Three-dimensional graphic user interface, and apparatus and method of providing the same

• US 20070097113A1
• Filed: 10/20/2006
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Keum-Koo, Kim, Sung-woo, Kwon, Yong-hwan, Seong, Ki-ae
• Granted Patent: US 8,024,671 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• 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 3/04815 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

Abstract

An apparatus and method for providing a three-dimensional graphic user interface includes a control module which creates a three-dimensional interface space having a predetermined plane and an axis perpendicular to the plane, and a plurality of objects presented in the space, and a user interface module which presents a plurality of object groups including the plurality of objects in the space, and moves an object group including a selected object among the plurality of presented object groups along the axis.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing a three-dimensional graphic user interface, the apparatus comprising:

a control module which creates a three-dimensional interface space having a predetermined plane and an axis perpendicular to the plane, and a plurality of objects presented in the space; and

a user interface module which presents a plurality of object groups including the plurality of objects in the space, and moves an object group including a selected object among the plurality of presented object groups along the axis.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of object groups comprises:

a high-level object group including a plurality of high-level objects, and

a low-level object group including a plurality of low-level objects for a high-level selected object among the plurality of high-level objects.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the low-level object group is presented in the space when a high-level object is selected.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the user interface module presents the low-level object group behind the high-level object group along the axis.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface module presents the object group including the selected object ahead of other object groups in the space along the axis.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface module changes a view point toward the object group including the selected object.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface module changes at least one of the size, color, and transparency of the selected object so as to emphasize the selected object.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface module changes at least one of the size, color, and transparency of objects not selected so as to emphasize the selected object.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the objects comprises one or more surfaces, on which information to be transmitted to a user is displayed.

10. A method of providing a three-dimensional graphic user interface, the method comprising:

creating a three-dimensional interface space having a predetermined plane and an axis perpendicular to the plane, and a plurality of objects presented in the space;

presenting a plurality of object groups including the plurality of objects in the space; and

moving an object group including a selected object among the plurality of presented object groups along the axis.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of object groups comprises:

a high-level object group including a plurality of high-level objects; and

a low-level object group including a plurality of low-level objects for a high-level selected object among the plurality of high-level objects.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the presenting of the plurality of object groups comprises presenting the low-level object group in the space when the a high-level object is selected.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the presenting of the low-level object group comprises presenting the low-level object group behind the high-level object group along the axis.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the moving of the object group comprises presenting the object group including the selected object ahead of other object groups in the space along the axis.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the moving of the object group comprises changing a view point toward the object group including the selected object.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the moving of the object group comprises changing at least one of the size, color, and transparency of the selected object so as to emphasize the selected object.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the moving of the object group comprises changing at least one of the size, color, and transparency of objects not selected so as to emphasize the selected object.

18. A three-dimensional graphic user interface, in which a plurality of object groups including a plurality of objects is presented in a three-dimensional interface space having a predetermined plane and an axis perpendicular to the plane, and an object group including a selected object among the plurality of presented object groups moves along the axis.

19. The three-dimensional graphic user interface of claim 18, wherein the plurality of object groups comprises:

a high-level object group including a plurality of high-level objects; and

a low-level object group including a plurality of low-level objects for a high-level selected object among the plurality of high-level objects.

20. The three-dimensional graphic user interface of claim 19, wherein the low-level object group is presented in the space only when the user selects a predetermined high-level object.

21. The three-dimensional graphic user interface of claim 20, wherein the low-level object group is presented behind the high-level object group along the axis.

22. The three-dimensional graphic user interface of claim 18, wherein the object group including the selected object is presented ahead of other object groups in the space along the axis.

23. The three-dimensional graphic user interface of claim 18, wherein a view point is changed to the object group including the selected object.

24. The three-dimensional graphic user interface of claim 18, wherein at least one of the size, color, and transparency of the selected object is changed so as to emphasize the selected object.

25. The three-dimensional graphic user interface of claim 18, wherein at least one of the size, color, and transparency of objects not selected is changed so as to emphasize the selected object.

26. The three-dimensional graphic user interface of claim 18, wherein each of the objects comprises one or more surfaces, on which information to be transmitted to a user is displayed.

27. A computer readable medium having stored therein a program for causing a processing device to execute a method for providing a three-dimensional graphic user interface, the program instructions comprising:

creating a three-dimensional interface space having a predetermined plane and an axis perpendicular to the plane, and a plurality of objects presented in the space;

presenting a plurality of object groups including the plurality of objects in the space; and

moving an object group including a selected object among the plurality of presented object groups along the axis.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the plurality of object groups presented by the program instructions comprises:

a high-level object group including a plurality of high-level objects; and

a low-level object group including a plurality of low-level objects for a high-level selected object user among the plurality of high-level objects.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 28, wherein the program instructions for presenting of the plurality of object groups comprises presenting the low-level object group in the space when the a high-level object is selected.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein the program instructions for presenting of the low-level object group comprises presenting the low-level object group behind the high-level object group along the axis.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the program instructions for the moving of the object group comprises presenting the object group including the selected object ahead of other object groups in the space along the axis.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the program instructions for the moving of the object group comprises changing a view point toward the object group including the selected object.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the program instructions for the moving of the object group comprises changing at least one of the size, color, and transparency of the selected object so as to emphasize the selected object.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the program instructions for the moving of the object group comprises changing at least one of the size, color, and transparency of objects not selected so as to emphasize the selected object.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the processing device executing the program instructions is a computer.