1. A cylindrical clothes protector roll-up packing system comprising an adjustable length flexible roll-able planar insert which lies flat when not in use and rolls into a firm cylinder when packing clothes, for the purpose of preventing wrinkling of the clothes during transport
whereby said adjustable length flexible roll-able planar insert which lies flat when not in use and rolls into a firm cylinder when packing clothes can be used in conjunction with and packed into a garment bag, soft luggage or hard sided luggage.
2. The cylindrical clothes protector roll-up packing system according to claim 1, wherein said adjustable flexible length insert is constructed in the form of a one piece polymer having a smooth surface, resulting in a product having the roll bending configuration required to prevent clothes from wrinkling when rolled and packed.
3. The cylindrical clothes protector roll-up packing system according to claim 1, wherein said adjustable flexible length insert is constructed in the form of individual rigid slats held horizontally in connection, with each other within a fabric casing, resulting in a product having the roll bending configuration required to prevent clothes from wrinkling when rolled and packed.
4. The cylindrical clothes protector roll-up packing system according to claim 1, wherein said adjustable flexible length insert is constructed in the form of individual rigid slats horizontally held together with strips of fabric hinge material adhered to the edges of each of said rigid slats, resulting in a product having the roll bending configuration required to prevent clothes from wrinkling when rolled and packed.
5. The cylindrical clothes protector roll-up packing system according to claim 4, wherein said adjustable flexible length insert includes individual slats having a beveled edges where each slat is held together by strips of fabric hinge material.
6. The cylindrical clothes protector roll-up packing system according to claim 1, wherein said adjustable flexible length insert is constructed of a one piece polymer having a plurality of longitudinal V-shaped grooves therein, to give the roll bending configuration required to prevent clothes from wrinkling when rolled and packed.
7. The cylindrical clothes protector roll-up packing system according to claim 1, wherein said adjustable length flexible insert is constructed of individual longitudinal molded segments that interconnect with each other to give the roll bending configuration required to prevent clothes from wrinkling when rolled and packed.
8. The cylindrical clothes protector roll-up packing system according to claim 7, wherein said of individual longitudinal molded segments that interconnect with each other are interlocking and can be adjusted to any length by interconnecting any number of said interlocking individual longitudinal molded segments as required.
9. The cylindrical clothes protector roll-up packing system according to claim 1, wherein said adjustable length flexible insert is free-standing and can be used with any garment, clothes and item of apparel.
10. The cylindrical clothes protector roll-up packing system according to claim 1, wherein said adjustable length flexible insert can be used in conjunction with any conventional garment bag, duffel bag, soft luggage unit, and hard sided luggage unit.
11. A method for making a cylindrical clothes protector roll-up packing system, comprising the steps of:
providing an adjustable length flexible roll-able planar insert which lies flat when not in use and rolls into a firm cylinder when packing clothes, for the purpose of preventing wrinkling of the clothes during transport
whereby said adjustable length flexible roll-able planar insert which lies flat when not in use and rolls into a firm cylinder when packing clothes can be used in conjunction with and packed into a garment bag, soft luggage or hard sided luggage.
12. The method of making a cylindrical clothes protector roll-up packing system according to claim 11, wherein said adjustable flexible length insert is constructed in the form of a one piece polymer having a smooth surface, resulting in a product having the roll bending configuration required to prevent clothes from wrinkling when rolled and packed.
13. The method of making a cylindrical clothes protector roll-up packing system according to claim 11, wherein said adjustable flexible length insert is constructed in the form of individual rigid slats held horizontally in connection with each other within a fabric casing, resulting in a product having the roll bending configuration required to prevent clothes from, wrinkling when rolled and packed.
14. The method of making a cylindrical clothes protector roll-up packing system according to claim 11, wherein said adjustable flexible length insert is constructed in the form of individual rigid slats horizontally held together with strips of fabric hinge material adhered to the edges of each of said rigid slats, resulting in a product having the roll bending configuration required to prevent clothes from wrinkling when rolled and packed.
15. The method of making a cylindrical clothes protector roll-up packing system according to claim 14, wherein said adjustable flexible length insert includes individual slats having a beveled edges where each slat is held together by strips of fabric hinge material.
16. The method of making a cylindrical clothes protector roll-up packing system according to claim 11, wherein said adjustable flexible length insert is constructed of a one piece polymer having a plurality of longitudinal V-shaped grooves therein, to give the roll bending configuration required to prevent clothes from wrinkling when rolled and packed.
17. The method of making a cylindrical clothes protector roll-up packing system according to claim 11, wherein said adjustable length flexible insert is constructed of individual longitudinal molded segments that interconnect with each other to give the roll bending configuration required to prevent clothes from wrinkling when rolled and packed.
18. The method of making a cylindrical clothes protector roll-up packing system according to claim 17, wherein said of individual longitudinal molded segments that interconnect with each other are interlocking and can be adjusted to any length by interconnecting any number of said interlocking individual longitudinal molded segments as required.
19. The method of making a cylindrical clothes protector roll-up packing system according to claim 11, wherein said adjustable length flexible insert is free-standing and can be used with any garment, clothes and item of apparel.
20. The method of making a cylindrical clothes protector roll-up packing system according to claim 11, wherein said adjustable length flexible insert can be used in conjunction with any conventional garment bag, duffel bag, soft luggage unit, and hard sided luggage unit.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An ultrasound system comprising:
an ultrasound data acquirer that transmits an ultrasound signal to an object with a needle inserted thereinto, and acquires ultrasound data corresponding to each of a plurality of ultrasound images by receiving an ultrasound echo signal reflected from the object;
a user input unit that receives input information, used to set a point in an ultrasound image, from a user; and
a processor that generates the plurality of ultrasound images with the ultrasound data, generates a mask image used to detect an input position of the needle by using the plurality of ultrasound images, detects the input position by using the mask image, and sets a guideline of the needle in the ultrasound image on a basis of the input position and the input information.
2. The ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the processor generates a plurality of copy ultrasound images by down-sampling the plurality of ultrasound images.
3. The ultrasound system of claim 2, wherein the processor generates a motion image of the needle by using a certain number of copy ultrasound images among the plurality of copy ultrasound images.
4. The ultrasound system of claim 3, wherein the processor selects a certain number of copy ultrasound images in a temporal direction with respect to each of the plurality of copy ultrasound images.
5. The ultrasound system of claim 4, wherein the processor generates the motion image of the needle with a following Equation (1):
N
\ue89e
\ue89e
M
\ue89e
\ue89e
I
i
=
\uf603
C
\ue89e
\ue89e
U
\ue89e
\ue89e
I
i
–
2
–
C
\ue89e
\ue89e
U
\ue89e
\ue89e
I
i
–
1
\uf604
+
\uf603
C
\ue89e
\ue89e
U
\ue89e
\ue89e
I
i
–
1
–
C
\ue89e
\ue89e
U
\ue89e
\ue89e
I
i
\uf604
+
\uf603
C
\ue89e
\ue89e
U
\ue89e
\ue89e
I
i
–
C
\ue89e
\ue89e
U
\ue89e
\ue89e
I
i
+
1
\uf604
+
\uf603
C
\ue89e
\ue89e
U
\ue89e
\ue89e
I
i
+
1
–
C
\ue89e
\ue89e
U
\ue89e
\ue89e
I
i
+
2
\uf604
4
(
1
)
where NMIi denotes a needle motion image, and CUIi\u22122 to CUIi+2 respectively denote the selected copy ultrasound images.
6. The ultrasound system of claim 3, wherein the processor generates a mask image used to emphasize the needle in the ultrasound image by using the ultrasound image and the motion image.
7. The ultrasound system of claim 6, wherein the processor generates the mask image with a following Equation (2):
MIi=UIi\xd7\u03b1+NMIi\xd7(1\u2212\u03b1)\u2003\u2003(2)
where MI denotes the mask image, UI denotes the ultrasound image, and a denotes a weight value.
8. The ultrasound system of claim 6, wherein the processor sets a region of interest (ROI) having a predetermined size in the mask image in consideration of an input direction of the needle, calculate a plurality of brightness accumulation values by accumulating brightness values of respective pixels having different depths of the mask image in a width direction of the mask image, for a plurality of pixels in the ROI, detects a maximum brightness accumulation value from the plurality of the calculated brightness accumulation values, and detects a depth, corresponding to the detected maximum brightness accumulation value, as the input position of the needle.
9. The ultrasound system of claim 8, wherein the processor sets the input position and the point in the ultrasound image based on the input position of the needle and the input information, and sets a line, which connects the input position and the point, as the guideline.
10. The ultrasound system of claim 9, wherein the processor detects a motion of the point by performing motion tracking between adjacent ultrasound images with respect to the point set on each of the plurality of ultrasound images.
11. The ultrasound system of claim 9, wherein the processor measures a distance between the point and the input position.
12. The ultrasound system of claim 9, wherein the processor calculates an angle of the guideline with respect to the input position.
13. The ultrasound system of claim 9, wherein the processor detects an input angle of the needle on a basis of the input position.
14. The ultrasound system of claim 13, wherein the processor calculates a first average value of the plurality of brightness accumulation values, calculates a second average value of brightness accumulation values which are obtained by subtracting the first average value from the plurality of the brightness accumulation values, detects an intersection point between the second average value and the plurality of brightness accumulation values as a start point and an end point, calculates a length between the detected start point and end point, and calculates the input angle of the needle based on the calculated length.
15. The ultrasound system of claim 13, wherein the processor calculates the input angle of the needle with a following Equation (3):
\u03b8
IA
=
tan
–
1
(
nNDLength
W
5
)
(
3
)
where \u03b8 denotes the input angle of the needle, nNDLength denotes the length, and W denotes a width of the mask image.
