Immersive interface interactive multimedia software method and apparatus for networked computers

• US 6,600,502 B1
• Filed: 04/14/2000
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Innovative Technology Application Incorporated, Optical Innovation Technology Company, Provident Bank (The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Innovative Technology Application Incorporated
• Inventors: Brewster, Donald C. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao (Kevin)
• Application Number:
  US09/550,016
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 345/854, 345/835, 345/705, 345/708, 345/765, 345/700, 345/716, 345/145, 345/840
• US Class Current: 715/854
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957
• 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

Abstract

A method and computer software immersive interface for networked computers that utilize a pointing device (mouse, trackball, touchscreen, tablet, etc) and are connected by networks which allows intuitive and rapid navigation and access to programs, data, and any digital media such as images, pictures, photographs, audio, video, and models through a robust-feedback, highly interactive multimedia interface that is designed to appear and sound like a pseudo-physical virtual or real-life scene which is self-explaining and easily recognizable to the user. Interaction Elements within this scene take advantage of a pre-existing connotation to the user so that the functionality of each element can be quickly and easily recognized and manipulated. These Interaction Elements within the scene have multiple states, depending upon user input, and provide three types of robust multimedia functionality feedback to the user in response to every pertinent user activity. The robust feedback includes at least two of visual imagery feedback, visual textual feedback, and audio feedback.

Claims

1. A method for providing an interface to a user for navigating a web page, comprising:

a) displaying the web page to the user, the web page including a plurality of separate interactive elements positioned at different locations on the web page; and

b) as the user moves a pointer device to various positions on the web page, providing feedback to the user that informs the user as to information related to one of the plurality of separate interactive elements that the user is currently positioning the pointer device on,

wherein the feedback is at least two of text feedback, visual imagery feedback, and audio feedback,

wherein each of the plurality of separate interactive elements respectively correspond to a visual image of a particular physical element,

wherein the plurality of separate interactive elements provides a visual image of a location and physical elements located therein, for the user to intuitively navigate the web page based in part on the user being physically immersed in a physical environment corresponding to the location shown on the web page, and

wherein the user navigates through the web page based on intuitive understanding of what each of the plurality of separate interactive elements represents.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the visual imagery feedback comprises changing a visual characteristic of another of the plurality of separate interactive elements that is related to the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements, and that is not currently being pointed to by the pointer device.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of separate interactive elements is capable of being in one of an inactive state, a roll-over state, an active state, and an active-by-another-element state, and

wherein the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements transitions from the inactive state to the roll-over state when the pointer device is currently positioned on the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements, and at the same time the another of the plurality of separate visual elements transitions from the inactive state to the active-by-another-element state.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements transitions to the active state from a current state that does not correspond to the active state when the pointer device is activated when currently positioned on the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements.

5. The computer program product according to claim 3, wherein the pointer device is a mouse having at least one clicker, and wherein the pointer device is activated when the clicker is clicked.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

c) when the user selects the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements by performing a particular operation with the pointer device, providing a transitional display which provides a visual transition from the web page to another page that corresponds to information related to the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements,

wherein the web page corresponds to a pictorial image of a first particular location, wherein the another page corresponds to a pictorial image of a second particular location, and wherein the visual transition corresponds to a sequence of pictorial images of what the user would see if the user moved from the first particular location to the second particular location.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of separate interactive elements respectively correspond to a particular physical element, and wherein the user navigates through the web page based on intuitive understanding of what each of the plurality of separate interactive elements represents.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of separate interactive elements corresponds to a visual image of a book disposed on a table, and wherein the user selecting the interactive image corresponding to the book operates to move to a separate web page that contains information as to a company'"'"'s portfolio.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of separate interactive elements corresponds to a door with a sign indicating that the door leads to a laboratory room of a company, and wherein the user selecting the interactive element corresponding to the door operates to move to another web page that includes a visual image of the laboratory room, and that allows the user to select information concerning products made by the company.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements corresponds to a visual image of a button with words disposed within the button so as to describe contents provided in a second web page that will be displayed to the user when the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements is activated, and

wherein the another of the plurality of separate interactive elements corresponds to a visual image of an intuitive object that is intuitively related to the contents provided in the second web page.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the button is disposed on a first portion of the web page along with other buttons that are disposed at different positions in the first portion, and

wherein the visual image of the intuitive object is disposed on a second portion of the web page along with other visual images of different intuitive objects that are disposed at different positions in the second portion.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the web page provides a visual image of a reception area of a company, wherein the visual image includes visual images of a plurality of reception area exit paths leading to other areas of the company that are capable of being displayed as separate web pages to the user, and

wherein one of the separate web pages is displayed to the user in place of the web page of the reception area upon activation by the user of one of the separate interactive elements that corresponds to a visual image of a corresponding one of the plurality of reception area exit paths.

