System and method for transforming graphical images

• US 20030086603A1
• Filed: 09/06/2002
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elastic Image Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Distortion Graphics, Inc.
• Inventors: Davidson, John, Arendt, Glen, Davidson, Geoff, Mellor, J. P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,555,157 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/10 Constructive solid geometry [CSG] using solid primitives, e.g. cylinders, cubes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/40 Scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting

Abstract

A system and a method for transforming graphical images. Graphical images are adapted by the present invention to be applied to a three-dimensional topography of a substrate. After the image is applied to the substrate, the image then appears in proportion and conforms to the topography of the substrate. In an embodiment, the present invention comprises a method for creating at least one transformed graphical image. The topography of a substrate is measured by using a digitizing apparatus to obtain at least one image of the topography of a measurement article. The digitizing apparatus comprises at least one, sensor that is electronically interconnected with a computer memory. The at least one image of the measurement article is transmitted into the computer memory. A graphical image is transformed in computer memory in accordance with the measurements of the topography of the measurement article to result in a transformed graphical image.

Claims

1. A method for creating at least one transformed graphical image, wherein said at least one transformed graphical image is adapted to a three-dimensional topography of a substrate to which said at least one transformed graphical image is to be applied, the method comprising the steps of:

providing said substrate;

measuring said topography of said substrate; and

transforming at least one untransformed graphical image into said at least one transformed graphical image in accordance with measurements of said topography of said substrate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing a substrate having a three-dimensional topography comprises the steps of:

providing an unfinished substrate; and

shaping said unfinished substrate into said three-dimensional topography.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of measuring said topography of said substrate comprises the steps of:

providing a measurement article having a three-dimensional topography consistent with said topography of said substrate, said measurement article comprising a plurality of measurement points, wherein said plurality of measurement points collectively are suggestive of said topography of said measurement article;

storing, in a computer memory, at least one image of said plurality of measurement points; and

creating a three-dimensional grid in said computer memory, said three-dimensional grid reflective of said topography of said measurement article.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of storing, in said computer memory, said at least one image of said measurement article, comprises the steps of:

obtaining at least one image of said plurality of measurement points with a digitizing apparatus, said digitizing apparatus comprising at least one sensor electronically interconnected with a computer, wherein said computer comprises said computer memory; and

transmitting said at least one image of said plurality of measurement points from said digitizing apparatus into said computer memory.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said digitizing apparatus comprises a plurality of sensors and each of said plurality of sensors concurrently obtains a separate image of said plurality of measurement points, the method further comprising the step of:

combining said separate images of said plurality of measurement points in said computer memory.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said digitizing apparatus comprises a plurality of optical sensors arranged in a stereoptic configuration and each of said plurality of optical sensors concurrently obtains a separate image of said plurality of measurement points, the method further comprising the step of:

combining said separate images of said plurality of measurement points in said computer memory.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising, before said step of obtaining at least one image of said plurality of measurement points with said digitizing apparatus, the step of:

positioning said digitizing apparatus so that at least one of said at least one sensors is positioned to obtain at least one image of at least a portion of said plurality of measurement points.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said at least one sensor is not able to obtain at least one image all of said plurality of measurement points simultaneously, the method further comprising the step of:

repeating said steps of

(a) positioning said digitizing apparatus,

(b) storing, in said computer memory, said at least one image of said plurality of measurement points obtained by said digitizing apparatus, and

(c) transmitting said at least one image of said plurality of measurement points from said digitizing apparatus into said computer memory,

 

until at least one image of each of said plurality of measurement points is stored in said computer memory.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of transforming said at least one untransformed graphical image into said at least one transformed graphical image comprises the steps of:

providing, in a computer memory, a three-dimensional grid reflective of said topography of said substrate;

combining, in said computer memory, said three-dimensional grid and said at least one untransformed graphical image; and

flattening, in said computer memory, said combined three-dimensional grid and at least one untransformed graphical image into a two-dimensional grid, said flattening step resulting in transformation of said at least one untransformed graphical image into said at least one transformed graphical image.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein each of said at least one graphical images comprises at least one texture map, and wherein said step of combining said three-dimensional grid and said at least one graphical image comprises the steps of:

aligning said three-dimensional grid and each of said at least one texture maps in computer memory; and

combining each of said at least one texture maps with said three-dimensional grid.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of aligning said three-dimensional grid and each of said at least one texture maps in computer memory comprises the steps of:

selecting at least one registration point on said three-dimensional grid;

selecting at least one registration point on each of said at least one texture maps, said at least one registration point on each of said at least one texture maps corresponding to said at least one registration point on said three-dimensional grid; and

aligning said three-dimensional grid and each of said at least one texture maps in computer memory by aligning each of said at least one registration point on each of said texture maps to its corresponding point on said three-dimensional grid.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said three-dimensional grid comprises a plurality of three-dimensional grid points, and wherein said step of flattening, in said computer memory, said three-dimensional grid into a two-dimensional grid comprises the steps of:

