USER DEFINED SCENARIOS IN A THREE DIMENSIONAL GEO-SPATIAL SYSTEM

• US 20090094556A1
• Filed: 10/03/2008
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Inventors: Lindauer, Roy, Larsen, Matthew, Lopiccolo, Jarrod, Anderson, Grant, Helman, Thomas, Howard, Richard D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,914,750 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/848
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture provide the ability to store user defined scenarios in a three-dimensional system. A 3D view of a real world scene is displayed, using a three-dimensional (3D) graphics application. Plug-ins are installed into the 3D graphics application. A user selects a subset of the plug-ins, defines settings for the subset of plug-ins, and defines a visualization trait for each plug-in in the subset. The user associates an identification of the selected subset, the settings, and the visualization trait with a scenario bookmark that is saved. The bookmark can be selected by a user to display a visualization of a scenario based on the selected subset, settings, and visualization trait.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for storing user defined scenarios in a three-dimensional system, comprising:

displaying, using a three-dimensional (3D) graphics application, a 3D view of a real world scene on a display device;

installing one or more plug-ins into the 3D graphics application;

receiving input from a user selecting a subset of the one or more plug-ins;

receiving input from a user defining one or more settings for the subset of plug-ins;

receiving input from the user defining a visualization trait for each plug-in in the subset of plug-ins;

receiving input from the user associating an identification of the selected subset of plug-ins, the one or more settings, and the visualization trait with a scenario bookmark; and

receiving input from the user saving the scenario bookmark such that a user can select the saved scenario bookmark and display a visualization of a scenario based on the selected set of plug-ins, one or more settings, and the visualization trait for each plug-in in the subset.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving input from the user defining a linked data override; and

receiving input from the user associating the linked data override with the bookmark.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the linked data override comprises a link to an external file that contains values for the one or more settings.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying multiple scenario bookmarks on a display device that the user can select.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the scenario bookmark is displayed in a thumbnail icon on the display device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more plug-ins comprises an application that enables a user to visualize, analyze, and simulate a particular user-defined scenario in the 3D view.

7. An apparatus for storing user defined scenarios in a three-dimensional system in a computer system comprising:

(a) a computer having a memory;

(b) an application executing on the computer, wherein the application is configured to;

(i) displaying, using a three-dimensional (3D) graphics application, a 3D view of a real world scene on a display device;

(ii) installing one or more plug-ins into the 3D graphics application;

(iii) receiving input from a user selecting a subset of the one or more plug-ins;

(iv) receiving input from a user defining one or more settings for the subset of plug-ins;

(v) receiving input from the user defining a visualization trait for each plug-in in the subset of plug-ins;

(vi) receiving input from the user associating an identification of the selected subset of plug-ins, the one or more settings, and the visualization trait with a scenario bookmark; and

(vii) receiving input from the user saving the scenario bookmark such that a user can select the saved scenario bookmark and display a visualization of a scenario based on the selected set of plug-ins, one or more settings, and the visualization trait for each plug-in in the subset.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving input from the user defining a linked data override; and

receiving input from the user associating the linked data override with the bookmark.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the linked data override comprises a link to an external file that contains values for the one or more settings.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising displaying multiple scenario bookmarks on a display device that the user can select.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the scenario bookmark is displayed in a thumbnail icon on the display device.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein each of the one or more plug-ins comprises an application that enables a user to visualize, analyze, and simulate a particular user-defined scenario in the 3D view.

13. An article of manufacture comprising a program storage device readable by a computer, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps of storing user defined scenarios in a three-dimensional system, the method steps comprising the steps of:

displaying, using a three-dimensional (3D) graphics application, a 3D view of a real world scene on a display device;

installing one or more plug-ins into the 3D graphics application;

receiving input from a user selecting a subset of the one or more plug-ins;

receiving input from a user defining one or more settings for the subset of plug-ins;

receiving input from the user defining a visualization trait for each plug-in in the subset of plug-ins;

receiving input from the user associating an identification of the selected subset of plug-ins, the one or more settings, and the visualization trait with a scenario bookmark; and

receiving input from the user saving the scenario bookmark such that a user can select the saved scenario bookmark and display a visualization of a scenario based on the selected set of plug-ins, one or more settings, and the visualization trait for each plug-in in the subset.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving input from the user defining a linked data override; and

receiving input from the user associating the linked data override with the bookmark.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 14, wherein the linked data override comprises a link to an external file that contains values for the one or more settings.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 13, further comprising displaying multiple scenario bookmarks on a display device that the user can select.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 13, wherein the scenario bookmark is displayed in a thumbnail icon on the display device.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 13, wherein each of the one or more plug-ins comprises an application that enables a user to visualize, analyze, and simulate a particular user-defined scenario in the 3D view.