METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING THE ALTERATION OF THE SHAPE OF A THREE DIMENSIONAL OBJECT

• US 20090002364A1
• Filed: 10/12/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gerhard Witte II
• Original Assignee: Gerhard Witte II
• Inventors: Witte, Gerhard II
• Granted Patent: US 8,035,639 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/647 by matching two-dimensional images to three-dimensional objects

Abstract

A method for determining the alteration of the shape of a three-dimensional object from at least one two-dimensional image of the object, wherein the original three-dimensional model shape of the object is known—or is ascertained from the at least one two-dimensional image of the object. The three-dimensional model shape is rotated such that at least one two-dimensional projection of the three-dimensional model shape matches or resembles at least one partial area or contour of the at least one two-dimensional image of the object, and the area or areas are ascertained in which the at least one two-dimensional image of the object deviates from the two-dimensional projection(s) of the three-dimensional model shape, wherein the deviating two-dimensional area or areas are identified as deformed areas and, after the deformed area or areas have been back-projected onto the three-dimensional model shape, the three-dimensional deformation of the three-dimensional object is ascertained.

Claims

1. A method for determining the alteration of the shape of a three-dimensional object from at least one two-dimensional image of the object, wherein the original three-dimensional shape of the object is known—

or is ascertained from the at least one two-dimensional image of the object—

as a three-dimensional model shape, and the three-dimensional model shape is rotated such that at least one two-dimensional image or projection of the three-dimensional model shape matches or resembles at least one partial area or contour of the at least one two-dimensional image of the object, and wherein the area or areas are ascertained in which the at least one two-dimensional image of the object deviates from the at least one two-dimensional projection of the three-dimensional model shape, wherein the deviating two-dimensional area or areas are identified as deformed areas and, after the deformed area or areas have been back-projected onto the three-dimensional model shape, the three-dimensional deformation of the three-dimensional object is ascertained.

3. The method for determining the alteration of the shape of a three-dimensional object according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the object is a motor vehicle or part of a motor vehicle.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein one or more three-dimensional non-deformed model shapes and/or one or more model shapes comprising reference deformations are stored in a database as reference shapes for the three-dimensional object.

5. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a matching method for determining the similarity or for determining areas of similarity between the two-dimensional image of the deformed three-dimensional object and a two-dimensional projection of a three-dimensional model shape is used.

6. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the location and/or the size or dimensions of one or more deformations to the three-dimensional object are ascertained on the basis of the incidence of light and/or silhouette on the two-dimensional image of the object.

7. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one two-dimensional image or recording of the object is produced by means of a digital camera or a mobile telephone.

10. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the current price information for replacement parts is ascertained from a database in order to calculate the damage to the object or motor vehicle.

12. A program storage medium or computer program product comprising a program which, causes a computer to perform a method according to claim 1 or 2.

13. A device for determining the alteration of the shape of a three-dimensional object, comprising:

a) a database in which one or more of the following data are stored;

reference data of three-dimensional shapes of a class of objects, such as for example a type of automobile, as a model shape;

data which classify areas of the respectively stored three-dimensional model shapes with respect to the level of damage to be assessed in such an area;

reference damage for the respectively stored three-dimensional model shapes which comprises damage of different sizes or intensities to different areas of the object and which can be combined with each other and compared with a recording of a damaged object; and

price lists for hourly rates and/or replacement parts; and

b) a computational unit which is connected to the database and into which at least one two-dimensional image or photograph of a deformed or damaged object can be inputted, wherein the inputted image data of the deformed or damaged object can be evaluated by the computational unit according to claim 1 or 2, in order to determine the location and/or size of a deformation or damage, and wherein the inputted image data, with the aid of supplementary inputted information, in particular a motor vehicle type, are assigned to reference data or compared with reference data, so as to ascertain the location or locations and/or the size of the respective deformation or damage.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the computational unit can ascertain the financial damage corresponding to an ascertained deformation or damage.

15. A system comprising a device according to claim 12, and a data recording unit, in particular a mobile telephone or a camera.

2. A method for determining the alteration of the shape of a three-dimensional object from at least one two-dimensional image of the object, wherein by comparing the at least one two-dimensional image of the object with one or more objects comprising reference deformations, the method ascertains whether one or more of these reference deformations is present.

8. A method for determining the level of damage to an object, in particular a motor vehicle, wherein a deformation of the object is determined according to a method in accordance with from 1 or 2, and by comparing this with at least one reference damage which has already been quantified with respect to its level of damage and/or on the basis of a classification of the areas of the object with respect to their level of damage if damage has occurred in said area, the method ascertains the level of damage to the object.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein on the basis of determining the deformation, the method ascertains which replacement parts of the object or motor vehicle have to be repaired or replaced and/or how long repair work will take.

11. (canceled)