Automated 3D Mesh UV Coordinate Transfer via Correspondence Points

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing techniques for applying 2D textures to 3D objects are inefficient when the object's topology changes, requiring manual UV unwrapping and texture modification, which is tedious and error-prone, especially when transferring textures from a designed to a built object with significantly different polygon counts.

Innovation Solution

A method using correspondence points to align and project 2D texture portions onto a new 3D mesh, automatically unwrapping and fitting the texture by determining transformation matrices and maintaining face proportionality, allowing for efficient data reuse across multiple objects.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual UV unwrapping and texture modification is used, then texture mapping can be performed, but the process is tedious and error-prone

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetexture mapping accuracyVSAvoidmanual operation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically performs UV unwrapping and texture mapping by using correspondence points between meshes to compute transformation matrices, eliminating the need for manual UV unwrapping operations. The computing device autonomously processes the entire texture mapping pipeline from designed mesh to built mesh.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical UV unwrapping operations with automated computational algorithms that use correspondence points and transformation matrices to automatically project and fit texture portions onto the 3D mesh, substituting human manual processes with automated digital computation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Adaptability or versatility

If manual texture modification is performed, then texture can be adapted to topology changes, but the process is time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetexture adaptation to topology changesVSAvoidtexture modification time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-establishes correspondence points between the designed mesh and built mesh before texture mapping. These correspondence points serve as pre-computed reference data that enables automatic transformation matrix calculation, allowing rapid adaptation of textures to topology changes without time-consuming manual remapping.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses transformation matrices that compute and apply parameter changes (rotation, translation, scaling) to automatically adapt texture coordinates from the designed mesh topology to the built mesh topology, enabling efficient adaptation to different polygon counts and topologies through mathematical parameter transformation rather than manual redrawing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If automated alignment is used, then texture mapping efficiency improves, but correspondence point determination complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetexture mapping efficiencyVSAvoidalignment system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces correspondence points as intermediary reference markers between the designed mesh and built mesh. These correspondence points act as mediators that simplify the alignment process by providing discrete, identifiable reference locations that enable automatic computation of transformation matrices without requiring complex global alignment algorithms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10198860B1Automated three dimensional (3D) mesh UV coordinate transfer process

Publication Date: 2019.02.05 THE BOEING CO

AI summary

An apparatus and related methods for applying two-dimensional (2D) texture maps onto three-dimensional (3D) objects are described. A computing device can receive differing first and second meshes representing respective first and second 3D objects and a 2D texture associated with the first 3D object. The computing device can determine correspondence points between the first and second meshes and can align the first and second meshes using an alignment transformation based on the correspondence points. The computing device can determine texture portions of the 2D texture associated with first corresponding portions of the first mesh. The computing device can assign the texture portions to second corresponding portions of the aligned second mesh. For each texture portion, the computing device can: project the texture portion onto a 2D plane related to a particular second corresponding portion and fit the projected texture portion to the particular second corresponding portion.