Abstract: A method and system for the processing, compressing, streaming, efficient transmission, and interactive rendering of 3d color image data are presented. A 3d color image is defined as a collection of 3d xyz locations that possess red-green-blue (RGB) color components just as a conventional 2d color image is a set of 2d xy locations (pixel centers) that possess RGB color components. One major difference is that 2d color images are generally dense and specifically organized on a 2d pixel grid where 3d color images are generally sparse and not organized on a dense-voxel grid in their raw data formats. The described method uses 3d sampling techniques and view-dependent point-size rendering algorithms to provide real-time interactive displays of complex textured 3d objects and scenes without the use of specialized texture mapping support for polygons within 3d graphic display systems.

Abstract: A method and system for the processing, compressing, streaming, efficient transmission, and interactive rendering of 3d color image data are presented. A 3d color image is defined as a collection of 3d xyz locations that possess red-green-blue (RGB) color components just as a conventional 2d color image is a set of 2d xy locations (pixel centers) that possess RGB color components. One major difference is that 2d color images are generally dense and specifically organized on a 2d pixel grid where 3d color images are generally sparse and not organized on a dense-voxel grid in their raw data formats. The described method uses 3d sampling techniques and view-dependent point-size rendering algorithms to provide real-time interactive displays of complex textured 3d objects and scenes without the use of specialized texture mapping support for polygons within 3d graphic display systems.