Garment Pattern Drafting from Photographs Using Parametric Constraints

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for drafting garment patterns are inadequate as they rely on surface measurements taken with a tape measure, which fail to capture essential details like dart angles, full circumferences, and horizontal/vertical balance, leading to inaccurate fits and requiring numerous trial garments.

Innovation Solution

A method using computer-aided design (CAD) software and hardware to create garment patterns by inputting measurements from photographs, applying parametric constraints to style drawings, and using body part multipliers to adjust patterns for precise fit, allowing users to visualize and adjust garment designs online before production.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If surface measurements are taken with a tape measure, then the measurement process is simple and quick, but the measurement precision is insufficient to capture essential details like dart angles, full circumferences, and horizontal/vertical balance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement precisionVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a two-dimensional copy (photograph) of the three-dimensional body, which can then be measured with high precision. The photograph serves as a reproducible reference that captures all necessary geometric information including angles, circumferences, and balance points that cannot be accurately obtained with direct tape measure measurements on the body.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical tape measure system with a photographic measurement system. Instead of using a physical tape measure that can only capture surface distances, the system uses photographs combined with computational methods to extract comprehensive geometric data including dart angles, full circumferences, and horizontal/vertical balance relationships.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Manufacturing precision

If traditional drafting methods are used, then the process is simple and requires minimal equipment, but the manufacturing precision of the final garment pattern is poor, requiring multiple trial garments

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing precisionVSAvoidloss of time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary measurements and creates a detailed two-dimensional body map before the actual pattern drafting begins. All essential geometric information including dart angles, circumferences, and balance points is captured in advance from photographs, allowing the pattern drafting to proceed with high precision without requiring multiple trial garments for adjustments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses the photographed body measurements as feedback to create an accurate digital representation of the body geometry. This feedback loop allows the system to automatically calculate and adjust pattern dimensions to achieve precise fit, eliminating the need for multiple trial garments that would otherwise be required to obtain feedback on fit quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If photographs are used to obtain measurements, then the measurement accuracy improves, but the device complexity and processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement precisionVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a two-dimensional copy (photograph) of the three-dimensional body, which can then be measured with high precision. The photograph serves as a reproducible reference that captures all necessary geometric information including angles, circumferences, and balance points that cannot be accurately obtained with direct tape measure measurements on the body.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP2849594B1Method for drafting garment patterns from photographs and style drawings
Publication Date: 2019.10.23 GROVE CAROL S
  • EP2849594B1 patent drawingFigure 1~5
  • EP2849594B1 patent drawingFigure 6~12
  • EP2849594B1 patent drawingFigure 9~16

AI summary

Systems and methods are provided for drafting garment patterns from body photographs and garment style drawings as well as for creating adjustable pattern style drawings and for drafting garment patterns from the pattern style drawings. The garment patterns are adjusted by measurements obtained from photographs and selected body part circumferences of the user for whom the garment pattern is intended. After obtaining the measurement the system preferably automatically make such adjustments. The system includes a content generation side which creates pattern styles of garments and provides such pattern styles to an online store. The system also includes a user-side through which a user generates a user body outline and interacts with the online store to access such pattern style drawings for use in association with the body outline to draft garment patterns that are fully customized to the user.