Abstract:
Disclosed is an online system for creating a figure with a customized 3D model of a head. The head is created using a 3D printer, and the 3D model of the head is generated through an interactive process between a user at a remote computer and a hosted service on a local computer. Using at least one photograph, the hosted service enables the user to customize a generic 3D head form to adequately imitate the photograph provided by the user. Once created, the customized 3D model of the head may be physically instantiated using the 3D printer for attachment to an existing physical figure, or the entire physical figure (including the customized head) may be physically instantiated together.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to the field of customized three dimensional modeling, and more specifically, to the field of online services for creating customized three dimensional models. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION WITH BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
       [0002]    Three dimensional (“3D”) printing is growing rapidly in significance and popularity with the consuming public. Although still cost prohibitive for most individuals, it is easy to see the attraction of creating a real world instance of a digital representation of an object. Many uses for 3D printers are evolving. 
         [0003]    Generally stated, the invention is directed to an online system for creating a figure with a customized 3D model of a head. The head is created using a 3D printer, and the 3D model of the head is generated through an interactive process between a user at a remote computer and a hosted service on a local computer. Using at least one photograph, the hosted service enables the user to customize a generic 3D head form to adequately imitate the photograph provided by the user. Once created, the customized 3D model of the head may be physically instantiated using the 3D printer for attachment to an existing physical figure, or the entire physical figure (including the customized head) may be physically instantiated together. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]    The teachings of the invention may be better understood with reference to the accompanying figures, in which are shown several preferred embodiments, when read in conjunction with the following detailed description. 
           [0005]      FIG. 1  is a functional overview of one embodiment of a customized model creation system  100 , in accordance with aspects of the invention. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a functional block diagram illustrating components of a remote computing system that may be implemented in certain embodiments. 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a functional block diagram illustrating components of a local computing system that may be implemented in certain embodiments. 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a functional block diagram generally illustrating elements of a figure creator component that may be implemented in certain embodiments. 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is a conceptual representation of an interface that may be exposed by a local computing system for manipulating an image and creating a customized 3D model of a head, in accordance with one embodiment. 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  is another conceptual representation of an interface that may be exposed by a local computing system for manipulating an image and creating a customized 3D model of a head, in accordance with one embodiment. 
           [0011]      FIG. 7  is a conceptual representation of the creation of a physical instance of a customized figure, having a 3D model of a head based on an image provided by a user, in accordance with one embodiment. 
       
    
    
       [0012]    Like numerals represent like elements throughout the several figures. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0013]    Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the figures. Although specific embodiments are being described here, such embodiments are not limiting of the invention. These specific embodiments are for illustrative purposes only. 
         [0014]    Briefly described, the disclosed embodiments illustrate a customized figure creation system to allow users to connect over a wireless network and provide an image. The figure creation system then creates 3D model based on that image and allows the user to manipulate and customize the 3D model. Once the 3D model is to the user&#39;s liking, the figure creation system causes a 3D figure to be created using the 3D model. In one specific implementation, the preferred embodiment receives at least one image of a face over a network, creates a 3D model of a head resembling the face in the image, customizes the 3D model based on user input, and creates a figure using the 3D model of the head. 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a functional overview of one embodiment of a customized model creation system  100 , in accordance with aspects of the invention. In this embodiment, the system  100  is composed of a wide area network  101 , a remote computing system  111 , and a local computing system  131 . Very generally stated, a user of the remote computing system  111  connects to the local computing system  131  using the wide area network  101 . 
         [0016]    In this particular implementation, the user of the remote computing system  111  interacts with the local computing system  131  to customize a model in accordance with the user&#39;s desires. More specifically, this embodiment enables the user to transmit an image from the remote computing system  111  to the local computing system  131 , which then customizes a model based on the image. More specifically, the preferred embodiment customizes a physical ‘model’ by creating a three dimensional representation of a head using an image provided by the user. For the purpose of this description, the term ‘model’ includes any figurine, doll, action figure, or the like. 