providing planar grid data in said computer memory, said planar grid data comprising a plurality of planar grid points, said planar grid points being equal in number to said plurality of three-dimensional grid points in said three-dimensional grid;

corresponding, in said computer memory, said three-dimensional grid points and said planar grid points; and

translating, in computer memory, each of said three-dimensional grid points into its said corresponding planar grid point, causing said three-dimensional grid to take on a two-dimensional appearance.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

applying said at least one transformed graphical image onto said substrate.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of applying said at least one transformed graphical image onto said substrate comprises the step of:

projecting said at least one transformed graphical image onto said substrate.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of applying said at least one transformed graphical image onto said substrate comprises an application process selected from a group of application processes consisting of:

painting, printing, screen printing, offset lithography, flexography, gravure, ink diffusion, pad printing, inkjet printing, laser printing, in-mold decoration, insert-mold decoration, adhesive deposition, coating deposition, lamination, and decaling.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises a three-dimensional part and said transformed graphical image comprises a decoration to be applied to said three-dimensional part.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said three-dimensional part is produced by a production process, said production process selected from a group consisting of:

sheet fed thermoforming, continuous feed thermoforming, sheet fed pressure forming, continuous feed pressure forming, sheet fed vacuum forming, continuous feed vacuum forming, cold forming, injection molding, compression molding, rotational molding, blow molding, stamping, ironing, drawing, pressing, stretch forming, shrink forming, punching, explosive forming, sputtering, in-mold decoration, insert-mold decoration, lamination, and shrink wrapping.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said substrate comprises a material selected from a group consisting of:

solid metals, powdered metals, fibrous materials, rubber, and silicon.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said substrate comprises a plastic material selected from a group consisting of:

ABS, acrylic, polycarbonate, polyesters, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene teraphthalate, and acrylonitrile.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein said decoration is formatted to be applied to said three-dimensional part by an application process selected from a group of application processes consisting of:

painting, printing, screen printing, offset lithography, flexography, gravure, ink diffusion, pad printing, inkjet printing, laser printing, in-mold decoration, insert-mold decoration, adhesive deposition, coating deposition, lamination, and decaling.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein said transformed graphical image is to be applied to a surface of said substrate comprising a portion of said topography of said substrate that is less than the entirety of said topography of said substrate, and wherein said step of measuring said topography of said substrate comprises the steps of:

providing a measurement article having a three-dimensional topography, wherein at least a portion of said topography of said measurement article is consistent with said portion of said topography of said substrate to which said transformed graphical image is to be applied, said portion of said topography of said measurement article comprising a plurality of measurement points, wherein said measurement points collectively are suggestive of said portion of said topography of said measurement article;

positioning a digitizing apparatus comprising at least one sensor so that at least one of said at least one sensors is positioned to view at least said portion of said topography of said measurement article corresponding to said portion of said topography of said substrate to which said transformed graphical image is to be applied, such that at least one image of said plurality of measurement points comprising said portion of said topography of said measurement article may be obtained by said at least one sensor;

storing, in a computer memory, said at least one image of said plurality of measurement points obtained by said at least one sensor; and

creating a three-dimensional grid in said computer memory, said three-dimensional grid reflective of said portion of said topography of said measurement article corresponding to said portion of said topography of said substrate to which said transformed graphical image is to be applied.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said at least one sensor is not able to simultaneously obtain at least one image of the entirety of said portion of said topography of said measurement article corresponding to said portion of said topography of said substrate to which said transformed graphical image is to be applied, the method further comprising the step of:

repeating said step of positioning said digitizing apparatus and said step of storing, in computer memory, said at least one image of said plurality of measurement points, until at least one image of all of said measurement points comprising said portion of said topography of said measurement article is obtained by said at least one sensor.

23. A method for creating at least one transformed graphical image, wherein said at least one transformed graphical image is adapted to a topography of a substrate to which said at least one transformed graphical image is to be applied, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a measurement article having a three-dimensional topography consistent with said topography of said substrate, said measurement article comprising a plurality of measurement points, wherein said plurality of measurement points collectively are suggestive of said topography of said measurement article;

obtaining at least one image of said plurality of measurement points with a digitizing apparatus, said digitizing apparatus comprising at least one sensor electronically interconnected with a first computer, wherein said first computer comprises a first computer memory;

transmitting said at least one image of said plurality of measurement points from said digitizing apparatus into said first computer memory;

creating a three-dimensional grid in said first computer memory, said three-dimensional grid being reflective of said at least one image of said plurality of measurement points;

combining, in a second computer memory, said three-dimensional grid and at least one untransformed graphical image; and

flattening, in said computer memory, said combined three-dimensional grid and at least one untransformed graphical image into a two-dimensional grid, said flattening step resulting in transformation of said at least one untransformed graphical image into said at least one transformed graphical image.

