Mapping for three dimensional surfaces

A method for modifying a two-dimensional (2D) texture for a vacuum-formed three dimensional surface (3D) comprising:

• receiving by a processor an image of a mapping pattern printed on an input material from at least two positions, the mapping pattern comprising a locally unique non-repeating pattern;
• receiving by the processor a 2D image of a 3D surface of the input material from the at least two positions, wherein the 3D surface is created by deforming the input material;
• determining by the processor a coordinate look-up table of the 3D surface corresponding to each pixel in the digital image of the mapping pattern from each of the at least two fixed positions, wherein the coordinate look-up table directly maps a 2D location of each pixel of the mapping pattern to a 3D location for each pixel of the mapping pattern;
• reconstructing by the processor a 3D shape with color from a 2D print from a 2D texture coordinate look-up table;
• and
• forming by the processor a modified 2D print from the reconstructed 3D shape.

A system for modifying an input image to print on a material before the material is formed to a three-dimensional shape comprising:

• a light source configured to light a surface of the material;
• one or more cameras configured to capture an image of a locally unique, non-repeating pattern printed on the material from at least two positions relative to the material;
• a computer in communication with the camera comprising a processor configured to perform the following operations:
• determining a 2D texture coordinate look-up table of a vacuum-formed 3D surface based, at least in part, on distortions in the locally unique, non-repeating pattern, wherein the 2D texture coordinate look-up table directly translates a 2D location of a select pixel in the pattern to a 3D location of the selected pixel on the 3D surface;
• and
• a printer in communication with the computer, wherein the printer prints a distorted 2D texture on a thermoforming material based on the 2D texture coordinate look-up table.

A method for producing a 3D surface with a distorted 2D texture, the method comprising:

• generating a modified 2D texture from an un-deformed 2D input texture according to a 2D texture coordinate look-up table for a vacuum formed 3D surface, wherein the 2D texture coordinate look-up table is formed by analyzing images of a locally unique non-repeating pattern printed on a sample thermoforming material and translates a pixel location for pixels in the pattern between a 2D location on the un-deformed 2D input texture to a 3D location on the formed 3D surface;
• printing the distorted 2D texture on a thermoforming material;
• and
• vacuum forming the thermoforming material into the 3D surface with a desired texture.

A method for producing a deformed two-dimensional (2D) texture for a vacuum-formed three dimensional surface (3D), the method comprising:

• capturing a digital image of a mapping pattern from at least two fixed positions, wherein the mapping pattern is printed on a planar input material, the mapping pattern comprising a locally unique non-repeating pattern;
• capturing a 2D image of a 3D surface from the at least two fixed positions, wherein the 3D surface is formed from the input material printed with the mapping pattern;
• generating a coordinate look-up table of the 3D surface corresponding to each pixel in the digital image of the mapping pattern from each of the at least two fixed positions, wherein the coordinate look-up table translates a 2D location of the pixels in the mapping pattern to a 3D location of the pixels on the 3D surface;
• reconstructing a 3D shape with color from a 2D print at coordinates provided by a 2D texture coordinate look-up table
• forming a modified 2D print from the reconstructed 3D shape.