Patent ID: 6195098
Filing Date: 2001-02-27
Classification: G06T

Abstract:
A system for rendering a selected three-dimensional object of a scene containing a plurality of three-dimensional objects, each object being associated with a modifier stack, said system comprising:means for receiving user input that selects for modification one or more of the selected objects, said user input identifying which of the one or more selected objects of said plurality of three-dimensional objects is to be rendered separate from the other objects of said three-dimensional objects;a rendering engine operating on said modifier stacks for generating pixel data of said modifier stacks, said pixel data including z values corresponding to a distance between said objects associated with the modifier stacks that are operated on and with a predetermined point in space;a first video buffer coupled to said rendering engine for receiving two dimensional pixel data generated by said rendering engine operating on said modifier stacks of all objects in said scene but excluding any object selected for modification by said user input;a second video buffer coupled to said rendering engine for receiving two dimensional pixel data generated by said rendering engine operating on said modifier stack of only those objects that are selected for modification by said user input;wherein the rendering engine is configured to re-render the one or more selected objects only in the second video buffer when the selected object changes; anda compositor configured to compare said z values of pixels in said first and said second video buffers and displaying the scene by merging the first video buffer and the second video buffer by selecting said z values which are closest to said predetermined point.