Abstract: A distributed multiresolution modeling system has a database management system on a first server. The database management system provides access to a hierarchical tree representation of surfaces of geometric models. Client programs executing on computers connected to the first server accesses and updates the model by traversing the hierarchical tree representation until a terminating criterion has been satisfied. During the traversal the client programs request quad-tree nodes from the database management system.

Abstract: A method, computer system and article of manufacture for visualizing a model including a first surface is disclosed. The method includes determining, as the model is being built, the rendering resolution of a portion of the first surface based on a view frustum from which the first surface is to be viewed and rendering the portion of the first surface on the output device using the rendering resolution. The vertices and edges to be rendered are selected based on the view frustum, using view frustum culling and bounding sphere projection. The vertices and edges selected to be rendered are tessellated using incremental and decremental tessellation. The tessellated vertices and edges are rendered. Predictive techniques are used to estimate future view frustums. Quality may be traded off against performance by adjusting parameters. Material properties are represented.

Abstract: A distributed multiresolution modeling system has a database management system on a first server. The database management system provides access to a hierarchical tree representation of surfaces of geometric models. Client programs executing on computers connected to the first server accesses and updates the model by traversing the hierarchical tree representation until a terminating criterion has been satisfied. During the traversal the client programs request quad-tree nodes from the database management system.

Abstract: A method, computer system and computer program are disclosed for representing a first surface at multiple levels of resolution. The first surface is partitioned into nodes with one or more boundaries, each level of resolution having a subset of the boundaries. A second surface may be classified against the first surface. Surfaces and the model may be decimated. Portions of the surfaces may be loaded from persistent memory on demand and removed when no longer required.

Abstract: A method, computer system or computer program for interactively constructing, editing, rendering and manipulating geoscience models including aggregating the functionality of a geometry system and a graphics system, enforcing consistency between the geometry system and the graphics system, and interfacing the geometry system and the graphics system to an application through an integration layer.