Interaction with a volumetric display system

• US 20020135539A1
• Filed: 02/22/2001
• Published: 09/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United India Insurance Company Limited
• Original Assignee: United India Insurance Company Limited
• Inventors: Blundell, Barry George
• Application Number:
  US09/789,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20020135539A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/6
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/50 the image being built up from image elements distributed over a 3D volume, e.g. voxels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/037 using the raster scan of a cathode-ray tube [CRT] for detecting the position of the member, e.g. light pens cooperating with CRT monitors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/194 Transmission of image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/279 the virtual viewpoint locations being selected by the viewers or determined by tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/289 Switching between monoscopic and stereoscopic modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/324 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/327 Calibration thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/393 the volume being generated by a moving, e.g. vibrating or rotating, surface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof

Abstract

A display system including a volumetric display unit for displaying voxels in a three-dimensional image space; a graphics engine for feeding image data to the volumetric display unit; and a passive interaction device which uses a radiation sensor for sensing radiation from a selected region of the three-dimensional image space. The interaction device can be used to perform image operations within the image space, typically using a recognisable cursor which is grabbed, highlighted and moved within the image space.

Claims

1. A display system including a volumetric display unit for displaying voxels in a three-dimensional image space;

a graphics engine for feeding image data to said volumetric display unit; and

an interaction device having a radiation sensor for sensing radiation from a selected region of said three-dimensional image space and an output for feeding an output signal to said graphics engine, wherein said graphics engine is adapted to analyse said output signal in order to identify said selected region.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said radiation sensor includes a two-dimensional array of radiation sensitive devices.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said radiation sensitive devices are charge-coupled devices.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said interaction device further includes a light transmitter for transmitting a visible beam of light which enables a user to determine a line of sight of said interaction device.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said interaction device includes a radiation transmitter for transmitting said output signal to said graphics engine via a wireless link.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said graphics engine is adapted to feed cursor image data to said display unit whereby said volumetric display unit displays a cursor image in said three-dimensional image space having a recognisable cursor attribute, and wherein said graphics engine is adapted to analyse said output signal to recognise the presence or absence of said recognisable cursor attribute in said output signal.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said recognisable cursor attribute is a time varying code sequence.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said time varying code sequence has a recognisable repetition frequency.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein said graphics engine is adapted to monitor a position of said cursor image within a two-dimensional image field of said radiation sensor, and move said cursor image in response to a change in said position of said cursor image within said two-dimensional image field of said radiation sensor.

10. The system of claim 1 further including one or more additional interaction devices, each having a radiation sensor for sensing radiation from said three-dimensional image space, and an output for feeding an output signal to said graphics engine.

11. The system of claim 1 further including an input device for inputting user instructions, wherein said graphics engine is adapted to identify a region of said three-dimensional image space in response to said user instructions as well as said output signal from said interaction device.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said input device is part of said interaction device, and said user instructions are part of said output signal.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein said graphics engine is adapted to move a cursor image in response to said user instructions from said input device.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said graphics engine is adapted to move said cursor image in a predetermined axis or plane in response to said user instructions.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein said graphics engine is adapted to feed said image data to said display unit in parallel whereby said display unit displays more than one of said voxels simultaneously.

17. The method of claim 16 including displaying a cursor image in said three-dimensional image space having a recognisable cursor attribute;

and analysing said output signal to recognise the presence or absence of said recognisable cursor attribute in said output signal.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said recognisable cursor attribute is a time varying code sequence.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said time varying code sequence has a recognisable repetition frequency.

20. The method of claim 17 including monitoring a position of said cursor image within a two-dimensional image field;

and moving said cursor image in response to a change in said position of said cursor image within said two-dimensional image field.

22. The method of claim 16 including feeding said image data to said display unit in parallel whereby said display unit displays more than one of said voxels simultaneously.

23. The method of claim 16 including determining a line of sight of said radiation sensor by displaying a first marker at a first position along said line of sight in said three dimensional image space;

displaying a second marker in said three dimensional image space;

moving said second marker within said three dimensional image space; and

analysing said output signal to sense when said second marker is at a second position along said line of sight.

16. A method of selecting a region of a three dimensional image space of a volumetric display system, the method including feeding image data to a volumetric display unit whereby said display unit displays voxels in said three-dimensional image space;

sensing radiation from said selected region of said three-dimensional image space with a radiation sensor to generate an output signal; and

analysing said output signal in order to identify said selected region.

21. The method further including simultaneously sensing radiation from a second selected region of said three-dimensional image space to generate a second output signal;

and analysing said second output signal in order to identify said second selected region.