Method and apparatus for constraint-based texture generation

Abstract

A method and apparatus for texture mapping a surface. The method is applicable to texture mapping either a two-dimensional representation (image) of a three-dimensional surface as well as a three-dimensional computer model of a three-dimensional surface, such as a triangular wire mesh model. In one embodiment, the texture mapping process involves user-specification of a plurality of constraints, including texture flow constraints, texture discontinuities, and surface underfolds. A triangular wire mesh model of the surface to be textured is generated. The mesh allows a continuous texture distribution to be specified as a linear interpolation of texture values at the triangular vertices. User-specified constraints are preserved as edges within the triangular mesh. The triangular mesh is used to compute a weighted energy functional expressed in terms of nodal texture values. The global value of this functional serves as a measure of how closely the user-specified and physics-based constraints are met by a particular texture distribution. The optimal texture distribution is found by determining the set of nodal values which minimizes this functional, through an iterative process that is recursively applied to each nodal value using the results of a previous iteration. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the results of previous optimizations may be used as the starting point for subsequent refinements of the texture distribution, in the event that greater levels of photorealisim are necessary. During this recursive procedure the triangular mesh is progressively refined using an adaptive subdivision procedure which allows local texture variations to be more accurately expressed whilst optimizing the overall mesh density against calculational efficiency.

Description

NOTICE PURSUANT TO 37 C.F.R. § 1.184(2)[0001]The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or application publication with color drawings will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates generally to computer graphics, and more particular to a methodology for creating high-quality texture maps for photographic re-texturing.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]In the field of computer graphics and computer graphics rendering software, it is often desirable to apply a texture to a graphical image of a digitally-rendered object. Such functionality is often referred to as “texture mapping” or “texturing,” and numerous software tools for performing this function are known to those of ordinary skill in the art.[0004]As a general proposition, it is more difficult to map a photo-realistic texture to an object whose surface geometry and topology is complex...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0016]The nature of the invention is such that the authoring process (i.e., the entire process of generating a good texture distribution) can be performed incrementally. This advantageously enables existing texture distributions to be improved at a later date to meet higher standards of realism.

[0017]It is contemplated that the invention has various commercial applications, including o

Problems solved by technology

The generation of a texture map for a graphical image is complicated further when the surface to be mapped includes suc

Images