# US 10,373,308 B2 · Sliced image processing method and three-dimensional printing apparatus

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- Number: US 10,373,308 B2
- Document ID: US10373308B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/644,846
- Filed: 2017-07-10
- Published: 2018-11-22
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-05-19
- Assignees: XYZprinting, Inc.; Kinpo Electronics, Inc.
- Applicants: XYZprinting, Inc.; Kinpo Electronics, Inc.
- Inventors: Kuo-Yen Yuan; Ko-Wei Shih
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10373308B2

## CPC

- G06T 7/0004: {Industrial image inspection}
- B29C 64/386: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
- B29C 64/393: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
- B33Y 50/00: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
- B33Y 50/02: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
- G05B 19/4099: Surface or curve machining, making three-dimensional [3D] objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing
- G06T 7/13: Edge detection
- G06T 7/60: Analysis of geometric attributes
- G06T 7/62: of area, perimeter, diameter or volume
- G06T 19/00: Manipulating three-dimensional [3D] models or images for computer graphics
- G06T 19/20: Editing of three-dimensional [3D] images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts
- G05B 2219/49011: Machine 2-D slices, build 3-D model, laminated object manufacturing LOM
- G05B 2219/49017: DTM desktop manufacturing, prototyping
- G05B 2219/49023: 3-D printing, layer of powder, add drops of binder in layer, new powder
- G06T 2207/10028: Range image; Depth image; 3D point clouds
- G06T 2207/30108: Industrial image inspection
- G06T 2219/2021: Shape modification
- 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
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)

## Abstract

The invention provides a sliced image processing method including following steps: analyzing a sliced object in a sliced image to determine whether the sliced object has a first contour line segment and a nearest second contour line segment, where the second contour line segment is located within a region encircled by the first contour line segment; determining whether vector directions of the first contour line segment and the second contour line segment are opposite when the sliced object has the first contour line segment and the second contour line segment, and correcting the vector direction of at least one of the first contour line segment and the second contour line segment when the vector directions of the first contour line segment and the second contour line segment are not opposite.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sliced image processing method, comprising:
analyzing a sliced object in a sliced image to determine whether the sliced object has a first contour line segment and a nearest second contour line segment, wherein the second contour line segment is located within a region encircled by the first contour line segment;
determining whether vector directions of the first contour line segment and the second contour line segment are opposite when the sliced object has the first contour line segment and the second contour line segment; and
correcting the vector direction of at least one of the first contour line segment and the second contour line segment when the vector directions of the first contour line segment and the second contour line segment are not opposite.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sliced image processing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vector directions of the first contour line segment and the second contour line segment are respectively a first direction and a second direction, and the corrected first direction is one of a clockwise direction and an anticlockwise direction, and the corrected second direction is the other one of the clockwise direction and the anticlockwise direction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The sliced image processing method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first contour line segment and the second contour line segment are respectively closed line segments, and the step of determining whether the vector directions of the first contour line segment and the second contour line segment are opposite comprises:
analyzing the first contour line segment and the second contour line segment to obtain a plurality of first sub line segment vectors of a plurality of first sub line segments and a plurality of second sub line segment vectors of a plurality of second sub line segments; and
integrating a connecting sequence of vector directions of the first sub line segment vectors to form a first direction, and integrating a connecting sequence of vector directions of the second sub line segment vectors to form a second direction.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The sliced image processing method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:
defining the first contour line segment as an outermost contour of the sliced object when the region encircled by the first contour line segment comprises the second contour line segment; and
determining whether the first direction is one of the clockwise direction and the anticlockwise direction, and re-defining the vector directions of the first sub line segment vectors when the first direction is not one of the clockwise direction and the anticlockwise direction.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The sliced image processing method as claimed in claim 4, further comprising:
defining the second contour line segment as a hole contour of the sliced object when the second contour line segment is located within the region encircled by the first contour line segment; and
determining whether the second direction is the other one of the clockwise direction and the anticlockwise direction, and re-defining the vector directions of the second sub line segment vectors when the second direction is not the other one of the clockwise direction and the anticlockwise direction.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The sliced image processing method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:
analyzing a three-dimensional object to construct a three-dimensional model image, wherein the three-dimensional model image is complied with a stereolithography file format; and
slicing a three-dimensional model in the three-dimensional model image to obtain the sliced image.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The sliced image processing method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the three-dimensional model in the three-dimensional model image is composed of a plurality of triangular planes, and the triangular planes respectively have a plurality of corresponding surface vectors, wherein the step of analyzing the sliced object in the sliced image comprises:
determining the vector directions of the first sub line segment vectors according to the surface vectors of the triangular planes of the three-dimensional model respectively corresponding to the first sub line segments; and
determining the vector directions of the second sub line segment vectors according to the surface vectors of the triangular planes of the three-dimensional model respectively corresponding to the second sub line segments.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The sliced image processing method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
analyzing the sliced object in the sliced image to determine whether the sliced object has a plurality of second contour line segments located in the region encircled by the first contour line segment;
determining whether the vector directions of the first contour line segment and the second contour line segments are alternately changed between the clockwise direction and the anticlockwise direction when the sliced object has the second contour line segments, and the second contour line segments surround each other one-by-one; and
correcting the vector direction of at least one of the first contour line segment and the second contour line segments when the vector directions of the first contour line segment and the second contour line segments are not alternately changed between the clockwise direction and the anticlockwise direction.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The sliced image processing method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
analyzing the sliced object in the sliced image to determine whether the sliced object has a plurality of second contour line segments located within the region encircled by the first contour line segment;
determining whether the vector direction of the first contour line segment is respectively opposite to the vector directions of the second contour line segments when the sliced object has the second contour line segments, and the second contour line segments are separated from each other without surrounding; and
correcting the vector direction of at least one of the first contour line segment and the second contour line segments when the vector directions of the first contour line segment and at least one of the second contour line segments are not opposite.

