GB2452399A

GB2452399A - Scanning and Printing Taking 3D image Data Into Consideration

Info

Publication number: GB2452399A
Application number: GB0815655A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Ainge
Original assignee: Blanc Canvas Ltd
Current assignee: Blanc Canvas Ltd
Priority date: 2007-08-28
Filing date: 2008-08-28
Publication date: 2009-03-04
Also published as: GB0815655D0; GB0716669D0

Abstract

A method of printing images including the steps of scanning an article, e.g. oil painting (4 in fig. 1), to generate 3D as well as 2D (colour and location) image data relating to the article, such that when the image is printed onto a substrate (10), the three-dimensional image data is taken into consideration, and the resultant printed image (16) on the substrate has a more realistic appearance with a greater visual sense of depth. The 3D data may comprise texture map data, point cloud or polygonal mesh. The printing may be applied to wallpaper, or a self-adhesive substrate with a peel away backing. The printed substrate may also be waterproof. The scanning may be performed by a scanner having a plurality of scanning heads (6, 8 in fig. 1) which may be arranged at different angles relative to the article.

Description

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Printing method The invention to which this application relates is a method for printing onto substrates and particularly, although not exclusively applying the substrates onto a surface such as a wall surface or other relatively large surface areas.

Although the following description refers almost exclusively to use of a printing method to create effectively a form of wallpaper, it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention can be used to create alternative forms of displays or coverings.

It is known to create custom wallpaper using a system in which the user sends an image from their computer to a host computer to which a large-format printer is attached. The host computer is then instructed to print a repeating pattern of the image onto a roll of blank wallpaper, or alternatively resize the image to make it larger and then print the same across the wallpaper. The wallpaper can then be cut into strips and pasted onto a wall, lining up adjacent strips via the images printed thereon.

A problem with such systems is that the image initially sent is often of relatively low resolution, such that images appear blocky' or pixellated when printed onto wallpaper using the high resolution printers typically used today, especially if *.S.

enlarged. S...

** : In addition, where the image printed is not a pattern and S..

includes naturally occurring features that may be found in the location of the image, such as stones or cracks in a wall when the wallpaper is attached thereto, the wallpaper often lacks visual depth and appears to look fiat. In other words the view created by the image on the substrate looks like it is a scene printed on the substrate, rather than giving the optical illusion that the substrate is the scene itself.

An aim of the present invention is therefore to provide a method of printing images to give a more realistic appearance.

In a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of printing an image onto a substrate including the steps of; scanning an article to generate image data relating to said article; processing said image data via processing means to generate at least one image of said article; printing one or more said images onto a substrate using a printer; wherein the image data which is generated includes three-dimensional image data.

Typically a combination of two and three dimensional image data is generated from the scanning of the article in cjuestion.

Thus when a non-flat article is scanned, the three dimensional data relating to the article is also saved in addition to the two dimensional data. For example the data relating to a scanned oil painting is substantially two-dimensional, but also includes three dimensional data corresponding to the ridges caused by the brush strokes of the painter. * .

When the resulting image data are processed and the : corresponding image is printed, the three-dimensional image 30 data is taken into consideration by the printer such that the printed image is more realistic, with a greater visual sense of depth.

Thus in one embodiment raised portions and indented portions of an uneven surface of an article can be more accurately interpreted and realistically represented by the printing system, such that to a person viewing the same, the wall to which the printed substrate is applied appears to be the said uneven surface of the article.

In one embodiment, the three-dimensional image data includes texture map data which allows detail, surface texture, or colour to be applied to a three-dimensional model.

In one embodiment the three-dimensional image data includes a point cloud i.e. data relating to a set of vertices in a three dimensional coordinate System, usually defined by X, Y and Z coordinates.

In a further embodiment the three-dimensional image data includes a polygonal mesh i.e. data relating to a collection of vertices, edges and faces that defines the shape of a polyhedral object. The faces usually consist of triangles, quadrilaterals or other simple convex polygons, since this simplifies rendering, but may also be composed of more general concave polygons, or polygons with holes.

In one embodiment the two-dimensional image data includes *:*::* Colour and/or location data. * * **

Typically the image can be viewed on a display prior to printing.

: Typically the processing means allows the image to be cropped, *S* . * 30 resized, or otherwise manipulated. * *S..

* In one embodiment the article is scanned by scanning means, typically with an accuracy of O.OO5mm or better. Typically the scanning means have a plurality of scanning heads which may be arranged at different angles relative to the article. This allows different levels and views of the artwork to be scanned and hence provide for the generatioll of three-dimensional image data.

In one embodiment the substrate can be affixed to a surface such as wall. Typically the scanned image can be resized to match the dimensions of the surface.

As the article is preferably scanned at a high resolution, there is no apparent loss in quality when the image is resized to at least 20m by 20m, which might otherwise detract from the realism of the printed image.

In one embodiment the image is printed in segments depending on the size of the substrate. Thus where the image would be larger than the substrate, the image can be subdivided by the processing means into segments of the appropriate size to match the size of the substrate. The user can then line up the segments when affixed to a surface to recreate the image as a whole.

Typically the substrate is self-adhesive with a peel away backing, for example a silicone backing. This has the advantage of being paste-free and therefore less messy than conventional adhesives such as wallpaper paste. * ** * * . * **

Typically the substrate is not permanently attached to the surface, and can be repositioned as necessary. S... * *5 S. *

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* 30 Typically the printed substrate is waterproof. I...

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*:. Typically the substrate is paper or fabric, but it will be appreciated that any medium suitable for use with the printer can be used. Typically the substrate is wallpaper.

In one embodiment a warning message is generated' by the processing means if the image is not suitable for the surface and/or substrate.

In one embodiment a proof of the image or a portion thereof can be printed on the substrate for the user to check. This has the advantage that a user can view the proof directly in three dimensions as it is a hard copy, in comparison to a conventional two-dimensional representation viewed indirectly on a display screen.

Typically the proof is sent to the user, and the user can approve the same and/or pay a deposit via the internet. On approval the substrate may then be printed with the image.

Specific embodiments of the invention are now described wherein:-Figure 1 illustrates scanning means used according to an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 illustrates the peel away backing of the substrate according to an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 3 illustrates a substrate printed according to an embodiment of the invention in (a) front view and (b) closeup of portion marked B. S... * S.

r 30 With reference to Figure 1, there is illustrated scanning means in the form of an iScan3D (RTM) scanner 2, which is shown S...

* scanning an article in the form of an oil painting 4.

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The scanner 2 has several scanning heads 6, 8 at different angles which allows the topography of the painting to be scanned in addition to the colourmap (colour and location) information.

The scanner is high resolution with an accuracy of <=0.005 mm and provides a resolution of up to 8 million XYZ points per scan, each point being associated with three dimensional data accordingly.

Thus three-dimensional data relating to the painting can be saved in addition to or instead of the more conventional two-dimensional data.

The data can then be processed to form an image by processing means in the form of a computer associated with the scanner, and manipulated as required. For example, the processing means can crop the image and/or enlarge the image to a size of 20m by 20m or more without any apparent loss in quality.

The processing means can then print the image using a high definition photo-realistic printer (not shown) onto a substrate such as wallpaper.

As shown in Figure 2, the wallpaper 10 can be provided with an adhesive and a peel away silicone backing 12, for ease of use. * SI

The user can thus affix the wallpaper to a wall without the requirement for paste. The wallpaper can be repositioned if required, is waterproof so can be used outside as well as inside, : and is also rip and wrinkle resistant.

*:* With reference to Figures 3a, an example of the printed S...

wallpaper 16 is illustrated, displaying a reproduction of the scene from the painting.

Figure 3b shows how the ridges 14 in the canvas of the painting caused by aging have been faithfully reproduced by the printer, due to the three-dimensional data being provided by the scanner.

As such a more realistic representation of the image is provided, with a greater sense of depth than those produced using more conventional methods.

A user may of course want to cover a whole wall with a particular image, and in this regard the computer can subdivide the image into strips relating to the size of the substrate. Thus where a roll of wallpaper is used, the computer subdivides the image into strips corresponding to the width of the roll. The strips can then be lined up when affixed to the wall to recreate the image as a whole.

Of course, a user might want to check that the painting will be faithfully recreated before printing the whole image. As such the system can print a small proof of the image on a substrate so that the user can check directly that the printed image provides a realistic three-dimensional appearance and fulfils their requirements, rather than viewing the image on a display screen which only shows the two- dimensional appearance..

*:*::* It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the *,**e present Invention may also include further additional modifications made to the device which does not affect the : overall functioning of the device.

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Claims

Claims 1. A method of printing an image onto a substrate (10) including the steps of; scanning an article (4) to generate image data relating to said article (4); processing said image data via processing means to generate at least one image of said article (4); printing one or more said images onto a substrate (10) using a printer; characterised in that the image data which is generated includes three-dimensional image data.
2. A method according to claim I wherein the three-dimensional image data is taken into consideration by the printer such that the printed image (16) is more realistic, with a greater visual sense of depth.
3. A method according to claim I or 2 wherein two and three dimensional image data is generated from the scanning of the article.
4. A method according to. claim 3 wherein the two-dimensional image data includes colour and/or location data. * **
5. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the **.* . . . three-dimensional image data includes point cloud, polygonal mesh and/or texture map data. **** * ** ** *

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6. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the article is scanned by scanning means (2) having a plurality of e** scanning heads (6, 8) which may be arranged at different angles relative to the article.
7. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the article is scanned with an accuracy of <=0.005mm.
8. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the substrate is affixable to a surface and the scanned image is resizable to the dimensions of the surface by the processing means with no apparent loss in quality.
9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the resized image is subdividable by the processing means into segments matching the size of the substrate, such that the user can align the segments, once printed, on the surface to recreate the image as a whole.
10. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the substrate is wallpaper.
11. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the substrate (10) is self-adhesive with a peel away backing (12).
12. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the printed substrate is waterproof.
13. A method according to any preceding claim wherein a warning message is generated by the processing means if the * S. image is not suitable for the surface and/or substrate. * . S...
14. A substrate (10) printed with an image according to the : method of any previous claim. S.. * 30
15. Apparatus for performing a method according to any of *sSs * claims 1-13.

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