Patent ID: 7523405

Claim:
A method of displaying relative depths of objects in a 2D image while preserving visual attributes of the objects, the method comprising using a computing device to perform the following computer-executable acts: in response to selecting an object, determining an object group; temporarily moving members of the object group away from their original positions while preserving the relative positions of the members of the object group in an X-Y plane and removing an overlap between the members; displaying a member relationship diagram in a region between non-overlapping members; connecting each member of the object group to the member relationship diagram such that a relationship of a parameter of each member of the object group is displayed; in response to a control action indicating an adjustment of the parameter of a member of the object group relative to the remaining members of the object group, changing the parameter of the object group member relative to the remaining members of the object group; and in response to a control action indicating that the adjustment is complete, returning members of the object group to their original positions in the X-Y plane and displaying the adjusted object group member with the adjusted object group member's changed parameter.