Computerized pattern texturing

• US 20030091214A1
• Filed: 11/13/2002
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Columbia Insurance Company (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Columbia Insurance Company (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gould, Dwayne Martin
• Granted Patent: US 7,356,453 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/111
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 27/0275 Surface patterning of carpet modules, e.g. of carpet tiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/001 Texturing; Colouring; Generation of texture or colour inpainting G06T5/77

Abstract

A system and method for merging carpet design image patterns in order to create a custom-designed patterned carpet image. A customized carpet image is defined by identifying a plurality of carpet design fields within a carpet and selecting a distinct design pattern from a plurality of selection options for each identified carpet design field in order to define a customized design field pattern. The customized design field pattern comprises the selected design pattern. Merging the customized design field patterns together defines an image of a custom-designed carpet. Further, a strike-off of the image of the custom-designed carpet image can be produced from the system and method.

Claims

1. A method for merging carpet design image patterns in order to create a custom-designed patterned carpet image, comprising the steps of:

identifying a plurality of carpet design fields within a carpet;

selecting a distinct design pattern from a plurality of selection options for each identified carpet design field in order to define a customized design field pattern, wherein the customized design field pattern comprises the selected design pattern;

merging the customized design field patterns together in order to define an image of a custom-designed carpet; and

creating a strike-off of the image of the custom-designed carpet image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the carpet design fields comprise bleedout, border, field and corner carpet design fields.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the carpet design fields may further comprise textures, medallions, crowns, frames and assembly carpet design fields.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the identified carpet design fields are designated as respective carpet design field image areas within a graphical user interface.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of selecting a distinct design pattern comprises the step of selecting a carpet design field that is to be customized with the selected design pattern by selecting an area within the graphical user interface.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the design patterns are displayed in a thumbnail preview format within the graphical user interface.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of selecting a distinct design pattern comprises selecting a design pattern from displayed thumbnail previews of the design patterns.

8. The method of claim 7, further including the step of displaying in a selected carpet design field image area of the graphical user interface the design pattern selected from the displayed design pattern thumbnail previews in order to define a customized design field pattern.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein an image of the custom-designed carpet is rendered within an image rendering area within the graphical user interface.

10. The method of claim 1, further including the step of displaying a color palette within an area in the graphical user interface;

and selecting a grouping of colors from the displayed color palette.

11. The method of claim 10, further including the step of coloring the customized design field pattern to reflect the selected group of colors.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein an image of the custom-designed carpet is rendered within an image rendering area within the graphical user interface.

13. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of selecting a carpet shape from a plurality of pre-determined carpet shapes;

and displaying an image of the custom-designed carpet in the shape of the selected carpet shape.

14. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of:

inputting dimensional specifications in order to define a custom carpet shape; and

displaying an image of the custom-designed carpet in the shape of the defined custom carpet shape.

15. A computer system for creating custom-designed patterned carpet images, comprising a processing system having one or more processing elements that are programmed or adapted to:

identify a plurality of carpet design fields within a carpet;

select a distinct design pattern from a plurality of selection options for each identified carpet design field in order to define a customized design field pattern, wherein the customized design field pattern comprises the selected design pattern;

merge the customized design field patterns together in order to define an image of a custom-designed carpet; and

create a strike-off of the image of the custom-designed carpet image.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein a plurality of design patterns is displayed in thumbnail format within the graphical user interface displayed upon the display device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein system user selected design patterns are displayed in an area for a system user specified carpet design field image area.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the graphical user interface displays a color palette selection dialog box that is generated by the color palette generator.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the color palette generator colors a custom designed field pattern to reflect a group of colors selected from the displayed color palette.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the custom-designed field patterns are merged into an image of a custom designed carpet.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the custom-designed carpet is displayed upon the display device.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the strike-off generator creates an electronic strike-off image of the custom-designed carpet.

23. A computer program product for creating custom-designed patterned carpet images, comprising a computer-usable medium carrying thereon:

a means for identifying a plurality of carpet design fields within a carpet;

a selection means for selecting a distinct design pattern from a plurality of selection options for each identified carpet design field in order to define a customized design field pattern, wherein the customized design field pattern comprises the selected design pattern;

an merging means for merging the customized design field patterns together in order to define an image of a custom-designed carpet; and

a strike-off generating means for creating a strike-off of the image of the custom-designed carpet image.