Efficient algorithms for 3D scan-conversion of parametric curves, surfaces, and volumes

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) scan-conversion algorithms , that scan-convert 3D parametric objects into their discrete voxelmap representation within a Cubic Frame Buffer (CFB), are presented. The parametric objects that are studied include Bezier form of cubic parametric curves, bicubic parametric surface patches, and tricubic parametric volumes. The converted objects in discrete 3D space maintain pre-defined application-dependent connectivity and fidelity requirements.The algorithms introduced here emply third-order forward difference techniques. Efficient versions of the algorithms based on first-order decision mechanisms, which employ only integer arithmetic, are also discussed. All algorithms are incremental and use only simple operations inside the inner algorithm loops. They perform scan-conversion with computational complexity which is linear in the number of voxels written to the CFB. All the algorithms have been implemented as part of the CUBE Architecture , which is a voxel-based system for 3D graphics.