1. A frame rate conversion method, comprising:
receiving at least two input frames comprising a reference frame and a target frame;
generating a plurality of motion vectors according to the at least two input frames;
generating a candidate list comprising regional motion vectors and temporal motion vectors from the plurality of motion vectors;
generating a winner candidate from the candidate list; and
generating at least one output frame according to the winner candidate;
wherein the step of generating the winner candidate from the candidate list comprises:
choosing a winner motion vector considering its temporal and spatial neighbors’ motion vectors as the winner candidate.
2. The frame rate conversion method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating the candidate list comprising regional motion vectors and temporal motion vectors from the plurality of motion vectors comprises:
generating the candidate list comprising local regional motion vectors; and
generating the candidate list comprising MvFlow candidates.
3. The frame rate conversion method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating the winner candidate from the candidate list further comprises:
choosing the winner motion vector with the smallest SAD as the winner candidate from the candidate list.
4. The frame rate conversion method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating the winner candidate from the candidate list further comprises:
choosing the winner motion vector with the total smallest SAD, spatial bias, and temporal bias as the winner candidate from the candidate list.
5. The frame rate conversion method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating the winner candidate from the candidate list further comprises:
generating the winner candidate from the candidate list by bi-directional search scheme.
6. The frame rate conversion method of claim 1, further comprising the following step:
performing a post ME process to correct the winner motion vector, wherein the post ME process comprises at least one of MV jump correction, cover detection, and outlier filtering.
7. The frame rate conversion method of claim 1, further comprising the following step:
performing a cover detection by using SAD information according to bi-directional search scheme to detect potential cover and uncover areas in the at least two input frames and generating cover detection information.
8. The frame rate conversion method of claim 7, further comprising the following step:
performing a filtering based on the cover detection information to avoid discontinuity on block boundaries in the at least one output frame.
9. The frame rate conversion method of claim 1, further comprising the following step:
detecting a logo block according to whether a block is moving between the reference frame and the target frame, the time the block has been standing still, or the edge information of the block.
10. The frame rate conversion method of claim 1, further comprising the following step:
performing a frame reliability detection to decide how the winner candidate is weighted to generate the at least one output frame.
11. The frame rate conversion method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating the at least one output frame according to the winner candidate comprises:
controlling a interpolated pixel value according to SADs of the winner candidate and its neighboring motion vectors.
12. A frame rate conversion apparatus, for receiving at least two input frames to generate at least one output frame, comprising:
a motion estimation module, for generating a candidate list comprising regional motion vectors and temporal motion vectors from the at least two input frames and choosing a winner motion vector from the candidate list; and
a motion compensation module, for generating the at least one output frame according to the winner motion vector;
wherein the winner motion vector is generated according to its temporal and spatial neighbors’ motion vectors.
13. The frame rate conversion apparatus of claim 12, wherein the regional motion vectors are local regional motion vectors and the temporal motion vectors are MvFlow candidates.
14. The frame rate conversion apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:
a frame feature extraction module, comprising a fade-inout detection unit for generating fade-inout information from the at least two input frames; and
an adaptive MEMC control module, for deciding a weighting of the winner motion vector according to the fade-inout information;
wherein the at least one output frame is generated according the weighting.
15. The frame rate conversion apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:
a frame feature extraction module, comprising a logo detection unit for generating a logo detection information from the at least two input frames;
wherein the at least one output frame is generated according to the logo information.
16. The frame rate conversion apparatus of claim 12, wherein the winner motion vector is generated according to a bi-directional search scheme.
17. The frame rate conversion apparatus of claim 12, wherein the winner motion vector is with the smallest SAD in the candidate list.
18. The frame rate conversion apparatus of claim 12, wherein the motion estimation module further comprises a post ME unit to perform a post ME process to correct the winner motion vector, and wherein the post ME process comprises at least one of MV jump correction, cover detection, and outlier filtering.
19. A frame rate conversion method, comprising:
receiving at least two input frames comprising a reference frame and a target frame;
generating a plurality of motion vectors according to the at least two input frames;
generating a candidate list comprising regional motion vectors and temporal motion vectors from the plurality of motion vectors;
generating a winner candidate from the candidate list; and
generating at least one output frame according to the winner candidate;
wherein the step of generating the candidate list comprising regional motion vectors and temporal motion vectors from the plurality of motion vectors comprises:
generating the candidate list comprising local regional motion vectors; and
generating the candidate list comprising MvFlow candidatese.
