Retrieving data embedded into the surface of a 3D printed object
AssigneeAdobe Systems Incorporated
InventorsAbhishek Kumar, Naveen Prakash Goel, Mayur Hemani
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A computer implemented method and apparatus for storing and retrieving data embedded into the surface of a 3D printed object is described. The method and apparatus develops an electronic file used for printing a 3D object which embeds as structure into the 3D object, a 3D symbol matrix representative of data to be printed concurrently with the 3D object, such as a 3D barcode. A selected symbology is used for making the symbol matrix in accordance with the type of printing process to be used to print the 3D object.
Claims20
A method to retrieve data embedded as structure in the surface of 3D objects, comprising:
- obtaining a 2D image of at least a portion of a 3D object having symbols embedded as structure in the surface thereof;
- identifying an orientation and dimension of an area of the 3D object that includes the embedded symbols based on the 2D image;
- identifying sub-regions of the area of the 3D object;
- detecting, in the identified sub-regions of the identified area of the 3D object:
- a first group of symbols, wherein each symbol of the first group of symbols comprises parallel lines having an orientation;
- and
- a second group of symbols, wherein each symbol of the second group of symbols comprises a slanted surface having an orientation;
- and
- decoding the detected first group of symbols and the second group of symbols to retrieve data from the first group of symbols and the second group of symbols based on the orientations of the parallel lines and the orientations of the slanted surfaces.
A printed 3D object comprising:
- a surface having structurally embedded therein during printing, a volume corresponding to a 3D symbol matrix comprising an arrangement of symbols representative of data, wherein the arrangement of symbols comprise:
- a first group of symbols, wherein each symbol of the first group of symbols comprises parallel lines having a unique orientation encoding data;
- and
- a second group of symbols, wherein each symbol of the second group of symbols comprises a slanted surface having a unique orientation encoding data.
A system for retrieving data embedded as structure in the surfaces of 3D objects, comprising:
- at least one processor;
- and
- at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:
- obtain a 2D image of at least a portion of a 3D object having symbols embedded as structure in the surface thereof;
- identify an orientation and dimension of an area of the 3D object that includes the embedded symbols based on the 2D image;
- identify sub-regions of the area of the 3D object;
- detect, in the identified sub-regions of the identified area of the 3D object:
- a first group of symbols, wherein each symbol of the first group of symbols comprises parallel lines having a unique orientation;
- and
- a second group of symbols, wherein each symbol of the second group of symbols comprises a slanted surface having a unique orientation;
- and
- decode the detected first group of symbols and the second group of symbols to retrieve data from the first group of symbols and the second group of symbols based on the orientations of the parallel lines and the orientations of the slanted surfaces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.