Real-Time 3D Mesh Simplification for Volumetric Decoding

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing technologies face challenges in efficiently rendering large 3D volumetric content files, which are computationally intensive and require significant time and resources, especially at decoding devices.

Innovation Solution

The proposed solution involves encoding attribute and geometric information of 3D volumetric content into 2D atlases, performing real-time mesh simplification at the decoding device, and using overlapping blocks to minimize discontinuities in depth values.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a full-resolution mesh is generated from depth map data, then rendering precision is improved, but computational load and rendering time increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverendering precisionVSAvoidrendering speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The decoding device divides the depth map into multiple blocks and processes each block independently to generate mesh primitives. This segmentation allows parallel processing of different regions, reducing overall computational load while maintaining local rendering precision through block-wise optimization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different mesh simplification strategies to different blocks based on their local characteristics. Blocks with high depth variation retain more vertices to preserve rendering precision, while blocks with low variation undergo aggressive simplification to improve rendering speed, achieving local optimization of the quality-speed tradeoff.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Device complexity

If mesh simplification is performed at the decoding device, then device complexity is reduced, but processing time is added before rendering

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedecoding device complexityVSAvoidmesh processing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The encoding device performs preliminary mesh simplification and generates simplified mesh representations that are embedded in the bitstream. The decoding device only needs to reconstruct and render these pre-simplified meshes, significantly reducing its computational burden and processing time while maintaining low device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses proxy meshes or simplified mesh representations as copies of the full-resolution mesh. These proxy meshes contain essential geometric information at reduced complexity and can be rendered quickly at the decoding device, avoiding the need for complex real-time simplification algorithms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Productivity

If aggressive mesh simplification is applied, then rendering speed is improved, but visual quality and mesh accuracy deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverendering speedVSAvoidmesh accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial simplification by processing only certain blocks with aggressive simplification while leaving other blocks at higher resolution. This selective approach achieves overall rendering speed improvement while maintaining mesh accuracy in critical regions where full detail is preserved.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent dynamically adjusts mesh simplification parameters such as vertex density, triangle count, and detail level based on block characteristics and rendering requirements. By changing these parameters adaptively, the system optimizes the balance between rendering speed and mesh accuracy for different regions of the scene.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Productivity

If blocks are processed independently for parallel rendering, then processing efficiency is improved, but discontinuities and artifacts appear at block boundaries

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing efficiencyVSAvoidmesh continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges adjacent blocks along their shared boundaries by identifying and eliminating duplicate vertices and edges. This merging process ensures geometric continuity across block boundaries while maintaining the parallel processing efficiency of independent block evaluation, preventing visual artifacts and discontinuities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS12256098B1Real time simplification of meshes

Publication Date: 2025.03.18 APPLE INC

AI summary

A decoding computing device receives a bit stream for compressed 3D volumetric content. The bit stream includes video encoded image frames comprising packed attribute patch images and depth maps for the 3D volumetric content. Instead of generating a mesh having a vertex for each depth value signaled in the depth map, the decoder performs a real-time mesh simplification process to reduce a resolution of the mesh, such that the mesh resolution is reduced without exceeding an error threshold, which may be dynamically determined. Additionally, the decoder may perform a re-meshing of particular regions of the mesh for the 3D volumetric content to avoid cracks or gaps.