Patent ID: 6772175
Filing Date: 2004-08-03
Classification: G06T,Y10S

Abstract:
A database stored on a machine-readable medium, the database comprising:a vertex array that contains coordinates of a three-dimensional mesh, the vertex array containing elements that are empty and that are interspersed among the coordinates, the elements being available for future storage of coordinates, the elements being numbered, each of the elements in the vertex array containing either a coordinate or an indication that the element is empty, wherein the vertex array does not store coordinates in elements that exceed a first predetermined number; a face array that contains pointers to target coordinates in the vertex array, the target coordinates defining a polygon in the three-dimensional mesh, the face array comprising numbered elements, each of the numbered elements in the face array containing either pointers or an indication that the element is empty, wherein the face array does not store pointers in elements that exceed a second predetermined number; a free vertex container that identifies elements in the vertex array that do not contain vertices; and a free face container that identifies elements in the face array that do not contain pointers.