LOCALIZED THUMBNAIL PREVIEW OF RELATED CONTENT DURING SPATIAL BROWSING

• US 20090132952A1
• Filed: 11/16/2007
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wong, Curtis Glenn
• Granted Patent: US 8,584,044 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• 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: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range

Abstract

Technologies, systems, and methods for exploring a virtual space without cluttering or obscuring a field of view of the virtual space with overlaid names, labels, symbols, markers, and the like. Instead, a user may select objects of interest presented in a context bar to locate them in the field of view. Further, the user can make use of various forms of selection to zoom in on objects or points in the field of view and access information regarding the virtual space and objects without adding persistent clutter to the field of view.

Claims

1. A method of exploring a virtual space via a field of view without persistently cluttering the field of view, the method comprising:

presenting a portion of the virtual space via the field of view;

presenting representations of objects located in the portion of the virtual space via the field of view;

presenting images of the objects in a context bar distinct from the field of view; and

highlighting one object of the objects when a corresponding image of the images of the objects is selected via a mouse hover, the highlighting removed when the corresponding image of the images of the objects is de-selected, or

centering the field of view on, and zooming in on, the one object of the objects when the corresponding image of the images of the objects is selected via a left mouse click, or

centering the field of view on, and cross-fading in on, the one object of the objects when the corresponding image of the images of the objects is selected via a double mouse click, or

highlighting a closest object of the objects relative to a point in the virtual space presented via the field of view, the point selected via a mouse hover, the highlighting removed when the point is de-selected, or

presenting information related to the closest object of the objects relative to the point in the virtual space presented via the field of view, the point selected via a right mouse click, or

centering the field of view on, and zooming in on, the point in the virtual space presented via the field of view, the point selected via a double mouse click.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the virtual space represents outer space.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the virtual space represents a landscape.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the presenting the portion of the virtual space includes presenting an actual image of a spatial environment represented by the virtual space.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the corresponding image is a thumbnail image.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the highlighting includes presenting identification information.

6. The method of claim 6 wherein the thumbnail is presented along with identification information.

8. A system for exploring a virtual space, the system comprising:

a field of view operable to present a portion of the virtual space and operable to present representations of objects within the portion of the virtual space, wherein the field of view is not persistently cluttered with information regarding the objects or the virtual space; and

a context bar operable to present images of the objects wherein the images can be selected to manipulate the virtual space and to access information related to the objects.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the context bar is distinct from the field of view.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein selecting one image of the images of the objects results in highlighting a corresponding object of the objects in the field of view, the highlighting removed when the one image of the images of the objects is de-selected.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the highlighting includes presenting information regarding the corresponding object of the objects.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein selecting one image of the images of the objects results in centering the field of view on, and zooming in on, the corresponding object of the objects in the field of view.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein selecting one image of the images of the objects results in centering the field of view on, and cross-fading in on, the corresponding object of the objects in the field of view.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein selecting a point in the virtual space within the field of view results in presenting information related to a closest object of the objects relative to the point.

15. The system of claim 8 wherein selecting a point in the virtual space within the field of view results in centering the field of view on, and zooming in on, the point.

16. The system of claim 8 wherein the virtual space represents outer space.

17. The system of claim 8 wherein the virtual space represents a landscape.

18. The system of claim 8 wherein the presenting the portion of the virtual space includes presenting an actual image of a spatial environment represented by the virtual space.

19. The method of claim 8 wherein the images of the objects are thumbnail images.

20. A computer-readable medium including computer-executable instructions embodying a method of exploring a virtual space via a field of view without persistently cluttering the field of view, the method comprising:

presenting a portion of the virtual space via the field of view;

presenting representations of objects located in the portion of the virtual space via the field of view;

presenting images of the objects in a context bar distinct from the field of view; and

highlighting one object of the objects when a corresponding image of the images is selected, the highlighting removed when the corresponding image of the images is de-selected, or

centering the field of view on, and zooming in on, the one object of the objects when the corresponding image of the images is selected, or

centering the field of view on, and cross-fading in on, the one object of the objects when the corresponding image of the images is selected, or

highlighting a closest object of the objects relative to a point in the virtual space, the highlighting removed when the point is de-selected, or

presenting information related to the closest object of the objects relative to the point in the virtual space, or

centering the field of view on, and zooming in on, the point in the virtual space.