Dynamic download of 3D information

• US 20020112025A1
• Filed: 06/08/2001
• Published: 08/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Daniel Hallstrom, Martin Green, Mats Johansson, Nils Andersson, Vinh-Sang Tri
• Original Assignee: Daniel Hallstrom, Martin Green, Mats Johansson, Nils Andersson, Vinh-Sang Tri
• Inventors: Johansson, Mats, Green, Martin, Andersson, Nils, Tri, Vinh-Sang, Hallstrom, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US09/877,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20020112025A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/552 for downloading to client devices, e.g. using OS version, hardware or software profile of the client device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/08 Bandwidth reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A dynamic loading and unloading of model files over the Internet or a local network from a repository of objects located at a URL. The model file contains all aspects of the available features of the 3-D object including 3-D geometry, texture (image), audio, text, video as well as behavior and interactivity (logic), that is the sub-components or elements of the object model file. The models include ways of representing graphic images, which include the designation of endpoints rather than each point of an image. The present invention divides the model file into the sub-components and downloads each component separately in any order. Typical model file size is from approximately 10 Kbytes to about 1.5 Mbytes. Geometry describes the physical characteristics in a 3-D file, such as the shape and size. Images consist of a texture of the geometry. The sub-components or elements are downloaded separately to form a complete 3-D model. These elements are downloaded dynamically. That is when required or selected separate from an overall scene and may be individually positioned about a particular environment.

Claims

1. A method and system for loading and unloading three-dimensional object model files comprising of the steps of:

a. Splitting the file into more than one part;

b. Dynamically downloading the parts separately; and

c. Displaying a three-dimensional object from the downloaded parts.