Systems and methods for three-dimensional modeling

• US 20020089500A1
• Filed: 12/14/2001
• Published: 07/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc. (3D Systems Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SensAble Technologies, Inc. (3D Systems Corporation)
• Inventors: Shannon, Walter C. III, Massie, Thomas Harold, Jennings, Ralph E. Jr., Payne, Bradley A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,958,752 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/420
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/20 Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/28 Force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2021 Shape modification
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/952 Simulation

Abstract

Systems and methods for modifying a virtual object stored within a computer. The systems and methods allow virtual object modifications that are otherwise computationally inconvenient. The virtual object is represented as a volumetric representation. A portion of the volumetric model is converted into an alternative representation. The alternative representation can be a representation having a different number of dimensions from the volumetric representations. A stimulus is applied to the alternative representation, for example by a user employing a force-feedback haptic interface. The response of the alternative representation to the stimulus is calculated. The change in shape of the virtual object is determined from the response of the alternative representation. The representations of the virtual object can be displayed at any time for the user. The user can be provided a force-feedback response. Multiple stimuli can be applied in succession. Multiple alternative representations can be employed in the system and method.

Claims

1. A method of modifying a virtual object stored within a computer, the method comprising the steps of:

representing a virtual object as a volumetric model;

converting a subset of the volumetric model into an alternative representation;

determining a response of the alternative representation to a stimulus; and

modifying the volumetric representation so as to substantially represent the response of the alternative representation to the stimulus.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a response of the alternative representation to a stimulus comprises determining a response of the alternative representation to a first stimulus and further determining a response of the alternative representation to a second succeeding stimulus.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the volumetric representation comprises a change in shape of the volumetric representation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the volumetric representation comprises converting the response of the alternative representation to the stimulus into a response of the volumetric representation to the stimulus.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the subset of the volumetric model is the entire volumetric model.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the subset of the volumetric model is a portion of the volumetric model.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the volumetric model comprises voxels.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the volumetric model comprises values spaced in a three-dimensional grid.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the alternative representation comprises a surface representation.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the alternative representation comprises a set-of-triangles representation.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the stimulus comprises a weighted displacement function defined on vertices of the set-of-triangles representation.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the alternative representation comprises a selected one of a polygon set, a bezier surface, a b-spline surface, a procedural surface, and a NURBS representation.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the alternative representation comprises an alternative voxel representation.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the stimulus is a stimulus from a user using a haptic interface.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the haptic interface is a force feedback interface.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the haptic interface has at least three degrees of force feedback.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying the virtual object on a computer display.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the volumetric representation and the alternative representation comprise representations having different numbers of dimensions.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the applied stimulus comprises at least one of a displacement function, a smoothing function, a warping function, a volumetric interference, an areal interference, a result of a simulation, a control point modification, a data re-fitting, and a force.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the applied stimulus is applied to the object in real time.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

transforming the alternative representation into a third representation;

modifying the third representation in response to an applied stimulus; and

transforming the modified third representation to a modified volumetric representation.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein transforming the modified third representation to the modified volumetric representation comprises generating an intermediate modified representation.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the stimulus comprises a user motion in the at least three-dimensional space.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying a feedback force to a user, the feedback force being generally consistent with a geometric shape of a modified virtual object.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the modification comprises a selected one of a displacement function, a smoothing function, a warping function, a volumetric interference, an areal interference, a result of a simulation, a control point modification, a data re-fitting, and a force.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the analytic module that determines a response of the alternative representation to a stimulus comprises an analytic module that determines a response of the alternative representation to a first stimulus and further determines a response of the alternative representation to a second succeeding stimulus.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the modification module that modifies the volumetric representation comprises a modification module that changes a shape of the volumetric representation.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the modification module that modifies the volumetric representation comprises a modification module that converts the response of the alternative representation to the stimulus into a response of the volumetric representation to the stimulus.

