Systems and methods for identifying three-dimensional printed objects

Abstract

According to some aspects, a system for identifying a printed object is provided. The system may include an imaging device configured to image a three-dimensional (3D) printed object and a processor coupled to the imaging device. The processor may be configured to receive information generated as a result of imaging the 3D printed object with the imaging device, identify a set of features for the 3D printed object using the received information, compare the set of features with multiple reference sets of features, each of the multiple reference sets of features being associated with a respective 3D object in a plurality of 3D objects, and identify, based at least in part on results of the comparison, a 3D object from the plurality of 3D objects that matches the 3D printed object.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A system, comprising:
 an imaging device configured to image a first three-dimensional (3D) printed object; and   a processor coupled to the imaging device and configured to:
 receive information generated as a result of imaging the first 3D printed object with the imaging device; 
 identify a first set of features for the first 3D printed object using the received information; 
 compare the first set of features with multiple reference sets of features, each of the multiple reference sets of features being associated with a respective 3D object in a first plurality of 3D objects; and 
 identify, based at least in part on results of the comparison, a 3D object from the first plurality of 3D objects that matches the first 3D printed object. 
   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 identify values of a plurality of dimensions of the first 3D printed object based on the received information;   determine a bounding box for the first 3D printed object based on the values of the plurality of dimensions for the first 3D printed object; and   identify the first plurality of 3D objects at least in part by identifying a set of 3D objects with values of the plurality of dimensions that are within the bounding box.   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 identify a value of a dimension of the first 3D printed object based on the received information;   determine an upper threshold and a lower threshold for the dimension based on the value of the dimension for the first 3D printed object; and   identify the first plurality of 3D objects at least in part by identifying a set of 3D objects with values of the dimension that are within the upper and lower thresholds.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the information generated as a result of imaging the first 3D printed object includes a point cloud model of at least a portion of the first 3D printed object. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the first set of features includes a shape characteristic selected from the group consisting of:
 a distance between a center point and another point in the point cloud model,   a distance between two points in the point cloud model,   an area of a triangle formed by three points in the point cloud model,   a volume of a tetrahedron formed by four points in the point cloud model, and   an angle formed by three points in the point cloud model.   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 identify the 3D object at least in part by selecting a subset of the first plurality of 3D objects based on results of the comparison;   cause the subset of the first plurality of 3D objects to be displayed; and   receive a selection of the 3D object from the plurality of 3D objects that matches the first 3D printed object.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 order 3D objects in the subset of the first plurality of 3D objects based on a measure of distance between the first set of features and each of the multiple reference sets of features.   
     
     
         33 . A method, comprising:
 imaging a three-dimensional (3D) printed object using an imaging device;   identifying a set of features from information generated as a result of the imaging;   comparing the set of features with multiple reference sets of features, each of the multiple reference sets of features being associated with a respective 3D object in a first plurality of 3D objects; and   identifying, based at least in part on results of the comparison, a 3D object from the first plurality of 3D objects that matches the 3D printed object.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 identifying values of a plurality of dimensions of the first 3D printed object based on the received information;   determining a bounding box for the first 3D printed object based on the values of the plurality of dimensions for the first 3D printed object; and   identifying the first plurality of 3D objects at least in part by identifying a set of 3D objects with values of the plurality of dimensions that are within the bounding box.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 identifying a value of a dimension of the first 3D printed object based on the received information;   determining an upper threshold and a lower threshold for the dimension based on the value of the dimension for the first 3D printed object; and   identifying the first plurality of 3D objects at least in part by identifying a set of 3D objects with values of the dimension that are within the upper and lower thresholds.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the information generated as a result of imaging the first 3D printed object includes a point cloud model of at least a portion of the first 3D printed object. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the first set of features includes a shape characteristic selected from the group consisting of:
 a distance between a center point and another point in the point cloud model,   a distance between two points in the point cloud model,   an area of a triangle formed by three points in the point cloud model,   a volume of a tetrahedron formed by four points in the point cloud model, and   an angle formed by three points in the point cloud model.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 identifying the 3D object at least in part by selecting a subset of the first plurality of 3D objects based on results of the comparison;   causing the subset of the first plurality of 3D objects to be displayed; and   receiving a selection of the 3D object from the plurality of 3D objects that matches the first 3D printed object.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising:
 ordering 3D objects in the subset of the first plurality of 3D objects based on a measure of distance between the first set of features and each of the multiple reference sets of features.   
     
     
         40 . At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
 image a three-dimensional (3D) printed object using an imaging device;   identify a set of features from information generated as a result of the imaging;   compare the set of features with multiple reference sets of features, each of the multiple reference sets of features being associated with a respective 3D object in a plurality of 3D objects; and   identify, based at least in part on results of the comparison, a 3D object from the plurality of 3D objects that matches the 3D printed object.   
     
     
         41 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 40 , wherein the processor-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to:
 identify values of a plurality of dimensions of the first 3D printed object based on the received information;   determine a bounding box for the first 3D printed object based on the values of the plurality of dimensions for the first 3D printed object; and   identify the first plurality of 3D objects at least in part by identifying a set of 3D objects with values of the plurality of dimensions that are within the bounding box.   
     
     
         42 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 40 , wherein the processor-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to:
 identify a value of a dimension of the first 3D printed object based on the received information;   determine an upper threshold and a lower threshold for the dimension based on the value of the dimension for the first 3D printed object; and   identify the first plurality of 3D objects at least in part by identifying a set of 3D objects with values of the dimension that are within the upper and lower thresholds.   
     
     
         43 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 40 , wherein the information generated as a result of imaging the first 3D printed object includes a point cloud model of at least a portion of the first 3D printed object. 
     
     
         44 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 43 , wherein the first set of features includes a shape characteristic selected from the group consisting of:
 a distance between a center point and another point in the point cloud model,   a distance between two points in the point cloud model,   an area of a triangle formed by three points in the point cloud model,   a volume of a tetrahedron formed by four points in the point cloud model, and   an angle formed by three points in the point cloud model.   
     
     
         45 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 40 , wherein the processor-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to:
 identify the 3D object at least in part by selecting a subset of the first plurality of 3D objects based on results of the comparison;   cause the subset of the first plurality of 3D objects to be displayed; and   receive a selection of the 3D object from the plurality of 3D objects that matches the first 3D printed object.