Procedure for the simplification of triangular surface meshes for more efficient processing
US5689577A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 14, 1994 |
| Grant date | Nov 18, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 14, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T17/20
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A volume image memory (24) stores an electronic image representation of a volumetric region, such as the volumetric region examinedby a medical diagnostic scanner (10). A sub-region of interest of the volume is selected (30) and the surface of the selected region or object of interest is divided into triangular surface regions with a triangular surface processor (38). A vertex merging processor (40) examines the triangles to locate vertices spaced by less than a preselected minimum. Vertices closer than the preselected minimum are replaced with a vertex at a median position merging the triangle into adjacent triangles. A vertex removal processor (50) identifies groups of triangles having a common vertex (V.sub.c) that form a pyramid. The surface normals (N) of the triangles which define the pyramid are examined to determine whether they are within a preselected deviation of parallel. The altitude of the pyramid, i.e., a distance between the common vertex and an average plane (P.sub.avg) of the triangles is compared with a preselected maximum height. Triangular groups which pass the surface normal and maximum height tests have their common vertex removed (72) and are retriangulated …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.