Patent ID: 8396284

Claim:
A method for identifying a point representing a feature in a 3D dataset comprising: performing a pick, wherein the pick includes: filtering the dataset including extracting a subset of points based on certain criteria, wherein the criteria include a seed point; and evaluating a metric for each point in the subset of points, wherein the metric is a non-normalized probability that the point being evaluated represents the feature; and identifying a point or points with the highest metric as representing the feature, wherein: the pick is a closest pick; the closest pick identifies a non-occluded point rendered at a given screen coordinate; and the closest pick includes: selecting a point provided by a user as the seed point; filtering with a filter that is conical in shape and selecting all points within the cone as the subset of points; and evaluating the metric for each point in the subset of points as the negative of the distance between the point being evaluated and a camera point.