Volume Rendering Apparatus Region-Specific Gain Control

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current volume rendering techniques in medical imaging, such as ultrasound diagnosis, struggle to provide high-quality images by uniformly applying gain and threshold values to all voxels, leading to suboptimal visualization of 3D objects, especially in regions with varying ultrasound signal strengths.

Innovation Solution

A volume rendering apparatus and method that apply distinct gain values or threshold values to specific voxels based on user input or pre-set models, allowing for amplification or attenuation of brightness values, and setting values to zero when below a certain threshold, thereby enhancing image quality by differentiating voxels at the same distance from the viewpoint.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If uniform gain and threshold values are applied to all voxels, then the rendering process is simple and fast, but the image quality is suboptimal especially in regions with varying ultrasound signal strengths

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage qualityVSAvoidrendering process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different gain and threshold values to different spatial regions of the volume data. Specifically, it divides the volume into multiple regions and assigns region-specific rendering parameters to optimize image quality in each area, particularly enhancing regions with weak ultrasound signals while maintaining appropriate visualization in other areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the volume data into multiple regions based on spatial coordinates and applies distinct rendering parameters to each segment. This segmentation allows the system to handle complex rendering requirements by breaking down the volume into manageable regions that can be processed with optimized parameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If different gain and threshold values are applied to different voxels, then image quality is improved, but the rendering process becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisualization qualityVSAvoidparameter application complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the rendering parameters (gain and threshold values) based on the spatial position of voxels. By making these parameters variable rather than constant, the system adapts the rendering process to local characteristics of the volume data, improving visualization quality in regions with varying signal strengths.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If region-specific gain and threshold values are applied, then weak signal regions are enhanced, but processing time may increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal region enhancementVSAvoidrendering speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary classification of voxels into different regions before applying the rendering process. By pre-defining region boundaries and associating specific parameters with each region in advance, the system avoids complex real-time calculations during rendering, thus maintaining processing efficiency while achieving enhanced visualization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3025650B1Volume rendering apparatus and volume rendering method
Publication Date: 2018.11.14 SAMSUNG MEDISON CO LTD
  • EP3025650B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3025650B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2C
  • EP3025650B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is a volume rendering method including: obtaining 3-dimensional (3D) volume data of an object; setting a parameter of a first voxel included in the 3D volume data as a first value, and a parameter of a second voxel included in the 3D volume data as a second value; and performing rendering by applying the first value to the first voxel and the second value to the second voxel.