System, method and computer program for using a suggestive modeling interface

Abstract

A method, computer system and computer program is provided for using a suggestive modeling interface. The method consists of a method of a computer-implemented rendering of sketches, the method comprising the steps of: (1) a user activating a sketching application: (2) in response, the sketching application displaying on a screen a suggestive modeling interface; (3) the sketching application importing a sketch to the suggestive modeling interface; and (4) the sketching application retrieving from a database one or more suggestions based on the sketch. The method is operable to allow a user interactively using the sketching application to create a drawing that is guided by the imported sketch by selectively using one or more image guided drawing tools provided by the sketching application. The present invention is well-suited for three-dimensional modeling applications.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for modeling based upon a sketch, said system being operable to convert a drawing into a file format useable by a three-dimensional model creation application, said system comprising;
 (a) a pen;   (b) a computer operable to receive input from the pen as a range of marks generated in the drawing as drawing marks;   (c) a database linked to the computer, said database being operable to store the following as one or more images: one or more stored images; at least one image of previously used geometry; and at least one previous drawing selected by a user and stored as an image of previously used geometry; and   (d) a computer application linked to the computer, the computer application being operable to provide a sketching application, wherein:
 (i) the sketch is convened, to a drawing, and the drawing is viewable on a plurality of orthographic construction planes integrated into a three-dimensional cuboid working volume and the drawing can be moved within the cuboid working volume to position the drawing at different locations; 
 (ii) the pen is operable to draw one or more drawing marks, including one or more drawn curves, upon the drawing at different locations of the drawing in accordance with the positions that the drawing is moved to within the cuboid working volume; 
 (iii) characteristics of a drawing and characteristics of a currently drawn curve that is one of the one or more drawn curves are Identified as inferred characteristics, said inferred characteristics including intersections and straightness of the drawing or currently drawn curve, and said suggestive modeling interface further being operable to provide one or more suggestions of subsequent possible geometry that is similar geometry that can be used in die drawing without the need to draw the geometry, said suggestions being based upon the inferred characteristics; and 
 (iv) the suggestive modeling interface being operable to permit a user to select one or more of the images accessed from the database as the suggestions of images of similar geometry and thereby integrate the one or more suggestion images into the drawing. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the suggestive modeling interface includes or is linked to a matching operator for:
 (a) accessing one or more Images from the database dynamically based on one or more of the following: one or more inferred characteristics to determine subsequent possible geometry based on a current state of the drawing or a currently drawn curve; similar geometry based on the current state of the drawing or the currently drawn curve; and a curve signature based on the current state of the drawing or the currently drawn curve;   (b) accessing one or more images from the database iteratively in accordance with the current state of the drawing or the currently drawn curve, said accessed one or more images representing one or more of the following: exact matches, inferred subsequent possible geometry, or substantially similar matches to the current state of the drawing; and augmenting basic suggestions of similar geometry within more complex suggestions of similar geometry; and   (c) determining subsequent geometry possibilities based upon an algorithmically generated suggestion including any of the following: a closure suggestion; and an extrusion suggestion.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sketching application is operable to:
 (a) continuously present to the user one or more images from the database based on similar geometry to a current state of the drawing including any currently drawn carve, in accordance with the suggestive modeling interface as the user continues drawing; and   (b) permit the user to select one or more drawings and to store said selected one or more drawings to the database to be used as images of previously used geometry by the suggestive modeling interface   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of orthographic construction planes include three viewpoints including top, side and front viewpoints. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the system provides a user with information pertaining to the correspondence between the different viewpoints while maintaining a consistent visual context. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sketching application is operable to produce a spatially integrated plane whereby one or more three-dimensional models axe created by the user generated drawing marks with the pen. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sketching application is operable in accordance with a pen and said computer is a digitizing tablet. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pen incorporates a barrel button having two click actions and an active eraser end. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the two click actions of the pen include forward and backward actions. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sketching application supports three-dimensional non-planar curves by projecting two-dimensional curves onto previously created three-dimensional surfaces in the drawing. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sketching application is operable to utilize a gesture set to integrate one or more suggestions of images with the drawing, and the absolute scale of the gesture set is calculated to limit the possible suggestions and improve the accuracy and utility of matching achieved by the system. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the suggestive modeling interface is operable to filter a drawing to remove noise in sketch stroke and intensity, to iteratively move and resample points on sketched curves as required to minimize overall energy and bring said curves into conformity with selected image lines, and to generate the drawing marks via the pen that is operable as any of the following:
 (a) a snapping interaction means, whereby the pen may be utilized to drag a curve away from a pin point location to adjust an area of influence of said curve;   (b) a pinning interaction means, whereby the pen may be utilized to specify a point on the drawing where a drawn curve is to pass through, said curve being drawn to the specified point to adjust the area of influence; and   (c) a gluing interaction means, whereby the pen is utilized to indicate a glued area and parts of the drawn curve lying within the glued area remain invariant and are unattracted to any underlying one or more images in the plane.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the suggestive modeling interface is operable to provide camera controls that create smooth transitions between the orthographic construction plane views and a perspective view of the drawing for the user. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the suggestions are:
 (a) displayed to the user for a period of time before fading away; and   (b) integrated in a view space display of the drawing shown to the user via a display element of the computer, so that each of the following are displayed to the user in locations of the viewing space: the suggestions; and the drawing.   
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer program product, for use on a computer, the non-transitory computer program product comprising:
 (a) a computer useable medium: and   (b) computer readable program code recorded or storable in the computer useable medium, the computer readable program code defining a sketching application that is operable to:
 (i) convert a sketch to a drawing that is viewable on a plurality of orthographic construction planes integrated into a three-dimensional cuboid working volume and the drawing can be moved within the cuboid working volume to position the drawing at different locations; 
 (ii) generate drawing marks through use of a pen that is operable to draw one or more drawing marks, including one or more drawn curves, upon the drawing at different locations of the drawing in accordance with the positions that the drawing is moved to within the cuboid working volume; 
 (iii) identify characteristics of a drawing and characteristics of a currently drawn curve that is one of the one or more drawn curves as inferred characteristics, said inferred characteristics including intersections and straightness of the drawing or currently drawn curve, and said suggestive modeling interface further being operable to provide one or more suggestions of subsequent possible geometry that is similar geometry that can be used in the drawing without the need to draw the geometry, said suggestions being based upon the inferred characteristics; and 
 (iv) the suggestive modeling interface being operable to permit a user to select one or more of the images accessed from a database linked to the computer, as the suggestions and thereby integrate one or more of the suggestions into the drawing, said database being operable to store the following as one or more images: one or more stored images; at least one image of previously used geometry; and and at least one previous drawing selected by the user and stored as an image of previously used geometry; and 
 (v) convert the drawing into a file format useable by a three-dimensional model creation application. 
   
