System and method for organizing two and three dimensional image data

A computer software product for a graphics display system that organizes image data forming a picture image defined by a plurality of levels, each level including a plurality of subpicture areas corresponding to a different level of image data resolution relative to image data resolution levels corresponding to subpicture areas in other levels, the computer software product including instructions for:

• receiving a subpicture element having image data for inclusion in the picture image;
• identifying a subpicture area in which the subpicture element may be placed, the identified subpicture area being in the lowest possible level of the picture image;
• placing the image data of the subpicture element in the identified subpicture area;
• upon a determination that the amount of image data in the identified subpicture area exceeds a predetermined maximum amount following the instruction for placing, identifying overlapping subpicture areas in a level corresponding to the next higher image data resolution level that overlaps the identified subpicture area;
• and
• following the instruction for identifying, placing image data of one or more subpicture elements from the identified subpicture area into at least one of the overlapping subpicture areas.

A graphics display system for organizing image data forming a picture image defined by a plurality of levels, each level including a plurality of subpicture areas corresponding to a different level of image data resolution relative to image data resolution levels corresponding to subpicture areas in other levels, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory device having computer software code stored therein, the processor and the memory device being capable of:
• identifying a subpicture element having image data for inclusion in the picture image;
• identifying a subpicture area in which the subpicture element may be placed, the identified subpicture area being in the lowest possible level of the picture image;
• placing the image data of the subpicture element in the identified subpicture area;
• upon a determination that the amount of image data in the identified subpicture area exceeds a predetermined maximum amount following the placing, identifying overlapping subpicture areas in a level corresponding to the next higher image data resolution level that overlaps the identified subpicture area;
• and
• following the identifying, placing image data of one or more subpicture elements from the identified subpicture area into at least one of the overlapping subpicture areas.