Patent ID: 7522164

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of adding at least one new virtual object to a three-dimensional virtual scene having a plurality of existing virtual objects, the computer-implemented method comprising: calculating, by a renderer program stored on a memory, dimensions for each cell in a three-dimensional array of cells forming a three-dimensional matrix that defines the three-dimensional virtual scene, wherein cells of the three-dimensional array of cells forming the three-dimensional matrix are associated with existing virtual objects of the plurality of existing virtual objects within the three-dimensional virtual scene; receiving, during a set period of time, at least one request to add at least one new virtual object to the three-dimensional virtual scene; propagating, by the renderer program, dimensions used to fit a largest retained virtual object along all spatial dimensions of the three-dimensional matrix, wherein the largest retained virtual object comprises a largest one of the at least one new virtual object thereby adjusting the spatial dimensions of the three-dimensional matrix to form a modified three-dimensional matrix that includes a cell associated with the largest one of the at least one new virtual object; positioning, by the renderer program, the at least one new virtual object within the modified three-dimensional matrix; and positioning, by the renderer program, all retained existing virtual objects of the plurality of existing virtual objects within the modified three-dimensional matrix to define a modified three-dimensional virtual scene, wherein the positioning steps are performed according to an alignment rule set defined for each cell of the three-dimensional array of cells forming the modified three-dimensional matrix, and wherein the alignment rule set provides that all cells in the modified three-dimensional matrix associated with retained existing virtual objects of the plurality of existing virtual objects within the modified three-dimensional virtual scene be positioned evenly relative to each other while still accommodating the cell associated with the largest one of the at least one new virtual object, wherein all retained existing virtual objects within the modified three-dimensional virtual scene remain a same size as compared to the three-dimensional virtual scene, and a spatial relationship between the retained existing virtual objects within the modified three-dimensional virtual scene is modified as compared to the three-dimensional virtual scene.