Three-dimensional surface texturing

Abstract

A scanned texture can be applied to a three-dimensional model using a scanner. A user can scan a surface texture with a three-dimensional scanner and then use the same scanner as a three-dimensional input device to apply the texture to a three-dimensional model displayed in a virtual modeling environment. To accomplish this, the surface texture may first be isolated and extracted from a scanned surface. The surface texture can then be applied to a three-dimensional model in a virtual workspace by using the scanner as a navigational and control input. Thus, in a similar manner and motion in which a real-world object is scanned, the surface texture can be applied to the digital model displayed in the virtual modeling environment. The scanner therefore provides a user with a simple and intuitive way in which to capture physical surface textures and apply them to digital objects.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 capturing a three-dimensional scan of a surface of a first object with a handheld scanner;   isolating a surface texture of the surface of the first object as a texture map that characterizes a three-dimensional texture independent of an aggregate shape of the surface of the first object;   displaying a digital model of a second object within a virtual modeling environment, the second object including a different surface texture than the first object;   receiving spatial input from the handheld scanner to navigate to a pose within the virtual modeling environment; and   in response to user input and the spatial input, applying the surface texture from the first object to the digital model of the second object.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising fabricating the digital model with the surface texture using a three-dimensional printer. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the handheld scanner is a laser line scanner. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the handheld scanner acquires three-dimensional data using one or more of structured light, shape from motion, and range finding. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the user input includes pushing a button on the handheld scanner. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein isolating the surface texture includes:
 low-pass filtering the surface to provide a filtered surface; 
 warping the filtered surface with a transform to form a plane; 
 applying the transform to the surface to form a warped surface; and 
 sampling a region of the warped surface to provide an isolated surface texture. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising displaying the pose in a display of the virtual modeling environment. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising displaying an area on the digital model that will receive the surface texture within the virtual modeling environment based on the pose. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising providing a tool within the virtual modeling environment for a user to adjust a size of the area on the digital model that will receive the surface texture. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising providing a tool within the virtual modeling environment for a user to adjust a shape of the area on the digital model that will receive the surface texture. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising providing a tool within the virtual modeling environment for a user to adjust a scale of the surface texture in one or more dimensions. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the texture map includes a two-dimensional visual feature of the surface. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the two-dimension visual feature includes a color of the surface. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the two-dimensional visual feature includes a two-dimensional image. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein isolating the surface texture includes capturing a two-dimensional image of the surface with a camera. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the second object includes a different shape than the first object. 
     
     
         17 . A computer program product comprising non-transitory computer-executable code embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium that, when executing on one or more computing devices, performs the steps of:
 receiving a three-dimensional scan of a surface of a first object from a handheld scanner;   isolating a surface texture of the surface of the first object as a texture map that characterizes a three-dimensional texture independent of an aggregate shape of the surface of the first object;   displaying a digital model of a second object within a virtual modeling environment, the second object including a different surface texture than the first object;   receiving spatial input from the handheld scanner to navigate to a pose within the virtual modeling environment; and   in response to user input and the spatial input, applying the surface texture from the first object to the digital model of the second object.   
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , further comprising code that performs the steps of:
 displaying the pose in a display of the virtual modeling environment; and   displaying an area on the digital model that will receive the surface texture within the virtual modeling environment based on the pose.   
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , further comprising code that performs the steps of:
 low-pass filtering the surface to provide a filtered surface;   warping the filtered surface with a transform to form a plane;   applying the transform to the surface to form a warped surface; and   sampling a region of the warped surface to provide an isolated surface texture.   
     
     
         20 . A system comprising:
 a handheld scanner configured to capture a three-dimensional scan of a surface of a first object, the handheld scanner including a first network interface; and   a user device including a processor, a memory, and a display, the user device coupled to the handheld scanner through the first network interface, the processor configured to perform the steps of:
 receiving the three-dimensional scan of the surface of the first object from the handheld scanner; 
 isolating a surface texture of the surface of the first object as a texture map that characterizes a three-dimensional texture independent of an aggregate shape of the surface of the first object; 
 displaying a digital model of a second object within a virtual modeling environment on the display, the second object including a different surface texture than the first object; 
 receiving spatial input from the handheld scanner to navigate to a pose within the virtual modeling environment; and 
 in response to user input and the spatial input, applying the surface texture from the first object to the digital model of the second object.