Generating downscaled images

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021407038-A1
Application number	US-201816605567-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 26, 2018
Priority date	Jun 26, 2018
Publication date	Dec 30, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

In an example, an apparatus comprises processing circuitry, the processing circuitry comprising: memory, to store a two-dimensional pixel representation of a layer of an object to be made in an additive manufacturing process and pixel information, the pixel information specifying pixels representing a surface of the object and colour for the pixels representing the surface; and an image processor, to generate a downscaled representation of the layer and to process the downscaled representation to propagate colour from pixels representing the surface of the object in the downscaled representation to neighbouring pixels representing an interior of the object in the downscaled representation.

First claim

1 . A method comprising:
acquiring, by at least one processor, data representing a slice of an object model, the slice corresponding to a layer of the object to be generated in additive manufacturing, the data comprising a two-dimensional set of pixels at a given resolution and pixel information, the pixel information specifying pixels representing a surface of the object and colour of the pixels representing the surface; generating, by at least one processor, a downscaled image representing the slice of the object from the data, the downscaled image comprising pixels representing the surface of the object and colour values of the pixels representing the surface of the object; and propagating, by at least one processor, the colour values of the pixels representing the surface of the object in the downscaled image to pixels representing an interior of the object in the downscaled image to obtain a processed downscaled image.

2 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the propagating of the colour values comprises one or more of: applying a colour value of a pixel representing the surface of the object to a neighbouring pixel representing the interior of the object, and applying an average colour value of two or more pixels representing the surface of the object to a common neighbouring pixel representing the interior of the object.

3 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the propagating of the colour values comprises specifying a kernel of pixels centred on a pixel representing the surface of the object, and applying the colour value of the pixel representing the surface of the object to pixels inside the kernel.

4 . A method according to claim 3 , wherein the colour value is applied from the pixel representing the surface of the object to a neighbouring pixel in one of an x-direction and a y-direction, and from the neighbouring pixel to a next neighbouring pixel arranged in the other of the x-direction and the y-direction to the arranged pixels.

5 . A method according to claim 3 , wherein the kernel comprises one of: a circular group of pixels and a square group of pixels.

6 . A method according to claim 1 , further comprising storing, by at least one processor, pixel information in a transparency information channel of the processed downscaled image, the pixel information comprising information identifying the pixels representing the surface of the object in the processed downscaled image and information identifying the pixels representing the interior of the object in the processed downscaled image.

7 . A method according to claim 1 , further comprising controlling, by at least one processor, a display unit to display the processed downscaled image.

8 . Apparatus comprising processing circuitry, the processing circuitry comprising:
memory, to store a two-dimensional pixel representation of a layer of an object to be made in an additive manufacturing process and pixel information, the pixel information specifying pixels representing a surface of the object and colour for the pixels representing the surface; and an image processor, to generate a downscaled representation of the layer and to process the downscaled representation to propagate colour from pixels representing the surface of the object in the downscaled representation to pixels representing an interior of the object in the downscaled representation.

9 . Apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the image processor is to perform one or more of: apply a colour value of a pixel representing the surface of the object to a neighbouring pixel representing the interior of the object, and apply an average colour value of two or more pixels representing the surface of the object to a common neighbouring pixel representing the interior of the object.

10 . Apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the image processor is to specify a kernel of pixels centred on a pixel representing the surface of the object, and apply the colour value of the pixel representing the surface of the object to pixels inside the kernel.

11 . Apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the image processor is to apply the colour value from the pixel representing the surface of the object to a neighbouring pixel in one of an x-direction and a y-direction, and from the neighbouring pixel to a next neighbouring pixel arranged in the other of the x-direction and the y-direction to the arranged pixels.

12 . Apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the image processor is to encode pixel information in a transparency information channel of the downscaled representation, the pixel information distinguishing between pixels representing the surface of the object in the downscaled representation and pixels representing the interior of the object in the downscaled representation.

13 . Apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising a display unit to display the downscaled representation.

14 . A tangible machine readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
acquire image data representing a layer of an object to be generated in a layer-by-layer additive manufacturing process and pixel data, the image data comprising a two-dimensional array of pixels, the pixel data identifying pixels representing a surface of the object and colour values for the pixels representing the surface; generate downscaled image data by reducing a resolution of the image data; and propagate the colour values of pixels representing the surface of the object in the downscaled image data to pixels representing an interior of the object in the downscaled image data.

15 . The tangible machine readable medium according to claim 14 , further storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
encode pixel information in an alpha channel of the downscaled image, the pixel information identifying the pixels representing the surface of the object in the processed downscaled image and the pixels representing the interior of the object in the processed downscaled image.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Carruesco Llorens Alex
• Gonzalez Martin Sergio

Classifications

• G06T11/10

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

• B29C64/386

  Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y50/02

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• G06T3/40 Primary

  Scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting · CPC title

• B33Y50/00

  Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing · CPC title