METHOD FOR RENDERING AN OBJECT

• US 20090066691A1
• Filed: 09/10/2008
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philip Kramer
• Original Assignee: Philip Kramer
• Inventors: Kramer, Philip
• Granted Patent: US 8,243,072 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/10 Constructive solid geometry [CSG] using solid primitives, e.g. cylinders, cubes
• 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 2219/2021 Shape modification

Abstract

The method is for rendering an object. An object to be rendered is identified. An outline of the object is defined. A front plate of the object is identified. A back plate that is shifted relative to the front plate is created. A beveled side extending between the front plate and the back plate is identified. A beveled contour of the beveled side from a series of segments of edges is created. A boundary line between visible and non-visible segments of surfaces is identified.

Claims

1. A method for rendering an object, comprising:

identifying an object to be rendered,

defining an outline of the object,

identifying a front plate of the object,

creating a back plate being shifted relative to the front plate,

identifying a beveled side extending between the front plate and the back plate,

creating a beveled contour of the beveled side from a series of segments of edges.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the method further comprises identifying a curved beveled side and converting the curved beveled side into a series of straight edges.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the method further comprises dividing the curved beveled side into curved edges having anchor points at each end and control points between the anchor points.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the method further comprises converting the curved edges into straight edges.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the method further comprises duplicating, scaling and moving the outline to create side surfaces.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the method further comprises calculating an angle of each connecting point of a bevel as the object is being rendered without storing angle data.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the method further comprises using a virtual pin to attach a surface of a first model part to a surface of a neighboring second model part of the object.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the method further comprises positioning the virtual pin so that the virtual pin is substantially perpendicular to the surface of the first model part and to the second model part.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the method further comprises using endpoints of the virtual pin to determine a distance between the first model part and a view point and a distance between the second model part and the view point.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the method further comprises rendering the first model part first when the endpoint of the virtual pin at the first model part is farther away and rendering the second model part first when the endpoint of the virtual pin at the second model part is farther away.

11. The method according to claim 7 wherein the method further comprises using a surface unit grid to create an outline around visible parts of the object.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the method further comprises dividing the surface unit grid into four sided segments.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the method further comprises using one segment and one side of the segment to determine whether the segment is visible or not.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein the method further comprises determining whether a segment is visible or not.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the method further comprises using flags at each side of the segment in order for the virtual tracing pen to determine which direction to continue tracing.

16. The method according to claim 1 wherein the method further comprises rendering partial curves.

17. The method according to claim 1 wherein the method further comprises identifying surfaces and/or surface units.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein the method further comprises identifying a boundary line between visible and non-visible segments of surfaces.