Method and system for displaying a graphic image of a person modeling a garment

A method in a computer system for combining surfaces of a first and a second graphics objects, each graphics object represented by a plurality of contour lines, each contour line representing a portion of the surface of the graphics object being in a single plane and having a plurality of points, the plurality of contour lines being in parallel planes, each contour line of the first object having a corresponding contour line of the second object, the corresponding contour lines of the first and second objects being in the same plane, the method comprising the steps of:

• for each of the plurality of corresponding contour lines of the first and second graphics objects,
• for each point of the contour line of the first graphics object,
• determining whether the point is within the contour line of the second graphics object;
• for each point of the contour line of the second graphics object,
• determining whether the point is within the contour line of the first graphics object;
• based on the determinations, selecting a plurality of the points of the corresponding contour lines of the first and second graphics objects as representing the portion of the combined surfaces of the first and second graphics object that corresponds to the corresponding lines of the first and second graphics objects.

A method in a computer system for representing movement of a graphics object, the graphics object being represented by a plurality of contour lines, each contour line representing a portion of the surface of the graphics object, each contour line being in a plane that is parallel to the planes of the other contour lines, the method comprising the steps of:

• for each contour line,
• selecting a plane to which the contour line is to be transformed;
• and
• transforming each point of the contour line to the selected plane;
• and
• rendering the transformed contour lines on a display device.

A method in a computer system for representing a human body in a computer system, the method comprising the steps of:

• generating series of contour lines for each body part of a human body of a standard shape, each contour line being in a plane that is parallel to the planes of the other contour lines;
• receiving a plurality of measurements defining a custom shape of the human body to be represented;
• and
• adjusting the position of points of the generated series of contour lines based on difference between the standard shape and the custom shape.

A method in a computer system for displaying a two-dimensional shape on a rendered image of a three-dimensional graphics object, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a series of contour lines defining the three-dimensional shape of the graphics object;
• receiving a sequence of points defining the two-dimensional shape;
• scaling the sequence of points defining the two-dimensional shape to the approximate width of a portion of the graphics object over which the shape is to be displayed;
• for each point of the two-dimensional shape,
• identifying a corresponding point on a contour line;
• and
• adjusting the point of the two-dimensional shape to correspond to the identified point;
• and
• rendering the shape of the graphics object on a display device;
• and
• rendering the scaled and adjusted two-dimensional shape on the display device to effect the display of the shape on the graphics object.

A computer system for displaying an image of first object wearing a second object that generally conforms to a shape of the first object when worn, comprising:

• means for generating a standard two-dimensional image of the second object of a standard size worn by the first object of a standard size;
• means for representing the first object as a series of contour lines defining the shape of the first object in three dimensions;
• means for receiving indications of a custom size of the first object;
• means for adjusting the series of contour lines based on the indications of the custom size;
• means for tailoring the two-dimensional image of the second object to the adjusted series of contour lines;
• and
• means for rendering the first object on a display device based on the adjusted series of contour lines and the tailored two-dimensional image of the second object on the display device.