Patent ID: 9472019
Filing Date: 2016-10-18
CPC Classification: G06T

Claim Text:
1. A method of determining a set of mesh polygons or fragments of said mesh polygons visible from a view region having a plurality of view region vertices, said mesh polygons forming polygon meshes, the method comprising: a) determining, using processing circuitry, at least one first-order silhouette edge of said polygon meshes, wherein said at least one first-order silhouette edge includes: b) determining, using the processing circuitry, at least one supporting polygon between said view region and said at least one first-order silhouette edge wherein said at least one supporting polygon is a conservative supporting polygon that is constructed regardless of any mesh polygon intersecting said supporting polygon between said view region and said at least one first-order silhouette edge; c) constructing, using the processing circuitry, at least one wedge from said at least one supporting polygon, said at least one wedge extending away from said view region beyond said at least one first-order silhouette edge; d) determining, using the processing circuitry, one or more intersections of said wedges with said mesh polygons; and e) determining, using the processing circuitry, said set of said mesh polygons or fragments of said mesh polygons visible from said view region using said determined one or more intersections of said at least one wedge with said polygon meshes; and f) outputting, using processing circuitry, said set of said mesh polygons or fragments of said mesh polygons visible from said view region as a conservative approximate of exact surfaces visible from said view region.