COMPUTER SIMULATION OF VISUAL IMAGES USING 2D SPHERICAL IMAGES EXTRACTED FROM 3D DATA
First Claim
1. A method for virtual real-time computer simulation of visual images of perspective scenes, comprising:
- (a) saving a plurality of 2D spherical images as a data set including 3D positional information of the 2D spherical images corresponding to a series of locations in a 3D terrain, wherein each 2D spherical image comprises a defined volume and has an adjacency relation with adjacent 2D spherical images in 3D Euclidean space;
(b) receiving an input for a current virtual position of an observer in the 3D terrain, wherein the virtual position in the 3D terrain is mapped to a corresponding 2D spherical image for that location in 3D Euclidean space, wherein the virtual position places the observer virtually within a current 2D spherical image;
(c) rendering a simulated spherical image for the current 2D spherical image, wherein the simulated spherical image is mapped onto a 3D sphere from a point of view (POV) that is a center of the 3D sphere looking outward;
(d) displaying a portion of the simulated spherical image representing a field of view (FOV) based on an eye-point of the observer; and
(e) as the input for the current virtual position changes based on simulated movement of the observer in the 3D terrain, updating the current 2D spherical image to an adjacent 2D spherical image as the current virtual position crosses into the adjacent 2D spherical image, and repeating steps (c) through (e).
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Abstract
A system, method, and computer-readable instructions for virtual real-time computer simulation of visual images of perspective scenes. A plurality of 2D spherical images are saved as a data set including 3D positional information of the 2D spherical images corresponding to a series of locations in a 3D terrain, wherein each 2D spherical image comprises a defined volume and has an adjacency relation with adjacent 2D spherical images in 3D Euclidean space. As the input for a current virtual position changes based on simulated movement of the observer in the 3D terrain, a processor updates the current 2D spherical image to an adjacent 2D spherical image as the current virtual position crosses into the adjacent 2D spherical image.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for virtual real-time computer simulation of visual images of perspective scenes, comprising:
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(a) saving a plurality of 2D spherical images as a data set including 3D positional information of the 2D spherical images corresponding to a series of locations in a 3D terrain, wherein each 2D spherical image comprises a defined volume and has an adjacency relation with adjacent 2D spherical images in 3D Euclidean space; (b) receiving an input for a current virtual position of an observer in the 3D terrain, wherein the virtual position in the 3D terrain is mapped to a corresponding 2D spherical image for that location in 3D Euclidean space, wherein the virtual position places the observer virtually within a current 2D spherical image; (c) rendering a simulated spherical image for the current 2D spherical image, wherein the simulated spherical image is mapped onto a 3D sphere from a point of view (POV) that is a center of the 3D sphere looking outward; (d) displaying a portion of the simulated spherical image representing a field of view (FOV) based on an eye-point of the observer; and (e) as the input for the current virtual position changes based on simulated movement of the observer in the 3D terrain, updating the current 2D spherical image to an adjacent 2D spherical image as the current virtual position crosses into the adjacent 2D spherical image, and repeating steps (c) through (e). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 21)
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11. A virtual reality system for virtual real-time computer simulation of visual images of perspective scenes, comprising:
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a storage device of the virtual reality system having stored therein a plurality of 2D spherical images as a data set including 3D positional information of the 2D spherical images corresponding to a series of locations in a 3D terrain, wherein each 2D spherical image comprises a defined volume and has an adjacency relation with adjacent 2D spherical images in 3D Euclidean space; a processor of the virtual reality system for receiving an input from an input device for a current virtual position of an observer in the 3D terrain, wherein the virtual position in the 3D terrain is mapped to a corresponding 2D spherical image for that location in 3D Euclidean space, wherein the virtual position places the observer virtually within a current 2D spherical image; wherein the processor renders a simulated spherical image for the current 2D spherical image, wherein the simulated spherical image is mapped onto a 3D sphere from a point of view (POV) that is a center of the 3D sphere looking outward; a display device of the virtual reality system for displaying a portion of the simulated spherical image representing a field of view (FOV) based on an eye-point of the observer; wherein as the input for the current virtual position changes based on simulated movement of the observer in the 3D terrain, the processor updates the current 2D spherical image to an adjacent 2D spherical image as the current virtual position crosses into the adjacent 2D spherical image. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification