Method, system and device for efficient distribution of real time three dimensional computer modeled image scenes over a network

• US 20060061584A1
• Filed: 09/15/2005
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: My Virtual Reality Software
• Original Assignee: My Virtual Reality Software
• Inventors: Kristiansen, Stig Ronald
• Granted Patent: US 7,388,585 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/582
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/04 Texture mapping
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/16 involving adaptation to the client's capabilities

Abstract

The present invention is related to a method, system and device for distributing in real time data related to three dimensional computer modeled images scenes over a network. To provide a faster and better visual quality of the rendered frames on a client computer, the client computer first receives an initial file comprising a minimum of geometrical data and texture data to provide a minimum of visual quality of the displayed scene. By evaluating an importance factor for textures used in the scenes, the client computer may request the server for further data to improve the visual quality of the scene.

Claims

1. Method for distributing three dimensional computer modeled image scenes from a server to a client computer over a network, wherein modeling of scenes comprise geometrical data describing shapes of objects and texture data describing appearance of said objects in said scenes, transferring an initial file on request from said server to said client computer providing a minimum of geometrical data and texture data of visual quality for an initial rendering, wherein said method comprises the steps of:

in said client computer, evaluating which further data is necessary to download from said server to said client computer for improving said initial visual quality on basis of an importance factor calculated and associated with said texture data.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein said step of evaluating said importance factor further comprise the steps of:

evaluating said importance factor for all textures in said scene, and

downloading texture data comprising more visual details associated with an object in said scene having highest said importance factor.

3. Method according to claim 1, comprising repeating evaluating said importance factor associated with objects of the current rendering and downloading further texture data based on said evaluation further improving the visual appearance of said rendering until there is no more available allocated memory in said client computer.

4. Method according to claim 3, further comprising deleting texture data associated with lower importance factors than current evaluated and used in said present rendering when there is no more available allocated memory in said client computer.

5. Method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of evaluating said importance factor on basis of other downloaded texture data than those currently being rendered.

6. Method according to claim 5, further comprising using a system parameter or a user selectable parameter to decide which texture data to be used in said evaluation of said importance factor.

7. Method according to claim 1, wherein said step of evaluating said importance factor comprise the step of calculating said importance factor for a texture associated with an object as being proportional to an inverse of a distance to said object from an observation point for said scene.

8. Method according to claim 7, wherein said importance factor is defined as:

9. Method according to claim 7, wherein said importance factor is defined as:

10. Method according to claim 7, wherein said importance factor is defined as:

11. Method according to claim 7, wherein said importance factor is defined as:

12. Method according to claim 7, wherein said importance factor is defined as:

13. Method according to claim 7, wherein said inverse association with said distance A comprises any form of inverse function of said distance A.

14. Method according to claim 1, wherein said transferring of said initial file further comprise the steps of:

evaluate if said geometrical data and said texture data are within predefined limits, and if they are, convert said data from floating point format to integer format.

15. Computer system for distributing three dimensional computer modeled image scenes from a server to a client computer over a network, wherein modeling of scenes comprise geometrical data describing shapes of objects and texture data describing appearance of said objects in said scenes, wherein said computer system comprises:

means in said client computer to request said server to transfer an initial file comprising a minimum of geometrical data and texture data of visual quality for initial rendering on a display in communication with said client computer,

means in said client computer for calculating an importance factor for each texture, where each importance factor is provides as a pointer to said associated texture data, and

means in said client computer to request said server to download further said texture data with highest importance factor.

16. System according to claim 15, wherein said means continues repeating evaluating said importance factor associated with objects of the current rendering and downloading from said server further texture data based on said evaluation, further improving the visual appearance of said rendering until there is no more available allocated memory in said client computer.

17. Method according to claim 16, wherein said means further comprising deleting texture data associated with lower importance factors than current evaluated and used in said present rendering when there is no more available allocated memory in said client computer.

18. Computer system according to claim 15, wherein said means for calculating said importance factor comprises calculating said importance factor for a texture associated with an object as being proportional to an inverse of a distance to said object from an observation point for said scene.

19. Computer system according to claim 18, wherein said means for calculating said importance factor is done by:

20. Computer system according to claim 18, wherein said means for calculating said importance factor is done by:

21. Computer system according to claim 18, wherein said means for calculating said is importance factor is done by:

22. Computer system according to claim 18, wherein said means for calculating said importance factor is done by:

23. Computer system according to claim 18, wherein said means for calculating said importance factor is done by:

24. Computer system according to claim 18, wherein said means for calculating said importance factor is done by any form of inverse function of said distance A.

25. Computer system according to claim 15, comprising:

means in said server for testing if said geometrical data and said texture data are inside predefined limits,

means in said server to convert said geometrical data and said texture data from floating point format to integer format,

means in said server to instantiate an initial file for a scene comprising said converted data,

means in said client computer to convert said converted data back from integer format to floating point format before rendering said data.

26. Device used in a computer system for distributing three dimensional computer modeled image scenes from a server to a client computer over a network, wherein said computer modeled image scenes comprises geometrical data describing shapes of objects and texture data describing appearance of said objects, said device receiving copies of said data, wherein said device comprises:

means for calculating an importance factor for a texture used in said modeled image scene, wherein said importance factor is calculated as being proportional to an inverse function of a distance A from an object to an observation point for a scene in said visualization system, and

means for communicating said importance factor to said client computer.

27. Device according to claim 26, wherein said importance factor is calculated as:

28. Device according to claim 26, wherein said importance factor is calculated as:

29. Device according to claim 26, wherein said importance factor is calculated as:

30. Device according to claim 26, wherein said importance factor is calculated as:

31. Device according to claim 26, wherein said importance factor is calculated as: