Patent · US Expired

Methods and apparatus for rendering three-dimensional images

US6018347A · kind A · utility

26Cited by
3References
25Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateApr 10, 1997
Grant dateJan 25, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 10, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06T17/20
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for modeling a three-dimensional image with polygons having different levels of detail. The method includes initially modeling the three-dimensional image with a first plurality of polygons at a first level of detail. The first level of detail represent the coarsest level of detail available for modeling the three-dimensional image. The first plurality of polygons are provided as part of an input data set. The method further includes comparing a distance between a first polygon of the first plurality of polygons and an eye point to a predefined threshold distance value associated with a level of detail of the first polygon. If the distance is less than the predefined threshold distance value, the method substitutes in a second plurality of polygons for the first polygon. The second plurality of polygons are at a second level of detail higher than the first level of detail and computed in advance prior to a commencement of the initial modeling step and provided as part of the input data set.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.