Transporting a display object coupled to a viewpoint within or between navigable workspaces
First Claim
1. A method of operating a system including a display, a user input device for producing signals indicating actions of a system user, memory for storing data, and a processor connected for receiving signals and for presenting images on the display;
- the method comprising;
presenting a first image on the display that is perceptible as viewed from a first viewpoint in a first navigable workspace;
the first image including a first display object;
receiving a first signal from the user input device indicating a transport request from the system user to transport a selected display object;
the first signal further indicating a selection of the first display object as the selected display object;
coupling the selected display object to the first viewpoint in response to the first signal indicating the transport request;
receiving a second signal from the user input device indicating a selection of a second viewpoint by the system user;
presenting a second image including the selected display object on the display in response to the second signal;
the second image being perceptible as viewed from the second viewpoint;
the selected display object being presented in the second image so that the selected display object is perceptible as being viewed from the first viewpoint;
receiving a third signal from the user input device indicating that transporting the selected display object is completed; and
uncoupling the selected display object from the first viewpoint in response to the third signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and processor-controlled system are disclosed for transporting a selected display object, presented in a graphical image of an n-dimensional, navigable workspace where the selected display object is perceptible as viewed from one of a plurality of viewpoints in the workspace, by coupling the selected display object to a first viewpoint of the workspace. A display object perceptible as viewed from a first viewpoint and selected for transport is coupled to the first viewpoint so that the display object appears to maintain the same relative position to the first viewpoint as the system user changes viewpoints in the workspace, while other display objects in the workspace are perceptible as viewed from the changed viewpoints. This results in the selected display object always being perceptible in the workspace even if the selected display object would not have been perceptible from one of the changed viewpoints in the workspace. In addition, several selected display objects are always perceptible in their original relationship to each other and to the first viewpoint while being transported. The display object coupling technique is useful in large 2D or 3D visualization workspaces, for example to move or copy display objects to portions of the workspace that are presently not perceptible, and to move or copy display objects from a first workspace perceptible on the display to a second workspace presently not perceptible on the display. An implementation of the transport technique in a multiple workspace, 3D information visualization environment is described.
198 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method of operating a system including a display, a user input device for producing signals indicating actions of a system user, memory for storing data, and a processor connected for receiving signals and for presenting images on the display;
- the method comprising;
presenting a first image on the display that is perceptible as viewed from a first viewpoint in a first navigable workspace;
the first image including a first display object;receiving a first signal from the user input device indicating a transport request from the system user to transport a selected display object;
the first signal further indicating a selection of the first display object as the selected display object;coupling the selected display object to the first viewpoint in response to the first signal indicating the transport request; receiving a second signal from the user input device indicating a selection of a second viewpoint by the system user; presenting a second image including the selected display object on the display in response to the second signal;
the second image being perceptible as viewed from the second viewpoint;
the selected display object being presented in the second image so that the selected display object is perceptible as being viewed from the first viewpoint;receiving a third signal from the user input device indicating that transporting the selected display object is completed; and uncoupling the selected display object from the first viewpoint in response to the third signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- the method comprising;
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5. The method of claim I further including, after coupling the selected display object to the first viewpoint in response to the first signal indicating the transport request,
receiving a plurality of next viewpoint displacement signals requesting viewpoint motion; - each viewpoint displacement signal indicating the system user'"'"'s selection of a next viewpoint displaced from a preceding viewpoint; and
presenting on the display, in response to each next viewpoint displacement signal, a respective image including the selected display object;
the respective image being perceptible as viewed from the next viewpoint;
the selected display object being presented in each respective image so as to be perceptible as viewed from the first viewpoint of the first navigable workspace;the selected display object being perceptible by the system user during the requested viewpoint motion in each respective image as being coupled to the first viewpoint while the selected display object is being transported.
