Patent Document ID: 5386507
Application ID: 07732496
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A computer graphics system for selectively modeling molecules and investigating chemical and physical properties of said molecules comprising: a processor; a controller, running a single software program coupled to said processor to direct operations of said graphics system; a memory coupled to said processor to store data relative to known atoms, to said molecules, and to intra-molecular forces between atoms in said molecules; a pointer manipulation device coupled to said processor to provide a user the capability to select models of atoms and molecules from said memory and to direct operations of said controller; and a monitor coupled to said processor to provide a display of information and said models of atoms and molecules selected by the user via said pointer manipulation device wherein said display has a two-dimensional surface area in which to display information: wherein said controller: divides said display into a first portion to display said user selected atoms and molecules with a two-dimensional technique used by chemists to illustrate the relationship between atoms and molecules and a second portion independent of said two-dimensional display and displayed simultaneously therewith, to display said user selected atoms and molecules with a three-dimensional technique used by chemists to illustrate the relationship between atoms and molecules; and displays a user initiated pointer, which said user has direct control of via said pointer manipulation device, in one of said first and second display portions to manipulate and modify said selected atoms and molecules as desired by said user in that one of said first and second display portions without changing the configuration of said selected atoms and molecules displayed in the other one of said first and second portions of said display.