Method for global blending of computer modeled solid objects using a convolution integral
US4791583A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 4, 1987 |
| Grant date | Dec 13, 1988 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 4, 2007 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T17/20
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method for generating a plurality of points that lie on the surface of a blended solid model. These points are obtained from the unblended solid model by a numerical solution to a convolution integral, wherein the convolution integral includes a spherically symmetric blending function with a size responsive to the blend radius desired for each of one or more regions on the solid model. For example, the spherical blending function may possess a constant value everywhere inside a sphere of radius R, and a value of zero outside (here called a "hard sphere"), or it may be represented by other functions of the radial direction, more specifically, the gaussian bell curve, in which case it will be called a "gaussian sphere". The numerical solution to the convolution integral is performed iteratively by placing the blending sphere at a plurality of locations along each of a set of rays that are defined substantially normal to and intersecting the solid model surface. The location on each ray at which the convolution integral is equal to a preselected value is stored. These stored locations may be used directly, or they may be used to define a set of surfaces that interpolate the blended …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.