Representing flat designs to be printed on curves of a 3-dimensional product

1. A method for transforming a design image into a projection design image indicating how the design image will appear when the design image is printed or projected on a 3-dimensional (3-D) curved object and the object is viewed from a known position, comprising:

receiving a flat 2-dimensional (2-D) design image of known dimensions and resolution;

applying, by one or more processors, a mapping transformation to the flat 2-D design image to generate a projection design image, the mapping transformation determined by

(a) obtaining an image of the 3-D curved object having a flat 2-D image projected or implemented thereon, the flat 2-D image having the same known dimensions and resolution as the known dimensions and resolution of the received flat 2-D design image, and

(b) mapping, by one or more processors, each respective pixel in the flat 2-D image to a corresponding pixel in the 3-D object image where the content of the respective pixel appears in the 3-D object image.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

displaying, by one or more processors, the projection design image.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

sending, by one or more processors, the projection design image to a user computer for display on a display screen.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

combining, by one or more processors, the projection design image with a product image of the object having 3-dimension curves to generate a customized product image of the object having 3-dimension curves incorporating the flat 2-D design image.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

displaying, by one or more processors, the customized product image.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein:

the customized product image is displayed simultaneously with the design image.

7. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

sending, by one or more processors, the customized product image to a user computer for display on a display screen.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein:

the customized product image is displayed simultaneously with the design image on the display screen of the user computer.

9. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

printing the design image onto a physical instance of the 3-D curved object to generate a customized product that appears substantially as depicted in the customized product design image.

10. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

projecting the design image onto a physical instance of the 3-D curved object to generate a customized product that appears substantially as depicted in the customized product design image when the design image is projected onto the object having 3-dimension curves.

11. Non-transitory computer readable storage tangibly embodying program instructions which, when executed by a computer, implement a method for transforming a flat 2-dimensional (2-D) design image into a projection design image of the design image as it will appear when the design image is projected onto a physical 3-dimensional curved object, the method comprising:

receiving a flat 2-dimensional (2-D) design image of known dimensions and resolution;

applying a mapping transformation to the flat 2-D design image to generate a projection design image, the mapping transformation determined by

(a) obtaining an image of the 3-D curved object having a flat 2-D image projected or implemented thereon, the flat 2-D image having the same known dimensions and resolution as the known dimensions and resolution of the received flat 2-D design image, and

(b) mapping each respective pixel in the flat 2-D image to a corresponding pixel in the 3-D object image where the content of the respective pixel appears in the 3-D object.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage of claim 11 , the method further comprising:

displaying the projection design image.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage of claim 11 , the method further comprising:

to sending the projection design image to a user computer for display on a display screen.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage of claim 11 , the method further comprising:

compositing the projection design image with a product image of the object having 3-dimension curves to generate a customized product image of the object having 3-dimension curves incorporating the design image.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage of claim 14 , the method further comprising:

displaying the customized product image.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage of claim 15 , the method further comprising:

displaying the customized product image simultaneously with the design image.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage of claim 14 , the method further comprising:

sending the customized product image to a user computer for display on a display screen.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage of claim 17 , the method further comprising:

displaying the customized product image simultaneously with the design image on the display screen of the user computer.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage of claim 14 , the method further comprising:

causing the design image to be printed onto the physical object having 3-dimension curves to generate a customized product that appears substantially as depicted in the customized product design image.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage of claim 14 , the method further comprising:

causing the design image to be projected onto the physical object having 3-dimension curves to generate a customized product that appears substantially as depicted in the customized product design image when the design image is projected onto the object having 3-dimension curves.

21. A system for transforming a flat 2-dimensional (2-D) design image into a projection design image of the design image as it will appear when the design image is projected onto a physical 3-dimensional curved object, comprising:

one or more processors configured to receive the design image; and

a projection image generator which applies a mapping transformation to the design image to generate a projection design image, the mapping transformation determined by

(a) obtaining an image of the 3-D curved object having a flat 2-D image projected or implemented thereon, the flat 2-D image having the same known dimensions and resolution as the known dimensions and resolution of the received design image, and

(b) mapping each respective pixel in the flat 2-D image to a corresponding pixel in the 3-D object image where the content of the respective pixel appears in the 3-D object image.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein:

the one or more processors comprising a server in operative communication with a client, wherein the design image is downloaded from the client.

23. The system of claim 21 , further comprising:

at least one processor;

data storage which stores the design image and the projection design image;

instruction memory which stores processor-readable instructions, which, when executed by the at least on processor, implement the projection image generator.

24. The system of claim 21 , further comprising:

a customized product image generator which combines the projection design image with a product image of the object having 3-dimension curves to generate a customized product image of the object having 3-dimension curves incorporating the design image.

25. The system of claim 24 , further comprising:

at least one processor;

data storage which stores the design image, the projection design image, the product image, and the customized product image;

instruction memory which stores processor-readable instructions, which, when executed by the at least on processor, implement the projection image generator and the customized product image generator.