     
     
         16 . The computer program of  claim 15 , wherein the suggestive modeling interface includes a camera tumbling feature and a zooming feature activated by an input device linked to the computer, and said tumbling and zooming feature being available in a cuboid working volume and views of the orthographic construction planes. 
     
     
         17 . The computer program of  claim 15 , wherein the computer readable program code is operable to store one or more of the following: one or more images identified in the drawing; and aspects of the drawing to the database to be utilized by the matching operator. 
     
     
         18 . A method of sketch rendering, comprising the steps of
 (a) activating a sketching application linked to a computer and a database, the sketching application being operable to present a suggestive modeling interlace;   (b) presenting to a user the suggestive modeling interface, the suggestive modeling interface being operable to:
 (i) convert a sketch to a drawing that is viewable on a plurality of orthographic construction planes integrated into a three-dimensional cuboid working volume and the drawing can be moved within the cuboid working volume to position the drawing at different locations; 
 (ii) generate drawing marks through use of a pen that is operable to draw one or more drawing marks, including one or more drawn curves, upon the drawing at different locations of the drawing in accordance with the positions that the drawing is moved to within the cuboid working volume; 
 (iii) identify characteristics of a drawing and characteristics of a currently drawn curve that is one of the one or more drawn curves as inferred characteristics, said inferred characteristics including intersections and straightness of the drawing or currently drawn curve, and said suggestive modeling interface further being operable to provide one or more suggestions of subsequent possible geometry that is similar geometry that can be used in the drawing without the need to draw the geometry, said suggestions being based upon the inferred characteristics; and 
 (iv) the suggestive modeling interface being operable to permit a user to select one or more of the images accessed from a database linked to the computer, as the suggestions and thereby integrate one or more of the suggestions into the drawing, said database being operable to store the following as one or more images: one or more stored images; at least one image of previously used geometry; and and at least one previous drawing selected by the user and stored as an image of previously used geometry; and 
 (v) convert the drawing into a file format useable by a three-dimensional model creation application. 
   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , comprising the further step of producing the drawing based on sketching input that may include one or more of the following: an imported sketch; and a sketch produced by guided tools of the sketching application. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 . comprising the further step of: selecting one or more aspects of the drawing to be stored to the database. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , comprising the further steps of:
 (a) providing access to the database as a billable service;   (b) generating a link between suggestions and any of the following: product suppliers; service suppliers; and designers; and   (c) providing a facility to advertisers for achieving higher rankings for suggestions relating to the advertisers.   
     
     
         22 . A computer system for streamlining generation of a drawing, comprising:
 (a) one or more computers;   (b) a database linked to the one or more computers, said database being operable to store at least one or more drawings or drawing components including one or more geometric elements; and   (c) a computer program linked to the one or more computers so as to define a drawing utility or Internet delivered drawing service, including a suggestive drawing interface, the suggestive drawing interface being operable to assist the user in producing a drawing by:
 (i) receiving drawing input from a user; 
 (ii) analyzing the drawing input so as to define one or more geometric aspects thereof and dynamically matching the drawing input to the drawings or drawing components by applying a similarity comparison of the one or more geometric aspects to the one or more geometric elements, so as to identify one or more drawings or drawing components that correspond to the drawing input based on similarity of the geometric elements to the geometric aspects; 
 (iii) presenting and suggesting to the user in the suggestive drawing interface one or more drawings or drawing components, or a subset thereof, based on degree of similarity, as system suggested drawings or drawing components for integration into the drawing subsequent to the drawing input; and 
 (iv) enabling the user to select one or more of the drawings or drawing components, and based on such selection, integrating the drawings or drawing components with the drawing input so as to generate the drawing on a streamlined basis. 
   
     
     
         23 . The computer system of  claim 22 , wherein the suggestive drawing interface enables the generation of a drawing that includes the geometric elements, without the need to draw the geometric elements or the drawings or drawing components that include them. 
     
     
         24 . The computer system of  claim 22 , wherein the suggestive drawing interface iteratively;
 (a) analyzes the current drawing, including user generated and system suggested drawings or drawing components; and   (b) suggests, based on the current drawing, drawings or drawing components for subsequent integration into the current drawing, until the user completes a final drawing.   
     
     
         25 . The computer system of  claim 24 . wherein the drawing includes a drawing of a computer command, wherein completion of the drawing triggers the processing the computer command.