Transparent, semi-transparent, and opaque dynamic 3D objects in design software

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11967017-B2
Application number	US-202217650378-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 8, 2022
Priority date	Feb 11, 2021
Publication date	Apr 23, 2024
Grant date	Apr 23, 2024

Abstract

A computing system, having stored thereon a design software, is configured to generate a design file representing a three-dimensional space that embodies a design. The computing system is further configured to render a three-dimensional view of the three-dimensional space in a graphical user interface. In response to receiving a user input of placing a three-dimensional object in the three-dimensional space, the computing system then renders the three-dimensional object in the three-dimensional view of the three-dimensional space in the graphical user interface as a silhouette.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computing system comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a computer-aided design software including computer-executable instructions that are structured such that, when the computer-executable instructions are executed by the one or more processors, configure the computing system to perform at least:
generate a design file representing a three-dimensional space that embodies a design;
render a three-dimensional view of the three-dimensional space in a graphical user interface;
receive a first user input of placing a three-dimensional object in the three-dimensional space;
while the three-dimensional space is rendered in the three-dimensional view, render the three-dimensional object in the three-dimensional space as a silhouette;
wherein the silhouette is rendered as a semi-transparent silhouette having a particular opacity level;
render the three-dimensional object as the semi-transparent silhouette includes performing color blending to combine a color of the silhouette with colors of an area of the three-dimensional view of the three-dimensional space that overlaps the silhouette to create an appearance of partial or full transparency, such that the silhouette does not completely block any feature of the design in the three-dimensional space, and such that features of the design in the three-dimensional space can be at least partially seen through the silhouette,
wherein the silhouette is a first silhouette;
receive a second user input to place a second object in the three-dimensional space;
render the second object in the three-dimensional view of the three-dimensional space as a second silhouette that is also semi-transparent; and
when the second silhouette at least partially overlaps the first silhouette in the three-dimensional view, perform color blending in an overlapping area among the first silhouette, the second silhouette, and the three-dimensional space to create an appearance of partial or full transparency, such that neither the first silhouette, nor the second silhouette completely blocks any feature of the design in the three-dimensional space, and such that all features of the design in the three-dimensional space can be at least partially seen through the first silhouette and the second silhouette.

2. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional object is a character.

3. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional object is a fixture or a non-fixture.

4. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the computing system is further configured to:
receive a second user input, changing at least one of a plurality of properties of the silhouette; and
re-render the three-dimensional object in the three-dimensional view of the three-dimensional space based on the second user input.

5. The computing system of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of properties of the silhouette includes a color of an outline of the silhouette.

6. The computing system of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of properties of the silhouette includes a weight of an outline of the silhouette.

7. The computing system of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of properties of the silhouette includes a color filling in the silhouette.

8. The computing system of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of properties of the silhouette includes an opacity level of an outline of the silhouette.

9. The computing system of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of properties of the silhouette includes an opacity level of a color filling in the silhouette.

10. The computing system of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of properties of the silhouette includes a shadow property configured to set the silhouette in a shadow mode or a no-shadow mode;
when the silhouette is in the shadow mode, a shadow of the silhouette is rendered based on lighting and depth of each surface in the three-dimensional view; and
when the silhouette is in the no-shadow mode, no shadow of the silhouette is rendered.

11. The computing system of claim 4 , wherein:
the plurality of properties of the silhouette includes an animation property that is configured to set the silhouette to an animated mode or fixed mode;
when the silhouette is in the animated mode, the silhouette is an animated silhouette configured to perform a sequence of motions; and
when the silhouette is in the fixed mode, the silhouette is fixed at a particular position in the three-dimensional view of the three-dimensional space, holding still.

12. The computing system of claim 11 , wherein the sequence of motions is a predetermined sequence of motions.

13. The computing system of claim 11 , wherein the computing system is further configured to receive sensing data from one or more sensors attached to a user, and the sequence of motions is configured to mimic motions of the user based on the sensing data.

14. The computing system of claim 4 , wherein:
the plurality of properties of the silhouette includes a sketch property that is configured to set the silhouette to a sketch mode or no-sketch mode;
when the silhouette is in the sketch mode, the silhouette is rendered to sketch lines inside the silhouette and an outline outlining the silhouette based on a shape of the three-dimensional object and a setting of lighting in the three-dimensional view of the three-dimensional space; and
when the silhouette is in the no-sketch mode, the silhouette is rendered to have no sketch lines inside the silhouette.

15. A method for rendering a 3D object as a silhouette in a 3D space, the method comprising:
generating a design file representing a three-dimensional space that embodies a design;
rendering a three-dimensional view of the three-dimensional space in a graphical user interface;
receiving a first user input of placing a three-dimensional object in the three-dimensional space;
while the three-dimensional space is rendered in the three-dimensional view, rendering the three-dimensional object in the three-dimensional space as a silhouette;
receiving a second user input to place a second object in the three-dimensional space;
rendering the second object in the three-dimensional view of the three-dimensional space as a second silhouette that is also semi-transparent; and
when the second silhouette at least partially overlaps the silhouette in the three-dimensional view, perform color blending in an overlapping area among the silhouette, the second silhouette, and the three-dimensional space to create an appearance of partial or full transparency, such that neither the silhouette, nor the second silhouette completely blocks any feature of the design in the three-dimensional space, and such that all features of the design in the three-dimensional space can be at least partially seen through the silhouette and the second silhouette.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
the silhouette is rendered as a semi-transparent silhouette; and
rendering the three-dimensional object as the semi-transparent silhouette includes performing color blending to combine a color of the silhouette with colors of an area of the three-dimensional view of the three-dimensional space that overlaps the silhouette to create an appearance of partial or full transparency, such that the silhouette does not completely block any feature of the design in the three-dimensional space, and such that all features of the design in the three-dimensional space can be at least partially seen through the silhouette.

Assignees

• Dirtt Env Solutions Inc
• Dirtt Environmental Solutions
• Armstrong World Ind Inc

Inventors

• Blodgett Robert
• Mattson Paul Williams

Classifications

• G06T11/10

  Texturing; Colouring; Generation of textures or colours (retouching, inpainting or scratch removal G06T5/77) · CPC title

• G06T15/503 Primary

  Blending, e.g. for anti-aliasing · CPC title

• G06F30/13

  Architectural design, e.g. computer-aided architectural design [CAAD] related to design of buildings, bridges, landscapes, production plants or roads · CPC title

• G06T11/001

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06T11/40

  Filling planar surfaces by adding surface attributes, e.g. adding colours or textures · CPC title