SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR HOME AND LANDSCAPE DESIGN

• US 20090160856A1
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Designin Corporation
• Original Assignee: Designin Corporation
• Inventors: Hoguet, Ramsay
• Granted Patent: US 8,253,731 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/420
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/04 Architectural design, interior design

Abstract

This patent application relates generally to systems, methods, and computer program products for home and/or landscape design.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for use in building a three-dimensional representation of a home design product, the method comprising:

processing a graphical image of the home design product;

associating a three-dimensional base model with the graphical image; and

applying a texture to the three-dimensional base model to build the three-dimensional representation of the home design product.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a visual bookmark of the home design product.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

scraping information regarding the home design product from a website;

wherein the information comprises the graphical image.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

scraping information regarding the home design product from a website;

wherein the information comprises taxonomy and folksonomy data.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

scraping information regarding the home design product from a website;

wherein the information comprises dimensional information regarding the home design product.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the graphical image;

wherein the three-dimensional base model is built prior to the graphical image being received.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising:

applying edge detection to the graphical image to define surfaces of the graphical image;

cropping images from the surfaces of the graphical image;

applying the cropped images to surfaces of the three-dimensional base model using a texture mapping technique to build the three-dimensional representation.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising:

selectively ignoring a feature detail of the graphical image found while applying edge detection as an extraneous detail.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising:

presenting the three-dimensional representation to a user; and

requesting that the user verify the three-dimensional representation.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining a product model type of the home design product; and

retrieving the three-dimensional base model from a database according to the product model type.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein processing the graphical image and associating the three-dimensional base model with the graphical image comprise:

building the three-dimensional base model.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein building the three-dimensional base model comprises:

building the three-dimensional base model using at least one of first information scraped from a website, second information from a database of product type attributes, neural networking information, interpretation of the graphical image, or third information provided by a user.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein building the three-dimensional base model comprises:

determining an order in which to build portions of the three-dimensional base model;

wherein the portions correspond to features of the home design product;

wherein the order is determined based on at least one of design rules, first information scraped from a website, second information from a database of product type attributes, neural networking information, interpretation of the graphical image, third information provided by a user, or fourth information regarding methods of building the three-dimensional model for a product type of the home design product; and

applying solid modeling techniques to build the portions of the three-dimensional base model according to the order.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein building the three-dimensional base model comprises:

determining perspective information for the graphical image.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein building the three-dimensional base model further comprises:

applying edge detection to the graphical image.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein building the three-dimensional base model further comprises:

assigning dimensional information to the graphical image;

wherein the dimensional information comprises at least one of overall dimensions for the home design product, or dimensions for a feature of the home design product.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein building the three-dimensional base model further comprises:

setting a relative scale for the three-dimensional base model using the dimensional information.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein building the three-dimensional base model further comprises:

determining main object planes based on the graphical image; and

forming a bounding box from the main object planes;

wherein the bounding box comprises an outer boundary for the three-dimensional base model.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein building the three-dimensional base model further comprises:

applying the dimensional information to the main object planes to define one or more distances between the main object planes.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein building the three-dimensional base model further comprises:

determining a feature level plane for a feature of the graphical image.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 20, wherein building the three-dimensional base model further comprises:

determining main object planes based on the graphical image;

forming a bounding box from the main object planes;

wherein the bounding box comprises an outer boundary for the three-dimensional base model; and

assigning the feature level plane within the bounding box.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 20, wherein building the three-dimensional base model further comprises:

defining a profile on the feature level plane;

wherein the profile corresponds to the feature of the graphical image.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, wherein building the three-dimensional base model further comprises:

retrieving the profile from a profile database;

wherein the profile is parametric; and

adjusting the profile to match a shape of the feature of the graphical image;

wherein the feature of the graphical image intersects the feature level plane.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, wherein building the three-dimensional base model further comprises:

drawing the profile to match a shape of the feature of the graphical image;

wherein the feature of the graphical image intersects the feature level plane.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, wherein building the three-dimensional base model further comprises:

applying a solid modeling technique to the profile to define the feature in the three-dimensional base model.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 25, wherein applying the solid modeling technique comprises:

extruding the profile to build a three-dimensional model of the feature.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 26, wherein building the three-dimensional base model further comprises:

warping a surface of the three-dimensional model of the feature.

28. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, wherein building the three-dimensional base model further comprises:

mirroring the profile in the feature level plane.

29. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, wherein building the three-dimensional base model further comprises:

determining a second feature level plane for the feature of the graphical image;

defining a second profile on the second feature level plane;

wherein the second profile corresponds to the feature of the graphical image;

evaluating the profile and the second profile;

selecting a best profile of the profile and the second profile; and

applying a solid modeling technique to the best profile to define the feature in the three-dimensional base model.

30. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the texture comprises a stored texture.

31. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the texture comprises a cropped image from the graphical image.

32. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein applying a texture comprises:

applying the texture using a texture mapping technique;

wherein the texture mapping technique comprises at least one of tiling the texture, warping the texture, or stretching the texture.

33. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

applying a textural detail to the three-dimensional base model to build the three-dimensional representation;

wherein the textural detail comprises a bump map.

34. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

comparing the three-dimensional base model to the graphical image to determine whether to the three-dimensional base model is a proper characterization of the home design product; and

using the three-dimensional base model to build the three-dimensional representation if the three-dimension base model is a proper characterization of the home design product.

35. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

presenting the three-dimensional base model to a user; and

requesting that the user verify the three-dimensional representation.

36. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting the three-dimensional representation to a user; and

requesting that the user verify the three-dimensional representation.

37. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an interface to a user to allow a user to edit at least one of the three-dimensional representation or the three-dimensional model.

38. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

building a two-dimensional drawing of the home design product using the three-dimensional representation.

39. A computer program product tangibly embodied in one or more information carriers, the computer program product comprising instructions that are executable by one or more processing devices to:

perform the method of claim 1.

40. A system comprising:

an apparatus, the apparatus comprising;

memory configured to store instructions for execution; and

one or more processing devices configured to execute the instructions,

the instructions for causing the one or more processing devices to;

perform the method of claim 1.