Creating three dimensional models with acceleration data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9984502-B2
Application number	US-201314011154-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 27, 2013
Priority date	Aug 27, 2013
Publication date	May 29, 2018
Grant date	May 29, 2018

Abstract

Obtaining physical model data for CAD model generation with a process that includes: receiving a first acceleration-based path data set including acceleration data for an accelerometer device as it was traced over a first path along the surface of a physical object, converting the first acceleration-based path data set to a first position-based data set including position data for the accelerometer as it was traced over the first path along the surface of the physical object, and generating a three dimensional object model data set based, at least in part on the position data of the first position-based data set.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method for obtaining physical model data for CAD model generation, the method comprising:
identifying a start point indicator sent from an accelerometer device;
recording a first time stamp corresponding to a start time when the start point indicator was identified;
identifying a stop point indicator sent from the accelerometer device;
recording a second time stamp corresponding to a stop time when the stop point indicator was identified;
determining a first acceleration-based path data set including acceleration data from the accelerometer device beginning at the start time and continuing while the accelerometer device physically moves over a first path along the surface of a physical object until the stop time;
converting, by a processor, the first acceleration-based path data set to a first position-based data set including position data for the accelerometer device as the acceleration device physically moved over the first path along the surface of the physical object; and
generating a three dimensional object model data set based, at least in part on the position data of the first position-based data set, the three dimensional object model data set including data to represent the physical object as a CAD model.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
tracing the accelerometer device over the first path along the surface of the physical object.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein tracing is performed by a trackball in electronic communication with the accelerometer device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first acceleration-based path data set further comprises reference position data.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the reference position data comprises a start point of the first path.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the accelerometer device is a smart phone.

7. A computer program product for obtaining physical model data for CAD model generation, the computer program product comprising software stored on a software storage device, the software comprising:
first program instructions programmed to identifying a start point indicator sent from an accelerometer device;
second program instructions programmed to recording a first time stamp corresponding to a start time when the start point indicator was identified;
third program instructions programmed to identifying a stop point indicator sent from the accelerometer device;
fourth program instructions programmed to recording a second time stamp corresponding to a stop time when the stop point indicator was identified;
fifth program instructions programmed to determine a first acceleration-based path data set including acceleration data from the accelerometer device beginning at the time and continuing as the accelerometer device is traced over a first path along the surface of a physical object until the stop point indicator is identified;
sixth program instructions programmed to convert the first acceleration-based path data set to a first position-based data set including position data for the accelerometer while the accelerometer device physically moves over the first path along the surface of the physical object; and
seventh program instructions programmed to generate a three dimensional object model data set based, at least in part on the position data of the first position-based data set, the three dimensional object model data set including data to represent the physical object as a CAD model;
wherein:
the software is stored on a software storage device in a manner less transitory than a signal in transit.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 further comprising:
fourth program instructions programmed to, responsive to an acceleration data input from the accelerometer device, generate the first acceleration-based path data set.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the acceleration data input is communicated by a trackball in electronic communication with the accelerometer device.

10. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein the first acceleration-based path data set further comprises reference position data.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the reference position data comprises a start point of the first path.

12. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein the accelerometer device is a smart phone.

13. A computer system for obtaining physical model data for CAD model generation, the computer system comprising:
a processor(s) set; and
a software storage device;
wherein:
the processor set is structured, located, connected and/or programmed to run software stored on the software storage device; and
the software comprises:
first program instructions programmed to identifying a start point indicator sent from an accelerometer device;
second program instructions programmed to recording a first time stamp corresponding to a start time when the start point indicator was identified;
third program instructions programmed to identifying a stop point indicator sent from the accelerometer device;
fourth program instructions programmed to recording a second time stamp corresponding to a stop time when the stop point indicator was identified;

fifth program instructions programmed to determine a first acceleration-based path data set including acceleration data from the accelerometer device beginning at the time and continuing as the accelerometer device is traced over a first path along the surface of a physical object until the stop point indicator is identified;
sixth program instructions programmed to convert the first acceleration-based path data set to a first position-based data set including position data for the accelerometer while the accelerometer device physically moves over the first path along the surface of the physical object; and

seventh program instructions programmed to generate a three dimensional object model data set based, at least in part on the position data of the first position-based data set, the three dimensional object model data set including data to represent the physical object as a CAD model.

14. The computer system of claim 13 wherein the software further comprises:
fourth program instructions programmed to, responsive to an acceleration data input from the accelerometer device, generate the first acceleration-based path data set.

15. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the acceleration data input is communicated by a trackball in electronic communication with the accelerometer device.

16. The computer system of claim 13 wherein the first acceleration-based path data set further comprises reference position data.

17. The computer system of claim 16 wherein the reference position data comprises a start point of the first path.

18. The computer system of claim 13 wherein the accelerometer device is a smart phone.

19. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
constructing a three-dimensional mesh of the physical object based at least in part on the reference position data.

20. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
rendering the CAD model using CAD software; and
determining a volume of the physical object from the CAD model.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Jones Christopher P
• Lenchner Jonathan
• Masters Nathan
• Mazzella Daniel A
• Oravec James A
• Rey Rodrigo A

Classifications

• G06T17/00

  Three-dimensional [3D] modelling for computer graphics · CPC title

• G06F30/00

  Computer-aided design [CAD] · CPC title

• G06T15/205

  Image-based rendering · CPC title

• G06F30/10

  Geometric CAD · CPC title

• G06F3/0416 Primary

  Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers · CPC title