3-D modeling of prototype garments

• US 6,473,671 B1
• Filed: 09/11/2000
• Issued: 10/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yan, He
• Original Assignee: Yan, He
• Inventors: Yan, He
• Primary Examiner(s): NERBUN, PETER P
• Application Number:
  US09/658,730
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 700/132, 700/136, 700/128, 700/134, 705/26, 705/27, 33/15, 702/155, 112/470.01, 112/470.05, 112/475.01, 112/475.09
• US Class Current: 700/134
• CPC Class Codes: A41H 3/007 Methods of drafting or marking-out patterns using computers computer-aided design G06F30/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/16 Cloth

Abstract

A computer-aided design and automation system for mass customization. The system includes a 3-D body model and a virtual prototype model. The virtual prototype model includes a close fitting definition, a 3-D library loose fitting definition and texture mapping linked to the close fitting definition and the 3-D library loose fitting definition. The present invention may further include a 2-D spreader model for subsequent cut and sew manufacturing. The 3-D body model may be a dress form, a virtual dress form or a true body dress form created by a body scanner. In the preferred embodiment, the close fitting definition further includes a 3D close fitting definition library. Also, in the preferred embodiment, the 3-D library loose fitting definition is provided by a 2-D to 3-D converter which includes a 2-D pattern converter. In the preferred embodiment, the linked texture mapping is a textile design database, which may be created from a fabric swatch or by textile design.

Claims

1. A system for a computer-aided design and automation of mass customization, said system comprising:

(a) 3-D body model; and

(b) a virtual prototype model, said virtual prototype model including a close fitting definition that defines a degree to which a garment fits closely to a body and a 3-D library loose fitting definition that defines a degree to which a garment fits loosely on a body.

2. The system according to claim 1, further including a 2-D spreader model.

3. The system according to claim 2, further including a sloper generator.

4. The system according to claim 3, further including a pattern generator.

5. The system according to claim 4, further including a grading generator.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said grading generator further includes a sizing system.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein said grading generator is manual entry.

8. The system according to claim 5, wherein said grading generator includes an automatic grading database.

9. The system according to claim 5, further including a marker maker.

10. The system according to claim 9, further including a cut and sew operator.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said 3-D body model is a dress form.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein said 3-D body model is a virtual dress form.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said virtual dress form is computer generated.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said computer generated virtual dress form is generated from a statistical database.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein said 3-D body model is a true body dress form created by a body scanner.

16. A virtual prototype model for a system for 3-D compute-raided design and automation of mass customization, said virtual prototype model comprising:

(a) a close fitting definition that defines a degree to which a garment fits closely to a body;

(b) a 3-D library loose fitting definition that defines a degree to which a garment fits loosely on a body; and

(c) texture mapping linked to said close fitting definition and said 3-D library loose fitting definition.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said close fitting definition further includes a 3-D close fitting definition library.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said 3-D close fitting definition library is a database.

19. The system according to claim 16, wherein said 3-D library loose fitting definition is provided by a 2-D to 3-D converter.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said 2-D to 3-D converter further includes a 2-D pattern converter.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein said 2-D pattern converter includes a 2-D sloper database and a pattern database.

22. The system according to claim 16, wherein said 3-D library loose fitting definition is a computer model generator.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein said computer model generator is a wire model grid.

24. The system according to claim 16, wherein said 3-D library loose fitting definition is a picture database.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein said picture database further includes a picture converter.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein said picture converter further includes a 3-D draping database.

27. The system according to claim 16, wherein said linked texture mapping is a textile design database.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein said textile design database is created from a fabric swatch.

29. The system according to claim 27, wherein said textile design database is created by textile design.

30. A system for a computer-aided design and automation of mass customization, said system comprising:

(a) a 3-D body model; and

(b) a virtual prototype model, said virtual prototype model including a close fitting definition that defines a degree to which a garment fits closely to a body;

a 3-D library loose fitting definition that defines a degree to which a garment fits loosely on a body and texture mapping linked to said close fitting definition and said 3-D library loose fitting definition; and

(c) a 2-D spreader model.

31. The system according to claim 30, further including a sloper generator.

32. The system according to claim 31, further including a pattern generator.

33. The system according to claim 32, further including a grading generator.

34. The system according to claim 33, wherein said grading generator further includes a sizing system.

35. The system according to claim 33, wherein said grading generator is manual entry type.

36. The system according to claim 33, wherein said grading generator includes an automatic grading database.

37. The system according to claim 33, further including a marker maker.

38. The system according to claim 37, further including a cut and sew operator.

39. The system according to claim 30, wherein said 3-D body model is a dress form.

40. The system according to claim 30, wherein said 3-D body model is a virtual dress form.

41. The system according to claim 40, wherein said virtual dress form is computer generated.

42. The system according to claim 41, wherein said computer generated virtual dress form is generated from a statistical database.

43. The system according to claim 30, wherein said 3-D body model is a true body dress form created by a body scanner.

44. The system according to claim 30, wherein said close fitting definition further includes a 3-D close fitting definition library.

46. The system according to claim 30, wherein said 3-D library loose fitting definition is provided by a 2-D to 3-D converter.

47. The system according to claim 46, wherein said 2-D to 3-D converter further includes a 2-D pattern converter.

48. The system according to claim 47, wherein said 2-D pattern converter includes a 2-D sloper database and a pattern database.

49. The system according to claim 30, wherein said 3-D library loose fitting definition is a computer model generator.

50. The system according to claim 49, wherein said computer model generator is a wire model grid.

51. The system according to claim 30, wherein said 3-D library loose fitting definition is a picture database.

52. The system according to claim 51, wherein said picture database further includes a picture converter.

53. The system according to claim 52, wherein said picture converter further includes a 3-D draping database.

54. The system according to claim 30, wherein said linked texture mapping is a textile design database.

55. The system according to claim 54, wherein said textile design database is created from a fabric swatch.

56. The system according to claim 54, wherein said textile design database is created by textile design.

45. The system according to claim 45, wherein said 3-D close fitting definition library is a database.

57. A method for computer-aided design and automation of mass customization, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a 3-D body model; and

(b) providing a virtual prototype model to fit said 3-D body model, said virtual prototype model including a close fitting definition that defines a degree to which a garment fits closely to a body and a 3-D library loose fitting definition that defines a degree to which a garment fits loosely on a body.

58. A method for providing a virtual prototype model for a system for 3-D computer-aided design and automation of mass customization, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a close fitting definition that defines a degree to which a garment fits closely to a body;

(b) providing a 3-D library loose fitting definition that defines a degree to which a garment fits loosely on a body; and

(c) linking texture mapping to said close fitting definition and said 3-D library loose fitting definition.

59. A method for a computer-aided design and automation of mass customization, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a 3-D body model; and

(b) providing a virtual prototype model to fit said 3-D body model, said virtual prototype model including a close fitting definition that defines a degree to which a garment fits closely to a body;

a 3-D library loose fitting definition that defines a degree to which a garment fits loosely on a body and texture mapping linked to said close fitting definition and said 3-D library loose fitting definition; and

(c) using said virtual prototype model to create a 2-D spreader model.