32. The system of claim 28, wherein the subset of the volumetric model is the entire volumetric model.

33. The system of claim 28, wherein the subset of the volumetric model is a portion of the volumetric model.

34. The system of claim 28, wherein the volumetric model comprises voxels.

35. The system of claim 28, wherein the volumetric model comprises values spaced in a three-dimensional grid.

36. The system of claim 28, wherein the alternative representation comprises a surface representation.

37. The system of claim 28, wherein the alternative representation comprises a set-of-triangles representation.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the stimulus comprises a weighted displacement function defined on vertices of the set-of-triangles representation.

39. The system of claim 28, wherein the alternative representation comprises a selected one of a polygon set, a bezier surface, a b-spline surface, a procedural surface, and a NURBS representation.

40. The system of claim 28, wherein the alternative representation comprises an alternative voxel representation.

41. The system of claim 28, wherein the stimulus is a stimulus from a user using a haptic interface.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the haptic interface is a force feedback interface.

43. The system of claim 41, wherein the haptic interface has at least three degrees of force feedback.

44. The system of claim 28, further comprising a display module that displays the virtual object on a computer display.

45. The system of claim 28, wherein the volumetric representation and the alternative representation comprise representations having different numbers of dimensions.

46. The system of claim 28, wherein the applied stimulus comprises at least one of a displacement function, a smoothing function, a warping function, a volumetric interference, an areal interference, a result of a simulation, a control point modification, a data re-fitting, and a force.

47. The system of claim 28, wherein the applied stimulus is applied to the object in real time.

48. The system of claim 28, further comprising:

a second transformation module that transforms the alternative representation into a third representation;

a third modification module that modifies the third representation in response to an applied stimulus; and

a third transformation module that transforms the modified third representation to a modified volumetric representation.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the third transformation module that transforms the modified third representation to the modified volumetric representation comprises a transformation module that generates an intermediate modified representation.

50. The system of claim 48, wherein at least two of the first, second and third modification modules are the same module.

51. The system of claim 48, wherein at least two of the first, second and third transformation modules are the same module.

52. The system of claim 28, wherein the stimulus comprises a user motion in the at least three-dimensional space.

53. The system of claim 28, further comprising a force feedback module that applies a feedback force to a user, the feedback force being generally consistent with a geometric shape of a modified virtual object.

25. A method of modifying a volumetric representation of an object, the method comprising the steps of:

transforming at least a portion of the volumetric representation into a polygonal set representation;

modifying the polygonal set representation; and

modifying the volumetric representation to substantially represent the modification made to the polygonal set representation.

27. A method of modifying a volumetric representation of an object, the method comprising the steps of:

transforming at least a portion of the volumetric representation into a surface-based representation;

modifying the surface-based representation; and

modifying the volumetric representation to substantially represent the modification made to the surface based representation.

28. A system for modifying a virtual object stored within a computer, the system comprising:

a representation module that represents a virtual object as a volumetric model;

a conversion module that converts a subset of the volumetric model into an alternative representation;

an analytic module that determines a response of the alternative representation to a stimulus; and

a modification module that modifies the volumetric representation so as to substantially represent the response of the alternative representation to the stimulus.

54. A system of modifying a volumetric representation of an object, the system comprising:

a transformation module that transforms at least a portion of the volumetric representation into a polygonal set representation;

a first modification module that modifies the polygonal set representation; and

a second modification module that modifies the volumetric representation to substantially represent the modification made to the polygonal set representation.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein a selected one of the modification of the polygonal set representation and the modification of the volumetric representation comprises a selected one of a displacement function, a smoothing function, a warping function, a volumetric interference, an areal interference, a result of a simulation, a control point modification, a data re-fitting, and a force.

56. A system of modifying a volumetric representation of an object, the system comprising:

a transformation module that transforms at least a portion of the volumetric representation into a surface-based representation;

a first modification module that modifies the surface-based representation; and

a second modification module that modifies the volumetric representation to substantially represent the modification made to the surface based representation.