

The representation of the bicubic surface patch can be 
  illustrated by considering the Bezier Surface Patch. 
  The edge P(0,v) of a Bezier patch is defined by giving four control points P00, 
  P01, P02 and P03. Similarly the opposite edge P(1,v) can be represented by a 
  Bezier curve with four control points. The surface patch is generated by sweeping 
  the curve P(0,v) through a cubic trajectory in the parameter u to P(1,v). To 
  define this trajectory we need four control points, hence the Bezier surface 
  patch requires a mesh of 4*4 control points as illustrated above.