Method and apparatus for modeling 3-D shapes from a user drawn curve

摘要

Method and apparatus for modeling 3-D frustums using a single click-and-draw action. A cursor control device button is pressed at a desired starting point. The user then moves the cursor to draw a curve. When the curve intersects, the shape that has been drawn is saved as a start surface. When the cursor control device button is released, the method may search for one or more other intersections from the end of the curve. If another intersection is found, the intersection defines an end surface. If one or more additional intersections are found, the additional intersections may be used to define intermediate surfaces. The recorded points between the start and end surfaces define the path of the frustum. If a second intersection is not found, the start surface may be duplicated as the end surface. Once the user completes the curve, the frustum defined by the curve may be rendered.