20. A frame rate conversion method, comprising:
receiving at least two input frames comprising a reference frame and a target frame;
generating a plurality of motion vectors according to the at least two input frames;
generating a candidate list comprising regional motion vectors and temporal motion vectors from the plurality of motion vectors;
generating a winner candidate from the candidate list; and
generating at least one output frame according to the winner candidate;
wherein the step of generating the winner candidate from the candidate list comprises:
choosing a winner motion vector with the total smallest SAD, spatial bias, and temporal bias as the winner candidate from the candidate list.
21. A frame rate conversion method, comprising:
receiving at least two input frames comprising a reference frame and a target frame;
performing a cover detection by using SAD information according to bi-directional search scheme to detect potential cover and uncover areas in the at least two input frames and generating cover detection information;
generating a plurality of motion vectors according to the at least two input frames;
generating a candidate list comprising regional motion vectors and temporal motion vectors from the plurality of motion vectors;
generating a winner candidate from the candidate list; and
generating at least one output frame according to the winner candidate.
22. The frame rate conversion method of claim 21, further comprising the following step:
performing a filtering based on the cover detection information to avoid discontinuity on block boundaries in the at least one output frame.
23. A frame rate conversion method, comprising:
receiving at least two input frames comprising a reference frame and a target frame;
generating a plurality of motion vectors according to the at least two input frames;
generating a candidate list comprising regional motion vectors and temporal motion vectors from the plurality of motion vectors;
generating a winner candidate from the candidate list;
generating at least one output frame according to the winner candidate; and
detecting a logo block according to whether a block is moving between the reference frame and the target frame, the time the block has been standing still, or the edge information of the block.
24. A frame rate conversion method, comprising:
receiving at least two input frames comprising a reference frame and a target frame;
generating a plurality of motion vectors according to the at least two input frames;
generating a candidate list comprising regional motion vectors and temporal motion vectors from the plurality of motion vectors;
generating a winner candidate from the candidate list;
generating at least one output frame according to the winner candidate; and
wherein the step of generating the at least one output frame according to the winner candidate comprises:
controlling a interpolated pixel value according to SADs of the winner candidate and its neighboring motion vectors.
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. A system for imaging and providing therapy to one or more regions of interest, the system comprising:
an imaging and therapy catheter configured to image an anatomical region to facilitate assessing need for therapy in one or more regions of interest within the anatomical region and delivering therapy to the one or more regions of interest within the anatomical region; and
a medical imaging system operationally coupled to the catheter and having a display area and a user interface area, wherein the medical imaging system is configured to facilitate definition of a therapy pathway to facilitate delivering therapy to the one or more regions of interest.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the imaging and therapy catheter comprises a real-time imaging and therapy transducer.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the imaging and therapy transducer comprises integrated imaging and therapy components.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the therapy comprises ablation, percutaneous ethanol injection, cryotherapy, laser-induced thermotherapy, delivery of tools for gene therapy, surgical tools or combinations thereof.
5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a catheter positioning system configured to reposition the catheter automatically or in response to input from a user and relative to the defined therapy pathway.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the catheter positioning system comprises a tip position sensor configured to provide location information of a tip of the catheter and a mechanism configured to actuate the tip of the catheter.
7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a feedback system in operative association with the catheter positioning system and the medical imaging system, wherein the feedback system is configured to facilitate communication between the catheter positioning system and the medical imaging system.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the medical imaging system comprises an ultrasound system, an optical imaging system, an electro-anatomical imaging system or combinations thereof.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface area of the medical imaging system comprises a human interface device configured to facilitate the user to identify the one or more regions of interest for directing therapy using an image of the anatomical region displayed on the display area of the medical imaging system.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein the display area includes a three-dimensional display area configured to aid in identifying one or more regions of interest and in visualizing three-dimensional shapes.
11. The system of claim 1, wherein the imaging and therapy catheter comprises a forward viewing catheter, a side viewing catheter or combinations thereof.
