Methods and apparatuses for printing three dimensional images

• US 8,243,334 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2009
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Virginia Venture Industries, LLC
• Original Assignee: Virginia Venture Industries, LLC
• Inventors: Abeloe, Kenneth A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brinich, Stephen M
• Application Number:
  US12/479,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20090303507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.9, 358/2.1, 358/468, 382/131, 345419-424
• US Class Current: 358/2.1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/386 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 67/00 Shaping techniques not covered by groups B29C39/00 - B29C65/00, B29C70/00 or B29C73/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/002 Coloured
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/772 Articles characterised by their shape and not otherwise provided for closed loop B29L2031/709; ring-like B29L2031/7096; corrugated B29L2016/00, flat B29L2007/00; hollow B29L2022/00; screw-threaded B29L2001/00; toothed B29L2031/775; corrugated tubes B29L2023/18
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/00 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/00 Stereoscopic photography
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4099 Surface or curve machining, making 3D objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49019 Machine 3-D slices, to build 3-D model, stratified object manufacturing SOM
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1849 using an intermediate representation, e.g. a list of graphical primitives
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/20 Finite element generation, e.g. wire-frame surface description, tesselation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/60 Colour correction or control H04N1/54 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4117 for generating hard copies of the content, e.g. printer, electronic paper interfaces to printers G06F3/12; printing data G06K15/02

Abstract

Systems and methods for printing a 3D object on a three-dimensional (3D) printer are described. The methods semi-automatically or automatically delineate an item in an image, receive a 3D model of the item, matches said item to said 3D model, and send the matched 3D model to a 3D printer.

Claims

1. A method of printing a three-dimensional (3D) object in a 3D printer, the method comprising:

causing a selection of a point in an object of interest in an image;

automatically delineating the object of interest in the image;

selecting a wire-frame 3D model of the object of interest, wherein the wire-frame 3D model includes shape information of the object of interest;

breaking the 3D wire-frame model into 3D components;

determining the position of the 3D components in relation with respect to the image representing said delineated object;

coloring the 3D components with the color information from the image representing said delineated object;

mapping information from a portion of the image representing said delineated object with the selected wire-frame 3D model; and

transmitting the mapped information to a 3D printer to be printed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mapped information is a 3D model for printing the object of interest as a raised-contoured surface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mapped information is a 3D model for printing said object of interest as a freestanding figurine on a platform.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the object of interest is an image of a person depicted in an image.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of automatically calculating the 3D wire-frame model from a stereoscopic set of images.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing the 3D wire-frame in a database with a copyright protection.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprises the step of compensating for in-scene motion of the object of interest.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprises the step of compensating for camera motion of the object of interest.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprises the step of compensating for color imbalances of the object of interest.

10. A system for printing three dimensional images comprising:

an input information processor configured to receive a plurality of video frames and information relating to a selection of a point in an object of interest in said plurality of video frames;

an object model processor configured to receive a wire-frame 3D model of the object of interest, wherein the wire-frame 3D model includes shape information of the object of interest;

an object abstraction processor configured to automatically delineate the object of interest; and

an object formation processor configured to break the 3D wire-frame model into 3D components, and further configured to map information from a portion of an image representing said delineated object with the selected wire-frame 3D model and to transmit the mapped information to the 3D printer to be printed.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the object formation processor is further configured to generate a 3D model for printing the object of interest as a raised-contoured surface.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the object formation processor is further configured to generate a 3D model for printing said object of interest as a freestanding figurine on a platform.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the object formation processor is further configured to generate a 3D model for printing a person depicted in the plurality of video frames.

14. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

a multiple frame abstraction processor configured to calculate the 3D wire-frame model from the plurality of video frames.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the source of the plurality of video frames is a stereoscopic video.

16. The system of claim 10 further comprising a database with 3D wire-frames with copyright protection information for each 3D wire-frame.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the object formation processor is further configured to determine the position of the 3D components in relation with respect to the plurality of video frames representing said delineated object.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the object formation processor is further configured to color the 3D components with the color information from the plurality of video frames representing said delineated object.