### Claim 10

A three-dimensional printing apparatus, comprising:
a storage device, storing a sliced image and a plurality of modules; and
a processor, coupled to the storage device, and executing the modules to:
analyze a sliced object in the sliced image to determine whether the sliced object has a nearest first contour line segment and a second contour line segment, wherein the second contour line segment is located within a region encircled by the first contour line segment;
determine whether vector directions of the first contour line segment and the second contour line segment are opposite when the sliced object has the first contour line segment and the second contour line segment; and
determine whether to correct the vector direction of at least one of the first contour line segment and the second contour line segment when the vector directions of the first contour line segment and the second contour line segment are not opposite.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The three-dimensional printing apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the vector directions of the first contour line segment and the second contour line segment are respectively a first direction and a second direction, and the corrected first direction is one of a clockwise direction and an anticlockwise direction, and the corrected second direction is the other one of the clockwise direction and the anticlockwise direction.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The three-dimensional printing apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first contour line segment and the second contour line segment are respectively closed line segments, and the processor analyzes the first contour line segment and the second contour line segment to obtain a plurality of first sub line segment vectors of a plurality of first sub line segments and a plurality of second sub line segment vectors of a plurality of second sub line segments,
wherein the processor integrates a connecting sequence of vector directions of the first sub line segment vectors to form a first direction, and integrates a connecting sequence of vector directions of the second sub line segment vectors to form a second direction.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The three-dimensional printing apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein when the region encircled by the first contour line segment comprises the second contour line segment, the processor defines the first contour line segment as an outermost contour of the sliced object, and the processor determines whether the first direction is one of the clockwise direction and the anticlockwise direction, and when the first direction is not one of the clockwise direction and the anticlockwise direction, the processors re-defines the vector directions of the first sub line segment vectors.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The three-dimensional printing apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein when the second contour line segment is located within the region encircled by the first contour line segment, the processor defines the second contour line segment as a hole contour of the sliced object, and the processor determines whether the second direction is the other one of the clockwise direction and the anticlockwise direction, and when the second direction is not the other one of the clockwise direction and the anticlockwise direction, the processor re-defines the vector directions of the second sub line segment vectors.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The three-dimensional printing apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the processor further executes the modules to:
analyze a three-dimensional object to construct a three-dimensional model image, wherein the three-dimensional model image is complied with a stereolithography file format; and
slice a three-dimensional model in the three-dimensional model image to obtain the sliced image.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The three-dimensional printing apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the three-dimensional model in the three-dimensional model image is composed of a plurality of triangular planes, and the triangular planes respectively have a plurality of corresponding surface vectors, wherein an operation of analyzing the sliced object in the sliced image comprising:
determining the vector directions of the first sub line segment vectors according to the surface vectors of the triangular planes respectively corresponding to the first sub line segments; and
determining the vector directions of the second sub line segment vectors according to the surface vectors of the triangular planes of the three-dimensional model respectively corresponding to the second sub line segments.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The three-dimensional printing apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the processor further executes the modules to:
analyze the sliced object in the sliced image to determine whether the sliced object has a plurality of second contour line segments located within the region encircled by the first contour line segment;
determine whether the vector directions of the first contour line segment and the second contour line segments are alternately changed between the clockwise direction and the anticlockwise direction when the sliced object has the second contour line segments, and the second contour line segments surround each other one-by-one; and
correct the vector direction of at least one of the first contour line segment and the second contour line segments when the vector directions of the first contour line segment and the second contour line segments are not alternately changed between the clockwise direction and the anticlockwise direction.

### Claim 18 (depends on 10)

The three-dimensional printing apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the processor further executes the modules to:
analyze the sliced object in the sliced image to determine whether the sliced object has a plurality of second contour line segments located within the region encircled by the first contour line segment;
determine whether the vector direction of the first contour line segment is respectively opposite to the vector directions of the second contour line segments when the sliced object has the second contour line segments, and the second contour line segments are separated from each other without surrounding; and
correct the vector direction of at least one of the first contour line segment and the second contour line segments when the vector directions of the first contour line segment and at least one of the second contour line segments are not opposite.