Virtual reality generator for use with financial information

• US 5,774,878 A
• Filed: 06/27/1994
• Issued: 06/30/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Maxus Strategic Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Paul Marshall
• Inventors: Marshall, Paul Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GROUTT, PHILLIP J
• Application Number:
  US08/267,108
• Time in Patent Office: 1,464 Days
• Field of Search: 364/401, 364/408, 705/1, 705/10, 705/35, 705/36
• US Class Current: 705/36.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/00 3D [Three Dimensional] image rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/10 Geometric effects

Abstract

A virtual reality generator having an input module that receives as input financial information is disclosed. The virtual reality generator outputs to a display device a virtual reality world generated from the financial information. The financial information can be preprocessed by a financial analytic system prior to input to the virtual reality generator. The financial information can be received from a data file. The virtual reality generator can dynamically display and continuously update the virtual reality world. Further, movement through the virtual reality world can be simulated.

Claims

1. A virtual reality generator to display pre-processed financial information as a virtual reality world, the virtual reality generator comprising:

an input module receiving the pre-processed financial information from a financial data feed systems the pre-processed financial data feed system generating the pre-processed financial information as a function of predetermined financial analytics on real-time and pre-stored financial data;

a user interface module including a first input selecting a non-integer terrain parameter for each of a first axis of a three dimensional interface and a second axis of the three dimensional interface and a second input for selecting an axis display parameter for a third axis of the three dimensional interface, the user interface module selecting a portion of the pre-processed financial information as a function of the non-integer terrain parameters and the axis display parameter; and

a virtual reality generator module coupled to the input module and the user interface module, the virtual reality generator generating, continuously modifying, and displaying on a display device a virtual reality world being the three dimensional interface that enables a user to simulate movement through and interact with the pre-processed financial information, the virtual reality world representing selected portion of the pre-processed financial information,

wherein when the user simulates movement through and interacts with the pre-processed financial information, a user viewing the display device has a sensation of traveling through and within the virtual reality world.

2. The virtual reality generator of claim 1, wherein the selected portion of pre-processed financial information is displayed as a plurality of metaphors in the virtual reality world.

3. The virtual reality generator of claim 2, wherein the user interface module further includes a third input for selecting at least one display parameter, and wherein at least a subset of the plurality of metaphors is displayed as a function of a predetermined one of the at least one display parameter.

4. The virtual reality generator of claim 3, wherein the axis display parameter and the at least one display parameter represent attributes of financial instruments.

5. The virtual reality generator of claim 3, wherein the at least one display parameter displays the subset of the plurality of metaphors via one of a flashing, a spinning, a rotation, a shaping, a coloring and a texturing of the subset of the plurality of metaphors.

6. The virtual reality generator of claim 2 wherein the user interface module includes means for selecting one of the plurality of metaphors and wherein the virtual reality generator module includes means for displaying information relating to the selected one of the plurality of metaphors as a function of the at least one display parameter.

7. The virtual reality generator of claim 6 further comprising means for producing sounds relating to the selected one of the plurality of metaphors.

8. The virtual reality generator of claim 2 wherein the plurality of metaphors include geometric primitives.

9. The virtual reality generator of claim 2 wherein the plurality of metaphors include polygons.

10. The virtual reality generator of claim 2 wherein the plurality of metaphors are rotatable.

11. The virtual reality generator of claim 2 wherein the plurality of metaphors have variable luminance.

12. The virtual reality generator of claim 1 wherein the virtual reality world is divided into a grid of sub-regions.

13. The virtual reality generator of claim 12 wherein the virtual reality world represents the pre-processed financial information for a single industry and each sub-region represents the pre-processed financial information for the single industry in one of a plurality of markets.

14. The virtual reality generator of claim 1 wherein the virtual reality world includes a plurality of metaphors representing a plurality of stocks, each one of the plurality of metaphors being generated as a function of the non-integer terrain parameters and the axis display parameter.

15. The virtual reality generator of claim 14 wherein each one of the plurality of metaphors have shape, size, position, behavior and color to represent financial information concerning one of the plurality of stocks.

16. The virtual reality generator of claim 1 wherein the display device is a visual stereoscopic head-mounted display device.

17. The virtual reality generator of claim 1 wherein the user interface module includes means for displaying a simulated cockpit.

18. The virtual reality generator of claim 1 wherein the virtual reality world is updated at least 30 times per second.

19. The virtual reality generator of claim 1 wherein the virtual reality generator module includes means for generating and simultaneously displaying a plurality of virtual reality worlds.

20. The virtual reality generator of claim 1, wherein the non-integer terrain parameter includes one of an industry group, a country, a market and a type of financial instrument.

