Method and apparatus for reproducing video images to simulate movement within a multi-dimensional space
First Claim
1. Video image reproducing apparatus, comprising:
- addressable video image storage means for retrievably storing a plurality of selectable sequences of video images in addressable locations on a storage medium,each of said sequences including a starting image and an ending image,each of said video images representing a panoramic projection of a scene viewable by an operator;
address control means for addressing said storage means and providing retrieved sequences of images;
video image windowing means responsive to said retrieved sequences of images for providing as an output a predetermined window portion of each image of said retrieved sequences,said predetermined window portion comprising a portion of said video image less than the entire stored video image,said predetermined window portion of an ending image of a given retrieved sequence being substantially duplicative of said predetermined window portion of a starting image of a retrieved sequence immediately subsequent to said given sequence to provide a relatively imperceptible transition between sequences; and
display means responsive to the output of said video image windowing means for providing full screen continuous video displays corresponding only to said predetermined window portion of each of said video images in sequences corresponding to each of said retrieved sequences so as to simulate continuous movement.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for simulating movement within a multi-dimensional space by selecting and reproducing a particular one of a plurality of selectable sequences of video images subsequent to a given sequence of video images. The apparatus comprises an interactive random access video disc system for storing the sequences of video images. Video image windowing means provides as a video output only a predetermined "window" portion of each retrieved video image. The window portion of an ending image of a given retrieved sequence substantially duplicates the window portion of a starting image of a retrieved sequence reproduced immediately subsequent to the given sequence, thereby providing a relatively imperceptible transition between sequences. A method for numbering frames on the video disc ensures that a jump between images in any sequence or to an image in a subsequent sequence can be accomplished within a predetermined number of tracks and within a predetermined time, in order to prevent pauses or blankings of the output video images.
123 Citations
43 Claims
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1. Video image reproducing apparatus, comprising:
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addressable video image storage means for retrievably storing a plurality of selectable sequences of video images in addressable locations on a storage medium, each of said sequences including a starting image and an ending image, each of said video images representing a panoramic projection of a scene viewable by an operator; address control means for addressing said storage means and providing retrieved sequences of images; video image windowing means responsive to said retrieved sequences of images for providing as an output a predetermined window portion of each image of said retrieved sequences, said predetermined window portion comprising a portion of said video image less than the entire stored video image, said predetermined window portion of an ending image of a given retrieved sequence being substantially duplicative of said predetermined window portion of a starting image of a retrieved sequence immediately subsequent to said given sequence to provide a relatively imperceptible transition between sequences; and display means responsive to the output of said video image windowing means for providing full screen continuous video displays corresponding only to said predetermined window portion of each of said video images in sequences corresponding to each of said retrieved sequences so as to simulate continuous movement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for reproducing video images to simulate movement within a multidimensional imaginary space, comprising the steps of:
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storing on a storage medium a plurality of sequences of video images, each of said sequences portraying a plurality of views seen by an operator moving from a given particular one of a plurality of points within said multidimensional space to another one of said plurality of points within said multidimensional space spaced apart from said given point, each of said video images representing a panoramic projection of a scene viewable by the operator within said multidimensional space, each of said sequences including a starting image associated with said given particular point and an ending image associated with said other spaced apart point; retrieving from said storage medium a first one of said sequences associated with simulated movement from a first point within said multidimensional space to a second point; displaying as a full screen on a video display stored video image data corresponding to only a predetermined window portion of each image of said first sequence, said predetermined window portion comprising a portion of each stored video image in said first sequence less than the entire stored video image; adjusting the spatial relationship of said predetermined window portion with respect to each of said stored video images as a function of an operator input as said images of said first sequence are displayed so as to select different portions of said video images for display; selecting and retrieving from said storage medium a second one of said sequences associated with simulated movement from said second point to a third point spaced apart from said second point as a function of said operator input, for display subsequent to said first sequence; and displaying on said video display a predetermined window portion of each image of said second sequence, said predetermined window portion comprising a portion of each video image in said second sequence less than the entire stored video image, said predetermined window portion of an ending image of said first sequence being substantially duplicative of said predetermined window portion of a starting image of said second sequence to provide a relatively imperceptible transition from said first sequence to said second sequence. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. Apparatus for reproducing video images to simulate movement within a multidimensional space, comprising:
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video image storage means for retrievably storing a plurality of selectable sequences of video images on a storage medium, each of said images of each of said sequences portraying a view seen by an operator moving from a given particular one of a plurality of points within said space toward another one of said plurality of points within said space, each of said sequences including a starting image associated with said given point and an ending image associated with said other point; means for retrieving from said storage medium a first one of said sequences associated with simulated movement from a first point within said space toward a second point spaced apart from said first point; means responsive to said retrieving means for displaying on a video display a predetermined window portion of each image of a sequence of images on a video monitor, said predetermined window portion comprising a portion of each video image in said sequence less than the entire stored video image; operator control means for providing operator control signals indicative of operator selection of direction of simulated movement within said multidimensional space; means for adjusting the spatial relationship of said predetermined window portion with respect to each of said stored video images as a function of said operator control signals as said images of said first sequence are displayed so as to select different portions of said video images for display; and selection means responsive to said operator control signals for selecting a second one of said sequences associated with simulated movement from said second point to a third point spaced apart from said second point as a function of said operator control signals, for display subsequent to said first sequence, said predetermined window portion of an ending image of said first sequence being substantially duplicative of said predetermined window portion of a starting image of said second sequence to provide a relatively imperceptible transition in view from said first sequence to said selected second sequence. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification