Patent ID: 6426748
Filing Date: 2002-07-30
Classification: G06K,G06T

Abstract:
An apparatus for distributing three-dimensional graphics comprising:(a) an editor executable on a first electronic computer having a first graphics display and a first user input device, the editor accepting user commands from the first user input device to produce a shape instruction file composed of: (i) at least one shape primitive identifying a predefined three-dimensional shape having associated shape parameters, (ii) at least one shape operator operating on the shape primitive according to an operation argument to change ones of the shape parameters associated with the shape primitive; (b) a distribution medium distributing the shape instruction file to a user; (c) an image player executable on a second electronic computer having a second graphics display, the image player receiving the shape instruction file via the distribution medium to generate on the second graphics display a two-dimensional representation of the three-dimensional graphic by modifying the shape parameters of the shape primitive according to the operation argument of the shape operator; whereby three-dimensional graphics can be distributed in highly compressed form.