21. A virtual reality generator to generate and display on a display device a stream of pre-processed financial information received from a financial analytic system, the virtual reality generator comprising:

an input module to continuously receive the stream of pre-processed financial information from the financial analytic system, the financial analytic system generating the pre-processed financial information as a function of predetermined financial analytics on real-time and pre-stored financial data;

a user interface module having a first input for selecting a non-integer terrain parameter for each of a first axis of a three dimensional interface and a second axis of the three dimensional interface and a second input for selecting an axis display parameter for a third axis of the three dimensional interface, the user interface module selecting a portion of the pre-processed financial information as a function of the non-integer terrain parameters and the axis display parameter; and

a virtual reality generator module coupled to the input module and the user interface module, the virtual reality generator generating and displaying a virtual reality world on the display device, the virtual reality world being a three-dimensional representation of the stream of the pre-processed financial information displayable from a plurality of user selected perspectives to enable a user to simulate movement through the virtual reality world such that the user has a sensation of travelling through and within the virtual reality world, the virtual reality generator module including;

(i) means for generating and continuously modifying the virtual reality world so that the virtual reality world correspondingly represents the stream of the selected portion of the pre-processed financial information,

(ii) means for causing the virtual reality world to be displayed on the display device, and

(iii) means for simulating, on the display device, movement through the virtual reality world such that the user viewing the display device has a sensation of travelling through and within the virtual reality world.

22. The virtual reality generator of claim 21 wherein a view of the virtual reality world is generated by the virtual reality generator module at least 30 times per second, and wherein the virtual reality generator module further comprises means for updating the virtual reality world displayed on the display device at least 30 times per second.

23. A virtual reality generator to display on a display device pre-processed financial information, the virtual reality generator comprising:

an input module to receive the pre-processed financial information as input, the pre-processed financial information including real-time data and pre-stored data;

a user interface module having a first input for selecting a non-integer terrain parameter for each of a first axis of a three dimensional interface and a second axis of the three dimensional interface and a second input for selecting an axis display parameter for a third axis of the three dimensional interface, the user interface module the selected portion of the pre-processed financial information as a function of the non-integer terrain parameters and the axis display parameter; and

a virtual reality generator module coupled to the input module and the user interface module, the virtual reality generator generating and displaying a virtual reality world on the display device, the virtual reality world being a three-dimensional representation of the selected portion of the pre-processed financial information continuously displayed from a plurality of user selected perspectives to enable a user to simulate movement through the virtual reality world such that the user has a sensation of travelling through and within the virtual reality world, the virtual reality generator module including

(i) means for generating the virtual reality world representing the selected portion of the pre-processed financial information,

(ii) means for causing the virtual reality world to be displayed on the display device from a plurality of perspectives, and

(iii) means for simulating, on the display device, movement through the virtual reality world such that the user viewing the display device has a sensation of travelling through and within the virtual reality world.

24. The virtual reality generator of claim 23 wherein a view of the virtual reality world is generated by the virtual reality generator module at least 30 times per second, and wherein the virtual reality generator module further comprises means for updating the virtual reality world displayed on the display device at least 30 times per second.

25. The virtual reality generator of claim 23, wherein the real-time data is provided via a real-time data feed.

26. The virtual reality generator of claim 23 wherein the input module receives the financial information from a database of financial information.

27. The virtual reality generator of claim 23 wherein the input module receives the financial information from a real-time data feed and a database.

28. The virtual reality generator of claim 23 wherein the financial information is pre-processed by an analytic system prior to receipt by the input module.

29. The virtual reality generator of claim 23 wherein the financial information is pre-processed by a knowledge-base system prior to receipt by the input module.

30. The virtual reality generator of claim 23 wherein the financial information is pre-processed by a neural network prior receipt by the input module.

31. The virtual reality generator of claim 23 wherein the simulated movement is controlled by movement of a headset containing the display device.

32. The virtual reality generator of claim 23, wherein the user interface module further includes a third input for selecting at least one display parameter, and wherein the virtual reality world includes a plurality of metaphors, each one of the plurality of metaphors representing a subset of the selected portion of the pre-processed financial information.

33. The virtual reality generator of claim 23 wherein the display device is a monitor.

34. The virtual reality generator of claim 23 wherein the display device is a visual stereoscopic head-mounted display device.

