Patent ID: 7423645

Claim:
A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the following steps: accessing a depth buffer identifying depth values for a plurality of pixels on a display screen; calculating a difference in depth between a first pixel and a neighboring pixel adjacent to the first pixel; comparing the difference with a predetermined threshold, and if the difference is less than the threshold: calculating a soft shadow value for the first pixel, wherein the step of calculating further includes the steps of: accessing a binary shadow buffer identifying whether said pixels are in shadow; and ascertaining a binary shadow buffer value for the first pixel, wherein the step of ascertaining further includes the step of weighting the binary shadow buffer value for the neighbor pixel by a weighting value, wherein the weighting value is determined using a distance value of the neighbor pixel, wherein the distance value is the distance between the neighbor pixel and the first pixel; and modifying a color buffer value of the first pixel in accordance with the soft shadow value; and using the modified color buffer value to generate a display on a screen.