3D Contour Line Rendering With Depth Bias for Terrain Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Generating three-dimensional contour lines for three-dimensional maps requires significant computational resources, power resources, data storage resources, and data transmission resources, especially for mobile devices, due to the high computational cost of draping two-dimensional contour lines onto three-dimensional meshes, leading to visual artifacts like clipping and floating segments.
Innovation Solution
Applying a depth bias to segments of three-dimensional contour lines to adjust their position relative to the viewpoint, ensuring they are visible over the terrain mesh, thereby reducing computational resources needed for draping and eliminating visual artifacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If two-dimensional contour lines are draped onto three-dimensional meshes to generate three-dimensional contour lines, then accurate elevation representation is achieved, but computational resources, power resources, data storage resources, and data transmission resources are significantly consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential function of contour lines (elevation representation) from the complex draping process. Instead of fully draping 2D contour lines onto 3D meshes, the system uses simplified 3D contour lines that achieve the same elevation representation purpose with minimal computational overhead, effectively removing the unnecessary computational burden while preserving the core functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs computationally inexpensive contour line representations that can be quickly generated and updated. Rather than using resource-intensive full draping operations, the system uses simplified contour line data structures that require minimal processing power and memory, allowing for efficient real-time updates on mobile devices without significant resource consumption.
2Manufacturing precision
If two-dimensional contour lines are draped onto three-dimensional meshes, then three-dimensional contour lines are generated, but visual artifacts such as clipping and floating segments occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter representation of contour lines from traditional 2D coordinates draped onto 3D surfaces to direct 3D spatial coordinates. This parameter transformation eliminates the mathematical complexity of draping operations and the associated visual artifacts like clipping and floating segments, while maintaining accurate elevation representation through modified contour line equations that directly define 3D positions.
3Manufacturing precision
If precise draping of two-dimensional contour lines onto three-dimensional meshes is performed, then accurate three-dimensional contour lines are produced, but device complexity and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates simplified copies of contour line data that represent elevation information without requiring the complex original draping structure. Instead of storing and processing full 2D-to-3D draped contour line geometries, the system uses streamlined 3D contour line representations that copy the essential elevation data in a more efficient format, reducing device complexity while maintaining visual accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for generating three-dimensional contour lines are described herein. The techniques can include determining whether one or more segments of the set of three-dimensional contour lines are obscured by a first terrain mesh when viewed from the first viewpoint. In accordance with a determination that the one or more segments of the set of three-dimensional contour lines are obscured by the first terrain mesh a depth bias can be applied to the one or more segments of the set of three-dimensional contour lines.