Network-linked interactive three-dimensional composition and display of saleable objects in situ in viewer-selected scenes for purposes of object promotion and procurement, and generation of object advertisements

• US 20020093538A1
• Filed: 02/20/2002
• Published: 07/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bruce Carlin
• Original Assignee: Bruce Carlin
• Inventors: Carlin, Bruce
• Granted Patent: US 7,523,411 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/778
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/10 Geometric effects

Abstract

A design professional such as an interior designer, furniture sales associate or advertising designer running a browser program at a client computer (i) uses the world wide web to connect to a graphics server computer, and (ii) interactively selects or specifies furnishings or other objects from this server computer and previews the scene and communicates with the server, so as to (iii) receive and display to his or her client a high-fidelity high-quality virtual-reality perspective-view photorealistic image of furnishings or other objects displayed in, most commonly, a virtual representation of an actual room of a client'"'"'s home or an advertisement scene. The photorealistic images, optionally provided to bona fide design professionals and their clients for free, but typically paid for by the product'"'"'s manufacturer, promote the sale to the client of goods which are normally obtained through the graphics service provider'"'"'s customer'"'"'s distributor, profiting both the service provider and the design professional. Models, textures and maps of existing objects are built as necessary from object views or actual objects. Full custom objects, including furniture and other products not yet built, are readily presented in realistic virtual image. Also, a method of interactive advertising permits a prospective customer of a product, such as furniture, to view a virtual but photorealistic, image of a selected product located within a customer-selected scene, such as the prospective customer'"'"'s own home, to allow in-context visualization.

Claims

1. A computerized method of generating and rendering over a digital communications network a photorealistic three-dimensional (3D) perspective view of a 3D object selectively positioned and angularly positioned within a 3D scene, the method comprising:

selecting at a first computer an object with which there is associated a derived or companion low-resolution 3D object model, and a scene with which there is associated a derived or companion low-resolution 3D scene model;

rendering at the first computer from the derived or companion low-resolution 3D object model, and from the small derived or companion low-resolution 3D scene model, a first, rudimentary, low-resolution 3D image of the 3D object in the 3D scene for purpose of previewing;

manually interfacing with the computer and with software processes operating within the computer to size, positionally place and orient the selected 3D object in the low-resolution 3D image, and in the 3D scene, therein developing chosen scale and location and orientation parameters for the selected 3D object in the 3D scene;

communicating from the first computer upon a digital communications network to a second computer identity of the selected object, identity of the scene, and developed scale, location and orientation parameters, all as image information;

from the received image information in the second and any associated computer, selecting a high-resolution 3D model of the selected object, and selecting or developing a high-resolution 3D model of the scene;

rendering in the second computer and any associated computer a second, photorealistic, high-resolution 3D composite image of the 3D object scaled, located and oriented in the 3D scene in accordance with the developed scale, location and orientation parameters;

communicating from the second computer any associated computer upon the digital communications network back to the first computer the rendered second, photorealistic, high-resolution 3D composite image; and

displaying at the first computer the rendered second, photorealistic, high-resolution 3D composite image.

2. The computerized method of generating and rendering a photorealistic 3D perspective view according to claim 1

wherein the manually interfacing is further for illuminating the object in the scene so as to develop lighting parameters;

wherein the communicating is also of the lighting parameters; and

wherein the rendering of the second, photorealistic, high-resolution 3D composite image of the 3D object located and oriented in the 3D scene is further in consideration of the developed lighting parameters.

3. The computerized method of generating and rendering a photorealistic 3D perspective view according to claim 1

wherein the manually interfacing is further for specifying resolution parameters of the object in the scene;

wherein the communicating is also of the resolution parameters; and

wherein the rendering of the second, photorealistic, high-resolution 3D composite image of the object located and oriented in the scene is further in consideration of the specified resolution parameters.

4. A computerized method of generating and rendering over a digital communications network a photorealistic 3D perspective image of

a three-dimensional (3D) object that can exist in the real world located within, surrounding, or in front of,

a 3D scene that can also exist in the real world, the method of presenting a 3D perspective image of a 3D object in a 3D scene comprising:

rendering at a first computer, communicative upon a digital communications network, a first, relatively low resolution, 3D perspective image of a 3D object in a 3D scene from

(1) a relatively low resolution 3D model of the suitably-real-world object,

(2) a relatively low resolution 3D model of a selected suitably-real-world scene, in consideration of

(3) a selected 3D coordinate position and angular orientation of the 3D object in the 3D scene,

(4) location and orientation of a camera view onto the scene,

(5) scene and object size;

