Patent ID: 7643033

Claim:
A computer readable memory including computer executable instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising: compressing texture image data including a plurality of texture images by sampling the texture images in accordance with a feature of a material, the texture images acquired or created under a plurality of different conditions; converting the compressed texture image data into a first multi-dimensional texture, the first multi-dimensional texture including a codebook and index images containing index information indicating addresses assigned to data of the codebook, the codebook storing image data extracted from same pixels in the texture images and collected; generating a second multi-dimensional texture of a size based on the first multi-dimensional texture; and mapping a plurality of texture samples selected from the second multi-dimensional texture in accordance with the different conditions, based on a three-dimensional model data which specifies a shape of an object to which the texture samples are mapped, wherein compressing the texture image data estimates validity of use of a plurality of interpolation images acquired by clustering the texture images or by using adjacent ones of the selected texture samples, compressing the texture image data performs periodic sampling of the texture images or aperiodic sampling thereof, and when performing the aperiodic sampling, compressing the texture image data computes reproducibility of each texture sample of the selected texture samples, acquired by interpolation if the each texture sample is deleted, deletes a texture sample included in the selected texture samples and having a highest reproducibility, repeats a process of computing the reproducibility and deleting the texture sample having the highest reproducibility until the number of the selected texture samples reaches a target number, wherein when subjecting the texture images to aperiodic sampling, compressing the texture image data computes similarity between every pair of texture samples of the selected texture samples acquired under similar ones of the different conditions, blends two texture samples included in the selected texture samples having a highest similarity, replaces, with a resultant blended image, the two texture samples having the highest similarity, and repeats a series of processing including the computing, the blending and the replacing until the number of the texture samples reaches a target number.