Scene graph based display for desktop applications

• US 20040039496A1
• Filed: 07/11/2003
• Published: 02/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Dautelle, Jean-Marie R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,436,406 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0082 for monitoring traffic from a ground station radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91

Abstract

A method and apparatus for rapidly displaying air traffic control (ATC) information on an ATC display provides a two-dimensional (2D) scene graph and associated 2D scene graph display commands in conjunction with a thee-dimensional graphic card. In other embodiments, any desktop application software can make use of a 2D scene graph and associated 2D scene graph display commands in order to rapidly render a 2D display.

Claims

1. A method of providing a graphical display for a desktop application, comprising:

generating scene graph data, the scene graph data including at least one two-dimensional object, the scene graph data adapted to be stored in a graphics module capable of generating the graphical display; and

generating a scene graph display command associated with the at least one two-dimensional object, the scene graph display command adapted to be interpreted by the graphics module resulting in at least one two-dimensional image on the graphical display, wherein the at least one two-dimensional image is associated with the at least one two-dimensional object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the scene graph display command includes:

receiving object data associated with a selected one of the at least one two-dimensional object; and

associating the object data with the selected one of the at least one two-dimensional object to provide the scene graph display command.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the object data is provided by a radar system and is associated with at least one of an aircraft and a geographic feature.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one two-dimensional object represents an aircraft.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the scene graph data includes generating the scene graph data including at least one of a first two-dimensional scene graph data portion representing a land geography, and a second two-dimensional scene graph data portion representing one or more aircraft.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the scene graph data includes generating the scene graph data associated with at least one two-dimensional object and with at least one three-dimensional object.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the scene graph data includes at least one text object, the at least one two-dimensional object includes at least one text character, and the at least one two-dimensional image includes at least one text character image.

8. A computer program medium having computer readable code thereon for providing a graphical display for a desktop application, the medium comprising:

instructions for generating scene graph data, the scene graph data including at least one two-dimensional object, the scene graph data adapted to be stored in a graphics module capable of generating the graphical display; and

instructions for generating a scene graph display command associated with the at least one two-dimensional object, the scene graph display command adapted to be interpreted by the graphics module resulting in at least one two-dimensional image on the graphical display, wherein the at least one two-dimensional image is associated with the at least one two-dimensional object.

9. The computer program medium claim 8, wherein the instructions for generating a scene graph display command include:

instructions for receiving object data associated with a selected one of the at least one two-dimensional object; and

instructions for associating the object data with the selected one of the at least one two-dimensional object to provide the scene graph display command.

10. The computer program medium claim 9, wherein the object data is provided by a radar system and is associated with at least one of an aircraft and a geographic feature.

11. The computer program medium claim 8, wherein the at least one two-dimensional object represents an aircraft.

12. The computer program medium claim 8, wherein the instructions for generating the scene graph data include instructions for generating the scene graph data including at least one of a first two-dimensional scene graph data portion representing a land geography, and a second two-dimensional scene graph data portion representing one or more aircraft.

13. The computer program medium claim 8, wherein the instructions for generating the scene graph data include instructions for generating the scene graph data associated with at least one two-dimensional object and with at least one three-dimensional object.

14. The computer program medium claim 8, wherein the scene graph data includes at least one text object, the at least one two-dimensional object includes at least one text character, and the at least one two-dimensional image includes at least one text character image.

15. A system for providing a graphical display for a desktop application, comprising:

a scene graph display command generator for generating a scene graph display command associated with the at least one two-dimensional object, the scene graph display command adapted to be interpreted by a graphics module, resulting in at least one two-dimensional image on the graphical display, wherein the at least one two-dimensional image is associated with the at least one two-dimensional object.

16. The system of claim 15, further including

an association processor adapted for:

receiving object data associated with a selected one of the at least one two-dimensional object; and

associating the object data with the selected one of the at least one two-dimensional object to provide the scene graph display command.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the object data is provided by a radar system and is associated with at least one of an aircraft and a geometric feature.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one two-dimensional object represents an aircraft.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the scene graph data includes at least one two-dimensional object and at least one three-dimensional object.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the scene graph data includes at least one text object, the at least one two-dimensional object includes at least one text character, and the at least one two-dimensional image includes at least one text character image.