Method and system for creating realistic smooth three-dimensional depth contours from two-dimensional images
DCFirst Claim
Patent Images
1. An image processing system for converting two-dimensional images into three-dimensional images, comprising:
- an interactive user interface providing an object drawing tool configured to allow a user of the system to apply one or more straight or curved path lines within a defined object of a two-dimensional image, the interactive user interface being configured to generate from the two-dimensional image a three-dimensional image in which one or more of the path lines appears to the user as a ridge protruding toward or away from the user, the ridge contouring from all points on the path line towards a boundary perimeter of the defined object.
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Abstract
An image processing method and system for converting two-dimensional images into realistic reproductions, or recreations of three-dimensional images are embodied in a variety of interactive image processing tools that allow a user to apply any number or combination of image pixel repositioning depth contouring effects, algorithms or the like to create three-dimensional images with smooth realistic appearing surface contours.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. An image processing system for converting two-dimensional images into three-dimensional images, comprising:
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an interactive user interface providing an object drawing tool configured to allow a user of the system to apply one or more straight or curved path lines within a defined object of a two-dimensional image, the interactive user interface being configured to generate from the two-dimensional image a three-dimensional image in which one or more of the path lines appears to the user as a ridge protruding toward or away from the user, the ridge contouring from all points on the path line towards a boundary perimeter of the defined object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 41, 42)
receiving or accessing data created employing any of the methods or systems of claims 1-40; and
employing the data to reproduce a three-dimensional image.
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3. An image processing method for converting two-dimensional images into three-dimensional images, comprising the steps of:
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freehand drawing a straight or curved path line within a defined object of a two-dimensional image;
associating the path line as points of a crest or trough; and
displacing a plurality of image pixels of the two-dimensional image to provide a three-dimensional image in which the crest or trough appears within the three-dimensional image to transition in depth along the path line, the crest or trough contouring from all points on the path line towards a boundary perimeter of the defined object.
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4. An image processing method for converting two-dimensional images into three-dimensional images, comprising the steps of:
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applying one or more straight or curved path lines within a defined object of a two-dimensional image;
associating surface contours of a three-dimensional shape with the path lines; and
generating a graphical representation of the surface contours along the path lines. - View Dependent Claims (5)
rotating the graphical representation to correspond to a different perspective view of the surface contours.
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6. An image processing system for converting two-dimensional images into three-dimensional images, comprising:
an interactive user interface configured to allow a user of the system to view a perimeter boundary of a first defined object of a two-dimensional image, designate a portion of the perimeter boundary, and employ the portion to create a second defined object which facilitates an identification of pixels to be horizontally displaced to create an image for a three-dimensional image. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. An image processing system for converting two-dimensional images into three-dimensional images, comprising:
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an interactive user interface configured to allow a user of the system to apply one or more points or straight or curved path lines within a defined object of a two-dimensional image, and to generate a three-dimensional image that shows surface contours between a boundary perimeter of the defined object and the one or more points or straight or curved path lines;
wherein the interactive user interface is configured to allow the user to adjust a shape of the surface contours about one or more of the points or path lines while viewing changes made to the surface contours. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
the defined object excludes one or more areas within a perimeter boundary of the defined object; and
the interactive user interface is configured to generate the three-dimensional image with the surface contours not being applied to the one or more areas such that the one or more areas appear as holes in the defined object allowing any object with its own depth properties to be visible.
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22. The image processing system for converting two-dimensional images into three-dimensional images of claim 8, wherein the interactive user interface is configured to allow the user of the system to capture any portion or the entirety of a defined object of the two-dimensional image and to apply the surface contours to the captured portion of the defined object.
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23. An image processing system for converting two-dimensional images into three-dimensional images, comprising:
an interactive user interface configured to allow a user of the system to apply a path identifying an area within an object of a two-dimensional image, the two-dimensional image to become one of the images of a three-dimensional image, and to adjust depth information associated with an area defined by the path that results in changes in a perceived depth of the area and of its adjoining surfaces relative to a perimeter boundary of the defined object in the three-dimensional image.
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24. An image processing system for converting two-dimensional images into three-dimensional images, comprising:
an interactive user interface configured to allow a user of the system to complete a full shape of a partial visible portion of a shape of a defined object in a two-dimensional image, the full shape of the partial object portion being a virtual object, as if the full object portion was visible and not hidden, having associated with it information pertaining to visible surface contours within a perimeter boundary of the defined object and hidden surface contours outside the perimeter boundary, the interactive user interface being configured to generate a three-dimensional image that shows the hidden surface contours when image objects in the two-dimensional image are repositioned such that a previously hidden portion of the image object is revealed.
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25. An image processing method for converting two-dimensional images into three-dimensional images, comprising the steps of:
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processing data associated with a defined object and one or more ridge points or path lines within a two-dimensional image to generate a mesh pattern of triangles that overlays the two-dimensional image; and
associating pixel depth values with the mesh pattern of triangles to create three-dimensional surface contours for rendering the two-dimensional image into a three-dimensional image. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
defining triangles of the mesh pattern with vertices taken from points along a boundary perimeter of the defined object and from the one or more ridge points.
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29. The image processing method for converting two-dimensional images into three-dimensional images of claim 25, wherein the data processing step comprises:
defining triangles of the mesh pattern with vertices taken from points along an outline of the defined object and from points along the one or more path lines.
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30. The image processing method for converting two-dimensional images into three-dimensional images of claim 25, wherein the data processing step comprises:
defining triangles of the mesh pattern such that the triangles obey one or more rules pertaining to distance minimization between vertices of the triangles.
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31. The image processing method for converting two-dimensional images into three-dimensional images of claim 30, wherein the triangles are defined employing a recursive processing technique.
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32. The image processing method for converting two-dimensional images into three-dimensional images of claim 30, wherein the triangles are defined employing an edge swapping technique.
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33. The image processing method for converting two-dimensional images into three-dimensional images of claim 25, wherein the data processing step comprises:
defining triangles of the mesh pattern such that the triangles obey one or more rules pertaining to vertices of the triangles crossing contours.
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34. The image processing method for converting two-dimensional images into three-dimensional images of claim 25, further comprising the step of:
processing the data associated with the mesh pattern employing an edge smoothing processing technique to further modify the triangles of the mesh pattern prior to the step of associating pixel depth values.
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35. The image processing method for converting two-dimensional images into three-dimensional images of claim 34, wherein the edge smoothing processing technique further modifies the triangles such that two vertices of each triangle lie at the same depth level and the third vertex lies at an adjacent depth level.
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36. The image processing method for converting two-dimensional images into three-dimensional images of claim 25, further comprising the step of:
processing the data associated with the mesh pattern employing a triangle refining processing technique to further modify the mesh pattern to accommodate one or more additional surface contours prior to the step of associating pixel depth values.
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37. The image processing method for converting two-dimensional images into three-dimensional images of claim 36, wherein the triangle refining processing technique determines the one or more additional surface contours in response to a desired level of contour resolution.
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38. The image processing method for converting two-dimensional images into three-dimensional images of claim 25, wherein the pixel depth values correspond to a surface shape that is applied to the mesh pattern.
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39. The image processing method for converting two-dimensional images into three-dimensional images of claim 38, wherein the surface shape is three-dimensional.
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40. The image processing method for converting two-dimensional images into three-dimensional images of claim 25, wherein the pixel depth values correspond to a desired amplitude of the mesh pattern.
Specification