Abstract: A computer-implemented method to process a model of an object includes mapping a mesh representation of the model onto a plane to form a planarized mesh; generating a shape image by associating a shape descriptor with each vertex of the planarized mesh; forming a color image of the planarized mesh by using the shape descriptor to encode a color of each mesh vertex; creating a region map of the color image corresponding to areas of small shape variation; fitting a coarse two dimensional mesh to the region map and computing a target representation from the coarse two dimensional mesh. In the presently preferred embodiment the target representation is expressed as a multiresolution subdivision surface representation. The shape descriptors can include surface normals obtained from the mesh representation and, more generally, can be descriptive of one of surface normal, Gaussian curvature, mean curvature, shape index and curvedness.

Abstract: A method for representing a sharp feature on a surface of a model comprises the steps of defining at least one feature curve on the surface; reparameterizing the surface; and creating the feature on the reparameterized surface so as to be generally coincident with the feature curve, where the feature lies along boundaries between piecewise-smooth patch surfaces where patch surfaces with distinct tangent planes are joined. The surface is reparameterized by moving a control mesh relative to the surface to sample the feature curve with vertices of the control mesh, and creating the feature includes a subdivision step where edges and diagonals are treated as creases in the control mesh, and piecewise-smooth subdivision rules are applied to obtain a sharp feature on the surface. The surface may be defined in a Catmull-Clark multiresolution subdivision surface representation.

Abstract: A method for representing a sharp feature on a surface of a model comprises the steps of defining at least one feature curve on the surface; reparameterizing the surface; and creating the feature on the reparameterized surface so as to be generally coincident with the feature curve, where the feature lies along boundaries between piecewise-smooth patch surfaces where patch surfaces with distinct tangent planes are joined. The surface is reparameterized by moving a control mesh relative to the surface to sample the feature curve with vertices of the control mesh, and creating the feature includes a subdivision step where edges and diagonals are treated as creases in the control mesh, and piecewise-smooth subdivision rules are applied to obtain a sharp feature on the surface. The surface may be defined in a Catmull-Clark multiresolution subdivision surface representation.