1. A method comprising:
receiving at least length and space information for a first edge segment;
receiving at least length and space information for a second edge segment, said second edge segment being adjacent and collinear to said first edge segment, and said first edge segment having length less than a length threshold;
determining a first bias for said first edge segment;
determining a second bias for said second edge segment; and
conditionally lengthening said first edge segment.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said conditional lengthening occurs upon determining if a combined length of said first edge segment and said second edge segment is greater than twice said length threshold and if said combined length is greater than twice said length threshold, modifying said first edge segment length and said second edge segment length so as to provide for each of said first edge segment length and said second edge segment length being at least said length threshold in length.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving at least length and space information for a third edge segment, said second edge segment being adjacent and collinear to said first edge segment; and
wherein said conditional lengthening occurs upon determining if a combined length of said first edge segment, said second edge segment and said third edge segment is greater than thrice said length threshold and if said combined length is greater than thrice said length threshold, modifying said first edge segment length, said second edge segment length and said third segment length so as to provide for each of said first edge segment length, said second edge segment length and said third edge segment length being at least said length threshold in length.
4. An apparatus comprising:
a machine readable medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions designed to operate said apparatus to enable said apparatus to:
receive at least length and space information for a first edge segment;
receive at least length and space information for a second edge segment, said second edge segment being adjacent and collinear to said first edge segment, and said first edge segment having length less than a length threshold;
determine a first bias for said first edge segment;
determine a second bias for said second edge segment; and
conditionally lengthen said first edge segment;
a processor coupled to said machine readable medium to execute said programming instructions.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein conditional lengthening occurs upon determining if a combined length of said first edge segment, said second edge segment and said third edge segment is greater than thrice said length threshold and if said combined length is greater than thrice said length threshold, modifying said first edge segment length, said second edge segment length and said third segment length so as to provide for each of said first edge segment length, said second edge segment length and said third edge segment length being at least said length threshold in length.
6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said programming instructions further operate to
receive at least length and space information for a third edge segment, said second edge segment being adjacent and collinear to said first edge segment; and
wherein said conditional lengthening occurs upon determining if a combined length of said first edge segment, said second edge segment and said third edge segment is greater than thrice said length threshold and if said combined length is greater than thrice said length threshold, modifying said first edge segment length, said second edge segment length and said third segment length so as to provide for each of said first edge segment length, said second edge segment length and said third edge segment length being at least said length threshold in length.
7. A machine accessible medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions designed to operate an apparatus to enable said apparatus to:
receive at least length and space information for a first edge segment;
receive at least length and space information for a second edge segment, said second edge segment being adjacent and collinear to said first edge segment, and said first edge segment having length less than a length threshold;
determine a first bias for said first edge segment;
determine a second bias for said second edge segment; and
conditionally lengthen said first edge segment.
8. The machine accessible medium of claim 7 wherein said conditional lengthening occurs upon determining if a combined length of said first edge segment and said second edge segment is greater than twice said length threshold and if said combined length is greater than twice said length threshold, modifying said first edge segment length and said second edge segment length so as to provide for each of said first edge segment length and said second edge segment length being at least said length threshold in length.
9. The machine accessible medium of claim 7 wherein said programming instructions further operate to:
receive at least length and space information for a third edge segment, said second edge segment being adjacent and collinear to said first edge segment; and
wherein said conditional lengthening occurs upon determining if a combined length of said first edge segment, said second edge segment and said third edge segment is greater than thrice said length threshold and, if said combined length is greater than thrice said length threshold, modifying said first edge segment length, said second edge segment length and said third segment length so as to provide for each of said first edge segment length, said second edge segment length and said third edge segment length being at least said length threshold in length.
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 imaging system, comprising:
a portable source of radiation;
a portable detector operable to detect the radiation from the portable source, wherein the detector is adapted to move independently of the portable source in all degrees of freedom; and
an alignment system comprising a plurality of transmitters disposed on an anti-scatter grid disposed over the portable detector, wherein the alignment system is operable to establish an orientation of the portable detector relative to the portable source based on signals from the plurality of transmitters.
2. The imaging system as recited in claim 1, wherein the alignment system is adapted to initiate the indicator when the portable detector is aligned with the portable source to receive radiation from the portable source.
3. The imaging system as recited in claim 1, wherein the indicator is a visible indicator.
4. The imaging system as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of transmitters are disposed on the anti-scatter grid and on the portable detector around the anti-scatter grid.
5. The imaging system as recited in claim 1, wherein the alignment system comprises a plurality of sensors disposed around the portable source to receive signals produced by the plurality of transmitters.
6. The imaging system as recited in claim 5, wherein the alignment system is operable to indicate when the portable detector is within range of the portable source.
7. The imaging system as recited in claim 1, wherein the indicator is an audible indicator.
8. An imaging system, comprising:
an X-ray source;
a portable X-ray detector operable to detect X-rays from the X-ray source;
an anti-scatter grid disposed over the detector; and
an alignment system comprising a plurality of transmitters disposed on the anti-scatter grid, wherein the alignment system is operable to establish an orientation of the portable X-ray detector relative to the X-ray source based on signals from the plurality of transmitters.
9. The imaging system as recited in claim 8, wherein the alignment system is adapted to initiate the indicator when the portable X-ray detector is aligned with the X-ray source to receive radiation from the X-ray source.
10. The imaging system as recited in claim 8, wherein the indicator is a visible indicator.
11. The imaging system as recited in claim 8, wherein the plurality of transmitters are disposed on the anti-scatter grid and on the portable X-ray detector around the anti-scatter grid.
12. The imaging system as recited in claim 8, wherein the alignment system comprises a receiver attached to the X-ray source to receive signals produced by the plurality of transmitters.
13. The imaging system as recited in claim 8, comprising a foam pad disposed over the anti-scatter grid to prevent scattered X-rays from reaching the portable X-ray detector.
14. The imaging system as recited in claim 8, wherein the indicator is an audible indicator.
15. An imaging system, comprising:
a portable source of radiation;
a portable detector operable to detect the radiation from the portable source, wherein the detector is adapted to move independently of the portable source in all degrees of freedom;
an alignment system comprising an indicator, wherein the alignment system is adapted to initiate the indicator when the detector is aligned with the portable source to receive radiation from the portable source; and
wherein the alignment system comprises a plurality of transmitters disposed on an anti-scatter grid disposed on the portable detector and the alignment system is operable to establish a location of the portable detector relative to the portable source based on signals from the plurality of transmitters.
16. The imaging system as recited in claim 15, wherein the indicator is an audible indicator.
17. The imaging system as recited in claim 15, wherein the indicator is a visible indicator.
18. The imaging system as recited in claim 15, wherein the alignment system comprises a plurality of sensors disposed around the portable source to receive signals produced by the plurality of transmitters.
19. The imaging system as recited in claim 15, wherein the alignment system is operable to establish an orientation of the portable detector relative to the portable source based on the signals from the plurality of transmitters.
20. The imaging system as recited in claim 15, wherein the plurality of sensors are disposed on the anti-scatter grid and on the portable detector around the anti-scatter grid.