Haptic graphical user interface for adjusting mapped texture

• US 7,626,589 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2003
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc. (3D Systems Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SensAble Technologies, Inc. (3D Systems Corporation)
• Inventors: Berger, Torsten
• Primary Examiner(s): Caschera; Antonio A
• Application Number:
  US10/733,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20050128210A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,183 Days
• Field of Search: 345/588, 345/420, 345/424, 345/427, 345/582, 715723-726, 715/801, 715/700, 715/701, 715/763, 715/764, 715/800, 715/964, 715/798
• US Class Current: 345/582
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1446 display composed of modules, e.g. video walls
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/04 Texture mapping
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/964 CAD or CAM, e.g. interactive design tools

Abstract

The invention provides techniques for wrapping a two-dimensional texture conformally onto a surface of a three dimensional virtual object within an arbitrarily-shaped, user-defined region. The techniques provide minimum distortion and allow interactive manipulation of the mapped texture. The techniques feature an energy minimization scheme in which distances between points on the surface of the three-dimensional virtual object serve as set lengths for springs connecting points of a planar mesh. The planar mesh is adjusted to minimize spring energy, and then used to define a patch upon which a two-dimensional texture is superimposed. Points on the surface of the virtual object are then mapped to corresponding points of the texture. The invention also features a haptic/graphical user interface element that allows a user to interactively and intuitively adjust texture mapped within the arbitrary, user-defined region.

Claims

1. An apparatus for adjusting a texture within an arbitrarily-shaped user-defined region of a surface of an arbitrarily-shaped three-dimensional virtual object, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a memory for storing a code defining a set of instructions; and

(b) a processor for executing the set of instructions,

wherein the code comprises a graphical user interface module adapted to provide a three-dimensional rendered in three-dimensional object space, the element comprising at least one active location for adjusting the texture, wherein the texture is mapped onto the arbitrarily-shaped user-defined region of the surface of the arbitrarily-shaped three-dimensional virtual object without using geometric projection, wherein the user-defined region is less than the entire surface of the three-dimensional virtual object, and wherein the three-dimensional graphical user interface element is operable to adjust the mapped texture within the arbitrarily shaped user-defined region of the surface without affecting a contiguous portion of said surface outside said user-defined region.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one active location for adjusting the texture comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a first active location for translating the texture;

(b) a second active location for rotating the texture; and

(c) a third active location for scaling the texture.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one active location for adjusting the texture comprises at least two members selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a first active location for translating the texture;

(b) a second active location for rotating the texture; and

(c) a third active location for scaling the texture.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one active location for adjusting the texture comprises:

(a) a first active location for translating the texture;

(b) a second active location for rotating the texture; and

(c) a third active location for scaling the texture.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the texture is an image.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the texture comprises a tiled pattern.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the texture is an embossing pattern.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one active location for adjusting the texture comprises an active location for adjusting an embossing height normal to the surface of the virtual object.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one active location for adjusting the texture comprises an active location for adjusting an embossing depth normal to the surface of the virtual object.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the code further comprises a selection module adapted to select one of the at least one active locations of the graphical user interface element based on a two-dimensional correspondence of the active location and a cursor.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the code further comprises a repositioning module adapted to move the cursor to a three-dimensional position corresponding to one of the at least one active locations of the graphical user interface element.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface element is a haptic graphical user interface element, and wherein the at least one active location is associated with haptic feedback.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, the element graphically represented in three-dimensional object space with at least one of:

(i) a position that relates to a position of the mapped texture;

(ii) a scale that relates to a scale of the mapped texture; and

(iii) an orientation that relates to an orientation of the mapped texture.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, the element graphically represented in three-dimensional object space with at least two of:

(i) a position that relates to a position of the mapped texture;

(ii) a scale that relates to a scale of the mapped texture; and

(iii) an orientation that relates to an orientation of the mapped texture.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, the element graphically represented in three-dimensional object space with a position, scale, and orientation that relate to a position, scale, and orientation of the mapped texture.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, the element comprising a plurality of active locations for adjusting the texture.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein at least two of the plurality of active locations perform different functions.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface element comprises an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the surface of the three-dimensional virtual object is non-planar, non-spherical, and non-cylindrical.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a boundary of the texture is not constrained to align with a boundary of the arbitrarily-shaped, user-defined region.