12. The system of claim 1, wherein the medical imaging system is configured to provide control signals to the imaging and therapy catheter to excite the therapy component of the imaging and therapy transducer and deliver therapy to the one or more regions of interest.
13. The system of claim 1, further configured to provide a system generated proposed therapy pathway based on selected characteristics of the image data.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein the selected characteristics comprise a brightness, a density, a tissue stiffness, or combinations thereof.
15. A method for imaging and providing therapy to one or more regions of interest, the method comprising:
generating an image from acquired image data for display on a display area of a medical imaging system;
identifying one or more regions of interest requiring therapy on the displayed image;
defining a therapy pathway in response to the identified one or more regions of interest; and
delivering therapy to the one or more regions of interest in accordance with the defined therapy pathway.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising acquiring the image data via an imaging and therapy catheter to facilitate assessing need for therapy.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the imaging and therapy catheter comprises an imaging and therapy transducer.
18. The method of claim 15, wherein the defining step comprises drawing the therapy pathway on the displayed image via a human interface device.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising determining location information of the one or more regions of interest.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising communicating the location information via a feedback system between a catheter positioning system and the medical imaging system.
21. The method of claim 20, further comprising repositioning the imaging and therapy catheter to a desirable location to facilitate inclusion of the one or more regions of interest within a field of view of the imaging and therapy transducer.
22. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing a system generated proposed therapy pathway based on selected characteristics of the image data.
23. A computer readable medium comprising one or more tangible media, wherein the one or more tangible media comprise:
code adapted to generate an image from acquired image data for display on a display area of a medical imaging system;
code adapted to identify one or more regions of interest requiring therapy on the displayed image;
code adapted to define a therapy pathway in response to the identified one or more regions of interest; and
code adapted to deliver therapy to the one or more regions of interest in accordance with the defined therapy pathway.
24. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 23, further comprising code adapted to acquire the image data via an imaging and therapy catheter to facilitate assessing need for therapy.
25. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 23, further comprising code adapted to determine location information of the one or more regions of interest and communicate the location information via a feedback system between a catheter positioning system and the medical imaging system.
26. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 25, further comprising code adapted to reposition the imaging and therapy catheter to a desirable location to facilitate inclusion of the one or more regions of interest within a field of view of an imaging and therapy transducer, wherein the imaging and therapy catheter comprises the imaging and therapy transducer.
27. A system for imaging and providing therapy to one or more regions of interest, the system comprising:
an imaging and therapy catheter configured to image an anatomical region to facilitate assessing the need for therapy in one or more regions of interest within the anatomical region and delivering therapy to the one or more regions of interest within the anatomical region;
a medical imaging system operationally coupled to the catheter and having a display area and a user interface area, wherein the medical imaging system is configured to facilitate defining a therapy pathway to facilitate delivering therapy to the one or more regions of interest;
an image generation sub-system for receiving acquired image data, generating an image of the anatomical region and displaying the image on the display area of the medical imaging system; and
an operator console for identifying the one or more regions of interest on the displayed image.
28. The system of claim 27, further comprising a catheter positioning system in operative association with the imaging and therapy catheter and configured to reposition the catheter automatically or in response to input from a user and relative to the defined therapy pathway.
29. The system of claim 27, further comprising a feedback system operationally coupled to the catheter positioning system and the medical imaging system, wherein the feedback system is configured to facilitate communication between the catheter positioning system and the medical imaging system.
30. The system of claim 27, wherein the medical imaging system is configured to provide control signals to the imaging and therapy catheter to excite a therapy component of the imaging and therapy transducer and steer an ablation beam to deliver therapy to the one or more regions of interest, wherein the imaging and therapy catheter comprises the imaging and therapy transducer.
31. The system of claim 27, further configured to provide a system generated proposed therapy pathway based on selected characteristics of the image data.
32. The system of claim 27, wherein the system is configured to generate a composite image by assembling images from a plurality of imaging and therapy catheter positions and store the composite image.
33. The system of claim 32, wherein one or more regions of interest are located outside a field of view of a current position of the imaging and therapy catheter.
34. The system of claim 33, wherein the system is configured to reposition the imaging and therapy catheter to follow the therapy pathway.