         [0017]    In the preferred embodiment, the wide area network  101  may be any computer network capable of inter-connecting disparate computing systems. The Internet is one example of the wide area network  101 . The wide area network  101  may be based on any computing technology capable of transmitting digital information from one computing location to another, such as wired networking technologies (e.g., Ethernet) or wireless networking technologies (e.g., Wi-Fi, WLAN, CDMA, TDMA, GSM, PCS, etc.) 
         [0018]    A remote computing system  111  (or “remote computer”) is connected to the wide area network  101 , and enables a user (such as user  113 ) to remotely create a 3D figure. A specific embodiment of an illustrative remote computing system  111  is illustrated in  FIG. 2  and described below. Generally stated, the remote computer  111  includes software components to connect to other computers over a network, such as the wide area network  101 . Using those software components, the remote computer  111  enables user  113  to transmit an image, such as an image of the user&#39;s face or head. Once that image is transmitted, the remote computer  111  enables the user to customize a 3D model of a head based on the image. Once the 3D model is to the user&#39;s liking, the remote computer  111  causes a 3D figure to be created using the 3D model. 
         [0019]    A local computing system  131  (or “local computer”) hosts server software and application software for creating figures customized using 3D models. The figures are physically created from digital representations using a 3D printer  171  (described below). The digital representations are generally described as being part standard form and part customized form. More specifically, the digital representation of the figure is based largely on a standard form, which digitally represents a substantially human body. For example, the standard form may describe general characteristics of a body, such as legs, a torso, arms, and a head. Of the standard forms, there may be one or more options, such as a male standard form and a female standard form. 
         [0020]    In addition to the standard form, the digital representation includes a customized form, such as a form of a head which is customized using a 3D model of a head. The customized 3D model of the head is created by modeling an image of a face or head provided by the remote computer  111 . In one specific implementation, the local computer  131  includes software components for rendering a 3D model of a head using an image of a face. Specific components are described in greater detail below in conjunction with  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Briefly stated, the local computer  131  creates a 3D model of an entire head based on the image provided by the user. Once the 3D model is created, the local computer  131  allows certain features of the 3D model to be customized to the user&#39;s liking, such as hairstyle, facial hair, eyewear, or the like. 
         [0021]    Once the entire digital representation of the figure is customized and created, the local computer  131  causes a physical representation to be created using a three dimensional printer  171 . The three dimensional printer  171  (“3D printer”) is connected to the local computer  131  and is operative for creating three dimensional objects. More particularly, the 3D printer  171  is based on any of various processes for making a three-dimensional object of almost any shape from a 3D model or other electronic data source primarily through additive processes in which successive layers of material are laid down under computer control. One specific example of an acceptable 3D printer  171  is the ZPrinter 650 from the Z Corporation. 
         [0022]    Alternatively, the digital representation may be only the customized form, such as a customized 3D model of a face and head. In this alternative embodiment, a pre-existing physical figure (referred to as a “preform”) may be used. In this manner, the customized 3D model of the head may be physically created using the 3D printer  171  and then affixed to the preform, thereby reducing the amount of 3D printing which must be done. 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  is a functional block diagram illustrating components of a remote computing system that may be implemented in certain embodiments. The computing system  111 , in one basic configuration, includes at least a processor  202  and a memory  204 . Depending on the exact configuration and type of computing device, memory  204  may be volatile (such as RAM), non-volatile (such as ROM, flash memory, etc.), or some combination of the two. This basic configuration is illustrated in  FIG. 2  by dashed line  206 . 
         [0024]    Additionally, computing system  111  may have other features and functionality. For example, computing system  111  may also include additional storage (removable and/or non-removable) including, but not limited to, magnetic or optical disks or tape. Such additional storage is illustrated in  FIG. 2  by removable storage  208  and non-removable storage  210 . Computer storage media includes volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Memory  204 , removable storage  208  and non-removable storage  210  are all examples of computer storage media. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can accessed by computing system  111 . Any such computer storage media may be part of computing system  111 . 
