Method of and system for determining a data model designed for being superposed with an image of a real object in an object tracking process

An object tracking method making use of a data model of virtual information being superposed with an image of a real object on an image plane, said method comprising the following steps:

• providing a three-dimensional CAD model (10) for representing a real object to be tracked in a subsequent object tracking process;
• generating different synthetic two-dimensional views (31 to 34) from said CAD model (10);
• subjecting each generated view (31 to 34) to edge extraction, determining at least one extracted edge (38, 39) in a respective view and determining which edges of the real object to be tracked are of relevance for said subsequent object tracking process;
• transforming said at least one extracted edge (38, 39) extracted from said respective view selected from said respective views (31 to 34) to a three-dimensional contour model (85, 91) corresponding to a data model;
• taking a two-dimensional image using a camera, said image at least including said real object;
• and,
• performing an optimization method projecting said data model to said image plane in order to superpose a projection of said data model with the image of said real object on said image plane.

A system for determining a data model of virtual information which is designed for being superposed with an image of a real object by means of an augmented reality system, comprising:

• a means for providing a three-dimensional CAD model (10) for representing the real object to be tracked in a subsequent object tracking process;
• a means for generating different synthetic two-dimensional views (31 to 34) from said CAD model (10), said means being designed furthermore to subject each generated view (31 to 34) to an edge extraction for determining at least one extracted edge (38, 39) in the respective view and means for determining which edges of the real object to be tracked are of relevance for said subsequent object tracking process;
• and,
• a means for transforming said edges (38, 39) extracted from the respective views (31 to 34) to a three-dimensional contour model (85, 91) corresponding to said data model.

A computer program product in a memory medium adapted to be loaded into the internal memory of a digital computer and comprising software code sections configured to:

• provide a three-dimensional CAD model (10) for representing a real object to be tracked in a subsequent object tracking process;
• generate different synthetic two-dimensional views (31 to 34) from said CAD model (10);
• subject each generated view (31 to 34) to edge extraction for determining at least one extracted edge (38, 39) in a respective view and determine which edges of the real object to be tracked are of relevance for said subsequent object tracking process;
• and,
• transform said at least one extracted edge (38, 39) extracted from said respective view selected from said respective views (31 to 34) to a three-dimensional contour model (85, 91) corresponding to a data model.