- each viewpoint displacement signal indicating the system user'"'"'s selection of a next viewpoint displaced from a preceding viewpoint; and
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14. A method of transporting display objects between three-dimensional (3D) navigable workspaces in a system;
- the system including a user input device for receiving signals indicating actions of a system user;
a display device having a display area for presenting images;
a processor connected for receiving the signals from the user input device, and connected for providing images to the display device; and
memory for storing data;
the processor being further connected for accessing the data stored in the memory;
the method comprising;presenting a first image in the display area of the display device that is perceptible as viewed from a first viewpoint and from a first orientation in a first 3D navigable workspace;
the first image including a first display object;receiving a first signal from the user input device indicating a request by the system user to transport a selected display object;
the first signal further indicating a selection by the system user of the first display object as the selected display object;storing display object coupling data indicating that the selected display object is coupled to the first viewpoint and to the first orientation in response to the first signal; receiving a second signal from the user input device indicating the system user'"'"'s selection of a second 3D navigable workspace; responding to the second signal by storing in the system memory first viewpoint coordinate data indicating the first viewpoint and the first orientation; and presenting a second image including the selected display object therein in the second 3D navigable workspace in the display area;
the second image being perceptible as viewed from a second viewpoint and from a second orientation in the second 3D navigable workspace;
the selected display object being presented using the display object coupling data and the first viewpoint coordinate data so that the selected display object is perceptible in the second image as being viewed from the first viewpoint and from the first orientation of the first 3D navigable workspace;receiving a third signal from the user input device indicating that transporting the selected display object is completed; and modifying the display object coupling data, in response to the third signal, to indicate that the selected display object is not coupled to the first viewpoint and to the first orientation. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
- the system including a user input device for receiving signals indicating actions of a system user;
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19. A system comprising:
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input circuitry, connected to a user input device, for receiving signals indicating actions and requests of a system user; output circuitry connected to a display device having a display area for presenting images; a processor connected for receiving the signals from the input circuitry, and connected for providing images to the output circuitry for presentation by the display device; and memory for storing data;
the data stored in the memory including instruction data indicating instructions the processor can execute;the processor being further connected for accessing the data stored in the memory; the processor, in executing the instructions, presenting a first image on the display that is perceptible as viewed from a first viewpoint in a first n-dimensional navigable workspace;
the first image including a first display object;the processor, further in executing the instructions, receiving a first signal from the system user to transport a selected display object;
the first signal further indicating a selection by the system user of the first display object as the selected display object;the processor, further in executing the instructions, storing display object coupling data indicating that the selected display object is coupled to the first viewpoint in response to the first signal; the processor, further in executing the instructions, receiving a second signal from the system user indicating the system user'"'"'s selection of a second viewpoint;
the processor storing first viewpoint coordinate data indicating the first viewpoint;the processor further, in executing the instructions, responding to the second signal by presenting a second image including the selected display object in the display area;
the second image being perceptible as viewed from the second viewpoint;
the selected display object being presented in the second image using the display object coupling data, the first viewpoint coordinate data, and the second viewpoint so that the selected display object is perceptible as viewed from the first viewpoint;the processor further, in executing the instructions, receiving a third signal from the system user indicating that transporting of the selected display object is complete; and the processor, in responding to the third signal, modifying the display object coupling data to indicate that the selected display object is not coupled to the first viewpoint;
the selected display object being perceptible to the system user as viewed from the second viewpoint. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of transporting display objects between three-dimensional (3D) navigable workspaces in a system;
- the system including a user input device for receiving signals indicating actions and requests of a system user;
a display device having a display area for presenting images;
a processor connected for receiving the signals from the user input device, and connected for providing images to the display device; and
memory for storing data;
the processor being further connected for accessing the data stored in the memory;
the method comprising;(a) presenting a first image in the display area of the display device that is perceptible as viewed from a first viewpoint and from a first orientation in a first 3D navigable workspace;
the first image including a first display object;
the first 3D navigable workspace being represented by a first workspace data structure stored in the system memory indicating that the first display object is included in the first 3D navigable workspace;(b) receiving a first signal from the user input device indicating a request by the system user to transport a selected display object;
the first signal further indicating a selection by the system user of the first display object as the selected display object;(c) in response to the first signal, modifying a display object coupling data item to indicate that the selected display object is coupled to the first viewpoint and to the first orientation;
the selected display object indicating the display object coupling data item;(d) receiving a second signal from the user input device indicating the system user'"'"'s selection of a second viewpoint and a second orientation in a second 3D navigable workspace;
