Method for combining the computer models of two surfaces in 3-D space

• US 6,505,148 B1
• Filed: 05/19/2000
• Issued: 01/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Korta, Jean-Charles, Mack, Walter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Broda, Samuel
• Application Number:
  US09/574,283
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 703/1, 703/6-8, 433/29, 382/124, 382/151, 382/420, 600/414, 600/426, 356/399
• US Class Current: 703/7
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/52 Combining or merging partially overlapping images to an overall image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/20 Finite element generation, e.g. wire-frame surface description, tesselation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10012 Stereo images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/593 from stereo images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0081 Depth or disparity estimation from stereoscopic image signals

Abstract

A method and apparatus pertains to aligning and/or stitching together several 3-D fragments. The steps comprise determining at least two fragments having a corresponding set of alignment marks and aligning at least two fragments with respect to a coordinate system using the corresponding set of alignment marks in the respective fragments.

Claims

1. A method of aligning three dimensional (3-D) fragments comprising:

forming a plurality of 3-D fragments of an object having at least one set of alignment marks;

locating at least two fragments having a corresponding set of alignment marks;

aligning said at least two fragments with respect to an arbitrary coordinate system using said corresponding set of alignment marks in the respective fragments.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said set of alignment marks is a set of three points.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein each of said points is unique relative to another.

4. The method according to claim 2 wherein said step of aligning further comprises:

placing a first point of a first fragment at an origin of said coordinate system;

placing a second point of said first fragment at an axis of said coordinate system;

rotating said third point of said first fragment about said axis of said coordinate system until said third point is in a plane corresponding to said axis and another axis in said coordinate system;

placing a fourth point of a second fragment corresponding to said first point at said origin of said coordinate system;

placing a fifth point of said second fragment corresponding to said second point at said axis of said coordinate system; and

rotating said sixth point of said second fragment corresponding to said third point said axis of said coordinate system until said sixth point is in said plane.