Three-dimensional computer environment

• US 5,835,094 A
• Filed: 05/07/1997
• Issued: 11/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Zawolkow, Geoffrey A., Ermel, Keith, Hartfield, Bradley B., Moore, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Application Number:
  US08/853,331
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 345/355, 345/349, 345/976, 345/339, 345/351, 345/350, 345/356, 345/357, 345/348, 345/346, 345/334, 345/427, 345/419
• US Class Current: 715/848
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/976 3-D Icon

Abstract

A method for displaying information about computer files to a user on a display in an environment simulating three dimensional space includes displaying a category of files as a container having a size related to its distance from a predefined portion of the display.

Claims

1. A method for displaying information about computer files to a user on a display in an environment simulating three-dimensional space comprising:

displaying a category of files as a container having a size related to its distance from a predefined portion of the display environment, wherein the category of files can be brought closer to or farther away from the user while the user remains fixed in position within the simulated three-dimensional environment, by changing the size of the container relative to the sizes of other containers in the simulated space.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying an icon of a file belonging to the category of files on a region of the container.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the icon of the file has a size related to its distance from the predefined portion of the display environment.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the size of the icon of the file increases with distance from the predefined portion of the display environment.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the size increases with distance from the predefined portion of the display environment.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the predefined portion of the display environment is the top of the display environment.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the predefined portion of the display is an imaginary horizon line of the display environment.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the simulated three-dimensional environment is arranged so that its simulated boundaries appear to extend convexly outwards away from the user.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein a region of the container is rendered to appear substantially planar.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the substantially planar region is on what appears to be the upper side of the container.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the file comprises a document.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the file comprises an executable program.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein two files are displayed on a region of the container, where the first file comprises a document and the second file comprises an executable program.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein a user can operate upon the first file with the second file by dragging the first file to the second file.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a subcategory of files as a stack on a region of the container.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

opening the stack, in response to the user selecting the stack, and displaying the stack as a sub-container, icons of the files of the stack being displayed on a region of the sub-container.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the region of the sub-container is rendered to appear substantially planar.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the stack resembles a stack of papers.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the stack resembles a stack of photographs.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying categories of files as similarly-configured containers, the containers having sizes related to their respective distances from the predefined portion of the display environment.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein a file can be moved from a first container to a second container in response to user selection.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the larger container is the largest container.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the selected container is the smaller container.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the user selection comprises selecting the file located on the first container and dragging the file to the second container.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the user selection comprises selecting the file located on the first container and selecting the second container.

26. The method of claim 20 wherein a larger container exchanges position and size with a smaller container in response to the user selecting one of the containers.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein the container resembles a desk and the file resembles a sheet of paper.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein the container resembles a photo album and the file resembles a photograph.

29. A method for displaying information about computer files to a user on a display in an environment simulating three-dimensional space comprising:

displaying a category of files as a container having a size related to its distance from a predefined portion of the display environment, wherein the container resembles a space port and a file resembles a space ship.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising displaying a subcategory of files as a stack on a region of the container, wherein the stack resembles a cluster of space ships.

31. A method for displaying information about computer files to a user on a display in an environment simulating three-dimensional space comprising:

displaying a category of files as a container having a size related to its distance from a predefined portion of the display environment, wherein the container resembles a piece of land and a file resembles an animal.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising displaying a subcategory of files as a stack on a region of the container, wherein the stack resembles a cluster of animals.

33. A method for displaying information about computer files to a user on a display in an environment simulating three-dimensional space comprising:

displaying a category of files as a container having a size related to its distance from a predefined portion of the display environment, wherein the container resembles a piece of land and a file resembles an egg.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising displaying a subcategory of files as a stack on a region of the container, wherein the stack resembles a nest of eggs.

35. A method for displaying information about computer files to a user on a display in an environment simulating three-dimensional space comprising:

displaying a category of files as a container having a size related to its distance from a predefined portion of the display environment, wherein the container resembles a golf course green and a file resembles a golf ball.

36. The method of claim 35 further comprising displaying a subcategory of files as a stack on a region of the container, wherein the stack resembles a cluster of golf balls.

37. A method for displaying information about computer files to a user on a display in an environment simulating three-dimensional space comprising:

displaying a category of files as a container, the container having a size related to its distance from a predefined portion of the display environment, wherein the category of files can be brought closer to or farther away from the user while the user remains fixed in position within the simulated three-dimensional environment, by changing the size of the container relative to the sizes of other containers in the simulated space;

displaying an icon of a file belonging to the category of files on a region of the container; and

displaying a subcategory of files as a stack on a region of the container, where the stack opens in response to the user selecting the stack, and displays the stack as a sub-container, icons of the files of the stack displayed on a region of sub-container.

38. Apparatus for displaying information about computer files to a user on a display in an environment simulating three-dimensional space comprising:

a shell program stored in a memory of the computer; and

a metaphor engine stored in a memory of the computer and coupled to the shell program, the metaphor engine displaying a category of files on the display as a container, the container having a size related to its distance from a predefined portion of the display environment, wherein the category of files can be brought closer to or farther away from the user while the user remains fixed in position within the simulated three-dimensional environment, by changing the size of the container relative to the sizes of other containers in the simulated space.

39. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the metaphor engine further comprises a substrate manager that builds an internal representation of the file system and a user interface manager that displays the internal representation of the file system on the display.

40. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein the internal representation of the file system comprises a master tree.

41. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the metaphor engine further displays an icon of a file belonging to the category of files on a region of the container.

42. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the size increases with distance from the predefined portion of the display environment.

43. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the metaphor engine further displays a subcategory of files as a stack on a region of the container.

44. The apparatus of claim 43 wherein the metaphor engine further opens the stack, in response to the user selecting the stack, and displays the stack as a sub-container, icons of the files of the stack displayed on a region of the sub-container.