26. The system of claim 24 , further comprising:

a display for displaying the design image and the customized product image.

27. The system of claim 26 , wherein:

the display comprises a display screen on a client computer, the client computer in operative communication with a server computer to receive from the server computer at least the customized product image and to display the design image simultaneously with the customized product image.

28. The system of claim 24 , further comprising:

a printing system for printing the design image onto the physical object having 3-dimension curves to generate a customized product that appears substantially as depicted in the customized product design image.

29. The system of claim 24 , further comprising:

a projector which projects the design image onto the physical object having 3-dimension curves to generate a customized product that appears substantially as depicted in the customized product design image when the design image is projected onto the object having 3-dimension curves.

30. A computer-implemented product design method, comprising:

displaying a workspace;

providing, by one or more processors, user input tools for allowing a user to create or input a flat 2-dimensional design in the workspace;

applying, by one or more processors, a mapping transformation to the flat 2-D design image to generate a projection design image, the mapping transformation determined by

(a) obtaining an image of the 3-D curved object having a flat 2-D image projected or implemented thereon, the flat 2-D image having the same known dimensions and resolution as the known dimensions and resolution of the received flat 2-D design image, and

(b) mapping, by one or more processors, each respective pixel in the flat 2-D image to a corresponding pixel in the 3-D object image where the content of the respective pixel appears in the 3-D object image; and

compositing, by one or more processors, the projection design image with an image of the 3-D curved object without the flat 2-D image projected or implemented thereon to generate a composite image; and

displaying the composite image to the user.

31. The method of claim 30 , wherein the workspace having the design therein and the customized product image are displayed simultaneously.

32. The method of claim 30 , wherein the user input tools comprise a design template tool which allows a user to view and select a design image template from a portfolio of design image templates offered by a design provider for entry into the workspace.

33. The method of claim 30 , wherein the user input tools comprise an image upload tool that allows a user to upload a design image into the workspace.

34. The method of claim 30 , further comprising:

allowing, by one or more processors, a user to modify the design in the workspace;

re-generating, by one or more processors, the customized product image based on the modified design, including a modified projected image of the modified design as it will appear when projected or printed onto the 3-dimensional curved portion of the physical product; and

displaying the re-generated customized product image.

35. Non-transitory computer readable storage tangibly embodying program instructions which, when executed by a computer, implement a method for designing a product, the cede method comprising:

displaying a workspace;

providing user input tools for allowing a user to create or input a flat 2-dimensional design in the workspace;

applying a mapping transformation to the flat 2-D design image to generate a projection design image, the mapping transformation determined by

(a) obtaining an image of the 3-D curved object having a flat 2-D image projected or implemented thereon, the flat 2-D image having the same known dimensions and resolution as the known dimensions and resolution of the received flat 2-D design image, and

(b) mapping each respective pixel in the flat 2-D image to a corresponding pixel in the 3-D object image where the content of the respective pixel appears in the 3-D object image; and

compositing the projection design image with an image of the 3-D curved object without the flat 2-D image projected or implemented thereon to generate a composite image and

displaying the composite image to the user.

36. The non-transitory computer readable storage of claim 35 , the method further comprising:

simultaneously displaying the workspace having the design therein and the customized product image.

37. The media non-transitory computer readable storage of claim 35 , the method further comprising:

providing a design template tool which allows a user to view and select a design image template from a portfolio of design image templates offered by a design provider for entry into the workspace.

38. The non-transitory computer readable storage of claim 35 , the method further comprising:

providing an image upload tool that allows a user to upload a design image into the workspace.

39. The non-transitory computer readable storage of claim 35 , the method further comprising:

allowing a user to modify the design in the workspace;

re-generating the customized product image based on the modified design, including a modified projected image of the modified design as it will appear when projected or printed onto the 3-dimensional curved portion of the physical product; and

display the re-generated customized product image.

40. A system for designing customized 3-dimensional curved object, comprising:

a display displaying a workspace;

one or more processors configured to

provide user input tools for allowing a user to create or input a flat 2-dimensional design in the workspace, and

apply a mapping transformation to the flat 2-D design image to generate a projection design image, the mapping transformation determined by (a) obtaining an image of the 3-D curved object having a flat 2-D image projected or implemented thereon, the flat 2-D image having the same known dimensions and resolution as the known dimensions and resolution of the received flat 2-D design image, and (b) mapping each respective pixel in the flat 2-D image to a corresponding pixel in the 3-D object image where the content of the respective pixel appears in the 3-D object image; and

composite the projection design image with an image of the 3-D curved object without the flat 2-D image projected or implemented thereon to generate a composite image and

display the composite image to the user.

41. The system of claim 40 , wherein the customized product image and the workspace having the design therein are displayed simultaneously.

42. The system of claim 40 , wherein the user input tools comprise an image upload tool that allows a user to upload a design image into the workspace.