Tools for interacting with virtual environments
First Claim
1. A virtual environment system of a type that produces a virtual environment in a display, the virtual environment being produced in the display as seen from a given direction and point of view andthe virtual environment system having the improvement comprising:
- a device that is separate from the display, is used to view a portion of the display from the given direction and point of view, and whose position and orientation are received by the virtual environment system together with the given direction and point of view; and
the virtual environment system responding to the device position and orientation and to the given direction and point of view to produce a modification of the virtual environment in the portion of the display that is viewed using the device.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The tools include components which are images produced by the system (103) that creates the virtual environment in response to inputs specifying the tool'"'"'s location and the point of view of the tool'"'"'s user. One class of the tools includes transparent components (121, 123); the image component of the tool is produced at a location in the virtual environment determined by the transparent component'"'"'s location and the point of view of the tool'"'"'s user. Tools in this class include a transparent pad (121) and a transparent stylus (123). The transparent pad (121) has an image component that may be used as a palette, as a magic lens, and as a device for selecting and transporting components of the virtual environment or even a portion of the virtual environment itself.
430 Citations
64 Claims
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1. A virtual environment system of a type that produces a virtual environment in a display, the virtual environment being produced in the display as seen from a given direction and point of view and
the virtual environment system having the improvement comprising: -
a device that is separate from the display, is used to view a portion of the display from the given direction and point of view, and whose position and orientation are received by the virtual environment system together with the given direction and point of view; and
the virtual environment system responding to the device position and orientation and to the given direction and point of view to produce a modification of the virtual environment in the portion of the display that is viewed using the device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. Apparatus for producing an image of a tool in a virtual environment system of a type that produces a virtual environment in a display, the virtual environment being produced in the display as seen from a given direction and point of view and the apparatus comprising:
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a real object that is separate from the display and is held by a user of the virtual environment system, the object including at least a handle and the object'"'"'s position and orientation being provided to the virtual environment system; and
parameters for the tool'"'"'s image in the virtual environment system, the virtual environment system responding to the given direction and point of view, the parameters, and the object'"'"'s position and orientation by producing an image of the tool in the virtual environment at a position and orientation therein that corresponds to the position and orientation of the object and the given direction and point of view. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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Specification