3-D model providing device

• US 7,006,952 B1
• Filed: 02/18/2000
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DigiMedia Tech, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Oue, Yasuhiro, Sugimoto, Kazuhide, Kitamura, Toru, Fujimura, Kota, Matsumoto, Yukinori, Ota, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): PALADINI, ALBERT WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US09/913,095
• Time in Patent Office: 2,202 Days
• Field of Search: 703/2, 703/3, 345/419, 345/420, 700/98
• US Class Current: 703/2
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 9/00 Special methods or compositions for the manufacture of dolls, toy animals, toy figures, or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B44B 1/006 using computer control means
• CPC Class Codes: B44B 1/02 wherein three-dimensional copies are made
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 1/222 using machine-driven mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4207 in which a model is traced or scanned and corresponding data recorded
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33209 Protocol, mailbox, email, mail system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37557 Camera for coarse, acoustic array for fine vision
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45212 Etching, engraving, sculpturing, carving
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49007 Making, forming 3-D object, model, surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/60 Methods or arrangements for performing computations using a digital non-denominational number representation, i.e. number representation without radix; Computing devices using combinations of denominational and non-denominational quantity representations , e.g. using difunction pulse trains, STEELE computers, phase computers conversion of digital data to or from non-denominational form H03M5/00, H03M7/00

Abstract

For an apparatus effectively providing a real three-dimensional model to a customer, three-dimensional shape data of a target is obtained at a data input section (10). The data is managed by a server which is connected to a network. A suitable formation section (14) is selected to form a real three-dimensional model based on the data. In addition, the formation completion is automatically notified to the customer via a completion display panel (260), a cellular phone (61), or the like.

Claims

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

an input section for inputting three-dimensional shape data of said target;

a formation section for manufacturing a real three-dimensional model based on the obtained three-dimensional shape data; and

a recording medium issuing section for issuing a recording medium in which information can be written to or read from, when said three-dimensional shape data is input, wherein

said recording medium can be read by a third-party apparatus.

2. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 1, wherein said recording medium is capable of recording data identification information.

3. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 1, wherein said recording medium allows new information to be written by a third-party apparatus.

4. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 3, wherein said third-party apparatus is an entertainment device and said new information is a score of the entertainment provided by said entertainment device, said score being evaluated by the entertainment device.

5. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a recording medium information re-input section for re-reading said new information from said recording medium, said new information having been written by said third-party apparatus.

6. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 5, wherein the formation parameters are changed based on the information input from said recording medium information re-input section and a real object model is formed from the changed formation parameters.

7. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 1, wherein three-dimensional shape data which is input by said input section is recorded on said recording medium.

8. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 7, wherein said third-party apparatus is an entertainment device which reads the three-dimensional shape data recorded on said recording medium and executes an entertainment program of said entertainment device.

9. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of any one claim 1, further comprising:

a motion input section for inputting motion information of said three-dimensional shape data input from said input section;

a dividing section for dividing said three-dimensional shape data input from said input section into a plurality of portions; and

a motion recording section for linking and recording said motion information and said plurality of divided portions.

10. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus for supplying a three-dimensional model of a target to a customer, comprising:

an input section for inputting three-dimensional shape data of said target;

a formation section for manufacturing a real three-dimensional model based on the obtained three-dimensional shape data;

a communication section which can communicate with a third-party apparatus via a network; and

a formation process progress information transmitting section for transmitting the progress information of the formation process at said formation section to said third-party apparatus.

11. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 10, wherein said formation process progress information of said formation section includes formation completion time information and said time information is displayed at a display section provided on said third-party apparatus.

12. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 10, wherein said communication section receives the information at said apparatus and changes parameters for forming the real three-dimensional model based on said information, and said formation section forms the real three-dimensional model based on the changed parameters.

13. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 10, wherein said three-dimensional shape data is transmitted to said third-Party apparatus via said communication section.

14. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 13, wherein said third-party apparatus is an entertainment device and said transmitted three-dimensional model shape data is used by said entertainment device.

20. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

an estimated completion time display section for displaying the shortest estimated time for the manufacturing completion; and

a manufacturing completion time specifying section for specifying a time after the shortest manufacturing completion time, wherein

a schedule for the manufacturing process is determined to accommodate the completion time indicated at said manufacturing completion time specifying section by said customer.

21. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 20, further comprising a process start receiving section for receiving start time for the manufacturing process, wherein the manufacturing process is started according to the start time indicated by said customer.

15. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus for supplying a three-dimensional model of a target to a customer, comprising:

an input section for inputting three-dimensional shape data of said target;

a formation section for manufacturing a real three-dimensional model based on the obtained three-dimensional shape data;

a contacting means input section for inputting information specifying a contacting means used by said customer; and

an information notifying section for notifying modeling information to said contacting means.

16. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 15, wherein said contacting means for the customer is a cellular phone, the phone number for said cellular phone is input at said contacting means input section, and said modeling information is progress information of a manufacturing process at said formation section.

17. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 15, wherein said contacting means for the customer is an electronic mail, the mail address for the electronic mail is input at said contacting means input section, and said modeling information is manufacturing completion information.

18. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 17, wherein said modeling information is identification information for accessing a server which stores the three-dimensional shape data, in addition to being said manufacturing completion information.

19. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 17, wherein said modeling information is three-dimensional shape data.

22. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

an address means input section for inputting delivery destination address for said real three-dimensional model; and

a delivery destination printing section for printing said delivery destination address.

23. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a formation section selecting section, connected to a plurality of formation sections via a network, for selecting a suitable formation section based on said input address, wherein the three-dimensional shape data is transmitted to said selected formation section.

24. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a communication section which can communicate with a database section for storing the three-dimensional shape data via a network, wherein said three-dimensional shape data is recorded at said database section.

25. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a three-dimensional shape data synthesizing section for reading three-dimensional shape data pre-stored in said database section and generating new three-dimensional shape data obtained by integrating a plurality of three-dimensional shape data.

26. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

a plurality of formation sections, and

a server section for managing the three-dimensional shape data input from said input section, wherein

a formation section of the plurality of formation sections is selected at said server section for assigning said three-dimensional shape data input from said input section.

27. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 26, wherein the selection of said formation section is performed based on the operation conditions at said plurality of formation sections.

28. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 26, further comprising a parameter specifying section for the customer to specify the material or size of the object to be formed, wherein the selection of said formation section is performed based on the parameters specified at said parameter specifying section.

29. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 26, wherein at least two of said input section, formation section, and server section are connected via a network.

30. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 26, further comprising a display section for displaying an image of said three-dimensional shape data seen from an arbitrary point of view.

31. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 30, wherein said display section is a display device capable of three-dimensional display including stereo-scopic display.

32. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 26, further comprising a coloring section for coloring the real three-dimensional model based on said three-dimensional shape data.

33. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus for supplying a three-dimensional model of a target to a customer, comprising:

a data input section for inputting three-dimensional shape data of said target; and

a formation section for manufacturing a real three-dimensional model based on the obtained three-dimensional shape data;

wherein

said real three-dimensional model comprises a plurality of parts, and a portion of the parts is selected from a database containing a list of a plurality of pre-provided components based on the measured three-dimensional shape data of said target.

34. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 33, wherein said selected component is further processed.

35. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 34, wherein

said real three-dimensional model is manufactured from at least three parts,

the first and second parts are manufactured from an identical first material,

the third part is manufactured from a material different from said first material,

three-dimensional shape data which correspond to at least said first part is input at said input section,

the first part is manufactured at said formation section based on said input three-dimensional shape data, and

said manufactured first and second parts and second and third parts are respectively integrated by joining respective parts together.

36. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus for supplying a three-dimensional model of a target to a customer, comprising:

an input section for inputting three-dimensional shape data of said target;

a recording section for recording a plurality of three-dimensional shape data which are input from said input section;

an identification number input section for inputting an identification number which is used for determining whether to display said recorded three-dimensional shape data;

an identification number judging section for judging whether to display said recorded three-dimensional shape data based on said input identification number; and

a data outputting section for displaying said recorded three-dimensional shape data, wherein the recorded three-dimensional shape data can be displayed from a plurality of predetermined points of view within a predetermined range, one of the plurality of predetermined points of view is selected based on said identification number, and the recorded three-dimensional shape data is displayed based on the selected point of view.

37. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 36, further comprising a modifying section for reading and modifying said three-dimensional shape data recorded at said recording section, and for recording the modified data to said recording section.

38. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 36, wherein at least two of said input section, recording section, identification number input section, identification number judging section, data outputting section, and modifying section are connected via a network.

39. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 36, wherein said data outputting section is a display device capable of three-dimensional display including stereo-scopic display.

40. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 36, wherein

said target is a person,

a voice of said target person is also input at said input section,

said voice is recorded at said recording section in addition to said three-dimensional shape data, and

said data outputting section is capable of outputting said three-dimensional shape data and/or said voice.

41. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 36, wherein

a plurality of facial expressions are input at said input section for one person,

said recording section records said plurality of facial expressions, and

said displaying section is capable of sequentially displaying said plurality of face expressions in response to directions by said customer.

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

an input section for inputting three-dimensional shape data of said target;

a database section for storing the three-dimensional shape data input from said input section and related property information, wherein a number of accesses are also stored for and in addition to each of the three-dimensional shape data stored at said database section;

a charge computation device, wherein a charge process for charge targets stored in the database section is executed based on said number of accesses; and

a display section for displaying said stored three-dimensional shape data.

43. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 42, further comprising a modifying section for reading and modifying said stored three-dimensional shape data at said database section, and for re-storing the modified data to said database section.

44. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 43, wherein a thumbnail image of each of three-dimensional shape data is stored at said database section.

45. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 44, wherein said thumbnail image is produced by assigning a point of view for said three-dimensional shape data and obtaining a two-dimensional image seen from the assigned point of view.

46. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 44, wherein said thumbnail image is produced by assigning a plurality of points of view for said three-dimensional shape data and obtaining a series of two-dimensional images seen from these points of view.

47. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 44, wherein said thumbnail image is produced by selecting one of the two-dimensional images that were taken when inputting said three-dimensional shape data, and reducing the selected two-dimensional image.

48. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 44, wherein said thumbnail image is a reduced three-dimensional shape data obtained by reducing the data in said three-dimensional shape data.

49. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 42, further comprising a refund computation device, wherein a refund process for refund targets registered in the database section is executed based on said number of accesses.

50. A three-dimensional modeling apparatus of claim 42, wherein said data display section is a display device capable of three-dimensional display including stereo-scopic display.