24. A digitizing apparatus comprising:

at least one sensor;

means for positioning said at least one sensor in relation to a measurement article, said measurement article having a three-dimensional topography, said measurement article comprising a plurality of measurement points, wherein said plurality of measurement points collectively are suggestive of said topography of said measurement article, and wherein each of said at least one sensors is operable to obtain at least one image of said plurality of measurement points;

means for positioning said measurement article so that at least a portion of said plurality of measurement points are within a volume viewable by said at least one sensor, said positioning means comprising means for holding said measurement article stationary; and

a computer comprising a computer memory, said computer operably connected to said at least one sensor and adapted to receive at least one image of said plurality of measurement points obtained by said at least one sensor into said computer memory, and to create a three-dimensional grid in said computer memory, said three-dimensional grid being reflective of said plurality of measurement points.

25. The digitizing apparatus of claim 24, comprising a plurality of sensors each of which is operable to concurrently obtain a separate image of said plurality of measurement points, and wherein said computer is operable to integrate said plurality of separate images into at least one integrated image in said computer memory.

26. The digitizing apparatus of claim 24, comprising a plurality of optical sensors arranged in a stereoptic configuration, each of which is operable to concurrently obtain a separate image of said plurality of measurement points, and wherein said computer is operable to integrate said plurality of separate images into at least one integrated image in said computer memory.

27. The digitizing apparatus of claim 24, further comprising means for repetitively relocating said at least one sensor in relation to said measurement article.

28. A computer comprising:

a fixed storage medium;

a computer memory operably located with said fixed storage medium; and

software means stored on said fixed storage medium and interactive with said computer memory, said software means operable to

(a) create an image of a topography of a three-dimensional measurement article in computer memory from at least one image of said topography of said three-dimensional measurement article obtained by at least one sensor electronically interconnected with said computer,

(b) create a three-dimensional grid in said computer memory, said three-dimensional grid being reflective of said image of said topography of said three-dimensional measurement article,

(c) combine said three-dimensional grid with at least one untransformed graphical image in said computer memory, and

(d) flatten, in said computer memory, said combined three-dimensional grid and said at least one untransformed graphical image into a two-dimensional grid, said flattening resulting in a transformation of said at least one untransformed graphical image into a transformed graphical image.

29. The computer of claim 28, wherein said computer is operable to combine at least two separate images of said topography of said three-dimensional measurement article obtained by said at least one sensor into an integrated image of said topography of said three-dimensional measurement article in computer memory.

30. The computer of claim 28, further comprising at least one output device electronically interconnected with said computer, said at least one output device adapted to apply said transformed graphical image onto a substrate.

31. The computer of claim 30, wherein said at least one output device is operable to apply said transformed graphical image onto said substrate according to an application process selected from a group of application processes consisting of:

painting, printing, screen printing, offset lithography, flexography, gravure, ink diffusion, pad printing, inkjet printing, laser printing, in-mold decoration, insert-mold decoration, adhesive deposition, coating deposition, lamination, and decaling.

32. A system of computers comprising:

a first computer comprising a fixed storage medium, computer memory operably connected with said fixed storage medium, and software means stored on said fixed storage medium and interactive with said computer memory, said software means operable to;

(a) create an image of a topography of a three-dimensional measurement article in computer memory from at least one image of said topography of said three-dimensional measurement article obtained by at least one sensor electronically interconnected with said computer, and

(b) create a three-dimensional grid in said computer memory, said three-dimensional grid being reflective of said image of said topography of said three-dimensional measurement article;

a second computer comprising a fixed storage medium, computer memory operably connected with said fixed storage medium, and software means stored on said fixed storage medium and interactive with said computer memory, said software means operable to;

(a) combine said three-dimensional grid and at least one untransformed graphical image in computer memory, and

(b) flatten, in said computer memory, said combined three-dimensional grid and said at least one untransformed graphical image into a two-dimensional grid, said flattening resulting in transformation of said at least

one untransformed graphical image into a transformed graphical image; and

means for transmitting data between said first computer and said second computer.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein said first computer is operable to combine at least two separate images of said topography of said three-dimensional measurement article into an integrated image of said topography of said three-dimensional measurement article in computer memory.

34. The system of claim 32, further comprising at least one output device electronically interconnected with at least one of said first computer or said second computer, said at least one output device adapted to apply said transformed graphical image onto a substrate.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein said at least one output device is operable to apply said transformed graphical image onto said substrate according to an application process selected from a group of application processes consisting of:

painting, printing, screen printing, offset lithography, flexography, gravure, ink diffusion, pad printing, inkjet printing, laser printing, in-mold decoration, insert-mold decoration, adhesive deposition, coating deposition, lamination, and decaling.