35. A virtual reality generator to display on a display device pre-processed financial information as a virtual reality world, the virtual reality world being an interface that enables a user to simulate movement through the pre-processed financial information, the virtual reality generator comprising:

means for receiving as input in real-time the pre-processed financial information from a data source of pre-processed financial information, the data source providing real-time and pre-stored data;

a user interface module having a first input for selecting a non-integer terrain parameter for each of a first axis of a three dimensional interface and a second axis of the three dimensional interface and a second input for selecting an axis display parameter for a third axis of the three dimensional interface, the user interface module selecting a portion of the pre-processed financial information as a function of the non-integer terrain parameters and the axis display parameter; and

a virtual reality generator module coupled to the input module and the user interface module, the virtual reality generator generating and displaying a virtual reality world on the display device, the virtual reality world being a three-dimensional representation of the pre-processed financial information displayable from a plurality of user selected perspectives to enable a user to simulate movement through the virtual reality world such that the user has a sensation of travelling through and within the virtual reality world, the virtual reality generator module including means for;

(i) generating, in real-time as the selected portion of the pre-processed financial information is received from the real-time data source of financial information, the virtual reality world representing the pre-processed financial information,

(ii) displaying in real-time on the display device the virtual reality world representing the selected portion of the pre-processed financial information,

(iii) displaying the virtual reality world from a plurality of perspectives, and

(iv) simulating in real-time, on the display device, movement through the virtual reality world.

36. The virtual reality generator of claim 35, wherein the selected portion of the pre-processed financial information is displayed as a plurality of metaphors in the virtual reality world.

37. The virtual reality generator of claim 36 wherein the virtual reality generator module includes means for selecting one of the plurality of metaphors and wherein the virtual reality generator module includes means for displaying information relating to the selected one of the plurality of metaphors.

38. The virtual reality generator of claim 35 wherein the virtual reality world is updated at least 30 times per second.

39. The virtual reality generator of claim 35 wherein the virtual reality generator module includes means for generating and simultaneously displaying a plurality of virtual reality worlds.

40. A virtual reality generator, comprising:

an input module to receive packets of pre-processed financial information at regular predetermined intervals, the pre-processed financial information being generated as a function of real-time and pre-stored financial data;

a user interface module having a first input for selecting a non-integer terrain parameter for each of a first axis of a three dimensional interface and a second axis of the three dimensional interface and a second input for selecting an axis display parameter for a third axis of the three dimensional interface, the user interface module selecting a portion of the pre-processed financial information as a function of the non-integer terrain parameters and the axis display parameter;

display means coupled to the input module and the user interface module, the display means for displaying on a display device a virtual reality world generated from the packets of the selected portion of the pre-processed financial information, the virtual reality world being a three-dimensional representation of the packets of the selected portion of the pre-processed financial information continuously displayed from a plurality of user selected perspectives to enable a user to simulate movement through and interact with the virtual reality world such that the user, when viewing the display device, has a sensation of travelling within the virtual reality world; and

processing means for updating the virtual reality world when a new packet of pre-processed financial information is received by the input module.

41. A computer-based method for displaying and manipulating large quantities of pre-processed financial information, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving as input the pre-processed financial information, the pre-processed financial information being generated as a function of real-time and pre-stored data;

selecting a non-integer terrain parameter for each of a first axis of a three dimensional interface and a second axis of the three dimensional interface and an axis display parameter for a third axis of the three dimensional interface;

selecting a portion of the pre-processed financial information as a function of the non-integer terrain parameters and the axis display parameter for display;

generating a virtual reality world from the selected portion of the pre-processed financial information, the virtual reality world being a three-dimensional representation of the pre-processed financial information capable of being displayed from a plurality of user selected perspectives to enable a user to simulate movement through the virtual reality world; and

displaying on a display device the virtual reality world as the three-dimensional interface that enables simulation of movement through and interaction with the pre-processed financial information such that the user, when viewing the display device, has a sensation of travelling through and within the pre-processed financial information displayed as the virtual reality world.

42. A computer implemented method for displaying and manipulating pre-processed financial information, the method comprising the steps of:

continuously receiving as input packets of the pre-processed financial information, the pre-processed financial information including real-time and pre-stored data;

selecting a non-integer terrain parameter for each of a first axis of a three dimensional interface and a second axis of the three dimensional interface and an axis display parameter for a third axis of the three dimensional interface;

selecting a portion of the pre-processed financial information as a function of the non-integer terrain parameters and the axis display parameter for display;

generating, utilizing a computer processor, a virtual reality world from the packets of pre-processed financial information, the virtual reality world representing the selected portion of the pre-processed financial information and capable of being displayed from a plurality of perspectives to enable a user to simulate movement through the virtual reality world;

displaying the virtual reality world as a three-dimensional representation on a display device such that a user can simulate movement through the pre-processed financial information;

updating, utilizing the computer processor, the virtual reality world on the display device when the selected portion of the pre-processed financial information is received; and

simulating movement through the virtual reality world on the display device such that the user, when viewing the display device, has a sensation of travelling through and within the virtual reality world.