         [0025]    Computing system  111  includes one or more communication connections  214  that allow computing system  111  to communicate with one or more remote computers and/or applications  213 , such as over wide area network  101 . Computing system  111  may also have input device(s)  212  such as a keyboard, mouse, digitizer or other touch-input device, voice input device, etc. In this specific embodiment, computing system  111  may include a digital camera for electronically capturing images, such as an image of a user&#39;s face and head. Output device(s)  211  such as a monitor, speakers, printer, PDA, mobile phone, and other types of digital display devices may also be included. These devices are well known in the art and need not be discussed at length here. 
         [0026]    In accordance with this embodiment, a user of the remote computer  111  may use web browser  205  to interact with other computers over wide area network  101 . More specifically, the web browser  205  may be used to connect to local computer  131  to interact with software components on the local computer  131  for creating a digital representation of a figure. 
         [0027]    Referring briefly to  FIG. 5 , the user provides an image, such as an image of a human face and head, to the local computer  131  over the wide area network  101 . The user may then interact with a figure creation system  100  to create a 3D model of a head which resembles the image provided by the user. The user may use the web browser  205  to interact with a web interface  511  to upload a photograph  513 . The photograph  513  may then be overlaid onto a 3D model of a head form  515 . 
         [0028]    Referring briefly to  FIG. 6 , using the interface  511 , the user creates a customized 3D model  615 , picks a desired hairstyle, and may even add accessories. The user creates the 3D model  615  by aligning key points on the head form  515  with corresponding points on the photograph  513  to indicate the size, shape and location of key facial features, such as eyes, nose and mouth, as well as the height, width and shape of their head. The facial features may be either manually input or automatically detected. 
         [0029]    The user may pick a hairstyle from a gallery  521 , which is applied to the head. The gallery  521  may also include many other options, such as alternative skin tones, facial hair, accessories (e.g., eyewear, jewelry, piercings, etc.), tattoos, scars, and the like. The interface  511  allows the photograph  513  to be rotated and/or zoomed in and out for correct positioning onto the head form  515 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 3  is a functional block diagram illustrating components of a local computing system  131  that may be implemented in certain embodiments. The components illustrated in  FIG. 3  perform the same general functions as similarly-named components illustrated in  FIG. 2  and described above. However, the local computing system  131  may be specially configured to operate in a high-tempo environment, such as in a server farm or other web server implementation. Accordingly, some components are more likely absent from the local computing system  131 , such as an optical camera, and other components are more likely of superior specifications, such as non-volatile storage within system memory  304 . 
         [0031]    In addition, the local computing system  131  further includes a web server  305  component and a figure creator  307  component. These two components operate in conjunction to enable the local computing system  131  to host and provide the figure creation service envisioned by the preferred embodiment. 
         [0032]    The web server  305  may be any software component operative to host web requests over the wide area network  101 . For example, the web server  305  may include subcomponents for handling requests using HTTP, HTTPS, and the like. In addition, the web server  305  may further include components for handling the creation of static and dynamic pages, such as using HTML code and PHP code. The Apache HTTP Server is one specific example of a suitable web server  305  component. 
         [0033]    The figure creator  307  is illustrated in greater detail in  FIG. 4  and described below. Generally stated, the figure creator  307  provides the operative components to enable a remote user to connect to the local computing system  131  and create a customized figure. In the preferred embodiment, the figure creator  307  is operative to receive at least one image from a remote user, such as an image of a face, and provide an interface that allows the remote user to customize a 3D head form to resemble the image. The figure creator  307  may then cause a physical instance of the customized 3D head form, which may be attached to a pre-existing standard body form. Alternatively, the figure creator  307  may cause a physical instance of figure having an entire body and head to be created. 
