Methods and Apparatus for Encoded Textures

• US 20140301179A1
• Filed: 04/03/2014
• Published: 10/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Andrew Lippman
• Inventors: Lippman, Andrew, Rich, Travis
• Granted Patent: US 9,056,422 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 369/275.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 9/00 Image coding bandwidth or redundancy reduction for static pictures H04N1/41; coding or decoding of static colour picture signals H04N1/64; methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 Method of mechanical manufacture

Abstract

In exemplary implementations of this invention, a manufactured physical object includes surface features that encode information according to a code. Each respective surface feature consists of a bump on, or recess in, a surface of the object. Each respective surface feature by itself, regardless of any state of any other surface feature, encodes a sequence of multiple bits. The sequence is determined, at least in part, by a discrete elevation of the respective surface feature. At least three different discrete elevations of surface features are significant in the code. Also, one or more other parameters of the surface features may be significant in the code, such as discrete rotational orientation, discrete overall shape, discrete color, or presence or absence of the feature.

Claims

1. An article of manufacture that includes surface features that encode information according to a code, wherein:

(a) each respective surface feature consists of a bump on, or recess in, a surface of the article of manufacture;

(b) each respective surface feature by itself, regardless of any state of any other surface feature, encodes a sequence of multiple bits, which sequence is determined, at least in part, by a discrete elevation of the respective surface feature; and

(c) at least three different discrete elevations of surface features are significant in the code, each of the three discrete elevations, respectively, occurring in one or more of the surface features on the surface.

2. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the sequence encoded by each respective surface feature is further determined in part by a discrete rotational orientation of the respective surface feature.

3. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the sequence encoded by each respective surface feature is further determined in part by a discrete shape of the respective surface feature.

4. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the sequence encoded by each respective surface feature is further determined in part by a discrete color of the respective surface feature.

5. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the surface features are concave.

6. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the surface features are convex.

7. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the surface features encode instructions for manufacturing the article of manufacture including the surface features.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the surface features encode values that map to a digital CAD representation of the article of manufacture.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein one or more of the surface features are bumps and one or more of the surface features are recesses.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the sequence has a bit-length of three.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein:

(a) surface features located in a first region of the surface encode a first copy of a complete set of instructions for manufacturing the article of manufacture; and

(b) surface features located in a second region of the surface encode a second copy of the complete set of instructions.

12. A method comprising fabricating surface features on an object, which surface features encode information according to a code, wherein:

(a) each respective surface feature consists of a bump on, or recess in, a surface of the article of manufacture;

(b) each respective surface feature by itself, regardless of any state of any other surface feature, encodes a sequence of multiple bits, which sequence is determined, at least in part, by a discrete elevation of the respective surface feature; and

(c) at least three different discrete elevations of surface features are significant in the code, each of the three discrete elevations, respectively, occurring in one or more of the surface features on the surface.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the sequence encoded by each respective surface feature is further determined in part by a discrete rotational orientation of the respective surface feature.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the sequence encoded by each respective surface feature is further determined in part by a discrete shape of the respective surface feature.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the sequence encoded by each respective surface feature is further determined in part by a discrete color of the respective surface feature.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the surface features are concave.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the surface features are convex.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the surface features encode instructions for manufacturing the object, including the surface features.

19. An article of manufacture comprising a physical object that encodes information according to a code;

wherein;

(a) a set of regions exist on a surface of the object;

(b) each respective region, out of the set of regions, has a state, the state being defined by one or more parameters that are significant in the code, which parameters include discrete elevation of the region; and

(c) at least three different discrete elevations are significant in the code, each of the three discrete elevations, respectively, occurring in one or more of the regions.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the states encode instructions for fabricating the physical object.