3D Mesh Tile Projection for Sensor Data Visualization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing 2D and 2.5D virtual world representations are inadequate for displaying complex terrain features like caves and cliff overhangs, as they can only project data from a single layer, leading to reduced accuracy and visual quality, especially on handheld devices with limited resources.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method for visualizing sensor data in a 3D virtual representation involves generating a 3D mesh, dividing it into tiles with shared corners, assigning 3D projection volumes, and calculating projection directions for each tile corner to efficiently project sensor data onto multiple terrain layers, allowing for real-time visualization on handheld devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If 2D or 2.5D virtual world representations are used to display sensor data, then the projection of data points is simplified and can be performed directly from above, but the representation cannot accurately model complex 3D structures such as caves and cliff overhangs, resulting in reduced measurement precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from 2D/2.5D representations to full 3D virtual world representations, adding the third dimension (elevation) to accurately model complex terrain structures like caves and cliff overhangs. This allows data points to be projected onto multiple surface layers at different elevations, significantly improving the accuracy of terrain representation while maintaining computational efficiency through optimized projection algorithms.
2Measurement precision
If 3D virtual world representations with multiple terrain layers are used, then complex structures like caves and cliff overhangs can be accurately modeled, but the computational load increases and rendering time increases, reducing productivity on handheld devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the 3D virtual world into multiple discrete surface layers at different elevations. Each layer can be independently processed and rendered, allowing the system to handle complex terrain structures while maintaining manageable computational loads. This segmentation enables efficient memory usage and processing on handheld devices by treating each elevation layer as a separate renderable surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary processing of the 3D terrain data to organize it into structured surface layers before rendering. By pre-processing the terrain representation and organizing data points into elevation-based layers in advance, the system reduces the computational complexity during real-time rendering, improving frame rates and rendering speed on resource-constrained handheld devices.
3Measurement precision
If data points are projected onto multiple terrain layers in 3D space, then accurate visualization of sensor data on complex terrain is achieved, but the computational capacity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by processing and rendering only the relevant terrain layers and data points that are visible or of interest in the current view. Instead of processing all data points across all layers uniformly, the system identifies and processes only the local portions of terrain layers that intersect with the camera view or are within the frustum, significantly reducing power consumption while maintaining accurate visualization where needed.
Data Source
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Figure 3a
Figure 3b~3c
AI summary
The invention pertains to a computer-implemented method (100) for visualizing sensor data in a three-dimensional virtual representation of a terrain that has multiple surface layers, the method comprising, in a computing device, receiving (110) terrain data comprising information about the multiple surface layers, receiving (120) at least one point cloud comprising a multitude of data points, each data point comprising three-dimensional coordinates in relation to the terrain and one or more sensor data values, performing a pre-processing procedure (140) and visualizing (180) the sensor data in at least a part of the virtual representation of the terrain, wherein the pre-processing procedure comprises generating a three-dimensional mesh as the virtual representation based on the terrain data, dividing the mesh into a multitude of tiles, each tile having at least three corners, each of the corners being shared with one or more neighbour tiles, calculating a projection direction for each tile corner, and calculating a projection direction for each tile based on the projection directions of the tile's corners, wherein visualizing the sensor data comprises, for each tile in the part of the virtual representation of the terrain, projecting a visual attribute into the tile using the projection direction of the tile and a projection volume of the data point, the visual attribute representing a sensor data value of a data point; and displaying the tile with the projected visual attribute.