Bump map compositing for simulated digital painting effects

• US 6,486,886 B1
• Filed: 07/10/1998
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Lapstun, Paul, Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chung, Daniel J
• Application Number:
  US09/113,091
• Time in Patent Office: 1,600 Days
• Field of Search: 345/582, 345/584, 345/583, 345/581, 345/629
• US Class Current: 345/584
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/06 Veined printings; Fluorescent printings; Stereoscopic images; Imitated patterns, e.g. tissues, textiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2621 Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects during image pickup, e.g. digital cameras, camcorders, video cameras having integrated special effects capability

Abstract

A method of compositing multiple images together so as to produce realistic effects is disclosed. The method comprises defining an image canvas bump map approximating a surface to be painted on; defining a painting bump map of a painting object to be painted on the surface; combining the image canvas bump map and the painting bump map to produce a final composited bump map. The step of combining utilises a stiffness factor, the stiffness factor determining a degree of modulation of the painting bump map by the image canvas bump map. The combining process can comprise low-pass filtering the image canvas bump map with the stiffness determining the degree of low-pass filtering. The application is particularly suited for utilization in a hand held camera device to produce instant images on demand having a brushed artistic interpretation.

Claims

1. A method of combining image bump maps to simulate an effect of painting on an image, a method comprising:

defining an image canvas bump map approximating a surface to be painted on;

defining a painting bump map of a painting object to be painted on said surface;

combining said image canvas bump map and said painting bump map to produce a final composited bump map, said stop of combining utilising a stiffness factor representing the stiffness of the paint in the painting bump map, to determine a degree of modulation of said painting bump map by said image canvas bump map.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said combining step comprises low-pass filtering said image canvas bump map to produce a low-pass filtered bump map utilising said stiffness factor to determine the degree of low-pass filtering.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein a height of said image canvas bump map is additionally utilised in determining the degree of low-pass filtering.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said low-pass filtering includes utilising a filter radius to determine the degree of filtering.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said method is utilised in a hand held camera device to produce instant images on demand having a brushed artistic interpretation of a sensed image.