Internet-based modeling kiosk and method for fitting and selling prescription eyeglasses

• US 6,792,401 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2000
• Issued: 09/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Diamond Visionics Company
• Original Assignee: Diamond Visionics Company
• Inventors: Nigro, Richard, Kraemer, Werner, Mallinson, Richard B., Holicky, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMSON, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US09/703,215
• Time in Patent Office: 1,414 Days
• Field of Search: 703/1, 703/6, 703/2, 705/26, 705/27, 351/227, 345/629, 345/630
• US Class Current: 703/6
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 13/003 Measuring during assembly or fitting of spectacles
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

Abstract

An Internet-based optical imaging system to gather anthropometric data for the purpose of enabling national and international commerce in the wearable goods market, including accurate measurement for selecting, fitting, and ordering eyeglasses and eyeglass frames via the Internet that includes vendor support interaction. A customer can view and orient his or her real-time image, wear a sales item on a virtual personal model, and order selected sales item via the Internet access. The customer'"'"'s 2-D photoimagery/textured 3-D model and logistics data are acquired at a modeling kiosk that, for eyeglasses, includes specific vendor specification items, pupilary, bridge, and temple distances necessary for a specific customer. Internet data paths from the modeling kiosk node to vendor nodes, such as point-of-sale and manufacturers, and the customer'"'"'s home computer, can-be provided. The system uses at least one digital camera and least one pattern projector to obtain 2-D/3-D imaging simultaneously with the interaction and use of texture generation for extremely accurate measurements.

Claims

1. A method for the virtual wearing of eyeglasses, in order to reduce the inventory required by an opthamologist, optometrist or optician for selling eyeglasses comprising:

acquiring data including image data from a subject in a kiosk, including the steps of initially on a one time basis only having the subject look straight ahead and provide left and center two-dimensional camera images simultaneously and left projector illumination, left and center camera images simultaneously and general illumination, center and right camera images simultaneously and right projector illumination and center and right camera images simultaneously and general illumination during a first pass and providing a second pass where the subject looks to the left half way between center and left cameras making the same rapid exposures as for pass one, and having the operator determine the IPD including the operator placing a generic eyeglasses frame of appropriate bridge width on the subject and recording bridge width, temple length and determining vertical positioning of lens centers in a generic frame, providing a third pass with the subject still wearing the generic eyeglass frames and repeating pass one and providing a fourth pass with the subject still wearing the generic eyeglass frames repeating pass two;

providing image analysis from the data acquired;

constructing one or more virtual models of the subject;

creating two-dimensional photorealistic imagery and a three-dimensional textured model by using a said two-dimensional camera;

inserting the two-dimensional photorealistic imagery and the three-dimensional textured model into a database on a server; and

correlating the two-dimensional photorealistic imagery and the three-dimensional textured model with two-dimensional imagery of one or more frames and three-dimensional imagery of one or more frames, whereby the subject'"'"'s eyeglass measurements are retained in the database model for future use and include three-dimensional imagery of the subject with generic frames.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of acquiring image data from a subject comprises:

placing the subject in front of one or more pattern projectors and one or more cameras.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein three cameras are placed around the subject, and one pattern projector is placed between each camera.

8. A system for selecting prescription eyeglasses as in claim 1 that eliminates the optician and frame inventory in the opthamologist'"'"'s office including:

an eyeglass user personal computer including a data base for receiving said three-dimensional modeling information concerning the user'"'"'s human head model and frame model at the user'"'"'s designated location which could include a home or office;

said three-dimensional modeling data base also including a data base and application program for accessing internet information concerning other available frames available by the manufacturer;

said three-dimensional modeling using the operator generated subject data of bridge width, temple length and vertical positioning of lens centers in a generic frame from the generic frame images and permitting the user at the user'"'"'s designated site to view a plurality of eyeglass frames virtually on the user'"'"'s head model that permits the user to send a desired frame selection to the manufacturer who already has data of the three-dimensional model and lenses prescription required by the user at the manufacturer'"'"'s site.

4. A method for providing eyeglasses in order to reduce the inventory required by an opthamologist, optician or optometrist which includes providing a kiosk at the opthamologist, optician or optometrist'"'"'s office to reduce the cost of eyeglasses comprising the steps of:

acquiring data for a two-dimensional photorealistic image and a three-dimensional textured model of a subject'"'"'s head at a kiosk by providing a series of passes in front of left and center two-dimensional cameras and center and right two-dimensional cameras simultaneously including left and right projector illumination wherein pass one the subject looks straight ahead, wherein pass two the subject looks to the left, wherein an operator places a generic eyeglass frame of appropriate bridge width on the subject and records bridge width, temple length and determines vertical positioning of lens centers in a generic frame and then including a third pass with the subject wearing the generic frame repeating pass one and a fourth pass with the subject wearing a generic frame repeating pass two in order to create the three-dimensional textured model from two-dimensional cameras;

creating a two-dimensional photorealistic image and a three-dimensional textured model by using a said two-dimensional camera;

communicating the two-dimensional photorealistic image and the three-dimensional textured model to the subject;

communicating a database of two-dimensional photorealistic images and three-dimensional textured models of eyeglasses to the subject; and

allowing the subject to order at least one pair of eyeglasses via a personal computer, wherein the order is mirrored at the kiosk, at the frame manufacturer and at the lens manufacturer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the kiosk is located at an office, and the frame manufacturer is able to send ordered frames directly to the office, and the lens manufacturer is able to send ordered lenses directly to the optometrist'"'"'s office.

