Patent ID: 7538769

Claim:
A computer readable medium encoded with a data structure, the data structure including a plurality of data structure elements for storing a progressive mesh hierarchy representing a detailed mesh, the data structure comprising: a first section storing a base mesh defining root level of the progressive mesh hierarchy; and a second section comprising a sequence of mesh transformation alterations stored in rows, successive rows defining successive levels of detail in the hierarchy, such alteration sequences determined by subdividing the detailed mesh into plural regions, and combining and simplifying the subdivided regions of the detailed mesh; wherein the mesh transformation alterations of a row are stored in block refinement sequences, with a block refinement sequence in a subsequent row partitioned into at least one more block refinement sequence than the previous row; wherein the mesh transformation alterations within the rows are arranged according to a subdivision sequence for the detailed mesh and the mesh transformation alterations within the block refinement sequences are grouped according to region within the detailed mesh whereat the mesh transformation alterations operate.