Fabrication with image tracing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11249456-B2
Application number	US-201715823502-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 27, 2017
Priority date	Nov 25, 2016
Publication date	Feb 15, 2022
Grant date	Feb 15, 2022

Abstract

A method may include generating, by a camera having a view of an interior portion of a computer-numerically-controlled machine, an image comprising a pattern. The image can be transformed into a set of machine instructions for controlling the computer-numerically-controlled machine to effect a change in a material. The change can correspond to at least a portion of the pattern. At least one machine instruction from the set of machine instructions can be executed to control the computer-numerically-controlled machine to effect at least a portion of the change. The execution can include operating, in accordance with the at least one machine instruction, a tool coupled with the computer-numerically-controlled machine. The tool can configured to effect the change on the material. Related systems and articles of manufacture, including computer program products, are also provided.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
generating, by a camera having a view of an interior portion of a computer-numerically-controlled machine, an image comprising a pattern corresponding to an intended final appearance of a material, the pattern being disposed at a first location;
generating, based on at least a portion of the image, at least a portion of a set of machine instructions for controlling the computer-numerically-controlled machine to effect, at a second location on the material that is different than the first location, a change corresponding to at least a portion of the pattern, the set of machine instructions being generated without replacing any portion of the pattern with a design that is associated with one or more pre-existing machine instructions, the set of machine instructions being generated based on characteristics of the image comprising at least one of line color, line thickness, or line type; and
executing at least one machine instruction from the set of machine instructions to control the computer-numerically-controlled machine to effect at least a portion of the change, the execution comprising operating, in accordance with the at least one machine instruction, a tool coupled with the computer-numerically-controlled machine, the tool being configured to effect the change on the material at the second location.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
analyzing the image to identify one or more features of the material;
analyzing the image to identify the pattern independently from the one or more features of the material; and
generating, based at least on the pattern, the set of machine instructions to cause the computer-numerically-controlled machine to effect the change on the material.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first location and the second location are on the material, and wherein the tool traces the pattern on the material based at least on the image comprising the pattern.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
correcting the image by at least performing one or more of a de-distortion, a de-warping, a correction for lighting effects, an adjustment of lighting within a housing of the computer-numerically-controlled machine, or a thresholding.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the camera is positioned to capture all of a material bed of the computer-numerically-controlled machine, and wherein the material is at least partially disposed on the material bed.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating, based at least on an analysis of the image, one or more additional images, the analysis including determining that the image fails to capture one or more features of the material.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, based at least on a user input, a user intention, the portion of the set of machine instructions being generated further based at least on the user intention.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , wherein the user intention is applied globally to specify one or more properties of the change.

9. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
generating, by a camera having a view of an interior portion of a computer-numerically-controlled machine, an image comprising a pattern corresponding to an intended final appearance of a material, the pattern being disposed at a first location;
generating, based on at least a portion of the image, at least a portion of a first set of machine instructions for controlling the computer-numerically-controlled machine to effect, at a second location on the material that is different than the first location, a first change corresponding to at least a portion of the pattern, the first set of machine instructions being generated without replacing any portion of the pattern with a design that is associated with one or more pre-existing machine instructions, the first set of machine instructions being generated based on characteristics of the image comprising at least one of line color, line thickness, or line type;
combining the first set of machine instructions with a second set of machine instructions to generate a third set of machine instructions, the second set of machine instructions for controlling the computer-numerically-controlled machine to effect a second change in the material; and
executing at least one machine instruction from the third set of machine instructions to control the computer-numerically-controlled machine to effect the first change and the second change, the execution comprising operating, in accordance with the at least one machine instruction, a tool coupled with the computer-numerically-controlled machine, and the tool being configured to effect the first change and the second change directly onto the material.

10. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
generating, by a camera having a view of an interior portion of a computer-numerically-controlled machine, a first image of a material disposed inside the computer-numerically-controlled machine;
generating, based on at least a portion of a second image comprising a pattern disposed at a first location, at least a portion of a set of machine instructions for controlling the computer-numerically-controlled machine to effect a change in the material, the change corresponding to at least a portion of the pattern, the set of machine instructions being generated without replacing any portion of the pattern with a design that is associated with one or more pre-existing machine instructions, the set of machine instructions being generated based on characteristics of the second image comprising at least one of line color, line thickness, or line type, the change being effected at a second location on the material that is different than the first location, and the second location being determined based at least on the first image; and
executing at least one machine instruction from the set of machine instructions to control the computer-numerically-controlled machine to effect the change, the execution comprising operating, in accordance with the at least one machine instruction, a tool coupled with the computer-numerically-controlled machine, and the tool being configured to effect the change directly onto the material at the second location.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , further comprising:
generating, at a display, a virtual overlay of the change on the material, the change corresponding to at least the portion of the pattern included in the second image; and
modifying, in response to a user-generated input, the virtual overlay, the modifying including adjusting a size, a position, or an orientation of at least the portion of the pattern.

12. A system, comprising:
at least one data processor; and
at least one memory including instructions which, when executed by the at least one data processor, cause operations comprising:
generating, by a camera having a view of an interior portion of a computer-numerically-controlled machine, an image comprising a pattern corresponding to an intended final appearance of a material, the pattern being disposed at a first location;
generating, based on at least a portion of the image, at least a portion of a set of machine instructions for controlling the computer-numerically-controlled machine to effect, at a second location on the material that is different than the first location, a change corresponding to at least a portion of the pattern, the set of machine instructions being generated without replacing any portion of the pattern

Assignees

• Glowforge Inc

Inventors

• Shapiro Daniel
• Gosselin Mark
• Wright Anthony
• Park Jonathan
• Mcvey Kevin
• Haug Scott
• Ludwick Rachael
• Martinec Daniel

Classifications

• G05B2219/36175

  Capture image of part, create automatically geometry, sequence of machining · CPC title

• Y02P90/02

  Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] · CPC title

• G05B2219/45212

  Etching, engraving, sculpturing, carving · CPC title

• G05B19/4097 Primary

  characterised by using design data to control NC machines, e.g. CAD/CAM (G05B19/4093 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G05B2219/35134

  3-D cad-cam · CPC title