Method and apparatus for providing pseudo-3D rendering for virtual reality computer user interfaces

• US 6,426,757 B1
• Filed: 03/04/1996
• Issued: 07/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Wilson, Leslie Robert, Smith, Andrew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): ZIMMERMAN, MARK K
• Application Number:
  US08/610,681
• Time in Patent Office: 2,339 Days
• Field of Search: 395/119, 395/121, 395/122, 395/173, 395/135, 395/333, 395/334, 395/349, 395/351, 395/355, 345/419, 345/421, 345/422, 345/473, 345/435, 345/333, 345/334, 345/349, 345/351, 345/355, 345/629, 345/634, 345/757, 345/775, 345/850
• US Class Current: 345/634
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/205 Image-based rendering

Abstract

A computer system which includes a central processing unit, a bus, and a memory store coupled to the central processing unit that includes a psuedo 3D rendering mechanism. Typically, the rendering mechanism is loaded in the memory store, but can be implemented in an application'"'"'s specific integrated circuit further coupled to the central processing unit via the bus. The psuedo 3D rendering mechanism is used to generate a psuedo 3D rendered virtual image using only two dimensional prerendered selected views of 3D objects to be displayed. As the viewing orientation shifts from point to point, an adequate three-dimensional rendering is provided based on these selected views. These selected views are designed for display on a display device further connected to the computer system.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a central processing unit;

a bus;

a memory store coupled to said central processing unit via said bus;

a pseudo 3D-rendering mechanism, loaded within said memory store, that generates a pseudo-3D-rendered virtual image for display on a display device using only two-dimensional prerendered views of 3D objects to be displayed, wherein as a viewing orientation of a user within said virtual image shifts from a first viewing point to a second viewing point of said user within said virtual image, an approximately visually accurate three-dimensional rendering of said pseudo 3D-rendered image is provided utilizing selected ones of said prerendered views.

2. The computer system according to claim 1 wherein said rendering mechanism generates a grid of virtual space overlaying a finite set of points at which a user may be positioned within said virtual image, said grid of viewing points being defined by a cartesian coordinate and a heading within said virtual space, said cartesian coordinate defining said position of said user, and said heading defining a direction said user is facing within said virtual image.

3. The computer system of claim 2 wherein each object placed within said virtual space is oriented with an object heading direction relative to said grid heading to define each object'"'"'s orientation view.

4. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said rendering mechanism prerenders a selected number of views of each object to be viewed based on a set of rules that provide “

good enough”

imaging.

5. The computer system of claim 1 further comprising:

a place user interface (Ul) generating mechanism, coupled to said pseudo 3D rendering mechanism, that generates a place Ul for display in which said pseudo rendering is also displayed.

6. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said pseudo 3D rendering mechanism scales an image of a selected object based on the view of said selected object.

7. A method of displaying a virtual 3D image on a display device, comprising:

building a place user interface (Ul) for display, wherein said place Ul defines a 3D world;

defining a group of objects for display in said place Ul;

for each of said group of objects, generating a selected number of prerendered views;

storing said selected number of prerendered views of each object;

determining a viewing point of a user within said place Ul, said viewing point being associated with a physical location of said user within said place Ul and a heading direction of said user;

establishing surface maps within said place Ul; and

utilizing said surface maps and said viewing point to select a desired one of said stored selected number of prerendered views of each object to be illustrated.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein said step of generating a selected number of prerendered views utilizes “

good enough”

rules in selecting said prerendered views.

9. The method according to claim 7 further comprising the step of:

performing image scaling of one of said desired prerendered views to be illustrated.

10. The method according to claim 7 wherein said step of generating a selected number of prerendered views further comprises:

selecting a heading within said place Ul to define each face direction for each of said selected objects;

defining environment information within said place Ul for each of said selected objects to determine an appropriate view to draw for each of said selected objects.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein said environment information allows some, but not all, of said selected objects to be illustrated.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein each of said group of objects is associated with environment information, for each of said group of objects said environment information including a position of said each of said group of objects in said place Ul, a heading direction of said each of said group of objects which defines a direction said each of said group of objects is facing, and a surface on which said each of said group of objects is placed.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein said step of utilizing said surface maps and said viewing point to select a desired one of said stored selected number of prerendered views of each object to be illustrated further comprises the step of for each of said group of objects, comparing said environment information with said viewing point which includes said physical location and said heading of said user to select said desired one of said stored prerendered views.