3-d model providing device

• US 6,977,651 B1
• Filed: 02/18/2000
• Issued: 12/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DigiMedia Tech, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kitamura, Toru, Fujimura, Kota, Matsumoto, Yukinori, Ota, Osamu, Oue, Yasuhiro, Sugimoto, Kazuhide
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kimbinh T.
• Application Number:
  US09/913,270
• Time in Patent Office: 2,132 Days
• Field of Search: 345/419, 345/420, 345/629, 345/709, 345/619, 345/156, 345/426, 345/653, 382/154
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49008 Making 3-D object with model in computer memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/20 Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts

Abstract

A three-dimensional model providing apparatus in which a customer can easily modify the input three-dimensional data. The apparatus comprises an input section (10) for inputting three-dimensional data, a server section (12) for managing the processes on the three-dimensional data from input to output, a providing section (14) for providing three-dimensional data, a communicating section for communicating the three-dimensional data between the input section, server section, and providing section, a receiving section (11) for receiving instruction contents from the customer, and a converting section (13) for modifying, processing, or converting the three-dimensional data according to the instruction contents.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus for supplying three-dimensional data of a target to a customer, said apparatus comprising:

an input section for inputting three-dimensional data, wherein said input section comprises;

a light projection section for projecting light, said light projection section including a surface light source for projecting a light pattern,

a light reflecting section for reflecting the light pattern incident from said light projection section and projecting the light pattern onto the target,

a target image reflecting section for reflecting a target image formed from the light pattern projected onto the target,

a light receiving section for receiving the target image reflected at said target image reflecting section, and

a modeling section for producing three-dimensional data of said target based on the received target image;

a server section for managing the three-dimensional data;

a providing section for providing the three-dimensional data; and

a communicating section for communicating said three-dimensional data between said input section, said server section, and said providing section.

2. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a receiving section for receiving instruction contents from the customer; and

a converting section for modifying, processing, or converting said three-dimensional data based on said instruction contents.

3. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an output section for confirming, visually or by audio, the input three-dimensional data or modified or processed three-dimensional data.

4. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 3, wherein said output section is capable of three-dimensional display.

5. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said input section produces three-dimensional shape data based on image data of the target captured from a plurality of directions.

6. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said input section produces color data associated with said three-dimensional shape data based on image data of the target captured from a plurality of directions.

7. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said input section produces three-dimensional shape data based on image data of said target captured from a plurality of directions by a plurality of cameras.

8. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said input section produces color data associated with said three-dimensional shape data based on image data of said target captured from a plurality of directions by a plurality of cameras.

9. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 2, wherein said instruction content from the customer received at said receiving section identifies a data format to be used when the three-dimensional data is provided by said three-dimensional model providing apparatus.

10. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 2, wherein said instruction content from the customer received at said receiving section is modification and processing contents to be applied to the three-dimensional data by said three-dimensional model providing apparatus.

11. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 2, wherein said instruction content from the customer received at said receiving section is a data providing method designating the providing method of the three-dimensional data by said three-dimensional model providing apparatus.

12. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 2, wherein said receiving section comprises a received content output section for outputting the instruction content from the customer and the identification information for identifying the customer.

13. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 12, wherein said received content output section comprises one of a display-at-display section, an output-by-printing section, and an output-to-recording-medium section.

14. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 9, wherein said converting section converts said three-dimensional data according to said data format.

15. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 10, wherein said converting section modifies, processes, or converts said three-dimensional data according to said modification and processing contents.

16. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said server section manages operation progress condition of said providing section and said converting section, in addition to managing said three-dimensional data.

17. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a communicating section, wherein said apparatus communicates, via said communicating section, said three-dimensional data, said instruction contents from the customer, and identification information for identifying the customer to/from another three-dimensional model providing apparatus having a function equivalent to said converting section.

18. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a communicating section, wherein said apparatus communicates, via said communicating section, three-dimensional data, the content of an instruction from the customer, and/or identification information for identifying the customer to/from another three-dimensional model providing apparatus having a function equivalent to said providing section.

19. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said providing section comprises:

a recording medium selecting section capable of selecting a recording medium from among one or more types of recording medium provided to said three-dimensional model providing apparatus in advance; and

a recording medium writing section for writing three-dimensional data onto the recording medium.

20. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said providing section comprises a recording medium writing section for writing the three-dimensional data onto a recording medium prepared by the customer.

21. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said providing section comprises recording medium mailing means for mailing the recording medium.

22. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said providing section provides said three-dimensional data to a providing section of another three-dimensional model providing apparatus via said communicating section.

23. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 22, wherein said other three-dimensional model providing apparatus is a designated apparatus designated by the customer.

24. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 22, wherein said other three-dimensional model providing apparatus is a database server for managing access by the customer, in addition to accumulating and managing said three-dimensional data.

25. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 11, wherein said three-dimensional data and unique information of the customer are communicated to/from the designated apparatus based on said data providing method.

26. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 25, wherein said designated apparatus is capable of adding new information to said unique information.

27. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 25, wherein said designated device is an entertainment device.

28. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 26, wherein said designated apparatus is an entertainment device and said new information is a score determined by the entertainment device as a result of the entertainment.

29. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 26, wherein said designated apparatus is an entertainment device and said new information is information for updating the three-dimensional data.

30. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 26, further comprising an information re-inputting section for re-reading the information with the new information added at said designated apparatus.

31. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 25, wherein said designated apparatus is an entertainment device and the three-dimensional data recorded in said recording medium is used by an entertainment program of said entertainment device.

32. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 25, wherein said designated apparatus is a database section and manages the input three-dimensional model and entertainment program.

33. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 32, wherein said server section reads a model template of entertainment characters from said database section, and the input three-dimensional model is changed at said converting section based on said character model template.

34. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 32, wherein said server section reads an entertainment program from said database section, and the input three-dimensional model is incorporated into said entertainment program at said converting section.

35. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 27, wherein a plurality of said entertainment devices exist.

36. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 27, wherein said plurality of entertainment devices are capable of communicating with each other.

37. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 23, wherein said designated apparatus is a device connected to a network including a computer.

38. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus for supplying three-dimensional data of a target to a customer, said apparatus comprising:

an input section for inputting three-dimensional data, wherein said input section comprises;

a light projection section for projecting light, said light projection section including a surface light source for projecting a light pattern, said light projection section being located behind the target,

a light reflecting section for reflecting the light pattern incident from said light projection section and projecting the light pattern onto the target, said light reflecting section being located in front of the target,

a light receiving section for receiving a target image, and

a modeling section for producing three-dimensional data of said target based on the received target image;

a server section for managing the three-dimensional data;

a providing section for providing the three-dimensional data; and

a communicating section for communicating said three-dimensional data between said input section, server section, and providing section.

39. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 38, further comprising a target image reflecting section for reflecting the target image formed from the light pattern projected onto the target to the light receiving section.

40. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 38, further comprising:

a receiving section for receiving instruction contents from the customer; and

a converting section for modifying, processing, or converting said three-dimensional data based on said instruction contents.

41. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 38, further comprising

an output section for confirming, visually or by audio, the input three-dimensional data or modified or processed three-dimensional data.

42. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus for supplying three-dimensional data of a target to a customer, said apparatus comprising:

an input section for inputting three-dimensional data, wherein said input section comprises;

a light projection section for projecting light, said light projection section including a surface light source for instantaneously projecting a two dimensional light pattern,

a light reflecting section for reflecting the two dimensional light pattern incident from said light projection section and projecting the two dimensional light pattern onto the target,

a target image reflecting section for reflecting a target image of a complete target formed from the two dimensional light pattern projected onto the target,

a light receiving section for instantaneously receiving the target image of the complete target reflected at said target image reflecting section, and

a modeling section for producing three-dimensional data of said target based on the received target image;

a server section for managing the three-dimensional data;

a providing section for providing the three-dimensional data; and

a communicating section for communicating said three-dimensional data between said input section, server section, and providing section.

43. A three-dimensional model providing apparatus of claim 42, further comprising:

a receiving section for receiving instruction contents from the customer; and

a converting section for modifying, processing, or converting said three-dimensional data based on said instruction contents.