Three-dimensional surface texturing

• US 9,934,601 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2015
• Issued: 04/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MakerBot Industries, LLC (Ultimaker BV)
• Original Assignee: MakerBot Industries, LLC (Ultimaker BV)
• Inventors: Palmer, Mark, McCallum, Benjamin R., Dinh, Quynh, Askedall, Andrew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): YANG, ANDREW GUS
• Application Number:
  US14/804,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20170024925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/118 using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/393 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/04 Texture mapping
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/20 Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2024 Style variation

Abstract

A scanned texture can be applied to a three-dimensional model using a scanner. A user can scan a surface texture with a three-dimensional scanner and then use the same scanner as a three-dimensional input device to apply the texture to a three-dimensional model displayed in a virtual modeling environment. To accomplish this, the surface texture may first be isolated and extracted from a scanned surface. The surface texture can then be applied to a three-dimensional model in a virtual workspace by using the scanner as a navigational and control input. Thus, in a similar manner and motion in which a real-world object is scanned, the surface texture can be applied to the digital model displayed in the virtual modeling environment. The scanner therefore provides a user with a simple and intuitive way in which to capture physical surface textures and apply them to digital objects.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

capturing a three-dimensional scan of a surface with a handheld scanner;

isolating a surface texture of the surface comprising a three-dimensional texture independent of an aggregate shape of the surface, wherein isolating the surface texture includes;

low-pass filtering the surface to provide a filtered surface;

warping the filtered surface with a transform to form a plane;

applying the transform to the surface to form a warped surface; and

sampling a region of the warped surface to provide an isolated surface texture;

displaying a digital model of an object within a virtual modeling environment;

receiving spatial input from the handheld scanner to navigate to a pose within the virtual modeling environment; and

in response to user input, applying the surface texture to the digital model according to the pose.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising fabricating the digital model with the surface texture using a three-dimensional printer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the handheld scanner is a laser line scanner.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the handheld scanner acquires three-dimensional data using one or more of structured light, shape from motion, and range finding.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the user input includes pushing a button on the handheld scanner.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying the pose in a display of the virtual modeling environment.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying an area on the digital model that will receive the surface texture within the virtual modeling environment based on the pose.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising providing a tool within the virtual modeling environment for a user to adjust a size of the area on the digital model that will receive the surface texture.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising providing a tool within the virtual modeling environment for a user to adjust a shape of the area on the digital model that will receive the surface texture.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising providing a tool within the virtual modeling environment for a user to adjust a scale of the surface texture in one or more dimensions.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising isolating a two-dimensional visual feature of the surface.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the two-dimension feature includes a color of the surface.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the two-dimensional feature includes a texture map.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the two-dimensional feature includes a two-dimensional image.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising providing a user input for a user to select at least one of the two-dimensional visual feature and the surface texture for application to the digital model.

16. A computer program product comprising non-transitory computer-executable code embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium that, when executing on one or more computing devices, performs the steps of:

receiving a three-dimensional scan of a surface;

isolating a surface texture of the surface comprising a three-dimensional texture independent of an aggregate shape of the surface, wherein isolating the surface texture includes;

low-pass filtering the surface to provide a filtered surface;

warping the filtered surface with a transform to form a plane;

applying the transform to the surface to form a warped surface; and

sampling a region of the warped surface to provide an isolated surface texture;

displaying a digital model of an object within a virtual modeling environment;

receiving spatial input from a handheld scanner to navigate to a pose within the virtual modeling environment; and

in response to user input, applying the surface texture from the first object to the digital model according to the pose.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising code that performs the steps of:

displaying the pose in a display of the virtual modeling environment; and

displaying an area on the digital model that will receive the surface texture within the virtual modeling environment based on the pose.

18. A system comprising:

a handheld scanner configured to capture a three-dimensional scan of a surface, the handheld scanner including a first network interface; and

a user device including a processor, a memory, and a display, the user device coupled to the handheld scanner through the first network interface, the processor configured to perform the steps of;

receiving the three-dimensional scan of the surface from the handheld scanner;

isolating a surface texture of the surface comprising a three-dimensional texture independent of an aggregate shape of the surface, wherein isolating the surface texture includes;

low-pass filtering the surface to provide a filtered surface;

warping the filtered surface with a transform to form a plane;

applying the transform to the surface to form a warped surface; and

sampling a region of the warped surface to provide an isolated surface texture;

displaying a digital model of an object within a virtual modeling environment on the display;

receiving spatial input from a handheld scanner to navigate to a pose within the virtual modeling environment; and

in response to user input, applying the surface texture to the digital model according to the pose.