. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to claim 47, wherein the step of obtaining an enlarged projected image includes the steps of:

representing the enlarged projected image by pixels having coordinates (X, Y) in a first coordinate system in the projection plane;

transforming the coordinates (X, Y) of the pixels to coordinates (.eta., .xi.) in a second coordinate system in the projection plane based on parameters h and R by performing the following calculations:

calculating an angle .phi.=arctan(X/Y),

calculating an angle .theta.=2.multidot.arctan(sqrt(X.sup.2 +Y.sup.2)/h),

calculating an arc length L=R.multidot..theta.,

calculating .eta.=L.multidot.cos(.phi.), and

calculating .xi.=L.multidot.sin(.phi.); and

representing the enlarged projected image by pixels having the coordinates (.eta., .xi.).

62. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to a central projection method, comprising the steps of:

setting a view point, one or more images to be projected, and a projection plane in a memory space so that a perpendicular from the view point to the projection plane is longer than a distance between the view point and a pixel point of the one or more images to be projected;

setting a curved surface having a center on a straight line defining a view line extending from the view point to the one or more images to be projected, the curved surface passing through the view point;

projecting the pixel point of the one or more images to be projected onto the curved surface and the projection plane, and obtaining a projected point Q on the curved surface and a projected point P on the projection plane;

measuring a distance L along the curved surface between the projected point Q and a point, other than the view point, at which the view line intersects the curved surface; and

obtaining a projected point G on the projection plane, the projected point G corresponding to the projected point Q and being located on a line extending from a point at which the view line intersects the projection plane to the projected point P at a distance equal to L from the point at which the view line intersects the projection plane.

63. A method of constructing a three-dimensional image according to a central projection method, comprising the steps of:

setting a view point, one or more images to be projected, and a projection plane in a memory space so that the one or more images to be projected are located between the view point and the projection plane;

setting a curved surface having a center on a straight line defining a view line extending from the view point to the one or more images to be projected, the curved surface passing through the view point;

projecting a pixel point of the one or more images to be projected onto the curved surface and the projection plane, and obtaining a projected point Q on the curved surface and a projected point P on the projection plane;

measuring a distance L along the curved surface between the projected point Q and a point, other than the view point, at which the view line intersects the curved surface; and

obtaining a projected point G on the projection plane, the projected point G corresponding to the projected point Q and being located on a line extending from a point at which the view line intersects the projection plane to the projected point P at a distance equal to L from the point at which the view line intersects the projection plane.