Generating tubes within three-dimensional models

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10354018-B2
Application number	US-201514744981-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 19, 2015
Priority date	Jun 20, 2014
Publication date	Jul 16, 2019
Grant date	Jul 16, 2019

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for generating a tube within a three-dimensional (3D) model. The technique involves receiving a first location on a surface of the 3D model. The technique further involves receiving a second location on the surface of the 3D model. The technique further involves receiving at least one constraint associated with a first tube to be generated within the 3D model. The technique further involves generating, based on the at least one constraint, the first tube, where the first tube connects a first opening at the first location with to a second opening at the second location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method for generating a tube within a three-dimensional (3D) model, the method comprising:
receiving a first location on a surface of the 3D model;
receiving a second location on the surface of the 3D model;
receiving at least one constraint associated with a first tube to be generated within the 3D model, wherein the at least one constraint includes a constraint associated with a previously generated tube within the 3D model;
determining a path within the 3D model for the first tube in accordance with the at least one constraint;
generating the first tube along the path within the 3D model, wherein the first tube connects a first opening at the first location to a second opening at the second location; and
causing the 3D model, including the first tube within the 3D model, to be printed via a 3D printer into a 3D object.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one constraint comprises a minimum distance between the surface of the 3D model and at least a portion of the first tube.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one constraint comprises a minimum distance between the first tube and another tube within the 3D model.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one constraint comprises a minimum angle between a direction of the path within the 3D model for the first tube at each opening and a surface plane at each respective opening.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one constraint comprises a radius of the first tube.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a third location and a fourth location on the surface of the 3D model;
receiving at least one constraint associated with a second tube to be generated within the 3D model; and
generating, based on the at least one constraint associated with the second tube, the second tube, wherein the second tube connects a third opening at the third location to a fourth opening at the fourth location.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a location of a connection point within the 3D model;
receiving a third location on the surface of the 3D model;
receiving at least one constraint associated with a second tube to be generated within the 3D model; and
generating, based on the at least one constraint associated with the second tube, the second tube, wherein the second tube connects the connection point to a third opening at the third location.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one constraint comprises a thickness of a membrane, and further comprising generating a membrane over the first opening based on the at least one constraint.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one constraint comprises a plurality of constraints, each of the plurality of constraints associated with a different previously generated tube within the 3D model.

10. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media including instructions that, when executed by one or more processing units, cause the one or more processing units to generating a tube within a three-dimensional (3D) model, by performing the steps of:
receiving a first location on a surface of the 3D model;
receiving a second location on the surface of the 3D model;
receiving at least one constraint associated with a first tube to be generated within the 3D model, wherein the at least one constraint includes a constraint associated with a previously generated tube within the 3D model;
determining a path within the 3D model for the first tube in accordance with the at least one constraint;
generating the first tube along the path within the 3D model, wherein the first tube connects a first opening at the first location to a second opening at the second location; and
causing the 3D model, including the first tube within the 3D model, to be printed via a 3D printer into a 3D object.

11. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 10 , wherein the at least one constraint comprises a minimum distance between the surface of the 3D model and at least a portion of the first tube.

12. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 10 , wherein the at least one constraint comprises a minimum distance between the first tube and another tube within the 3D model.

13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 10 , wherein the at least one constraint comprises a minimum angle between a direction of the path within the 3D model for the first tube at each opening and a surface plane at each respective opening.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 10 , wherein the at least one constraint comprises a radius of the first tube.

15. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving a third location and a fourth location on the surface of the 3D model;
receiving at least one constraint associated with a second tube to be generated within the 3D model; and
generating, based on the at least one constraint associated with the second tube, the second tube, wherein the second tube connects a third opening at the third location to a fourth opening at the fourth location.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving a location of a connection point within the 3D model;
receiving a third location on the surface of the 3D model;
receiving at least one constraint associated with a second tube to be generated within the 3D model; and
generating, based on the at least one constraint associated with the second tube, the second tube, wherein the second tube connects the connection point to a third opening at the third location.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 10 , wherein the at least one constraint comprises a thickness of a membrane, and further comprising generating a membrane over the first opening based on the at least one constraint.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 17 , wherein the at least one constraint comprises a plurality of constraints, each of the plurality of constraints associated with a different previously generated tube within the 3D model.

19. A computing device, comprising:
a memory storing a tube generator; and
a processor coupled to the memory, wherein, when executed by the processor, the tube generator configures the processor to:
receive a first location on a surface of a three-dimensional (3D) model;
receive a second location on the surface of the 3D model;
receive at least one constraint associated with a first tube to be generated within the 3D model, wherein the at least one constraint includes a constraint associated with a previously generated tube within the 3D model;
determine a path within the 3D model for the first tube in accordance with the at least one constraint;
generate the first tube along the path within the 3D model, wherein the first tube connects a first opening at the first location to a second opening at the second location; and
cause the 3D model, including the first tube within the 3D model, to be printed via a 3D printer into a 3D object.

20. The computing device of claim 19 , wherein the at least one constraint comprises a minimum distance between the surface of the 3D model and at least a portion of the first tube.

Assignees

• Autodesk Inc

Inventors

• Savage Valkyrie
• Grossman Tovi
• Fitzmaurice George
• Hartmann Björn
• Schmidt Ryan Michael

Classifications

• G06T19/20 Primary

  Editing of three-dimensional [3D] images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts · CPC title

• G06F2113/14

  Pipes · CPC title

• G06F30/00

  Computer-aided design [CAD] · CPC title

• G06F17/50 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F2217/34

  Physics · mapped topic