6. A method of obtaining two dimensional photorealistic imagery and three dimensional imagery providing accurate measurements of the subject purchasing eyeglasses including frames for the selection and purchase of eyeglasses to reduce inventory and for direct ordering from the lens factory and the frame factory comprising:

acquiring data including image data from a subject in a kiosk including having an operator that places a generic eyeglass frame of appropriate bridge width on said subject and records the bridge width, the temple width and determines vertical positioning of lens centers in said generic frame using one or more two-dimensional cameras in multiple positions and getting a plurality of photograph of the subject with the subject looking straight ahead and subject looking in different directions with and without the generic eyeglass frame on the subject in order to create a three-dimensional model;

analyzing the image obtained from the data acquired;

constructing one or more models of the subject;

creating two-dimensional photorealistic imagery and a three-dimensional textured model;

inserting the two-dimensional photorealistic imagery and the three dimensional textured model into a database on a server; and

correlating the two-dimensional photorealistic imagery and the three-dimensional textured model with two-dimensional imagery of one or more eyeglasses and eyeglasses frames and three-dimensional imagery of one or more eyeglasses and eyeglasses frames using the subject data obtained from the generic frame.

7. A system that allows a user to obtain an examination from the opthamologist, obtain a lens prescription, quickly and accurately select eyeglass frames, be accurately fitted for eyeglasses in order to greatly reduce the overall cost of frames and prescription glasses by essentially eliminating opticians and the need for large inventory of frames for administration by an opthamologist or optometrist within the opthamologist office comprising:

a kiosk positioned within an opthamologist/optometrist office space, the kiosk including three-dimensional imaging cameras and lighting to permit photographing of a human head with eyeglass frames to create a three-dimensional textured human head model with eyeglass frames for increased accuracy showing different views of the same human head;

a generic frame of a appropriate bridge width that is mountable on a subject to record bridge width, temple length and vertical positioning of lens center in the generic frame relative to the object for creating in conjunction with the imaging cameras and lighting the three-dimensional textured human head model with the generic eyeglass frames;

a personal computer having a data base for receiving and storing such three-dimensional human head model image and frames for accurate measurements;

a lens and frame manufacturer;

a personal computer with a internet connection positioned at said manufacturer'"'"'s plant and connectable to said opthamologist kiosk personal computer for receiving three-dimensional human head modeling for frame selection and fitting at said manufacturing site;

said data base including information concerning the lens prescription required, the frame selected and the three-dimensional image description each categorized for a specific user with sufficient information to manufacture the frame and lens prescription described in the data base sent from the opthamologist to the manufacturer.

9. A method to provide a user to quickly and accurately select eyeglass frames that can be accurately fitted and purchased in an opthamologist/optometrist office without the need for an optician and without the need for large inventory of frames comprising the steps of:

providing a kiosk at the opthamologist/optometrist office that includes photo-imaging equipment and a generic eyeglass frame of appropriate bridge width to record direct subject bridge width, temple length and determine vertical positioning of lens centers in said generic frame relative to a subject to provide a three-dimensional model of a human head including virtual eyeglass frames from a variety of different poses and angles to obtain an accurate three-dimensional of the intended user'"'"'s head and facial texture with eyeglass frames while positioned in said opthamologist kiosk;

providing a selection of frames for viewing by the intended user of the frames;

constructing and providing data acquisition image analysis and model construction for two-dimensional photo-realistic imagery and three-dimensional textured models from the image generating system on a human user to create a data base that includes two-dimensional and three-dimensional head and frame modeling of a particular user;

providing consumer data that relates to the specific user and joining it with the user'"'"'s two-dimensional and three-dimensional head and frame model of the user'"'"'s head for fitting eyeglass frames;

providing a frame manufacturer with a personal computer that includes a data base for receiving the data base that includes the user two-dimensional and three-dimensional head and frame model and consumer data from the opthamologist/optometrist personal computer in order to manufacture and provide eyeglass frames that are specifically manufactured to the specification and measurements provided in the consumer data two-dimensional and three-dimensional head and frame model sent to the manufacturer of the frames from the doctor'"'"'s office; and

sending the proper frames from the frame manufacturer for the specific user to the opthamologist office thereby eliminating a large inventory of frames in the opthamologist office and eliminating the need for an optician or an optician'"'"'s warehouse.

10. A method for eliminating an optician and optician'"'"'s inventory of frames by establishing a frame selection and measuring station in a kiosk at the opthamologist office comprising the steps of:

establishing a three-dimensional texture imaging system in a kiosk at an opthamologist'"'"'s office for obtaining extremely accurate three-dimensional head views for accurate frame measurement for eyeglasses in the opthamologist office kiosk that includes an operator placing a generic frame of appropriate bridge width on the subject to record bridge width, temple length and determine vertical positioning of lens centers in a generic frame specifically for the subject on a one-time basis that also includes taking several camera imaging passes of said subject with and without said generic lens for the construction of the three-dimensional image;

establish the consumer data three-dimensional image data base in a personal computer located in the opthamologist kiosk;

communicating over a network with a personal computer established at a frame manufacturer'"'"'s location for sending the three-dimensional data concerning the textured model of a human head with the frames and consumer data concerning the required frames to the manufacturer'"'"'s site and personal computer;

ordering the desired frames to be built by the manufacturer and sent to the doctor'"'"'s office from the doctor'"'"'s office personal computer kiosk.

11. A method as in claim 10 including the steps of:

receiving the frames from the manufacturer at the doctor'"'"'s office specifically for the consumer; and

fitting the consumer with the new frames received from the manufacturer.