16. The ultrasound system of claim 13, wherein the processor sets a plurality of angles with respect to the input position of the needle, sets a line corresponding to each of the plurality of angles from the input position of the needle, calculates brightness accumulation values of pixels of a line corresponding to each of the plurality of angles, calculates a maximum brightness accumulation value from the calculated brightness accumulation values, and detects an angle, corresponding to the detected maximum brightness accumulation value, as the input angle of the needle.
17. A method of providing a guideline of a needle, the method comprising:
a) transmitting an ultrasound signal to an object with a needle inserted thereinto, and acquires ultrasound data corresponding to each of a plurality of ultrasound images by receiving an ultrasound echo signal reflected from the object;
b) generating the plurality of ultrasound images with the ultrasound data;
c) receiving input information, used to set a point in an ultrasound image, from a user;
d) generating a mask image used to detect an input position of the needle by using the plurality of ultrasound images;
e) detecting the input position by using the mask image; and
f) setting a guideline of the needle in the ultrasound image based on the input position and the input information.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein operation d) includes d1) generating a plurality of copy ultrasound images by down-sampling the plurality of ultrasound images.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein operation d) includes d2) generating a motion image of the needle by using a certain number of copy ultrasound images among the plurality of copy ultrasound images.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein operation d2) includes selecting a certain number of copy ultrasound images in a temporal direction with respect to each of the plurality of copy ultrasound images.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the generating of a motion image includes generating the motion image of the needle with a following Equation (1):
N
\ue89e
\ue89e
M
\ue89e
\ue89e
I
i
=
\uf603
C
\ue89e
\ue89e
U
\ue89e
\ue89e
I
i
–
2
–
C
\ue89e
\ue89e
U
\ue89e
\ue89e
I
i
–
1
\uf604
+
\uf603
C
\ue89e
\ue89e
U
\ue89e
\ue89e
I
i
–
1
–
C
\ue89e
\ue89e
U
\ue89e
\ue89e
I
i
\uf604
+
\uf603
C
\ue89e
\ue89e
U
\ue89e
\ue89e
I
i
–
C
\ue89e
\ue89e
U
\ue89e
\ue89e
I
i
+
1
\uf604
+
\uf603
C
\ue89e
\ue89e
U
\ue89e
\ue89e
I
i
+
1
–
C
\ue89e
\ue89e
U
\ue89e
\ue89e
I
i
+
2
\uf604
4
(
1
)
where NMIi denotes a needle motion image, and CUIi\u22122 to CUIi+2 respectively denote the selected copy ultrasound images.
22. The method of claim 19, wherein operation d) includes d3) generating the mask image used to emphasize the needle in the ultrasound image by using the ultrasound image and the motion image.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein operation d3) includes generating the mask image with a following Equation (2):
MIi=UIi\xd7\u03b1+NMIi\xd7(1\u2212\u03b1)\u2003\u2003(2)
where MI denotes the mask image, UI denotes the ultrasound image, and a denotes a weight value.
24. The method of claim 22, wherein operation e) includes:
setting a region of interest (ROI) having a predetermined size in the mask image in consideration of an input direction of the needle;
calculating a plurality of brightness accumulation values by accumulating brightness values of respective pixels having different depths of the mask image in a width direction of the mask image, for a plurality of pixels in the ROI;
detecting a maximum brightness accumulation value from the plurality of the calculated brightness accumulation values; and
detecting a depth, corresponding to the detected maximum brightness accumulation value, as the input position of the needle.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein operation f) includes setting the input position and the point in the ultrasound image based on the input position of the needle and the input information, and setting a line, which connects the input position and the point, as the guideline.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein operation f) includes detecting a motion of the point by performing motion tracking between adjacent ultrasound images with respect to the point set on each of the plurality of ultrasound images.
27. The method of claim 24, further comprising g) measuring a distance between the point and the input position.
28. The method of claim 24, wherein operation g) includes detecting an angle of the guideline with respect to the input position.
29. The method of claim 24, wherein operation g) includes detecting an input angle of the needle on a basis of the input position.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein operation g) includes:
calculating a first average value of the plurality of brightness accumulation values;
calculating a second average value of brightness accumulation values which are obtained by subtracting the first average value from the plurality of brightness accumulation values;
detecting an intersection point between the second average value and the plurality of brightness accumulation values as a start point and an end point;
calculating a length between the detected start point and end point; and
calculating the input angle of the needle based on the calculated length.
31. The method of claim 30, wherein the calculating of an input angle includes calculating the input angle of the needle with a following Equation (3):
\u03b8
IA
=
tan
–
1
(
nNDLength
W
5
)
(
3
)
where \u03b8 denotes the input angle of the needle, nNDLength denotes the length, and W denotes a width of the mask image.
32. The method of claim 29, wherein operation g) includes:
setting a plurality of angles with respect to the input position of the needle;
setting a line corresponding to each of the plurality of angles from the input position of the needle;
calculating brightness accumulation values of pixels of a line corresponding to each of the plurality of angles;
calculating a maximum brightness accumulation value from the calculated brightness accumulation values; and
detecting an angle, corresponding to the detected maximum brightness accumulation value, as the input angle of the needle.