Virtual 3D Print Approval for Remote Quality Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Print converters lack the capability for remote press approval, necessitating brand owners to travel for quality assurance of printed products, which is inefficient and costly.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for creating a virtual 3D image of printed products using a feature matching algorithm and a FlatNeRF model to generate a 3D environment from captured images, enabling remote viewing and approval through a virtual reality interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the brand owner representative travels to the print converter location for quality approval, then the quality assurance is ensured, but the time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the printed product by capturing images from multiple perspectives and generating a 3D virtual model. This virtual copy can be viewed remotely by the brand owner representative, eliminating the need for physical travel while maintaining quality assurance capabilities. The system captures photographs or videos of the printed product and processes them into an immersive 3D experience that replicates the actual product appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a digital intermediary system that acts as a mediator between the print converter and the brand owner representative. This system uses image capture devices, processing algorithms, and virtual reality interfaces to transmit product quality information remotely. The intermediary enables quality approval without direct physical presence, resolving the contradiction between ensuring quality and minimizing travel time.
2Reliability
If the brand owner representative travels to the print converter location for quality approval, then the quality assurance is ensured, but the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the printed product that can be viewed remotely, eliminating the need for expensive travel. The system captures images from multiple angles and generates a 3D virtual model that replicates the actual product, allowing the brand owner representative to perform quality assurance from any location without incurring travel costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the brand owner representative to perform quality inspection independently through the virtual reality system. The representative can examine the printed product in detail using the virtual model, access color profiles, and make approval decisions without requiring physical presence at the print converter location, thereby eliminating travel costs while maintaining quality control.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple images are captured from multiple perspectives to create a 3D virtual model, then the remote viewing capability is improved, but the processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by capturing all necessary images from multiple perspectives in advance and processing them into a 3D virtual model before the quality approval session. This preparation work is done beforehand, so that during the actual approval process, the brand owner representative can simply view the pre-generated virtual model without dealing with complex real-time processing. The system captures images, generates homography matrices, and creates the virtual model in advance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical 3D scanning systems with a simpler image-based approach. Instead of using sophisticated mechanical scanners, the system uses standard cameras to capture images from multiple perspectives and uses computational methods (homography matrices, neural networks) to generate the 3D virtual model. This substitution reduces hardware complexity while achieving the same remote viewing capability.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for creating a virtual 3D image of a printed product. Images of the printed product are captured from a plurality of viewing perspectives, each image defining a frame, and each frame is compared to a reference image using a feature matching algorithm to generate a homography matrix defining the frame relative to the reference image. The homography matrix is used for defining a plurality of descriptors including at least an image acquisition position, a rotation, and an image field of view of the frame. A set of training data, generated from the frames and descriptors, is used for training a model. The trained model renders a 3D environment defined by a static 2D plane rendering of the printed product relative to a user-selected viewing location, with virtual images of the printed product as rendered from multiple viewing locations displayed on the user's display.