Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1996-11-15
2001-05-08
Powell, Mark R. (Department: 2779)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C345S215000, C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230167
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The invention relates generally to image processing systems, and, more particularly, to image processing systems that allow a user to create and view panoramic three dimensional images from data representing multiple views of a scene.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional three dimensional graphics applications and associated hardware render scenes composed of one or more three dimensional objects. The objects are typically represented by geometric primitives, for example triangles. The objects are represented by graphics data that represent the position and color of primitives in a model coordinate system. The graphics system renders the scene to display those object(s) of the scene that are visible in a viewing window based upon a view point. The user can navigate through the scene by changing the position and orientation of a view point reference (camera). In addition, animations can be performed by navigating through a series of preselected positions and orientations of the view point reference.
The rendering operation is a computationally intensive process and, thus, typically performed by specialized graphics hardware. Such systems are powerful yet remain costly due to the need for specialized hardware dedicated to this purpose.
Moreover, conventional three dimensional graphics systems require that the user provide a three-dimensional model of the scene (i.e., graphics data that represents the position and color of the geometric primitives of the scene in the model coordinate system). Such models may be created with software in conjunction with peripheral devices (pen tablets, scanners, cameras, etc). For example the software sold under the name CATIA by Daussault of France allows a user to build a three-dimensional model of a scene. However, such modeling software is expensive and, in addition, a significant investment in labor may be required to model even a relatively uncomplicated scene.
Because of the high costs associated with conventional three dimensional graphics systems, alternative solutions have emerged that provide effective yet limited capabilities in creating and viewing a three dimensional scene which are suitable for use on standard personal computers and without the need for dedicated graphics hardware. One such solution is the software developed and sold by Apple Computer, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. under the name QuicktimeVR. The QuicktimeVR software is segmented into two distinct packages. The first package, which is sold to content providers, is an authoring tool that allows content providers to develop a panoramic three-dimensional image from multiple views of a scene. The second package is a viewer which is distributed to consumers and which allows the consumer to view the panoramic three-dimensional images created by the authoring tool. A more detailed description of the operation of the QuicktimeVR system may be found in Chen, “Quicktime® VR—An Image-based Approach to Virtual Environment Navigation”, SIGGRAPH 1995, Los Angeles, Calif., pp. 29-38, and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,583 to Chen et al., which is assigned to Apple Computer, Inc.
The QuicktimeVR system utilizes a cylindrical environment map to represent the panoramic view of a scene (or collection of images). Different perspective views are rendered by mapping the cylindrical environment map to a desired viewing window.
A hotlink is an area of the panoramic scene that is associated with an action. For example, the action associated with hotlink may be the loading and displaying of a second environment map, the generation of a multimedia event such as an audio clip or video clip.
The QuicktimeVR system provides for hotlinks to be integrated into the panoramic scene. The location of such hotlinks are made evident to the user by a changing cursor shape in the display window when the user moves the cursor over an area of the scene that is associated with a hotlink. This method is limited because it requires the user to navigate throughout the panoramic scene in order to locate the hotlinks integrated into the scene.
Thus, there is a need in the art to provide for a more effective system for integrating hotlinks into three dimensional panoramic images, and thus provide an improved level of interactive graphical feedback.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above-stated problems and related problems of the prior art are solved with the principles of the present invention, method and apparatus for generating and displaying hotlinks in a panoramic three dimensional scene. In a panoramic scene represented by a first environment map comprising a plurality of elements each associated with a color value representing color of the corresponding element, hotlink areas in the scene are defined by a second environment map comprising a plurality of elements, wherein the elements of the second environment map correspond to the elements of said first environment map according to a mapping function. At least one element of the second environment map is associated with hotlink data identifying an action to be performed upon user selection of at least one element of the first environment map that corresponds to the at least one element of the second environment map. Preferably, the hotlink data associated with the at least one element of the second environment map includes a color value associated with the element of said second environment map and an entry in a table associating the color value with data identifying the action to be performed upon user selection of the at least one element of the first environment map.
The hotlink areas defined by the second environment map are displayed by identifying the at least one element of the second environment map, modifying the color value of the elements of the second environment that correspond to the at least one element of the second environment, thereby producing a modified first environment map. The modified first environment map is then rendered for display.
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Chen, Sencheng. “QuickTime VR—an Image-Based Approach to Virtual Environment Navigation”, Proc. Computer Graphics, Siggraph '95, Associaton of Computing Machinery, pp. 29-38 (reprinted), Aug. 1995.*
Heid, Jim. “QuickTime's New Edge: Apple's QuickTime VR Brings the Best of Virtual Reality to Personal Computers”, Macworld, vol. 12, No. 7, pp. 98-104, Jul. 1995.*
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Lipscomb James S.
Luken William Louis
Menon Jai P.
Schneider Bengt-Olaf
International Business Machines - Corporation
Perman & Green LLP
Powell Mark R.
Rossi Jeffrey Allen
Sbrollini Jay P.
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