Patent ID: 6650324
Filing Date: 2003-11-18
Classification: G06T

Abstract:
A computer-implemented method for use in rendering an image of a 3D surface, the method comprising:obtaining a digital model of the 3D surface, where the digital model includes data points defining vertices for triangles that represent 2D faces of the 3D surface; obtaining a plurality of vectors, each defining a surface normal for the 3D surface at a corresponding one of the vertices; applying a computer-implemented algorithm to the data points to create new data points defining new vertices that subdivide the triangles into smaller triangles; and applying the same computer-implemented algorithm to the vectors to calculate new vectors, each defining a surface normal at a corresponding one of the new vertices, wherein applying the computer-implemented algorithm includes applying the following equation: mk+1=Â½(z1k+z2k)+2w(z3k+z4k)âˆ’w(z5k+z6k+z7k+z8k), where each Zn represents one of the data points or vectors, where k indicates how many times the digital model of the 3D surface has been subdivided, and where w is a constant.