Visible Surface Algorithms for Quadric Patches

Abstract

The paper describes two algorithms which find the visible portions of surfaces in a picture of a cluster of three-dimensional quadric patches. A quadric patch is a portion of quadric surface defined by a quadratic equation and by zero, one or several quadratic inequalities. The picture is cut by parallel planes called scan planes; the visibility problem is solved in one scan plane at a time by making 'a good guess' as to what is visible according to the visible portions found in the previous scan plane. The algorithm for intersecting patches works in a time roughly proportional to the number of patches involved (and not to the square of this number as with some previous algorithms). (Author)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 1970
Accession Number
AD0762017

Entities

People

  • Robert Mahl

Organizations

  • University of Utah

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Force Facilities
  • Algorithms
  • Computations
  • Computer Programs
  • Computer Science
  • Department Of Defense
  • Detection
  • Differential Equations
  • Equations
  • Intervals
  • Light Sources
  • Observers
  • Polynomials
  • Quadratic Equations
  • Rotation
  • Translations

Readers

  • Calculus or Mathematical Analysis
  • Phased Array Antenna Design.
  • Vision Science/Vision Psychology/Cognitive Neuroscience.