Computational geometry using control geometry having at least two dimensions
First Claim
1. A method for modifying a representation of a surface by a computational machine, comprising:
- first accessing, by the computational machine, first surface data defining a first surface in a coordinate space having three dimensions, and curve data defining a curve in the coordinate space the data curve dependent upon coordinates of points of the first surface so that the curve follows a path in the first surface within a predetermined measurement of tolerance relative to the coordinate space;
second accessing, by the computational machine, geometric object data for defining a geometric object, the geometric object data determined using data indicative of tangents to said first surface at, or approximately at, corresponding points on said first curve;
changing, by computer operations of the computational machine, the geometric object data so that coordinates of points of a portion of the geometric object changes relative to coordinates of points of the first curve in the coordinate space; and
determining, by computer operations of the computational machine, a different contour of an interior of said first surface, wherein the different contour is determined as a function of the changed geometric object data, and for the coordinate space, the path is effectively in the first surface having the different contour.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for computer aided design (CAD) is disclosed for designing geometric objects. The present invention interpolates and/or blends between such geometric objects sufficiently fast so that real time deformation of such objects occurs while deformation data is being input. Thus, a user designing with the present invention obtains immediate feedback to input modifications without separately entering a command for performing such deformations. The present invention utilizes novel computational techniques for blending between geometric objects, wherein weighted sums of points on the geometric objects are used in deriving a new blended geometric object. The present invention is particularly useful for designing the shape of surfaces. Thus, the present invention is applicable to various design domains such as the design of, e.g., bottles, vehicles, and watercraft. Additionally, the present invention provides for efficient animation via repeatedly modifying surfaces of an animated object such as a representation of a face.
51 Citations
40 Claims
-
1. A method for modifying a representation of a surface by a computational machine, comprising:
-
first accessing, by the computational machine, first surface data defining a first surface in a coordinate space having three dimensions, and curve data defining a curve in the coordinate space the data curve dependent upon coordinates of points of the first surface so that the curve follows a path in the first surface within a predetermined measurement of tolerance relative to the coordinate space; second accessing, by the computational machine, geometric object data for defining a geometric object, the geometric object data determined using data indicative of tangents to said first surface at, or approximately at, corresponding points on said first curve; changing, by computer operations of the computational machine, the geometric object data so that coordinates of points of a portion of the geometric object changes relative to coordinates of points of the first curve in the coordinate space; and determining, by computer operations of the computational machine, a different contour of an interior of said first surface, wherein the different contour is determined as a function of the changed geometric object data, and for the coordinate space, the path is effectively in the first surface having the different contour. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method for modifying a representation of a N dimensional geometric object by a user of a computational system, wherein N is greater than or equal to two, comprising:
-
first accessing, by computer operations of said computational system, first data representative of a first geometric object having a dimension of N≧
2 in a coordinate space having three dimensions, and second data representative of a lower dimensional second geometric object dependent upon points of the first geometric object so that for a representation of the first geometric object and the second geometric object in the coordinate space, the second geometric object does not vary from said first geometric object by more than a predetermined measurement;wherein the lower dimension is greater than or equal to one in the coordinate space; second accessing, by computer operations of the computational system, third data representative of a third geometric object whose points are indicative of rates of change of one or more geometric measurements of said first geometric object at points of said second geometric object;
adchanging, by computer operations of the computational system, the third data so that a resulting changed third data is representative of a corresponding changed third geometric object relative to said second geometric object; and determining, by computer operations of the computational system, one or more points for a modified version of the first geometric object, wherein coordinates of the one or more points in the coordinate space are not included in the first geometric object and wherein the one or more points are determined as a function of the changed third data. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
-
Specification