Virtual environment navigation

• US 6,034,692 A
• Filed: 08/01/1997
• Issued: 03/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Gallery, Richard D., Heron, Dale R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Mark K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kimbinh T.
• Application Number:
  US08/904,388
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 345/427, 345/473, 345/474, 345/957, 345/952, 345/475, 364/578, 395/51
• US Class Current: 345/427
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6661 for changing the position of the virtual camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6684 by dynamically adapting its position to keep a game object in its viewing frustrum, e.g. for tracking a character or a ball
• 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: G06T 19/003 Navigation within 3D models or images
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/952 Simulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/957 Actor

Abstract

An interactive entertainment apparatus is provided having means (10,14) for modelling a virtual environment populated by modelled characters, with each of the characters being controlled by respective rule-based agents. A camera control function (58) within the apparatus processor periodically monitors at least one compiled behavior per character agent, together with the respective locations within the virtual environment for each of the characters. The processor (10) generates clusters of adjacent characters within the virtual environment in accordance with predetermined clustering criteria such as relatively proximity and commonality of behavioral characteristics, and generates a respective cluster value derived from the current settings of the monitored behaviors within that cluster. In operation, one cluster is selected in dependence on the derived cluster values and, following determination of the location of that cluster within the virtual environment, the viewpoint from which the image of the virtual environment is rendered is shifted to a further viewpoint overlooking the selected cluster.

Claims

1. Interactive entertainment apparatus comprising:

a first data store containing data defining a virtual environment;

a second data store containing data defining the external appearance of a plurality of characters;

a third store holding a population of rules which, when compiled, comprise a plurality of interacting agents governing the actions of respective ones of said characters; and

a data processor arranged to access the first, second and third stores and generate an image of the virtual environment and characters therein from a first viewpoint at a predetermined position and orientation within the virtual environment, characterised by;

monitoring means coupled to periodically monitor at least one compiled behaviour per character agent and the respective locations within the virtual environment of each of the characters;

cluster generation means coupled with the monitoring means and arranged to generate clusters, each cluster comprising one or a plurality of adjacent characters within the virtual environment, in accordance with a predetermined clustering criteria and to generate a respective cluster value derived from the current setting or settings of the monitored behaviours within that cluster; and

selection means arranged to select one cluster in dependence on the derived cluster values and determine the location of that cluster within the virtual environment, the data processor being arranged to move the position and orientation from the first viewpoint to a further viewpoint overlooking the cluster.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cluster generation means is coupled to receive data defining relative locations of each character within the virtual environment, and the said predetermined clustering criteria is proximity of candidate characters within the virtual environment.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cluster generation means is operable to apply further criteria to candidate characters in terms of their respective agent behaviour settings, and exclude from the cluster those failing to satisfy the criteria.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data processor is arranged to generate the said image from a viewpoint giving a field of vision of substantially twice the size of the radius of the cluster toward which the viewpoint orientation is directed.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data processor is arranged to determine if a selected cluster is stationary and, if so, to rotate the viewpoint position about the cluster location whilst maintaining an orientation overlooking the cluster.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data processor is arranged to move the position and orientation of the viewpoint by periodically generating a vector from a current viewpoint position to a current cluster location, aligning the viewpoint direction with the vector, and moving the viewpoint location along the vector.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the rate of viewpoint position movement along a vector is constant.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein an aim point is specified on each vector and at a fixed distance from the cluster location, the movement of the viewpoint position along the vector being terminated if the aim point is reached.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the rate of viewpoint position movement along a vector is determined by the separation of viewpoint and air point when the vector is generated.