Simplicial Maps for Progressive Transmission of Polygonal Surfaces

We present a new method for (1) automatically generating multiple Levels Of Detail (LODs) of a polygonal surface, (2) progressively loading, or transmitting, and displaying a surface, and for (3) changing interactively the LOD when displaying. We build the LODs using any algorithm that performs edge collapses and certain vertex removals to simplify surfaces, and provides an ordered list of ordered vertex pairs (edge collapse specifications). We propose a Surface Partition for encoding surface LODs: we define vertex and triangle levels during simplification; vertices and triangles are partitioned and sorted according to their level, and are passed to the display algorithm in decreasing level order, one level at a time, together with a vertex representatives array. Each level of vertices and triangles, together with higher levels and the vertex representatives, form a valid surface. The vertex representatives array encodesa successionof simplicial maps between the highest resolution ...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 1998
• Where: VRML
• Authors: André Guéziec, Gabriel Taubin, Francis Lazarus, William Horn
• Keywords: Edge Collapses, Internet Technology, Surface Partition, Vertex Representatives, VRML 1998