21. An apparatus for adjusting a texture within an arbitrarily-shaped user-defined region of a surface of an arbitrarily-shaped three-dimensional virtual object, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a memory for storing a code defining a set of instructions; and

(b) a processor for executing the set of instructions,

wherein the code comprises a haptic graphical user interface module adapted to provide a three-dimensional haptic graphical user interface element rendered in three-dimensional object space, the element comprising at least one active location for adjusting the texture, wherein the texture is mapped onto the arbitrarily-shaped user-defined region of the surface of the arbitrarily-shaped three-dimensional virtual object without using geometric projection, wherein the user-defined region is less than the entire surface of the three-dimensional virtual object, and wherein the three-dimensional graphical user interface element is operable to adjust the mapped texture within the arbitrarily shaped user-defined region of the surface without affecting a contiguous portion of said surface outside said user-defined region, and wherein the at least one active location is associated with haptic feedback.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least one active location comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a first active location for translating the texture;

(b) a second active location for rotating the texture; and

(c) a third active location for scaling the texture.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the haptic feedback comprises a gravity well associated with an active location.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the haptic feedback comprises a haptic constraint.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the haptic constraint is adapted to constrain movement of a cursor to the surface of the virtual object.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the haptic constraint is adapted to constrain movement of a cursor to the user-defined region.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the haptic constraint is adapted to constrain movement of a cursor to an axis.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising at least one haptic detent active on the axis.

29. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the haptic constraint is adapted to constrain movement of a cursor to a loop.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising at least one haptic detent active on the loop.

31. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the haptic constraint is activated by a user signal performed when a cursor is located at an active location for rotating the texture.

32. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the haptic constraint is activated by a user signal performed when a cursor is located at an active location for translating the texture.

33. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the haptic constraint is activated by a user signal performed when a cursor is located at an active location for scaling the texture.

34. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the haptic graphical user interface element comprises an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis.

35. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the surface of the three-dimensional virtual object is non-planar, non-spherical, and non-cylindrical.

36. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein a boundary of the texture is not constrained to align with a boundary of the arbitrarily-shaped, user-defined region.

37. A method for adjusting a texture within a user-defined region of a surface of a three-dimensional virtual object, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying a three-dimensional graphical user interface element in three-dimensional object space, the element comprising at least one active location for adjusting a two-dimensional texture within an arbitrarily-shaped user-defined region of a surface of an arbitrarily-shaped three-dimensional virtual object, wherein the user-defined region is less than the entire surface of the three-dimensional virtual object, and wherein the three-dimensional graphical user interface element is operable to adjust the mapped texture within the arbitrarily shaped user-defined region of the surface without affecting a contiguous portion of said surface outside said user-defined region; and

(b) adjusting the texture according to a user manipulation via a graphical user interface device at the at least one active location,

wherein the adjusting of step (b) comprises modifying a transformation matrix used in mapping points on the surface of the virtual object to points on the texture without using geometric projection.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising the step of:

(c) graphically rendering the virtual object with the adjusted texture.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the graphical rendering of step (c) comprises providing a preview of the virtual object with the adjusted texture without changing a volumetric representation of the three-dimensional virtual object.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the volumetric representation is a voxel-based representation.

41. The method of claim 39, further comprising the step of:

(d) modifying the volumetric representation of the three-dimensional virtual object upon an activation of a user signal.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the activation of the user signal comprises at least one of a button click and a button release.

43. The method of claim 37, further comprising the steps of:

(c) arming a haptic constraint; and

(d) disarming the haptic constraint.

44. The method of claim 37, wherein the graphical user interface element comprises an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis.