Patents by Inventor Tom-Michael Thamm

Tom-Michael Thamm has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7616198
    Abstract: A computer graphics system generates a three-dimensional model of an object in an interactive manner under control of an operator. An initial model for the object to be modeled is displayed to the operator as illuminated from a particular illumination direction and projected onto an image plane. The operator can update shading of a pixel on the image plane, and, based on the updated shading, the computer graphics system generates an updated normal vector for the updated pixel, which identifies the normal of the surface of the object projected onto the updated pixel. Using the updated normal vector field and a height field, which represents the height of the respective portion of the object as projected onto the respective pixels of the image plane, the computer graphics system generates an updated height value for the updated pixel, thereby to update the height field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Mental Images GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Herken, Tom-Michael Thamm
  • Publication number: 20090153555
    Abstract: A computer graphics system generates a three-dimensional model of an object in an interactive manner under control of an operator. An initial model for the object to be modeled is displayed to the operator as illuminated from a particular illumination direction and projected onto an image plane. The operator can update shading of a pixel on the image plane, and, based on the updated shading, the computer graphics system generates an updated normal vector for the updated pixel, which identities the normal of the surface of the object projected onto the updated pixel. Using the updated normal vector field and a height field, which represents the height of the respective portion of the object as projected onto the respective pixels of the image plane, the computer graphics system generates an updated height value for the updated pixel, thereby to update the height field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2008
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Inventors: ROLF HERKEN, TOM-MICHAEL THAMM
  • Publication number: 20070103466
    Abstract: A computer graphics system generates a three-dimensional model of an object in an interactive manner under control of an operator. An initial model for the object to be modeled is displayed to the operator as illuminated from a particular illumination direction and projected onto an image plane. The operator can update shading of a pixel on the image plane, and, based on the updated shading, the computer graphics system generates an updated normal vector for the updated pixel, which identities the normal of the surface of the object projected onto the updated pixel. Using the updated normal vector field and a height field, which represents the height of the respective portion of the object as projected onto the respective pixels of the image plane, the computer graphics system generates an updated height value for the updated pixel, thereby to update the height field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Publication date: May 10, 2007
    Inventors: ROLF HERKEN, TOM-MICHAEL THAMM
  • Publication number: 20040169652
    Abstract: A computer graphics system generates a three-dimensional model of an object in an interactive manner under control of an operator. An initial model for the object to be modeled is displayed to the operator as illuminated from a particular illumination direction and projected onto an image plane. The operator can update shading of a pixel on the image plane, and, based on the updated shading, the computer graphics system generates an updated normal vector for the updated pixel, which identifies the normal of the surface of the object projected onto the updated pixel. Using the updated normal vector field and a height field, which represents the height of the respective portion of the object as projected onto the respective pixels of the image plane, the computer graphics system generates an updated height value for the updated pixel, thereby to update the height field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Applicant: Mental Images G.m.b.H & Co., KG
    Inventors: Rolf Herken, Tom-Michael Thamm