Convexity preserving splines over triangulations (Q551499)

Visualization of 3D data in the form of a surface view is one of the important topics in Computer Graphics. The problem gets critically important when the data possesses some inherent shape feature. This paper is concerned with the solution of this problem when the data has a convex shape and its visualization is required to have similar inherent features to that of the data, and its purpose is twofold. First, to describe a general method for constructing sets of sufficient linear conditions in terms of the control points of a triangular Bézier surface that ensure convexity. The method, which is based on blossoming, can be used to create nested sequences of weaker and weaker conditions, including all of the known sets of linear conditions. Second, to develop explicit convexity preserving interpolation and approximation methods using the linear convexity conditions together with certain macro-element spline spaces defined on triangulations.