Output-sensitive hidden surface elimination for rectangles

Abstract

An algorithm for the well-known hidden-surface elimination problem for rectangles, which is also known as the window rendering problem is presented. The time complexity of the algorithm is sensitive to the size of the output. Specifically, it runs in time that is O (n(1.5) + k), where k is the size of the output (which can be as large as theta (n(squared)). For values of k in the range between n(1.5)/log n and n squared, the algorithm is asymptotically faster than previous ones.