Patent ID: 8730264

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for determining whether a first graphics object to be displayed on a display device will visually intersect with any of a plurality of second graphics objects to be displayed on a display device, the method comprising: assigning, using one or more processor devices, the plurality of second graphics objects to a quad-tree structure corresponding to a view area of the display device, wherein the quad-tree structure includes a plurality of nodes, wherein at least some of the nodes correspond to respective sub-areas within the view area of the display device; determining, using one or more processor devices, with which of the sub-areas of the display device the first graphics object will visually overlap when the first graphics object is displayed on the display device; for each of the sub-areas of the display device with which it is determined the second graphics object will visually overlap, determining, using one or more processor devices, whether the first graphics object will visually intersect with any second graphics objects belonging to the corresponding node when the first graphics object and the plurality of second graphics objects are displayed on the display device; when it is determined that the first graphics object will not visually intersect with any of the second graphics objects assigned to the quad tree structure: determining, using one or more processor devices, a node of the quad tree structure to which the first graphics object belongs, and assigning the first graphics object to the determined node; when it is determined that the first graphics object will visually intersect with at least one of the second graphics objects assigned to the quad tree structure, either: (i) omitting the first graphics object from the quad tree structure so that the first graphics object will not be displayed on the display device, or (ii) moving a location of the first graphics object so that the first graphics object will not visually intersect with the at least one of the second graphics objects assigned to the quad tree structure when the first graphics object and the plurality of second graphics objects are displayed on the display device; and displaying, on the display device, graphics objects assigned to the quad tree structure.