         [0034]      FIG. 4  is a functional block diagram generally illustrating elements of a figure creator  307  component that may be implemented in certain embodiments. In this embodiment, the figure creator  307  includes a 3D image manipulator  415 , a 3D model creator  417 , and a model data store  419 . 
         [0035]    The figure creator  307  exposes an interface that allows interaction with the 3D image manipulator  415 . Generally stated, the 3D image manipulator  415  provides functions to enable a user to upload an image (e.g., a digital photograph) to the figure creator  307  and to manipulate that image. For instance, the 3D image manipulator  415  enables a user to alter the image, such as by changing hair style, skin tone, size, and the like. Alternatively, the figure creator  307  may include functions to compare given hairstyles in a gallery  521  with the detected hairstyle in the image  513  to attempt to select an appropriate pre-existing hair style which can be better customized and manipulated using the 3D image manipulator  415 . 
         [0036]    The 3D image manipulator  415  blends the facial portion of the image into an even skin color for the rest of the head form, which is automatically detected based on the photo and may be adjusted by the user. The 3D image manipulator  415  may apply photo enhancements to reduce shadows or improve coloring. These steps may be done with or without a user taking action. 
         [0037]    The figure creator  307  also includes a 3D model creator  417 , which operates to enable a remote user to create a 3D model based on the image uploaded by the remote user. The 3D model creator  417  provides functions that enable the remote user to alter and customize a generic three dimensional head form to transform the generic head form into a customized 3D model that resembles the real-world incarnation of the user&#39;s face and head. A software instance of the generic three dimensional head form may be stored as a digital representation in a model data store  419 . Other generic forms may also be stored in the model data store  419 , such as full-figure models, partial-figure models, animal models, and the like. 
         [0038]    The software components of the figure creator  307  cooperate to create the 3D model by analyzing the image to extract certain key features of the face which represent depth and distance between facial features. The 3D model is then presented for customization by the user. 
         [0039]    In this particular implementation, the figure creator  307  is capable of producing an adequate 3D model using at least one image (e.g., one photograph of a face and head). The 3D model creator  417  enables the manual manipulation and alteration of the generic 3D head form using even a single photograph. Of course, multiple photographs could also be used to improve accuracy. 
         [0040]    In the preferred embodiment, the figure creator  307  is used to create a 3D model of an entire head, not merely a facial overlay. In this manner, the rendered 3D model more accurately represents the user&#39;s actual face and head, resulting in a superior end product. 
         [0041]    A printing component  431  is provided to convert the customized 3D model into a real-world physical instance of the customized 3D model. The printing component  431  (also referred to as a “printer driver” or “printing subsystem”) includes functions to output appropriate printer codes to cause a 3D printer connected to the local computing system  131  to generate the physical instance of the customized 3D model. 
         [0042]    Referring briefly to  FIG. 7 , in one implementation, the customized 3D model  705  is designed with an appropriate attachment piece at the base of the 3D head model (e.g, the neck region) to affix it to a preform  710  as a complete head. This feature results in a superior end product over an alternative embodiment in which only a facial mask is created to overlay onto a figure&#39;s existing face. In another alternative, the entire customized  FIG. 712  may be created as one piece using the 3d printer  171 . This alternative may enable greater customization, but result in greater cost of manufacture. 
         [0043]    Returning to  FIG. 4 , an order fulfillment component  411  is also included to enable the remote user to purchase instances of the customized 3D figure. For example, it is envisioned that remote users may connect to the local computing system  131  and cause to be created physical figures customized to the users&#39; liking. Once done, the users may purchase such physical figures for themselves or to give away as gifts. 
         [0044]    Although the invention has been described in the context of certain preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that these embodiments are merely illustrative and that many alternative embodiments are taught and suggested by this disclosure. Accordingly, the invention is not limited to these specific preferred embodiments, and rather, the invention is limited only by the following claims, which alone define the full scope of the invention.