Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Computer graphics processing – Three-dimension
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-13
2003-04-29
Nguyen, Phu (Department: 2671)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Computer graphics processing
Three-dimension
Reexamination Certificate
active
06556195
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to an image processing device, an image processing method, a medium, a contour extraction device and contour extraction method, and for example, to an image processing device, an image processing method, a medium, a contour extraction device and contour extraction method which enable easy processing such as three-dimensional editing of a two-dimensionally displayed image of a three-dimensional object.
BACKGROUND ART
Conventionally, various methods have been proposed for carrying out various processing and extracting information necessary for carrying out various processing from a two-dimensional image. Such methods are described, for example, in the following documents: James D. Foley, Andries van Dam, Steven K. Feiner, John F. Hughes, “Computer Graphics, principles and practice,” ADDISON-WESLEY PUBLISHING COMPANY, 1996 (hereinafter referred to as Document 1); Paul E. Debevec, Camillo J. Taylor, Jitendra Malik, “Modeling and Rendering Architecture from Photographs: A hybrid geometry- and image-based approach,” proceedings of SIGGRAPH 96, pp. 11-20 (hereinafter referred to as Document 2); Oliver Faugeras, “Three-dimensional computer version,” The MIT press (hereinafter referred to as Document 3); Kenneth P. Fishkin, Brian A. Barsky, “A Family of New Algorithms for Soft Filling,” proceedings of SIGGRAPH 84, pp.235-244 (hereinafter referred to as Document 4); Pat Hanrahan and Paul Haeberli, “Direct WYSIWYG Painting and Texturing on 3D Shapes,” proceedings of SIGGRAPH 90, pp.215-233 (hereinafter referred to as Document 5); Youichi Horry, Ken-ichi Anjyo, Kiyoshi Arai, “Tour Into the Picture: Using a Spidery Mesh Interface to Make Animation from a Single Image,” proceedings of SIGGRAPH 97, pp.255-232 (hereinafter referred to as Document 6); and Michael Gleicher, “Image Snapping,” proceedings of SIGGRAPH 95, pp. 183-190 (hereinafter referred to as Document 7).
In Document 1, a image processing technique called two-dimensional paint is described in which the work similar to painting a picture on paper by a designer or the like using a paintbrush or air brush (a technique for painting a picture by scattering a powder paint) is carried out by a computer.
However, in the conventional 2D paint technique, even if a displayed image is of a three-dimensional object, the image itself is handled on a two-dimensional plane. Therefore, if any character is drawn or any pattern is added not in consideration of the direction in the three-dimensional space of the three-dimensional object displayed as a two-dimensional image, the image will be unnatural.
Specifically, in the case where a three-dimensional object imitating a house is displayed as a two-dimensional image as shown in
FIG. 1A
, if characters are drawn on the wall parts of the house without considering their directions, the characters do not look as if they were drawn on the walls, as shown in FIG.
1
B. Similarly, if a rectangle is drawn on the wall part of the house so as to add a rectangular-parallelepiped room without considering the direction of the wall, the image will be unnatural, as shown in FIG.
1
C. Moreover, in the case where a column is displayed as a two-dimensional image as shown in
FIG. 2A
, if characters are drawn on its lateral side ignoring the direction of the lateral side, the characters do not look as if they were drawn on the lateral side of the column, as shown in FIG.
2
B.
Therefore, in order to prevent an image from being unnatural in carrying out 2D paint, it is necessary to draw characters or pattern while transforming the characters or pattern in accordance with the direction of a three-dimensional object displayed as a two-dimensional image. However, the operation for such drawing requires some skills.
Thus, there is proposed a method for inputting the inclination or the like of the three-dimensional object displayed as a two-dimensional image by a user using a ten-key pad or a GUI (graphic user interface) and transforming characters or pattern to be newly drawn on the basis of the input by a computer. In this method, however, the user needs to adjust the inclination of the three-dimensional object to be inputted to the computer while watching the drawing result so as not to make the image unnatural, and this adjustment also requires certain skills.
As described above, if the user draws any character or pattern without considering the direction of the three-dimensional object displayed as a two-dimensional image, a drawing result that looks natural, that is, a drawing result that looks as if the object were shot with the character or pattern drawn thereon, cannot be obtained for the following reason. That is, there is lacked information concerning where in the three-dimensional space the three-dimensional object displayed as a two-dimensional image is positioned, and from which position the object was shot to obtain the two-dimensional image (if the two-dimensional image is obtained by shooting a picture, the position where the scenery shown in the picture was observed).
Thus, there is proposed a method for finding the position in the three-dimensional space of the three-dimensional object displayed in the two-dimensional image and the shooting position of the object, from the two-dimensional image by using an image recognition (computer vision) technique.
Specifically, Document 2 discloses a method for associating a three-dimensional object such as a rectangular-parallelepiped with a building shot into a plurality of photographs by using a GUI and then finding the size and the shooting position of the building. Document 3 discloses various other methods for finding the position of the three-dimensional object and the shooting position thereof
Such methods for calculating the position of the three-dimensional object and the shooting position thereof using the image recognition technique utilizes the principle of triangulation. Therefore, a plurality of images obtained by shooting the same three-dimensional object from a plurality of shooting positions are required. However, it is not necessarily possible to prepare such plural images in carrying out 2D paint, and if the two-dimensional image is obtained by shooting a picture, a plurality of images as described above generally do not exist.
Even in the case where a plurality of images obtained by shooting the same three-dimensional object from a plurality of shooting positions can be prepared, the corresponding positions of the same three-dimensional object displayed in the plurality of images (e.g., the apex of the roof of the building as the three-dimensional object) must be designated in order to calculate the position of the three-dimensional object and the shooting position thereof from the plurality of images by a computer. Such operation for designation with respect to each of the plurality of images is troublesome and time-consuming. Moreover, in carrying out natural drawing in a three-dimensional manner on the basis of the position in the three-dimensional space of the three-dimensional object displayed as a two-dimensional image and the shooting position thereof, three-dimensional data such as three-dimensional coordinate of the three-dimensional object as viewed from the shooting position must be processed despite that the two-dimensional image is handled. Therefore, an extremely large quantity of calculation is required.
Document 4 discloses a color processing method in carrying out 2D paint.
Specifically, in 2D paint, for example, the user selects a color to be used for drawing by using a GUI and carries out drawing with the selected color. However, the color and brightness of a three-dimensional object displayed as a two-dimensional image change in accordance with the relation between the direction of the side and the position of a light source. Therefore, for example, if one side of the three-dimensional object is entirely painted with the same color (the same RGB (red, green, blue) value), the drawing result will be unnatural. To obtain a natural drawing result, it is necessary to gradually change the
Ohki Mitsuharu
Totsuka Takashi
Yamada Rui
Bell Boyd & Lloyd LLC
Nguyen Phu
Sony Corporation
LandOfFree
Image processing device and image processing method does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Image processing device and image processing method, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Image processing device and image processing method will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3053086