Widgets displayed and operable on a surface of a volumetric display enclosure

• US 20040001111A1
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Published: 01/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Silicon Graphics Incorporated (Graphics Properties Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kurtenbach, Gordon Paul, Balakrishnan, Ravin, Fitzmaurice, George William
• Granted Patent: US 7,554,541 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/848
• 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 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects

Abstract

The present invention is a system that places 2D user interface widgets in optimal positions in a 3D volumetric display where they can be easily used based on the knowledge user have about traditional 2D display systems. The widgets are placed on a shell or outer edge surface of a volumetric display, in a ring around the outside bottom of the display, in a vertical or horizontal plane within the display and/or responsive to the users focus of attention. Virtual 2D widgets are mapped to volumetric voxels of the 3D display system. This mapping includes any mapping between a 2D representation or virtual display map of the widget to the corresponding voxels. For example, a 2D texture map of the widget image may be mapped into voxels. Control actions in the 3D volume initiated by conventional control devices, such as a mouse or a touch sensitive dome enclosure surface, are mapped to controls of the widgets and appropriate control functions are performed.

Claims

1. A process, comprising;

generating and displaying a volumetric display; and

producing a two-dimensional graphical user interface having three dimensions within the volumetric display.

2. A process as recited in claim 1, wherein the producing comprises positioning the user interface on an outside surface of the display.

3. A process as recited in claim 1, wherein the producing comprises positioning the interface in a ring.

4. A process as recited in claim 1, wherein the producing comprises positioning the user interface in a plane in the display.

5. A process as recited in claim 4, wherein the plane is one of a vertical plane, a horizontal floor plane and an arbitrary angle plane.

6. A process as recited in claim 1, wherein the producing comprises positioning the interface responsive to a users eye gaze.

7. A process as recited in claim 6, wherein the producing comprises positioning the interface responsive to a users focus of attention.

8. A process as recited in claim 1, wherein the producing comprises mapping a 2D interface representation into a 3D interface in the display.

9. A process as recited in claim 8, wherein the producing comprises mapping a two-dimensional interface representation to voxels in the volumetric display.

10. A process as recited in claim 9, wherein the mapping comprises assigning 2D texture of the interface to each voxel.

11. A process as recited in claim 10, wherein when the widget has a thickness of more than one voxel the assigning comprises:

determining whether a voxel intersects a 3D interface surface;

mapping the 2D texture when an intersection occurs comprising;

mapping the intersecting voxel to a user interface texture map local surface position;

sampling texture of the texture map at the local surface position; and

assigning the texture of the sample to the voxel.

12. A process as recited in claim 9, further comprising mapping control inputs of the volumetric display to controls of the representation.

13. A process as recited in claim 1, wherein the producing comprises drawing the interface in three dimensions using three-dimensional drawing primitives.

14. A process, comprising:

producing a volumetric display comprising a two-dimensional graphical user interface having three dimensions; and

converting the two-dimensional graphical user interface having three dimensions into a two-dimensional representation.

15. A process, comprising;

producing a volumetric display; and

producing a two-dimensional graphical user interface within the volumetric display and mapping control inputs of the volumetric display to controls of the interface.

16. A process, comprising;

producing a volumetric display; and

producing a two-dimensional graphical user interface within the volumetric display and positioning the user interface on an outside surface of the display responsive to a users focus of attention, comprising;

mapping a two-dimensional interface representation to voxels in the volumetric display where the widget has a thickness of more than one voxel;

assigning 2D texture of the interface to each voxel, assigning comprising;

determining whether a voxel intersects a 3D interface surface; and

mapping the 2D texture when an intersection occurs comprising;

mapping the intersecting voxel to a user interface texture map local surface position;

sampling texture of the texture map at the local surface position; and

assigning the texture of the sample to the voxel; and

mapping control inputs of the volumetric display to controls of the representation.

17. A process, comprising:

producing a volumetric display; and

converting an entire two-dimensional desk top workspace into a three-dimensional plane within the volumetric display.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

a volumetric display system for displaying a three-dimensional scene;

an input system inputting a three-dimensional control input for a user interface; and

a computer system receiving the control input for the user interface, mapping a two-dimensional representation of the interface to voxels within the display system and mapping the three-dimensional control input to the two-dimensional representation.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a volumetric display system for displaying a three dimensional scene;

a two-dimensional display system having a two-dimensional display positioned as a floor at the scene and comprising a two-dimensional graphical user interface;

an input system inputting a control input for the user interface; and

a computer system receiving the control input, activating a control of the interface and performing a display function within the volumetric display system.

20. A display comprising:

a three-dimensional volume displaying a three dimensional scene; and

a two-dimensional display having three dimensions and being displayed within the three dimensional volume.

21. A computer readable storage for controlling a computer by a process of generating and displaying a volumetric display and producing a two-dimensional graphical user interface having three dimensions within the volumetric display.