Patent ID: 6169551
Filing Date: 2001-01-02
Classification: G06T

Abstract:
A method within a data processing system for computing volume data values at M node points utilizing a volume data value at a center of each of a first plurality of cells, wherein said first plurality of cells includes said M node points, and each of said M node points includes a position and an identifier, said method comprising the steps of: integrating a product of a predetermined interpolating function, N.sub.i (u,v,w), and a predetermined weighting function, M.sub.j (u,v,w), wherein said predetermined interpolating function is evaluated at a point (u,v,w) inside a cell k and which corresponds to a node point i included within said cell k, said cell k being included within a second plurality of cells sharing a node point j, and wherein said weighting function corresponds to said node point j within said second plurality of cells, for each node point j, each cell within said second plurality of cells and each node point i included within said cell k; summing said integrated products of said predetermined interpolating function, N.sub.i (u,v,w), and said predetermined weighting function, M.sub.j (u,v,w), with respect to a same node point, for each node point j; and storing each of said summed, integrated products of said predetermined interpolating function, N.sub.i (u,v,w), and said predetermined weighting function, M.sub.j (u,v,w), as an element in a node point ID-th row and a j-th column of an M.times.M matrix; integrating a product of said predetermined weighting function, M.sub.j (u,v,w), and a volume data value, S.sub.k.sup.cell, corresponding to a center of said cell k, for each of said second plurality of cells; summing for each node point, each said integrated product of said predetermined weighting function, M.sub.j (u,v,w), and a volume data value, S.sub.k.sup.cell ; and storing each of said summed, integrated products of said predetermined weighting function, M.sub.j (u,v,w), and a volume data value, S.sub.k.sup.cell, as an element at a j-th column of an M.times.1 matrix; creating an inverse matrix of said M.times.M matrix; and multiplying said inverse matrix and said M.times.1 matrix such that said volume data values are computed; performing a visualization process for a value of each element of an M.times.1 matrix generated by said multiplying step, said generated M.times.1 matrix representing a volume data value at each node point; and displaying a result of said visualization process utilizing said output device.