Unification of three-dimensional image data having plural surface shapes

A method for unifying three-dimensional shape data comprising:

• a storage step of storing plural three-dimensional shape data representing an object;
• a setting step of setting, for every two of said plural three-dimensional shape data, a section plane in the vicinity of the boundary of said three-dimensional shape data;
• a shape dividing step of determining partial shape data separated by said section plane;
• and
• a generation step of representing, for each section plane, the data of regions of said partial shape data on both sides of said section plane by a two-dimensional coordinate system, and generating triangular patch data with Delaunay triangular mesh in said regions.

An apparatus for unifying three-dimensional shape data comprising:

• storage means for storing plural three-dimensional shape data representing an object;
• alignment means for effecting mutual alignment of said plural three-dimensional shape data;
• section plane setting means for setting, for the plural three-dimensional shape data subjected to said alignment, a section plane in the vicinity of the boundary of said plural three-dimensional shape data;
• shape dividing means for determining partial shape data separated by said section plane;
• and
• unification means for representing, for each section plane, the data of regions of said partial shape data on both sides of said section plane by a two-dimensional coordinate system, and generating triangular patch data with Delaunay triangular mesh in said regions.

An apparatus for unifying three-dimensional shape data comprising:

• storage means for storing plural three-dimensional shape data representing an object;
• setting means for setting, for every two of said plural three-dimensional shape data, a section plane in the vicinity of the boundary of said three-dimensional shape data;
• shape dividing means for determining partial shape data separated by said section plane;
• and
• unification means for representing, for each section plane, the data of regions of said partial shape data on both sides of said section plane by a two-dimensional coordinate system, and generating triangular patch data with Delaunay triangular mesh in said regions.