(6) parameter of the scene lighting, and

(7) parameters of resolution of any one or both of the object and of the scene;

wherein this first, rudimentary, low-resolution, 3D image simply shows the 3D object located and oriented in the 3D scene;

communicating from the first computer upon the digital communications network the information (1)-(7) to a second computer;

from information (1), selecting in the second computer (1a) a high-resolution 3D model of the selected suitably-real-world object, and from information (2), selecting or generating in the second computer (2a) a high-resolution 3D model of the selected suitably-real-world scene;

rendering at the second computer a second, high-resolution, 3D composite image from (1) the high-resolution 3D model of the selected object, or derivatives or extensions of this model, and (2a) the high-resolution 3D model of the scene, or derivatives or extensions of this model, in consideration of at least the information (3)-(7);

wherein the second, high-resolution, 3D composite image is a photorealistic image of the 3D object in the 3D scene;

communicating from the second computer upon the digital communications network to the first computer the second, photorealistic, high-resolution 3D composite image; and

displaying at the first computer this second, high-resolution, photorealistic 3D composite image.

5. The method according to claim 4

exercised to the purpose that a prospective purchaser of the suitably-real-world 3D object may be rendered the second, photo realistic, 3D perspective view of a 3D object that is a virtual object;

wherein should the virtual object be made real in the world, then it would not merely suitably exist within the suitably-real-world 3D scene, but would suitably so exist as depicted in the second, photorealistic, composite image.

6. The method according to claim 4

wherein the rendering at a first computer of the first, low-resolution, 3D composite image is from (1) a low-resolution 3D model of a scene derived at the first computer.

7. The method according to claim 4

wherein the rendering at a first computer of the first, low-resolution, 3D composite image is from (1) a low-resolution 3D model of the object received upon the communications network from the second computer as a model dynamically generated from specifications provided to the second computer by the first computer.

8. The method according to claim 4

wherein the rendering at a first computer of the first, low-resolution, 3D composite image is from (1) a low-resolution 3D model of the object received upon the communications network from a third computer as a model from a pre-existing catalog of low-resolution 3D object models.

9. The method according to claim 4

wherein the rendering at a first computer of the first, low-resolution, 3D composite image is from (2) a low-resolution 3D model of the scene received upon the communications network from the second computer as a model dynamically generated from specifications provided to the second computer by the first computer.

10. The method according to claim 4

wherein the rendering at a first computer of the first, low-resolution, 3D composite image is from (2) a low-resolution 3D model of the scene received upon the communications network from a third computer as a model from a pre-existing catalog of low-resolution 3D object models.

11. The method according to claim 10

wherein the (1) low-resolution 3D model of a selected suitably-real-world object received upon the communications network from the second computer is of an object for sale.

13. The method according to claim 12

exercised to the purpose that a prospective purchaser of one or more of the one or more suitably-real-world objects may be rendered the high-resolution 3D perspective view where at least one of the one or more 3D objects is a virtual object not existing in the world, and which might only suitably exist within the suitably-real-world 3D scene;

wherein even though at least one 3D object shown in the high-resolution 3D perspective view is virtual and does not actually exist, the 3D object both (i) could exist, and (ii) could exist as so shown within the high-resolution 3D perspective view.

15. The computerized method of producing a high resolution photorealistic image according to claim 14

wherein the photorealistically-rendered high-resolution 3D composite image is suitable to serve as advertising copy, meaning in particular that it is devoid of clearly visible defects;

wherein a 3D graphic artist of this photorealistically-rendered high-resolution 3D composite image who performs selections and manipulations at the client computer need not have to attend to, and did not actually attend to, the building of the 3D models and any textures, which building transpired elsewhere.

16. The computerized method of producing a high resolution photorealistic image according to claim 15

wherein the building of the 3D models and any textures transpired in a model-building computer.

17. The computerized method of producing a high resolution photorealistic image according to claim 14

wherein the photorealistically-rendered high-resolution 3D composite image is suitable to serve as advertising copy, meaning in particular that it is devoid of clearly visible defects;

wherein a 3D graphic artist of this photorealistically-rendered high-resolution 3D composite image who performs selections and manipulations at the client computer need not have to attend to, and did not actually attend to, the rendering, which transpired in the server computer.

12. A computerized method of generating and rendering over a digital communications network a 3D perspective view of a three-dimensional object that can exist in the real world located within a three-dimensional space that can also exist in the real world, the method of presenting a 3D perspective image of a 3D object in a 3D space comprising:

using at a client computer upon a digital communications network

(1) one or more accurately-scaled 3D models representing one or more associated suitably-real-world 3D objects, and

(2) an accurately-scaled model of a 3D scene in which 3D scene the suitably-real-world 3D objects can exist,

