Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a computer implemented method for simplification of a point cloud including a set of points. The method comprises implementing recursive spatial partitioning of the set of points into a hierarchy of clusters, identifying representative points within each cluster in the hierarchy and, for each representative point, defining a point-pair that consists of or includes the representative point and a representative point of an immediate parent cluster. The method further includes calculating a contraction error metric for each point-pair, and iteratively contracting the point-pair with the lowest contraction error metric, updating remaining point-pairs as a result of the contraction, and revising the contraction error metric of the updated point-pairs accordingly.

Abstract: A computer implemented method of processing elevation mesh data defining a polygon mesh surface to determine an alternative representation of the surface using fewer polygons than in the original representation is disclosed. Initially original elevation mesh data is sub-sampled to generate a low resolution representation of the polygon mesh surface where vertices of polygons correspond to points on a coarser X-Y grid than the original elevation mesh data. Error values indicative of the extent that portions of the surface defined by the low resolution elevation mesh data differ from corresponding portions of the surface defined by the original elevation mesh data are then determined.

Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a computer implemented method for simplification of a point cloud including a set of points. The method comprises implementing recursive spatial partitioning of the set of points into a hierarchy of clusters, identifying representative points within each cluster in the hierarchy and, for each representative point, defining a point-pair that consists of or includes the representative point and a representative point of an immediate parent cluster. The method further includes calculating a contraction error metric for each point-pair, and iteratively contracting the point-pair with the lowest contraction error metric, updating remaining point-pairs as a result of the contraction, and revising the contraction error metric of the updated point-pairs accordingly.

Abstract: A computer implemented method of processing elevation mesh data defining a polygon mesh surface to determine an alternative representation of the surface using fewer polygons than in the original representation is disclosed. Initially original elevation mesh data is sub-sampled to generate a low resolution representation of the polygon mesh surface where vertices of polygons correspond to points on a coarser X-Y grid than the original elevation mesh data. Error values indicative of the extent that portions of the surface defined by the low resolution elevation mesh data differ from corresponding portions of the surface defined by the original elevation mesh data are then determined.

Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a computer implemented method for simplification of a point cloud including a set of points. The method comprises implementing recursive spatial partitioning of the set of points into a hierarchy of clusters, identifying representative points within each cluster in the hierarchy and, for each representative point, defining a point-pair that consists of or includes the representative point and a representative point of an immediate parent cluster. The method further includes calculating a contraction error metric for each point-pair, and iteratively contracting the point-pair with the lowest contraction error metric, updating remaining point-pairs as a result of the contraction, and revising the contraction error metric of the updated point-pairs accordingly.

Abstract: A computer implemented method of processing elevation mesh data defining a polygon mesh surface to determine an alternative representation of the surface using fewer polygons than in the original representation is disclosed. Initially original elevation mesh data is sub-sampled to generate a low resolution representation of the polygon mesh surface where vertices of polygons correspond to points on a coarser X-Y grid than the original elevation mesh data. Error values indicative of the extent that portions of the surface defined by the low resolution elevation mesh data differ from corresponding portions of the surface defined by the original elevation mesh data are then determined.