Apparatus and method for interacting with a simulated 3D interface to an operating system operative to control computer resources

• US 6,230,116 B1
• Filed: 10/02/1997
• Issued: 05/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clockwise Technologies Limited
• Original Assignee: Clockwise Technologies Limited
• Inventors: Ronen, Nir, Amihai, Ron
• Primary Examiner(s): BRODA, SAMUEL
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fiul, Dan
• Application Number:
  US08/946,106
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: 395/500, 395/406, 395/712, 364/578, 345/340, 345/358, 703/22
• US Class Current: 703/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45512 Command shells

Abstract

A computer system including computer resources, an operating system operative to control said computer resources; and a 3D interface enabling a user to interact with the operating system and operative to provide a plurality of display representations of at least a portion of the computer resources from a corresponding plurality of different viewpoints.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

computer resources;

an operating system operative to control said computer resources; and

a 3D interface enabling a user generating camera motion to interact with the operating system and providing at least one screen display image of a 3D virtual scene including a simulated three-dimensional representation of at least a portion of the computer resources, said interface configured to be operative to monitor said camera motion and to determine which of said computer resources are visible in said display image.

2. A computer system according to claim 1 wherein said 3D interface comprises:

a 3D motion simulator operative to provide a multiplicity of views of a simulated 3D representation of the computer resources as seen from a corresponding multiplicity of viewpoints within the simulated 3D representation of the computer resources; and

a viewpoint selection receiver operative to receive a multiplicity of selected viewpoints from a user of the computer system,

wherein the 3D motion simulator generates views corresponding to said selected viewpoints.

3. A computer system according to claim 2 wherein said 3D motion simulator is operative to generate said multiplicity of views in real time.

8. A system according to claim 1 wherein said computer resources include applications.

9. A system according to claim 2 wherein said viewpoints comprise at least two viewpoints within a simulated 3D representation of at least one of said applications.

10. A system according to claim 1 wherein said computer resources have a logical structure and wherein said simulated 3D representation comprises a simulated 3D representation of said logical structure.

11. A system according to claim 10 wherein said logical structure comprises a hierarchy.

13. A computer system according to claim 1 wherein said computer system comprises:

a fist computer which includes said operating system; and

a second computer which comprises said 3D interface,

wherein said second computer communicates with said first computer.

14. A system according to claim 13 wherein said first computer comprises a server.

15. A system according to claim 13 wherein at least some of said computer resources are located in said first computer.

16. A system according to claim 14 wherein at least some of said computer resources are located in computers served by said server.

4. Operating system apparatus useful in conjunction with a population of computer systems each having a different configuration of computer resources, the apparatus comprising:

an operating system operative to control said computer resources; and

a 3D interface enabling a user generating camera motion to interact with the operating system and operative to provide, for each specific computer system having a specific computer resource configuration, at least one display image of a 3D virtual scene including a simulated three-dimensional representation of at least a portion of said specific computer resource configuration, said interface configured to be operative to monitor said camera motion and to determine which of said computer resources are visible in said display image.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said computer resource configuration includes at least one software resource.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said computer resource configuration includes at least one hardware resource.

7. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said 3D interface comprises:

a 3D motion simulator operative to provide a multiplicity of views of a simulated 3D representation of the computer resources as seen from a corresponding multiplicity of viewpoints within the simulated 3D representation of the computer resources; and

a viewpoint selection receiver operative to receive a multiplicity of selected viewpoints from a user of the computer system,

wherein the 3D motion simulator generates views corresponding to said selected viewpoints.

12. A computer system comprising:

computer resources;

an operating system operative to control said computer resources; and

a 3D interface enabling a user generating camera motion to interact with the operating system and providing a sequence of display images of a 3D virtual scene together generating a simulated three-dimensional representation of said computer resources, said interface configured to be operative to monitor said camera motion and to determine which of said computer resources are visible in said display image.

17. A method for interacting with an operating system operative to control computer resources, the method comprising:

providing at least one screen display image of a 3D virtual scene including a simulated three-dimensional representation of at least a portion of the computer resources;

monitoring camera motion generated by a user and determining based on said camera motion which of said computer resources are visible in said display image; and

receiving at least one user input provided by said user relative to said at least one screen display image and interacting with the operating system based on said at least one user input.

18. A method for interacting with an operating system useful in conjunction with a population of computer systems each having a different configuration of computer resources, wherein the operating system is operative to control the computer resources, the method comprising:

providing, for each specific computer system having a specific computer resource configuration, at least one display image of a 3D virtual scene including a simulated three-dimensional representation of at least a portion of said specific computer resource configuration;

monitoring camera motion generated by a user and determining based on said camera motion which resources of said specific computer resource configuration are visible in said display image; and

receiving at least one user input provided by said user relative to said at least one said plurality of display representations and interacting with the operating system based on said at least one user input.

19. A method for interacting with an operating system operative to control computer resources, the method comprising:

providing a sequence of screen display images of a 3D virtual scene together generating a simulated 3D representation of said computer resources;

monitoring camera motion generated by a user and determining based on said camera motion which of said computer resources are visible in said display images; and

receiving at least one user input provided by said user relative to at least one of said sequence of screen display images and interacting with the operating system based on said at least one user input.

20. A 3D interface to an operating system of a computer system having computer resources, the operating system operative to control the computer resources, the 3D interface comprising:

means for enabling a user generating camera motion to interact with the operating system;

means for providing at least one screen display image of a 3D virtual scene including a simulated three-dimensional representation of at least a portion of the computer resources; and

means for monitoring said camera motion and determining based on said camera motion which of said computer resources are visible in said display image.