Apparatus and method for determining whether objects will collide

A method for determining if a plurality of objects have collided comprising:

• dividing a first object into subsurfaces comprising a first subsurface;
• dividing a second object into subsurfaces comprising a second subsurface;
• calculating a first normal for said first subsurface;
• calculating a second normal for said second subsurface;
• calculating a first dot product between said first normal and said second normal;
• determining whether said first dot product is negative;
• wherein a determination that said dot product is not negative indicates that said first subsurface and said second subsurface have not collided;
• calculating a relative subsurface vector;
• wherein said relative subsurface vector extends from said first normal to said second normal;
• calculating a second dot product between said first normal and said relative subsurface vector;
• determining if said second dot product is negative;
• and
• wherein a determination that said second dot product is not negative indicates that said first subsurface and said second subsurface have not collided.

An apparatus comprising:

• hardware comprising a processor and a memory;
• programmable software;
• wherein said programmable software directs said processor to perform steps comprising:
• dividing a first object into subsurfaces comprising a first subsurface;
• dividing a second object into subsurfaces comprising a second subsurface;
• calculating a first normal for said first subsurface;
• calculating a second normal for said second subsurface;
• calculating a dot product between said first normal and said second normal;
• determining whether said dot product is negative;
• and
• wherein a determination that said dot product is not negative indicates that said first subsurface and said second subsurface have not collided.

An apparatus for determining whether a plurality of objects will collide comprising:

• hardware comprising a processor and a memory;
• programmable software;
• wherein said programmable software directs said processor to perform steps comprising:
• dividing a first object into subsurfaces comprising a first subsurface;
• dividing a second object into subsurfaces comprising a second subsurface;
• calculating a first normal for said first subsurface;
• calculating a second normal for said second subsurface;
• calculating a first dot product between said first normal and said second normal;
• determining whether said first dot product is negative;
• wherein a determination that said dot product is not negative indicates that said first subsurface and said second subsurface have not collided;
• calculating a relative subsurface vector;
• wherein said relative subsurface vector extends from said first normal to said second normal;
• calculating a second dot product between said first normal and said relative subsurface vector;
• determining if said second dot product is negative;
• and
• wherein a determination that said second dot product is not negative indicates that said first subsurface and said second subsurface have not collided.