Method for sampling mesh models and apparatus for sampling mesh models

A method for encoding mesh models, comprising steps of

• a first sampling step for sampling the model using a first sampling step size;
• detecting at least one first repeating structure, a representative and at least one instance of the at least one first repeating structure and a first remainder of the model;
• a second sampling step for sampling the first remainder and said representative of the at least one first repeating structure on a first reduced sampling level according to a first reduced sampling step size, wherein said at least one instance of the at least one first repeating structure is not sampled;
• detecting at the first reduced sampling level at least one second repeating structure, a representative and at least one instance of the at least one second repeating structure, and a second remainder of the model;
• and
• encoding the mesh model, wherein the second remainder of the model and said first and second representatives of repeating structures are encoded, and wherein said at least two instances of the first and the second repeating structures are encoded only by references to said repeating structures;
• characterized in the steps of
• detecting a first size being a total size of the mesh model sampled in the first sampling step, and a second size being a size of said first remainder and the at least one representative of the at least one first repeating structure sampled in the second sampling step;
• and
• calculating said first reduced sampling step size, based on the first size and the second size.

An apparatus for sampling mesh models, comprising

• first sampling means for sampling the model using an initial maximum sampling step size;
• analyzing and detecting means for detecting at least one representative of a repeating structure, at least one instance of the repeating structure and a remainder of the model;
• second sampling means for sampling the remainder and said at least one representative on a first reduced sampling level according to a first reduced sampling step size;
• characterized in that the apparatus further comprises
• size detecting means for detecting a size of said at least one representative of a repeating structure, a size of said at least one instance of the repeating structure and a size of said remainder;
• and
• calculating means for calculating, based on the size of the instance and the total size of the model, said first reduced sampling step size.

An apparatus for encoding mesh models, comprising

• first sampling means for sampling the model using a first sampling step size;
• first analyzing and detecting means for detecting at least one first repeating structure, a representative and at least one instance of the at least one first repeating structure and a first remainder of the model;
• second sampling means for sampling the first remainder and said representative of the at least one first repeating structure on a first reduced sampling level according to a first reduced sampling step size, wherein said at least one instance of the at least one first repeating structure is not sampled;
• second analyzing and detecting means for detecting at the first reduced sampling level at least one second repeating structure, a representative and at least one instance of the at least one second repeating structure, and a second remainder of the model;
• and
• encoder for encoding the mesh model, wherein the second remainder of the model and said first and second representatives of repeating structures are encoded, and wherein said at least two instances of the first and the second repeating structures are encoded only by references to said repeating structures;
• characterized in that the apparatus comprises
• size detecting means for detecting a first size being a total size of the mesh model sampled in the first sampling step, and a second size being a size of said first remainder and the at least one representative of the at least one first repeating structure sampled in the second sampling step;
• and
• calculating means for calculating said first reduced sampling step size, based on the first size and the second size.