Method for generating three-dimensional form data and apparatus therefor

A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause said processor to generate three-dimensional form data by performing the steps of:

• preparing a three-dimensional form data representing a three-dimensional form model;
• projecting two-dimensional horizontal closed curves encircling the three-dimensional form model with leaving a space to the three-dimensional form model and vertical lines intersecting the closed curves to the three-dimensional form model to generate a group of curves along a surface of the three-dimensional form model;
• and
• modifying the group of curves by adding a curve or curves projected to the three-dimensional form model to the group of curves.

A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause said processor to generate three-dimensional form data by performing the steps of:

• preparing a three-dimensional form data representing a three-dimensional form model;
• projecting two-dimensional horizontal closed curves encircling the three-dimensional form model with leaving a space to the three-dimensional form model and vertical lines intersecting the closed curves to the three-dimensional form model to generate a group of curves along a surface of the three-dimensional form model;
• and
• modifying the group of curves by deleting a curve or curves in the group of curves.

A computer system comprising:

• a processor, and
• a memory coupled to said processor, the memory having stored therein sequence of instructions which, when executed by said processor, cause said processor to generate three-dimensional form data by causing the processor to perform the steps of:
• projecting two-dimensional horizontal closed curves encircling the three-dimensional form model with leaving a space to the three-dimensional form model and vertical lines intersecting the closed curves to the three-dimensional form model to generate a group of curves along a surface of the three-dimensional form model;
• and
• modifying the group of curves by adding a curve or curves projected to the three-dimensional form model to the group of curves.

A computer system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to said processor, the memory having stored therein a sequence of instructions which, when executed by said processor, cause said processor to generate three-dimensional form data by causing the processor to perform the steps of:
• projecting two-dimensional horizontal closed curves encircling the three-dimensional form model with leaving a space to the three-dimensional form model and vertical lines intersecting the closed curves to the three-dimensional form model to generate a group of curves along a surface of the three-dimensional form model;
• and
• modifying the group of curves by deleting a curve or curves in the group of curves.

A computer-implemented method of generating three-dimensional form data to be used in a computer apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:

• obtaining an electronic data of a three-dimensional form model;
• generating a plurality of lines along a surface of the three-dimensional form model by projecting horizontal lines encircling the three-dimensional form model with leaving a space to the three-dimensional form model and vertical lines intersecting the horizontal lines to the three-dimensional form model, the plurality of generated lines corresponding exactly to contours of the three-dimensional form model;
• and
• modifying the plurality of generated lines in response to a user instruction, wherein
• the user instruction includes at least one of an addition of at least one line in the plurality of lines, a movement of at least one of the lines, and a deletion of at least one of the lines,
• after the modification, the plurality of lines still correspond exactly to contours of the three-dimensional form model, and
• both before and after the modification, any one of the plurality of lines do not cross with any one of the remaining ones of the plurality of lines.

A computer system comprising:

• a processor, and
• a memory coupled to said processor, the memory having stored therein a sequence of instructions which, when executed by said processor, cause said processor to generate three-dimensional form data by causing the processor to perform the steps of:
• projecting two-dimensional horizontal closed curves encircling the three-dimensional form model with leaving a space to the three-dimensional form model and vertical lines intersecting the closed curves to the three-dimensional form model to generate a group of curves along a surface of the three-dimensional form model;
• and
• modifying the group of curves by moving a curve or curves in the group along a surface of the three-dimensional form model.

A computer-implemented method of processing an electronic data representing a three-dimensional model, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a first electronic data of a three-dimensional model of an object which has been acquired on the object;
• generating a second electronic data that represents a first set of uncrossed lines corresponding exactly to first portions on a surface of the three-dimensional model, said second electronic data being generated by projecting horizontal lines encircling the three-dimensional model with leaving a space to the three-dimensional model and vertical lines intersecting the horizontal lines to the three-dimensional model, wherein a capacity of the second electronic data is smaller than that of the first electronic data;
• and
• generating, from the second electric data, a third electronic data that represents a second set of uncrossed lines corresponding exactly to second portions on the surface of the three-dimensional model, the second portions including at least one portion different from any one of the first portions, wherein
• a capacity of the third electronic data is smaller than that of the first electronic data.

A computer-implemented method of generating three-dimensional form data to be used in a computer apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:

• obtaining an electronic data of a three-dimensional form model;
• generating a plurality of lines along a surface of the three-dimensional form model by protecting horizontal lines encircling the three-dimensional form model with leaving a space to the three-dimensional form model and vertical lines intersecting the horizontal lines to the three-dimensional form model, the plurality of generated lines corresponding exactly to contours of the three-dimensional form model;
• and
• modifying the plurality of generated lines in response to a user instruction, wherein
• the user instruction includes at least one of an addition of at least one line in the plurality of lines, and a movement of at least one of the lines,
• after the modification, the plurality of lines still correspond exactly to contours of the three-dimensional form model, and
• both before and after the modification, any one of the plurality of lines do not cross with any one of the remaining ones of the plurality of lines.