13. A method for providing an interface to a user for navigating a web site that includes a plurality of web pages having a particular hierarchical structure, comprising:

a) displaying an initial web page to the user that corresponds to a home web page, the initial web page including a plurality of separate interactive elements positioned at different locations on the initial web page to provide a frame of reference to the user; and

b) as the user moves a pointer device to various positions on the web page, changing characteristics of the initial web page such that when the pointer device is currently located at a position on the initial web page corresponding to one of the plurality of separate interactive elements, a visual characteristic of the one of the plurality of separate elements changes and the visual characteristic of another of the plurality of separate interactive elements changes,

wherein the another of the plurality of separate interactive elements is logically related to the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements,

wherein each of the plurality of separate interactive elements respectively correspond to a visual image of a particular physical element,

wherein the plurality of separate interactive elements provides a visual image of a location and physical elements located therein, for the user to intuitively navigate the initial web page based in part on the user being physically immersed in a physical environment corresponding to the location shown on the initial web page, and

wherein the user navigates through the initial web page based on intuitive understanding of what each of the plurality of separate interactive elements represents.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

c) after step a) but before step b), providing orientation information to the user with regards to the initial page, the orientation information comprising at least one of text information, audio information and visual imagery.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the user is provided with feedback when the pointer device is currently located at the position on the initial page corresponding to the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements, the feedback including at least two of text feedback, visual imagery feedback, and audio feedback.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein one of the plurality of separate interactive elements corresponds to a visual image of a person, and wherein the visual imagery feedback comprises changing a visual characteristic of the visual image of the person to mimic the person speaking, while at the same time providing the audio feedback to the user.

17. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

c) when the user selects the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements by performing a particular operation with the pointer device, providing a transitional display which provides a visual transition from the initial page to a second page that corresponds to information related to the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements,

wherein the initial page corresponds to a pictorial image of a first particular location, wherein the second page corresponds to a pictorial image of a second particular location, and

wherein the visual transition corresponds to a sequence of pictorial images of what the user would see if the user moved from the first particular location to the second particular location.

18. A method for browsing a web page, comprising:

a) displaying the web page to the user, the web page including a plurality of separate interactive elements positioned at different locations on the web page; and

b) as the user moves a pointer device to various positions on the web page, providing feedback to the user that informs the user as to information related to one of the plurality of separate interactive elements that the user is currently positioning the pointer device on,

wherein the feedback is at least two of text feedback, visual imagery feedback, and audio feedback,

wherein each of the plurality of separate interactive elements respectively correspond to a particular physical element,

wherein each of the plurality of separate interactive elements respectively correspond to a visual image of a particular physical element,

wherein the plurality of separate interactive elements provides a visual image of a location and physical elements located therein, for the user to intuitively navigate the web page based in part on the user being physically immersed in a physical environment corresponding to the location shown on the web page, and

wherein the user navigates through the web page based on intuitive understanding of what each of the plurality of separate interactive elements represents.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein visual imagery feedback comprises changing a visual characteristic of another of the plurality of separate interactive elements that is related to the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements, and that is not currently being pointed to by the pointer device.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein each of the plurality of separate interactive elements is capable of being in one of an inactive state, a roll-over state, an active state, and an active-by-another-element state, and

wherein the one of plurality of separate interactive elements transitions from the inactive state to the roll-over state when the pointer device is currently positioned on the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements, and at the same time the another of the plurality of separate interactive elements transitions from the inactive state to the active-by-another-element state.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements transitions to the active state from a current state that does not correspond to the active state when the pointer device is activated when currently positioned on the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the pointer device is a mouse having at least one clicker, and wherein the pointer device is activated when the clicker is clicked.

23. The method according to claim 18, wherein one of the plurality of separate interactive elements corresponds to a visual image of a person, and wherein the visual imagery feedback comprises changing a visual characteristic of the visual image of the person to mimic the person speaking, while at the same time providing the audio feedback to the user.

24. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

c) when the user selects the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements by performing a particular operation with the pointer device, providing a transitional display which provides a visual transition from the web page to another page that corresponds to information related to the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements,

wherein the web page corresponds to a pictorial image of a first particular location, wherein the another page corresponds to a pictorial image of a second particular location, and wherein the visual transition corresponds to a sequence of pictorial images of what the user would see if the user moved from the first particular location to the second particular location.

25. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

c) after step a) but before step b), providing orientation information to the user with regards to the page, the orientation information comprising at least one of text information, audio information and visual imagery.

26. The method according to claim 25, further comprising:

c) after step a) but before step b), providing first orientation information to the user with regards to the page, the first orientation information comprising at least one of text information, audio information and visual imagery; and

d) after step c) but before any operation performed by the user on the sub-page, providing second orientation information to the user with regards to the sub-web page, the second orientation information comprising at least one of text information, audio information and visual imagery.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the first and second orientation information respectively inform the user as to various operations that can be made via the pointer device on the page and the sub-page, as well as information that can be obtained based on the various operations.

28. The method according to claim 26, wherein at least one of the first and second orientation information is provided as both audibly and textually to the user.

29. The method according to claim 18, wherein the visual imagery feedback comprises a sequence of different static images that sequentially change a visual characteristic of the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements.

30. The method according to claim 18 , wherein each of the plurality of separate interactive elements respectively correspond to a particular physical element, and wherein the user navigates through the page based on intuitive understanding of what each of the plurality of separate interactive elements represents.

31. A computer program product that provides an interface to a user for navigating a web page, comprising:

first program product code that displays the web page to the user, the web page including a plurality of separate interactive elements positioned at different locations on the web page; and

second program product code that, as the user moves a pointer device to various positions on the web page, provides feedback to the user that informs the user as to information related to one of the plurality of separate interactive elements that the user is currently positioning the pointer device on,

wherein the feedback is at least two of text feedback, visual imagery feedback, and audio feedback,

wherein each of the plurality of separate interactive elements respectively correspond to a visual image of a particular physical element,

wherein the plurality of separate interactive elements provides a visual image of a location and physical elements located therein, for the user to intuitively navigate the web page based in part on the user being physically immersed in a physical environment corresponding to the location shown on the web page, and

wherein the user navigates through the web page based on intuitive understanding of what each of the plurality of separate interactive elements represents.

32. The computer program product according to claim 31, wherein visual imagery feedback comprises changing a visual characteristic of another of the plurality of separate interactive elements that is related to the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements, and that is not currently being pointed to by the pointer device.

33. The computer program product according to claim 32, wherein each of the plurality of separate interactive elements is capable of being in one of an inactive state, a roll-over state, an active state, and an active-by-another-element state, and

wherein the one of plurality of separate interactive elements transitions from the inactive state to the roll-over state when the pointer device is currently positioned on the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements, and at the same time the another of the plurality of separate interactive elements transitions from the inactive state to the active-by-another-element state.

34. The computer program product according to claim 33, wherein the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements transitions to the active state from a current state that does not correspond to the active state when the pointer device is activated when currently positioned on the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements.

35. The computer program product according to claim 31, wherein one of the plurality of separate interactive elements corresponds to a visual image of a person, and wherein the visual imagery feedback comprises changing a visual characteristic of the visual image of the person to mimic the person speaking, while at the same time providing the audio feedback to the user.

36. The computer program product according to claim 31, further comprising:

third program product code that, when the user selects the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements by performing a particular operation with the pointer device, provides a transitional display which provides a visual transition from the web page to another page that corresponds to information related to the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements,

wherein the web page corresponds to a pictorial image of a first particular location, wherein the another page corresponds to a pictorial image of a second particular location, and wherein the visual transition corresponds to a sequence of pictorial images of what the user would see if the user moved from the first particular location to the second particular location.

37. The computer program product according to claim 31, further comprising:

third program code that provides orientation information to the user with regards to the web page as soon as the web page appears on a display to the user, the orientation information comprising at least one of text information, audio information and visual imagery.

38. The computer program product according to claim 37, wherein the orientation information informs the user as to various operations that can be made via the pointer device on the web page, and information that can be obtained based on the various operations.

39. The computer program product according to claim 31, wherein the visual imagery feedback comprises a sequence of different static images that sequentially change a visual characteristic of the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements.

