Schematic guided control of the view point of a graphics processing and display system

• US 5,764,217 A
• Filed: 09/10/1996
• Issued: 06/09/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kirchner, Peter Daniel, Wolfe, Robert Howard, Borrel, Paul, Rossignac, Jaroslaw Roman, Lipscomb, James Sargent, Menon, Jai Prakash
• Primary Examiner(s): BRIER, JEFFERY A
• Application Number:
  US08/716,668
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156-158, 345/6-9, 345/126, 345/139, 345/420, 345/425, 345/427, 345/437, 345/438, 395/120, 395/125, 395/127, 395/137, 395/138
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00

Abstract

A graphics processing and display system includes a coordinate sensing system for determining position and orientation of a view point reference with respect to a schematic representation of at least one three-dimensional object; a view point controller for controlling a display view point according to the determined position and orientation of the view point reference with respect to the schematic representation; and a display processor for generating pixel data representing a two-dimensional rendering of the at least one three-dimensional object according to the graphics data and display view point, wherein the two-dimensional rendering is different from the schematic representation, and wherein the pixel data generated by the display processor is output for display on a display device. Advantageously, the system of the present invention is efficient and easier to use than prior art graphics processing and display systems because the user is provided the ability to control the display view point according to the position and orientation of the view point reference with respect to the schematic representation of the displayed object.

Claims

1. In a system for processing and displaying graphics data representing at least one three-dimensional object according to a view point CHARACTERIZED in that the system includes means for determining position and orientation of a view point reference with respect to a schematic representation of said at least one three-dimensional object, wherein said schematic representation is fixed in a tangible medium, an apparatus for controlling said view point comprising:

a first view point controller for controlling said view point according to the determined position and orientation of said view point reference with respect to said schematic representation; and

a display processor for generating pixel data representing a two-dimensional rendering of said at least one three-dimensional object according to said graphics data and said view point, wherein said two-dimensional rendering is different from said schematic representation, and wherein said pixel data generated by said display processor is output for display on a display device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for determining position and orientation of said view point reference with respect to said schematic representation comprises a sensor packaged in a housing suitable for being held in one hand, wherein said housing comprises said view point reference, wherein said sensor has a fixed position and orientation with respect to said view point reference, and wherein said view point is varied by moving said housing and sensor with respect to said schematic representation.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said housing and sensor are moved with respect to said schematic representation by hand motion.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said housing comprises a hand-held miniature toy camera, and said view point reference lies on an imaginary lens of the miniature toy camera.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for determining position and orientation of said view point reference with respect to said schematic representation comprises a sensor, and said view point reference corresponds to said sensor.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said schematic representation is displayed on a screen.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said three-dimensional object is a structure and said schematic representation of said three-dimensional object is a floor plan of said structure.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said schematic representation is a layout of said three-dimensional object.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said three-dimensional object represents a molecular structure and said schematic representation is a ball and stick model of said molecular structure.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for determining position and orientation of said view point reference with respect to said schematic representation comprises:

a source having a fixed position and orientation with respect to said schematic representation,

a sensor that outputs a signal representing the position and orientation of said sensor with respect to said source, said sensor having a fixed position and orientation with respect to said view point reference; and

a position and orientation translator that determines position and orientation of said view point reference with respect to said schematic representation according to said signal output by the sensor, according to said fixed position and orientation of the source with respect to said schematic representation, and according to said fixed position and orientation of the sensor with respect to the view point reference.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said means for determining position and orientation of said view point reference with respect to said schematic representation utilizes electromagnetics between said sensor and said source to determine position and orientation of said view point reference with respect to said schematic representation.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said means for determining position and orientation of said view point reference with respect to said schematic representation utilizes electrostatics between said sensor and said source to determine position and orientation of said view point reference with respect to said schematic representation.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for determining position and orientation of said view point reference with respect to said schematic representation transmits signals between a source and a sensor to determine the position and orientation of said view point reference with respect to said schematic representation.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said signals are optical signals.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said signals are infrared signals.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said signals are ultrasound signals.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said schematic representation is capable of displacement and/or rotation.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said means for determining position and orientation of said view point reference with respect to said schematic representation comprises:

a source having a fixed position and orientation with respect to said schematic representation,

a first sensor that outputs a signal representing the position and orientation of said first sensor with respect to said source, said first sensor having a fixed position and orientation with respect to said view point reference; and

means for determining displacement and/or rotation of said schematic representation with respect to said source; and

a position and orientation translator that determines position and orientation of said view point reference with respect to said schematic representation according to said signal output by the first sensor, according to the determined displacement and/or rotation of said schematic representation with respect to said source, according to said fixed position and orientation of the source with respect to said schematic representation, and according to said fixed position and orientation of the first sensor with respect to the view point reference.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said means for determining displacement and/or rotation of said schematic representation with respect to said source comprises an optical encoder.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said means for determining displacement and/or rotation of said schematic representation with respect to said source comprises a second sensor affixed to said schematic representation.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an input device for inputting user commands;

a second view point controller for controlling said view point according to said user commands input by said input device; and

switching means for activating one of said first view point controller and said second view point controller.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said second view point controller is activated to set an initial view point and said first view point controller is subsequently activated to update said initial view point.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said input device is a pointing device.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said input device is a keyboard.