Patent ID: 8233008

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for distinctively displaying building features with sufficient details in a three-dimensional building model, comprising: providing at least one graphical metaphor that permits a user to select with enhanced granularity at least one building floor from among a plurality of building floors associated with a three-dimensional model of a building, wherein said plurality of building floors include a plurality of building features including building windows, building ceilings, detectors, and objects within said building, by executing a program instruction in a data-processing apparatus; graphically selecting said at least one building floor from among said plurality of building floors utilizing said at least one graphical metaphor, in response to a particular input by said user, thereby allowing said user an ability to clearly identify, graphically manipulate and distinguish selected building floors and features among said plurality of building floors and correctly visualize said at least one building floor with respect to said three-dimensional model of said building, by executing a program instruction in said data-processing apparatus; utilizing said at least one graphical metaphor to distinguish said at least one building floor from among said plurality of building floors by: highlighting said at least one building floor from said plurality of building floors to derive at least one highlighted building floor, by executing a program instruction in a data-processing apparatus; manually pitching said at least one building floor graphically towards said user while a plurality of unselected building floors remain stationary, by executing a program instruction in a data-processing apparatus; and expanding said at least one highlighted building floor and compressing said plurality of unselected building floors in order to extrude said at least one highlighted building floor from said three-dimensional model of said building, by executing a program instruction in a data processing apparatus.