40. The computer program product according to claim 31, wherein each of the plurality of separate interactive elements respectively correspond to a particular physical element, and wherein the user navigates through the web page based on intuitive understanding of what each of the plurality of separate interactive elements represents.

41. A computer program product that provides an interface to a user for navigating a web site that includes a plurality of web pages having a particular hierarchical structure, comprising:

first program product code that displays an initial web page to the user that corresponds to a home web page, the initial web page including a plurality of separate interactive elements positioned at different locations on the initial web page to provide a frame of reference to the user; and

second program product code that, as the user moves a pointer device to various positions on the web page, changes characteristics of the initial web page such that when the pointer device is currently located at a position on the initial web page corresponding to one of the plurality of separate interactive elements, a visual characteristic of the one of the plurality of separate elements changes and the visual characteristic of another of the plurality of separate interactive elements changes,

wherein the another of the plurality of separate interactive elements is logically related to the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements,

wherein each of the plurality of separate interactive elements respectively correspond to a particular physical element,

wherein each of the plurality of separate interactive elements respectively correspond to a visual image of a particular physical element,

wherein the plurality of separate interactive elements provides a visual image of a location and physical elements located therein, for the user to intuitively navigate the initial web page based in part on the user being physically immersed in a physical environment corresponding to the location shown on the initial web page, and

wherein the user navigates through the initial web page based on intuitive understanding of what each of the plurality of separate interactive elements represents.

42. The computer program product according to claim 41, further comprising:

third program code that provides orientation information to the user with regards to the initial web page, the orientation information comprising at least one of text information, audio information and visual imagery.

43. The computer program product according to claim 42, wherein the user is provided with feedback when the pointer device is currently located at the position on the initial web page corresponding to the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements, the feedback including at least two of text feedback, visual imagery feedback, and audio feedback.

44. The computer program product according to claim 43, wherein one of the plurality of separate interactive elements corresponds to a visual image of a person, and wherein the visual imagery feedback comprises changing a visual characteristic of the visual image of the person to mimic the person speaking, while at the same time providing the audio feedback to the user.

45. The computer program product according to claim 43, further comprising:

third program product code that, when the user selects the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements by performing a particular operation with the pointer device, provides a transitional display which provides a visual transition from the initial web page to another page that corresponds to information related to the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements,

wherein the initial web page corresponds to a pictorial image of a first particular location, wherein the another page corresponds to a pictorial image of a second particular location, and wherein the visual transition corresponds to a sequence of pictorial images of what the user would see if the user moved from the first particular location to the second particular location.

46. A computer program product for use in browsing a web page, comprising:

first program product code for displaying the web page to the user, the web page including a plurality of separate interactive elements positioned at different locations on the web page; and

second program product code that, as the user moves a pointer device to various positions on the web page, provides feedback to the user that informs the user as to information related to one of the plurality of separate interactive elements that the user is currently positioning the pointer device on,

wherein the feedback is at least two of text feedback, visual imagery feedback, and audio feedback,

wherein each of the plurality of separate interactive elements respectively correspond to a particular physical element,

wherein each of the plurality of separate interactive elements respectively correspond to a visual image of a particular physical element,

wherein the plurality of separate interactive elements provides a visual image of a location and physical elements located therein, for the user to intuitively navigate the web page based in part on the user being physically immersed in a physical environment corresponding to the location shown on the web page, and

wherein the user navigates through the web page based on intuitive understanding of what each of the plurality of separate interactive elements represents.

47. The computer program product according to claim 46, wherein visual imagery feedback comprises changing a visual characteristic of another of the plurality of separate interactive elements that is related to the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements, and that is not currently being pointed to by the pointer device.

48. The computer program product according to claim 47, wherein each of the plurality of separate interactive elements is capable of being in one of an inactive state, a roll-over state, an active state, and an active-by-another-element state, and

wherein the one of plurality of separate interactive elements transitions from the inactive state to the roll-over state when the pointer device is currently positioned on the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements, and at the same time the another of the plurality of separate interactive elements transitions from the inactive state to the active-by-another-element state.

49. The computer program product according to claim 48, wherein the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements transitions to the active state from a current state that does not correspond to the active state when the pointer device is activated when currently positioned on the one of the plurality of separate interactive elements.

50. The computer program product according to claim 49, wherein the pointer device is a mouse having at least one clicker, and wherein the pointer device is activated when the clicker is clicked.