Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Computer graphics processing – Three-dimension
Reexamination Certificate
1997-08-26
2001-04-24
Zimmerman, Mark (Department: 2671)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Computer graphics processing
Three-dimension
C345S473000, C345S474000, C345S215000, C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06222554
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The 1990's decade has been marked by a societal technological revolution driven by the convergence of the data processing industry with the consumer electronics industry. This advance has been even further accelerated by the extensive consumer and business involvement in the internet over the past two years. As a result of these changes, it seems as if virtually all aspects of human endeavor in the industrialized world requires human-computer interfaces. As a result of these profound changes, there is a need to make computer directed activities accessible to a substantial portion of the world's population which, up to a year or two ago, was computer-illiterate, or at best computer indifferent. In order for the vast computer supported market places to continue and be commercially productive, it will be necessary for a large segment of computer indifferent consumers to be involved in computer interfaces. Thus, the challenge of our technology is to create interfaces to computers which are easy to comprehend and use. This has resulted in a demand in the marketplace for interfaces which are as close to the real world as possible.
Industry has been working towards this challenge and there is presently a relatively high degree of realism possible in interfaces. This presents a need and an opportunity for even more realistic interaction techniques to better match the visual metaphors used and to achieve a higher level of ease of use for computer systems. We are striving towards the representation of objects as realistic, three-dimensional (3D) models rather than as the icons and two-dimensional desktops of conventional windows-oriented computer technology.
Some examples of current technology for the creation of virtual three-dimensional workspace display interfaces are copending applications Ser. No. 08/813,891 filed Mar. 7, 1997, entitled “VIEWER INTERACTIVE OBJECT IN VIRTUAL THREE-DIMENSIONAL WORKSPACE” and Ser. No. 08/813,848 filed Mar. 7, 1997, entitled “VIEWER INTERACTIVE OBJECT WITH MULTIPLE SELECTABLE FACE VIEWS IN VIRTUAL THREE-DIMENSIONAL WORKSPACE”, both filed on Mar. 10, 1997 and assigned to the assignee of the present application.
A 3D virtual workspace display environment is also described in an article entitled, “RAPID CONTROLLED MOVEMENT THROUGH A VIRTUAL 3D WORKSPACE”, Jock Mackinlay et al.,
Computer Graphics Publication
, Vol. 24, No. 4, August 1990, pp. 171-175, as well as in its related U.S. Pat. No. 5,276,785.
It is clear that current technology in virtual three-dimensional workspaces has provided environments which are user friendly, i.e. make the casual computer user feel more comfortable and at home with the interface. However, researchers in human factors have found downsides to three-dimensional virtual reality displays. Because of the many choices that the user has in wandering down various “streets and roads” or visiting a wide variety of “buildings or stores” or going through many possible “doors”, the user may wander through this reality and perhaps get lost from the track or goal that he is pursuing.
The present invention addresses this problem, i.e. that of helping the interactive user in three-dimensional graphic environments to stay focused and relate to the paths he is seeking to travel to in the manner he is seeking to travel to reach objects even when these objects are arranged in 3D space in what appears to be infinite configurations. The invention facilitates the user's navigation in the 3D space so that the user may easily and quickly continue on his navigational path and stick to his navigational objectives. The invention aids the navigating viewer in relating to objects which could be impediments to navigation. It also facilitates the viewer's maneuvering of his viewpoint.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is understood that in order to navigate through three-dimensional space, view the space or relate to objects within the space, a viewpoint is determined within that space. That viewpoint is the virtual position of the viewer or person who is navigating within the three-dimensional space. The viewpoint is commonly defined by its position and its orientation or direction. For purposes of describing this invention, we will use the metaphor of a camera to understand the viewpoint. The camera's position and orientation are where it is and which way it is pointing. A key need of a viewer navigating through virtual three-dimensional space is to stay focused and navigate as easily as possible and thus permit this viewer to concentrate and focus on his planned tasks rather than the navigation itself.
The present invention provides the viewer with functions which will aid his navigation by enhancing viewpoint movements which promote navigation goals and deterring navigation movements which oppose the navigation goals. This is accomplished through the creation of “benevolent” virtual force fields which are respectively associated with virtual objects in the in the three-dimensional workspace through which the viewer is navigating. Data defining such force fields is stored in association with the data defining the respective virtual objects. Accordingly, when the viewer is moving the viewpoint on a path through a virtual three dimensional workspace, he imparts to the moving viewpoint a velocity, a vector which has both magnitude and direction.
The present invention provides the designer of the virtual workspace with the means for designing and creating for each object a force field tailored to provide to a viewpoint movement approaching or in proximity to such object, an enhancement or retardant force on the viewpoint to optimize the navigation path and time. The virtual force acts in combination with the viewpoint movement velocity to either accelerate or decelerate the viewpoint velocity. Thus if the path of the viewpoint movent is approaching the object, then the force usually acts to decelerate or if there is a passageway through an object or between objects, the force acts to accelerate the passage by the object. In addition, if the path of viewpoint movement includes a turn from a rectilinear direction, the force components in the force field may be arranged so as to “smooth out” the turn, i.e., they may vary the acceleration of the viewpoint movement in proportion to the sharpness of the turn. Usually, the sharper the turn, the greater the deceleration will be.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5359703 (1994-10-01), Robertson et al.
patent: 5414801 (1995-05-01), Smith et al.
patent: 5416713 (1995-05-01), Kameda et al.
“Destructive Solid Geometry for Interactive Entertainment and Training”: B.F. Naylor; CSG96: Set theoretic Solid Modelling: Techniques & Applications; Proceedings of the conference held in Winchester, Apr. 1996; Published by Information Geometers(85-99).*
“Rapid Controlled Movement Through a Virtual 3D Space”: Jock D. Mackinlay, Stuart K.Card, George G. Robertson; Computer Graphics, vol. 24, No. 4, Aug. 1990.*
“The Animation of Autonomous Actors Based on Production Rules”: Hansrudi Noser, Daniel Thalmann; Proceedings. Computer Animation '96: p 47-57; publisher: IEEE Computer Society Press, Los Alamitos, CA; ISBN: 08186 7588 8.*
http://www-personal.engin.umich.edu/~johannb/vff&vfh.htm: “The Virtual Force Field and the Vector Field Histogram Methods—Fast Obstacle Avoidance for Mobile Robots”, 1993.
Berry Richard Edmond
Martin Shirley Lynn
Mullaly John Martin
Emile Volel
International Business Machines - Corporation
Kraft J. B.
Padmanabhan Mano
Zimmerman Mark
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