# US 10,319,153 B2 · Three-dimensional shape color adjustment method, three-dimensional object shaping method, and three-dimensional shape color adjustment apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,319,153 B2 - Document ID: US10319153B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/687,892 - Filed: 2017-08-28 - Published: 2018-03-01 - Granted: 2019-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-31 - Assignees: Mimaki Engineering Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Mimaki Engineering Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Masaya Nagahari; Hiroyoshi Ohi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10319153B2 ## CPC - G06T 19/20: Editing of three-dimensional [3D] images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts - B29C 64/393: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes - B33Y 50/02: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes - H04N 1/60: Colour correction or control {(H04N1/54 takes precedence)} - B29C 64/386: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing - B29K 2995/002: Coloured - G06T 2219/008: Cut plane or projection plane definition - G06T 2219/012: Dimensioning, tolerancing - G06T 2219/2012: Colour editing, changing, or manipulating; Use of colour codes - G06T 2219/2016: Rotation, translation, scaling - H04N 1/6013: {by simulating several colour corrected versions of the same image simultaneously on the same picture reproducer} - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS ## Abstract A color adjustment unit in a shaping controller includes a 3D/2D conversion unit which converts 3D data representing a three-dimensional object having colored layers formed on the surface thereof into 2D data; a two-dimensional color patch data creating unit which creates, as two-dimensional color patch data, a plurality of 2D images in which at least one kind of parameter of a plurality of kinds of parameters related to a color of each layer of the colored layers in the converted 2D data is set at a plurality of different levels; a three-dimensional color patch data creating unit which applies thickness information about thicknesses of the colored layers depending on the number of layers of the colored layers to the two-dimensional color patch data to create three-dimensional color patch data; and a color patch layering unit which layers three-dimensional color patches depending on the thickness according to the three-dimensional color patch data. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A three-dimensional shape color adjustment method comprising: a data conversion step of converting three-dimensional data representing a three-dimensional object having colored layers formed on a surface of the three-dimensional object into two-dimensional data; a two-dimensional color patch data creation step of creating, as two-dimensional color patch data, a plurality of two-dimensional images in which at least one kind of parameter of a plurality of kinds of parameters related to a color of each layer of the colored layers in the converted two-dimensional data is set at a plurality of different levels; a three-dimensional color patch data creation step of applying thickness information about thicknesses of the colored layers depending on the number of layers of the colored layers to the two-dimensional color patch data to create three-dimensional color patch data; and a color patch layering step of laminating three-dimensional color patches depending on the thickness information in the three-dimensional color patch data, wherein the colored layers are formed with a plurality of inks by an inkjet method, and the two-dimensional color patch data creation step comprises adjusting a color density parameter of each of the plurality of inks to create the two-dimensional color patch data. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The three-dimensional shape color adjustment method according to claim 1, further comprising: a parameter change step of changing the parameters, and a three-dimensional object display step of displaying the three-dimensional object based on the three-dimensional data of the three-dimensional object having the colored layers changed in color based on the changed parameters. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The three-dimensional shape color adjustment method according to claim 2, comprising a light source invalidation step of invalidating a light source which is set in the three-dimensional data converted in the data conversion step and irradiates light on the three-dimensional object. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The three-dimensional shape color adjustment method according to claim 2, comprising a direction changing step of reflecting the changed direction of the three-dimensional object in the three-dimensional data converted in the data conversion step. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) A three-dimensional object shaping method, wherein the colored layers are formed on the surface of the three-dimensional object by using the parameters determined by the three-dimensional shape color adjustment method according to claim 2. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The three-dimensional shape color adjustment method according to claim 1, wherein the color patch layering step causes a three-dimensional object shaping apparatus to form the colored layers depending on the layering of the three-dimensional color patches on layers of model materials formed based on the two-dimensional data. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The three-dimensional shape color adjustment method according to claim 6, comprising a light source invalidation step of invalidating a light source which is set in the three-dimensional data converted in the data conversion step and irradiates light on the three-dimensional object. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The three-dimensional shape color adjustment method according to claim 6, comprising a direction changing step of reflecting the changed direction of the three-dimensional object in the three-dimensional data converted in the data conversion step. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) A three-dimensional object shaping method, wherein the colored layers are formed on the surface of the three-dimensional object by using the parameters determined by the three-dimensional shape color adjustment method according to claim 6. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The three-dimensional shape color adjustment method according to claim 1, comprising a light source invalidation step of invalidating a light source which is set in the three-dimensional data converted in the data conversion step and irradiates light on the three-dimensional object. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The three-dimensional shape color adjustment method according to claim 10, comprising a direction changing step of reflecting the changed direction of the three-dimensional object in the three-dimensional data converted in the data conversion step. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) A three-dimensional object shaping method, wherein the colored layers are formed on the surface of the three-dimensional object by using the parameters determined by the three-dimensional shape color adjustment method according to claim 10. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The three-dimensional shape color adjustment method according to claim 1, comprising a direction changing step of reflecting the changed direction of the three-dimensional object in the three-dimensional data converted in the data conversion step. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A three-dimensional object shaping method, wherein the colored layers are formed on the surface of the three-dimensional object by using the parameters determined by the three-dimensional shape color adjustment method according to claim 13. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A three-dimensional object shaping method, wherein the colored layers are formed on the surface of the three-dimensional object by using the parameters determined by the three-dimensional shape color adjustment method according to claim 1. ### Claim 16 A three-dimensional model color adjustment apparatus comprising: a data conversion unit which converts three-dimensional data representing a three-dimensional object having colored layers formed on a surface thereof into two-dimensional data; a two-dimensional color patch data creating unit which creates, as two-dimensional color patch data, a plurality of two-dimensional images in which at least one kind of parameter of a plurality of kinds of parameters related to a color of each layer of the colored layers in the converted two-dimensional data is set at a plurality of different levels; a three-dimensional color patch data creating unit which applies thickness information about thicknesses of the colored layers depending on the number of layers of the colored layers to the two-dimensional color patch data to create three-dimensional color patch data; and a color patch layering unit which layers three-dimensional color patches depending on the thickness according to the three-dimensional color patch data, wherein the colored layers are formed with a plurality of inks by an inkjet method, and the three-dimensional model color adjustment apparatus further comprises a color density adjusting unit which adjusts a color density parameter of each of the plurality of inks to create the two-dimensional color patch data.