Patent ID: 6961071

Claim:
A method for inverting a distorted surface presentation into an undistorted surface presentation in a detail-in-context presentation system comprising the steps of: a) selecting an input point {right arrow over (p)} input on said undistorted surface; b) calculating a vector {right arrow over (ν)} from said input point {right arrow over (p)} input to a reference viewpoint v{right arrow over (r)}p; c) locating a starting point {right arrow over (p)} i−1 , said starting point {right arrow over (p)} i−1 lying above said distorted surface and on said vector {right arrow over (ν)}; d) locating a first bracketing {right arrow over (p)} i for a first intersection point of said vector {right arrow over (ν)} and said distorted surface, said first bracketing point {right arrow over (p)} i lying above said distorted surface and on said vector {right arrow over (ν)}; e) locating a second bracketing point {right arrow over (p)} i+1 for said first intersection point, said second bracketing point {right arrow over (p)} i+1 lying below said distorted surface, and below said first intersection point, but above any subsequent intersection points of said vector {right arrow over (ν)} and said distorted surface; f) locating a midpoint {right arrow over (p)} mid between said first and second bracketing points {right arrow over (p)} i , {right arrow over (p)} i+1 ; and, g) determining if said midpoint {right arrow over (p)} mid is an acceptable approximation for said first intersection point, said acceptable approximation being an inversion point corresponding to said input point {right arrow over (p)} input .