Patent ID: 6072506
Filing Date: 2000-06-06
Classification: G06F,G09G

Abstract:
In a graphics system wherein a rendering mode is performed whereby a set of objects defining a three dimensional scene are rendered for display as an array of pixels in a display area of a display device, and wherein a picking mode is performed whereby a picking aperture within said display area is defined, a method for identifying one or more objects that are visible within said picking aperture, the method comprising the steps of:during said rendering mode, assigning an identifier to each object of said set of objects, determining which particular object of said set of objects defining said scene is visible for a given pixel of said display device, storing color of the particular object for the given pixel in a frame buffer, and storing the identifier assigned to the particular object for the given pixel in an auxiliary buffer; andduring said picking mode, for each pixel associated with said picking aperture, reading the identifier stored in the auxiliary buffer for the pixel to thereby identify one or more objects visible in said picking aperture as a picked object.