the second 3D navigable workspace being represented by a second workspace data structure stored in the system memory;(e) storing in the system memory, in response to the second signal, first viewpoint coordinate data indicating the first viewpoint and the first orientation; (f) when the display object coupling data item indicates that the selected display object is coupled to the first viewpoint and to the first orientation, determining an updated display object position and an updated display object orientation in the second 3D navigable workspace for the selected display object using the stored first viewpoint coordinate data, the second viewpoint and the second orientation; (g) presenting a second image of the second 3D navigable workspace in the display area;
the second image being perceptible as viewed from the second viewpoint and the second orientation;
the second image including the selected display object in the updated display object position and having the updated display object orientation in the second 3D navigable workspace so that the selected display object is perceptible in the second image as being viewed from the first viewpoint and the first orientation of the first 3D navigable workspace;(h) modifying, in response to the second signal, the first and second workspace data structures to indicate that the first display object is included in the second 3D navigable workspace; (i) receiving a third signal from the user input device indicating that transporting the selected display object is completed; and (j) in response to the third signal, modifying the display object coupling data item to indicate that the selected display object is not coupled to the first viewpoint and to the first orientation. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
- the system including a user input device for receiving signals indicating actions and requests of a system user;
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35. An article of manufacture for use in a system that includes a display having a display area for presenting images to a system user;
- a user input device for receiving signals indicating actions and requests of the system user;
memory for storing data;
a storage medium access device for accessing a medium that stores data; and
a processor connected for receiving data from the user input device, for providing data defining images to the display, and for accessing the data stored in the memory;
the processor further being connected for receiving data from the storage medium access device;
the article comprising;a data storage medium that can be accessed by the storage medium access device when the article is used in the system; and data stored in the data storage medium so that the storage medium access device can provide the stored data to the processor when the article is used in the system;
the stored data comprisingsignal receiving instruction data indicating input instructions the processor can execute to receive signal data from the user input device;
the signal data including first, second and third signals for selecting a first display object included in a first image displayed in the display area for transporting to a destination location;
the first image being perceptible as viewed from a first viewpoint in a first navigable workspace; andoperation performing instruction data indicating response instructions the processor can execute to perform operations in response to the signal data; when the first signal indicates the system user'"'"'s selection of the first display object as a selected display object, execution of the response instructions causing the processor to store display object coupling data indicating that the selected display object is coupled to the first viewpoint; when the second signal indicates the system user'"'"'s selection of a second viewpoint, execution of the response instructions causing the processor to store first viewpoint coordinate data indicating a position of the first viewpoint in the first workspace, and to present a second image including the selected display object in the display area;
the second image being perceptible as viewed from the second viewpoint;
the selected display object being presented in the second image using the first viewpoint coordinate data so that the selected display object is perceptible as viewed from the first viewpoint; andwhen the third signal indicates that transporting the selected display object has been completed, execution of the response instructions causing the processor to modify the display object coupling data to indicate that the selected display object is not coupled to the first viewpoint.
- a user input device for receiving signals indicating actions and requests of the system user;
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36. In an interactive system including a display device having a display area for presenting graphical images of a navigable workspace, a user interaction device that permits a user to interact with display objects positioned in the workspace and to perform viewpoint motion in the workspace, a processor for executing instructions, and a memory having instructions stored therein indicating instructions the processor executes for producing and presenting the graphical images;
- each graphical image being perceptible as viewed from one of a plurality of viewpoints in the navigable workspace;
the improvement whereinthe processor, in executing the instructions in response to a first signal from the system user for transporting a selected display object included in a first graphical image in the workspace, stores display object coupling data indicating that the selected display object is coupled to a first viewpoint in the navigable workspace; the processor, in executing instructions in response to a second signal indicating selection of a second viewpoint, stores first viewpoint coordinate data indicating the first viewpoint, and presents a second graphical image perceptible as viewed from the second viewpoint;
the second graphical image including the selected display object;
when the display object coupling data indicates that the selected display object is coupled to a first viewpoint, the selected display object being presented in the second graphical image using the stored first viewpoint coordinate data so that the selected display object is perceptible as viewed from the first viewpoint; andthe processor, in executing the instructions in response to a third signal indicating that transporting the selected display object has been completed, modifies the display object coupling data to indicate that the selected display object is not coupled to the first viewpoint. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
- each graphical image being perceptible as viewed from one of a plurality of viewpoints in the navigable workspace;
Specification