Patent ID: 6445388
Filing Date: 2002-09-03
Classification: G06T

Abstract:
A computer-implemented graphics system, comprising:(a) a computer having an output device coupled thereto; (b) a database for storing a representation of a three-dimensional (3D) graphical image, wherein the 3D graphical image includes at least one loft feature; and (c) an image engine for processing the 3D graphical image stored in the database and for delivering the processed 3D graphical image to the output device, wherein the image engine includes a feature-based modeler for processing a loft feature in the graphical image, the loft feature is generated from one or more ordered cross-sections, each of the cross-sections is comprised of one or more segments, each of the segments is assigned a unique persistent name, one or more cross-section matrices are created for the unique persistent names of the segments, and the unique persistent names of the segments are made tolerant to partial topological changes of the loft feature by similarity analysis and update of the cross-section matrices.