(3) associated scene camera and lighting parameters,

(4) associated placement and rotational information regarding where and at what positional attitude the one or more 3D objects are placed within the 3D scene;

transmitting from the first computer upon the digital communications network the information (1)-(4);

receiving at another, second, computer upon the digital communications network the information (l)-(4);

in the second computer

in accordance with at least the information (1) selecting or generating (1a) a detailed, high-resolution, model of the one or more 3D objects,

in accordance with at least the information (2) selecting or generating (2a) a detailed, high-resolution, model of the 3D scene, and

in accordance with the (1a) and (2a) models, and information (3)-(4) and extensions thereof, a high-resolution 3D perspective view of the one or more 3D objects properly scaled, located and oriented within the 3D scene; and

then

transmitting from the second computer upon the digital communications network this high-resolution 3D perspective view; and

receiving at the first computer upon the digital communications network this high-resolution 3D perspective view; and

displaying at the first computer this high-resolution 3D perspective view.

14. A computerized method of producing a high resolution photorealistic 3D image on and between at least two computers communicating over a digital communications network, the method comprising:

providing from a server computer across a digital communications network to a client computer (i) a catalog of small, low-resolution, 3D graphics models of objects and (ii) at least one model of a scene in which the objects may exist;

selecting at the client computer one or more objects and at least one scene;

communicating these selections from the client computer across the communications network to the server computer;

responsively to receipt of the selections, providing from the server computer across the communications network to the client computer a set of at least the associated small, low-resolution 3D models;

manually manipulating at the client computer spatial (i) positions and orientations of a selected one or more object models from the set of models (ii) within the at least one scene model, and rendering at the client computer from these object and scene models, a first, rudimentary, low-resolution 3D image of the one or more selected objects in the at least one scene, this low-resolution 3D image being used as a preview;

communicating, from the client computer across the communications network to the sever computer, at least camera, lighting and image size and resolution parameters, and positional placements and orientations of each of the selected and manipulated one or more objects in the at least one scene;

from the received positional placements and orientations of the selected one or more objects, rendering in the server computer from associated large high-resolution 3D models of the selected one or more objects and of the at least one scene, a photorealistic, 3D high-resolution composite image of the selected one or more objects located and oriented in the scene;

communicating from the sever computer upon the digital communications network to the client computer the photorealistically-rendered high-resolution 3D composite image; and

displaying at the client computer this photorealistically-rendered high-resolution 3D composite image.

18. A method of rendering at high resolution a photorealistic 3D image as a business service on a digital communications network, the high resolution photorealistic 3D image rendering business service comprising:

providing from a server computer across the digital communications network to a client computer

any of (i) a catalog of small, low-resolution, 3D graphics models, or (ii) a tool for generating small, low-resolution, 3D graphics models, or (iii) an actual, small, low-resolution, 3D graphics models

of at least (1) objects and (2) scenes in which the objects may exist;

receiving at the server computer upon the digital communications network from the client computer information as to the identities of at least one object and at least one scene selected from the catalog, and further information as to the camera and lighting parameters and image size and resolution and where and at what orientations selected identified objects are to be placed and oriented in the selected scene;

responsively to received information and further information, rendering in the server computer from associated large high-resolution 3D models of each selected object and also of the identified scene, a photorealistic, 3D high-resolution composite image of each selected object located and oriented in the identified scene; and

communicating from the sever computer upon the digital communications network to the client computer this photorealistically-rendered 3D high-resolution composite image;

wherein the client computer is provided with a photorealistically-rendered 3D high-resolution composite image without necessity of either (i) having the high-resolution models from which this high-resolution composite image is rendered, or (ii) rendering this high-resolution composite image itself.

19. A method performed by (i) a relatively simple client computer running relatively simple software (ii) connected upon a digital communications network to (iii) a relatively powerful graphics server computer running relatively sophisticated graphics image rendering software, of deriving at the client computer a high-resolution photorealistic 3D image as is a typical product of the graphics server computer and beyond the capabilities of the client computer and software operating therein, the method by which a networked client computer may bootstrap itself to production of a high resolution photorealistic 3D image comprising:

receiving in the client computer from the graphics server computer across the digital communications network a catalog of, or tool for generating low-resolution 3D graphics models for selected (1) objects and (2) scenes in which the objects may exist;

selecting at the client computer objects and at least one scene from the catalog and downloading the selected objects and/or scene from the graphics server computer across the communications network, or, alternatively as the case may be, generating with the tool object and/or scene models;

manipulating at the client computer the received and/or generated low-resolution models to derive spatial positions and orientations of objects within a scene;

communicating these object positional placements and orientations, and also camera, lighting and image size and resolution parameters, across the communications network to the graphics server computer;

receiving back from the graphics server computer upon the digital communications network a photorealistic 3D high-resolution composite image of the objects placed, oriented, illuminated and viewed from a perspective, as were all derived from the manipulating, and as were communicated to the graphics server computer;

displaying at the client computer this photorealistically-rendered 3D high-resolution composite image.