Intersection-Aware 3D Mesh Decimation for Real-Time Rendering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing level of detail image processing systems struggle to maintain high-quality rendering of complex three-dimensional graphics in real-time, particularly when interactions between multiple polygon meshes or parts of the same mesh occur, leading to visual errors such as mesh protrusions and inaccuracies.

Innovation Solution

A method for optimizing polygon meshes by selecting vertices for decimation based on the amount of change introduced, using information about intersections where faces of the mesh pass through one another, and employing a new metric that accounts for interactions between meshes to minimize image error.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If polygon mesh decimation is performed to reduce complexity for real-time rendering, then processing speed and frame rate are improved, but visual accuracy and rendering quality deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing speedVSAvoidvisual accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating the treatment of different regions in the polygon mesh. It identifies boundary regions where multiple meshes interact and applies stricter preservation criteria to these areas while allowing more aggressive decimation in non-boundary regions. This selective approach maintains visual accuracy in critical interaction areas while achieving complexity reduction in less critical areas, thus resolving the contradiction between processing speed and visual accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Device complexity

If vertex decimation is applied to optimize polygon meshes, then the number of polygons and processing resources are reduced, but visual errors such as mesh protrusions increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of polygonsVSAvoidvisual quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-identifying boundary regions and interaction areas between multiple polygon meshes before performing decimation. It calculates and stores boundary information in advance, then uses this pre-computed information to guide the vertex selection process. This preliminary preparation ensures that vertices in critical boundary regions are protected from decimation that would cause visual errors, while allowing optimization in safe regions, thus reducing visual errors while achieving mesh optimization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Speed

If aggressive mesh optimization is performed to achieve real-time rendering speeds, then frame rate and performance are improved, but accuracy in depicting interactions between meshes deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveframe rateVSAvoidinteraction accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by implementing different decimation strategies for different regions. It identifies boundary regions where mesh interactions occur and applies conservative preservation criteria to these areas, while allowing more aggressive optimization in interior regions. This spatially-varying approach maintains interaction accuracy in critical boundary areas while achieving the necessary complexity reduction elsewhere to maintain real-time frame rates.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3682426B1Three-dimensional graphics image processing
Publication Date: 2025.10.29 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC
  • EP3682426B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3682426B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3682426B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In various examples there is a computer-implemented method for forming an optimized three-dimensional model for a three-dimensional graphics image. The method comprises: obtaining the three-dimensional graphics image, the three-dimensional graphics image represented as at least one polygon mesh having a plurality of vertices connected by edges. The method selects one or more of the vertices to be removed by collapse decimation operation, the selection based on an amount of change in the polygon mesh introduced as a result of the decimation operation. The amount of change is computed using information about intersections where two different faces of the polygon mesh pass through one another.