Edit modes for three dimensional modeling systems

• US 6,781,597 B1
• Filed: 10/25/1999
• Issued: 08/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ironcad, LLC (IronNet, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ironcad, LLC (IronNet, Inc.)
• Inventors: Han, Tao-Yang, Vrobel, Patricia A., Phelan, David G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella, Matthew C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLACKMAN, ANTHONY J
• Application Number:
  US09/425,988
• Time in Patent Office: 1,765 Days
• Field of Search: 345/433, 345/652, 345/629, 345/848, 345/964, 345/649, 345/862, 345/835, 345/976, 345/619
• US Class Current: 345/619
• 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 17/10 Constructive solid geometry [CSG] using solid primitives, e.g. cylinders, cubes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/20 Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]

Abstract

A computer program product executes in a computer workstation according to methods of the invention to provide editing handles for solid shapes. The computer program provides a graphical user interface in the preferred form of an icon which is visually associated with a selected displayed solid shape and which, when activated via a user input device, toggles or cycles through plural editing modes of the displayed shape. In the plural editing modes, other graphical user interfaces which include editing “handles” can be utilized to perform various editing functions, the handles of each editing mode having functions dependent upon the respective editing mode. The editing handles themselves are subject to novel employments and manipulations in accordance with aspects of the present invention.

Claims

1. A computer program product which provides a visual display of a three dimensional shape upon a display device, the program comprising computer readable coded instructions stored in a memory, the computer readable coded instructions being executable on a processor to which information is input via a user input device;

the computer program providing upon execution a graphical user interface for editing a displayed object, the graphical user interface being displayed as a handle which has an attachment point relative to the displayed object, a handle knob, and a handle stem which connects the handle attachment point to the handle knob, and wherein

an orientation of the handle stem relative to the displayed object is adjustable using the user input device.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the orientation of the handle stem is adjustable to be aligned with an imaginary line connecting the handle attachment point and a point specified by the user input device.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the orientation of the handle stem is adjustable to be aligned with an imaginary line connecting the handle attachment point and a center point of a face of a displayed object specified by the user input device.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the orientation of the handle stem is adjustable to be aligned with an imaginary line connecting the handle attachment point and two points specified by the user input device.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the orientation of the handle stem is adjustable to be parallel with a selected edge of a displayed object as specified by the user input device.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the orientation of the handle stem is adjustable to be perpendicular to a selected edge of a displayed object as specified by the user input device.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the orientation of the handle stem is adjustable to be perpendicular to an axis of a selected face of a displayed object as specified by the user input device.

8. A computer program product which provides a visual display of a three dimensional shape upon a display device, the program comprising computer readable coded instructions stored in a memory, the computer readable coded instructions being executable on a processor to which information is input via a user input device;

the computer program providing upon execution a graphical user interface for editing an associated displayed object, the graphical user interface being displayed as a handle;

wherein, after a point in a scene depicted on the display device has been selected by the user input device, the program provides visual feedback regarding a distance currently separating the selected point and the handle;

wherein the program provides means for the user to input a new distance to be used for separating the selected point and the handle, and in response to input of the new distance the program displays the selected point and the handle as being separated by the new distance.