Virtual Showroom System with Augmented Reality

Abstract

A system allows a user to select designs for apparel and preview these designs before manufacture. The previews provide photorealistic visualizations in two or three dimensions, and can be presented on a computer display, projected on a screen, or presented in virtual reality (e.g., via headset), or augmented reality. The system can also include a projection system that projects the new designs onto garments on mannequins in a showroom. The garments and the new designs projected onto the garments have a three-dimensional appearance as if the garments having the new designs are worn by people. Software and lasers are used in finishing the garments to produce garments with the new designs and the finished garments have an appearance of the three-dimensional appearance of the garments and new designs on the mannequins with the new designs projected onto the garments by the projection system.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a computing device comprising a first display and a first communication port, wherein a selection screen on the display comprises a three-dimensional preview image of a base garment, and a selection finishing pattern of a plurality of selection finishing patterns, selectable by a user, along with the three-dimensional preview image, an appearance of the three-dimensional preview image is as if the base garment is on a display in a retail environment, and the selection finishing patterns comprise laser finishing patterns for the base garment and when the selected finishing pattern is selected the three-dimensional preview image is displayed in combination with the selected finishing pattern; and   an augmented reality device comprising a second display and a second communication port coupled to the first communication port of the computing device, wherein the second communication port receives an image file for the base garment and the selected finishing pattern through the first communication port when the selected finishing pattern is selected, and the second display comprises the three-dimensional preview image received in the image file, as if the base garment with the selected finishing pattern is on the display in the retail environment and has an approximate appearance of the three-dimensional preview image of the base garment combined with the selected finishing patterns displayed on the selection screen.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the display in the retail environment comprises a table in the retail environment. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the display in the retail environment comprises a shelf. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the display in the retail environment comprises a garment rack. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the display in the retail environment comprises a mannequin. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the base garment comprises a pair of jeans. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the user can move the base garment to a different position and see a resulting positional change of the base garment through the augmented reality device. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the three-dimensional preview image of a base garment comprises a first preview image,
 the three-dimensional preview image displayed in combination with the selected finishing pattern comprises a second preview image, 
 the second garment preview image is generated by 
 generating an adjusted base image from the garment base image without the selected finishing pattern, 
 generating a pattern mask based on a laser input file associated with the selected finishing pattern, 
 for a pixel at a pixel location of the first garment preview image, obtaining a first contribution by combining a first value associated with a pixel of the pattern mask at a pattern mask pixel location that corresponds to the pixel location of the first garment preview image and a value of a pixel of the garment base image at a base image pixel location that corresponds to the pixel location of the first preview image, 
 for the pixel at the pixel location of the first preview image, obtaining a second contribution by combining a second value associated with the pixel of the pattern mask at the pattern mask pixel location that corresponds to the pixel location of the first preview image and a value of a pixel of the adjusted base image at an adjusted base image pixel location that corresponds to the pixel location of the second preview image, 
 combining the first contribution and the second contribution to obtain a combined value for the pixel at the pixel location of the first preview image, and 
 updating the pixel of the second preview image as a color on the first display, wherein the color of the pixel corresponds to the combined value. 
 
     
     
         9 . A system comprising:
 a plurality of three-dimensional models each comprising a portion of a human form to support base garments that comprises the human forms when base garments are positioned on the three-dimensional models;   a computing device comprising a display, a first communication port, and a second communication port wherein a selection screen on the display comprises a first three-dimensional preview image of a first base garment, and a first selection finishing pattern of a plurality of selection finishing patterns, selectable by a user, along with the first three-dimensional preview image, an appearance of the first three-dimensional preview image is as if the first base garment is worn by a person, and the first selection finishing patterns comprise laser finishing patterns for the first base garment and when the first selected finishing pattern is selected the first three-dimensional preview image is displayed in combination with the first selected finishing pattern; and   a first projector comprising an optical source structure directed toward a first three-dimensional model of the plurality of three-dimensional models, and a third communication port coupled to the first communication port of the computing device;   a second projector comprising an optical source structure directed toward a second three-dimensional model of the plurality of three-dimensional model, and a fourth communication port coupled to the second communication port of the computing device; and   a switch coupled between first and third communication ports and coupled between the second and fourth communication ports, wherein the switch routes the first selected finishing pattern to the third communication port from the first communication port when a first base garment is positioned on the first three-dimensional model, routes the first selected finishing pattern to the fourth communication port from the second communication port when the first base garment is positioned on the second three-dimensional model, and an appearance of the first base garment positioned on the first or second three-dimensional model with the first selected finishing pattern projected onto the first base garment by the optical source structure of the first or second projector has an approximate appearance of the first three-dimensional preview image of the first base garment combined with the first selected finishing patterns displayed on the selection screen.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the selection screen on the display comprises a second three-dimensional preview image of a second base garment, and a second selection finishing pattern of a plurality of selection finishing patterns, selectable by a user, along with the second three-dimensional preview image, an appearance of the second three-dimensional preview image is as if the second base garment is worn by a person, and the second selection finishing pattern comprises laser finishing patterns for the second base garment and when the second selected finishing pattern is selected, the second three-dimensional preview image is displayed in combination with the second selected finishing pattern, and an appearance of the second base garment positioned on the first or second three-dimensional model with the second selected finishing pattern projected onto the second base garment by the optical source structure of the first or second projector has an approximate appearance of the second three-dimensional preview image of the second base garment combined with the second selected finishing patterns displayed on the selection screen. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the first and second communication ports are a single port. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the selection screen on the display comprises an assortment selection option, selectable by a user to add a selected garment having a selected finishing pattern to a garment assortment, along with the three-dimensional preview image. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the selection screen on the display comprises a product offering menu, to search garments by image or text, along with the three-dimensional preview image. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the three-dimensional models comprise a store table top. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the three-dimensional models comprise a store shelf. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the three-dimensional models comprise a clothing rack. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the first base garment comprises a pair of jeans. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the first base garment comprises a jacket. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the first selected finishing pattern comprises a three-dimensional selected finishing pattern. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the first selected finishing pattern comprises digital picture information of a person wearing the first base garment.