Displaying plural linked information objects in virtual space in accordance with visual field
First Claim
1. An information processing apparatus for displaying an information object in a virtual space according to visual field data, where the information object represents one or more respective linked content items of different content types, and where said visual field data defines a visual field in said virtual space, said apparatus comprising:
- holding means for holding, in an executable manner, a plurality of intermediate data generating means specific to said respective linked content items of different content types of the information object for generating respective pieces of intermediate data specific to a content type of a particular linked content item of the information object, said generated piece of intermediate data comprising at least either of texture data or display form defining data, and for holding, in an executable manner, a plurality of different display image generating means specific to said respective linked content items of different content types of the information object for generating respective display images from said respective generated pieces of intermediate data;
means for assigning a display priority to each linked content item of the information object and changing the display priority of the particular linked content item of an information object based upon a geometric relation of the particular linked content item to said visual field in the virtual space, wherein the geometric relation of the particular linked content item to the visual field in the virtual space is a relative relation comprising one or more of position, orientation, or scale ratio of the particular linked content item to the visual field in the virtual space;
first means for causing said plurality of intermediate data generating means to generate the respective pieces of intermediate data for displaying the particular linked content item of the information object displayed in the virtual space, according to the geometric relation of the particular linked content item to said visual field in the virtual space by comparing said changing display priority of the particular linked content item of the information object with a predetermined threshold for determining whether to generate a piece of intermediate data of the particular linked content item of the information object;
a memory for storing the generated pieces of intermediate data for rendering a display image; and
second means for causing said plurality of different display image generating means to generate display images of said particular linked content item of the information object from said respective generated pieces of intermediate data, to render the display image on a display memory region, according to the geometric relation between said visual field and said particular linked content item of the information object by comparing said changing display priority of said particular linked content item of the information object with a predetermined threshold for determining whether to generate the display image of said particular linked content item of the information object.
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Abstract
For easier access to a desired one of information objects for displaying by traversing links between them, an information processing apparatus includes holding means which holds content type specific intermediate data generating means and content type specific display image generating means both in an executable condition. The apparatus includes first means which causes the intermediate data generating means to generate intermediate data for displaying an information object in accordance with a geometric relation of the object to a visual field. The apparatus also includes second means which causes the display image generating means to generate a display image of the object from the intermediate data in accordance with the geometric relation of the object to the field. The intermediate data generating means and the display image generating means operate asynchronously with each other.
20 Citations
24 Claims
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1. An information processing apparatus for displaying an information object in a virtual space according to visual field data, where the information object represents one or more respective linked content items of different content types, and where said visual field data defines a visual field in said virtual space, said apparatus comprising:
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holding means for holding, in an executable manner, a plurality of intermediate data generating means specific to said respective linked content items of different content types of the information object for generating respective pieces of intermediate data specific to a content type of a particular linked content item of the information object, said generated piece of intermediate data comprising at least either of texture data or display form defining data, and for holding, in an executable manner, a plurality of different display image generating means specific to said respective linked content items of different content types of the information object for generating respective display images from said respective generated pieces of intermediate data; means for assigning a display priority to each linked content item of the information object and changing the display priority of the particular linked content item of an information object based upon a geometric relation of the particular linked content item to said visual field in the virtual space, wherein the geometric relation of the particular linked content item to the visual field in the virtual space is a relative relation comprising one or more of position, orientation, or scale ratio of the particular linked content item to the visual field in the virtual space; first means for causing said plurality of intermediate data generating means to generate the respective pieces of intermediate data for displaying the particular linked content item of the information object displayed in the virtual space, according to the geometric relation of the particular linked content item to said visual field in the virtual space by comparing said changing display priority of the particular linked content item of the information object with a predetermined threshold for determining whether to generate a piece of intermediate data of the particular linked content item of the information object; a memory for storing the generated pieces of intermediate data for rendering a display image; and second means for causing said plurality of different display image generating means to generate display images of said particular linked content item of the information object from said respective generated pieces of intermediate data, to render the display image on a display memory region, according to the geometric relation between said visual field and said particular linked content item of the information object by comparing said changing display priority of said particular linked content item of the information object with a predetermined threshold for determining whether to generate the display image of said particular linked content item of the information object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer readable data storage storing at least one program for controlling a computing apparatus for displaying an information object in a virtual space according to visual field data, where the information object represents one or more respective linked content items of different content types, and where said visual field data defines a visual field in said virtual space, according to operations comprising:
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storing, in an executable manner, a plurality of programs specific to said respective linked content items of different content types of the information object, each information object linked content item type specific program generating intermediate data specific to a content type of a linked content item of a particular information object, wherein said generated intermediate data comprises at least either of texture data or display form defining data, and each said program generating a display image specific to said linked content item type of the particular information object from said generated intermediate data; assigning a display priority to each linked content items of the information object and changing the display priority of the particular linked content item of an information object based upon a geometric relation of the particular linked content item to said visual field in the virtual space, wherein the geometric relation of the particular linked content item to the visual field in the virtual space is a relative relation comprising one or more of position, orientation, or scale ratio of the particular linked content item to the visual field in the virtual space; causing the intermediate data to be generated for displaying said particular linked content item of the information object, according to the geometric relation of said linked content item to said visual field in the virtual space by comparing said changing display priority of the particular linked content item of the information object with a predetermined threshold for determining whether to generate a piece of intermediate data of the particular linked content item of the information object; storing, in a memory, the generated intermediate data for rendering a display image; and causing said particular linked content item of the information object to be displayed from said generated intermediate data, according to the geometric relation between said visual field and said linked content item of the information object, to render the display image on a display memory region by comparing said changing display priority of said particular linked content item of the information object with a predetermined threshold for determining whether to generate the display image of said particular linked content item of the information object. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of displaying, in a computing apparatus, an information object in a virtual space according to visual field data, where the information object represents one or more respective linked content items of different content types, and where said visual field data defines a visual field in said virtual space, said method comprising:
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processing data, specific to said respective linked content items of different content types, of the information object, by generating a piece of intermediate data specific to a content type of a particular linked content item of the information object, wherein said generated piece of intermediate data comprises at least either of texture data or display form defining data, and by generating a display image specific to said particular linked content item of the information object from said generated intermediate data; assigning a display priority to each linked content items of the information object and changing the display priority of the particular linked content item of an information object based upon a geometric relation of the particular linked content item to said visual field in the virtual space, wherein the geometric relation of the particular linked content item to the visual field in the virtual space is a relative relation comprising one or more of position, orientation, or scale ratio of the particular linked content item to the visual field in the virtual space; causing the piece of intermediate data to be generated for displaying said particular linked content item of the information object, according to the geometric relation of said particular linked content item to said visual field in the virtual space by comparing said changing display priority of the particular linked content item of the information object with a predetermined threshold for determining whether to generate the piece of intermediate data of the particular linked content item of the information object; storing, in a memory, the generated piece of intermediate data for rendering a display image; and causing said particular linked content item of the information object to be displayed from said generated intermediate data, according to the geometric relation between said visual field and said particular linked content item of the information object, to render the display image on a display memory region by comparing said changing display priority of said particular linked content item of the information object with a predetermined threshold for determining whether to generate the display image of said particular linked content item of the information object.
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24. A computing apparatus that displays an information object in a virtual space according to visual field data, where the information object represents one or more linked content items of different types, and where the visual field data defines a visual field in the virtual space, the apparatus comprising:
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a computer readable medium to store a plurality of intermediate data generators, each corresponding to a different linked content item type of an information object to generate display intermediate data of the linked content items of different types of the information object, said generated intermediate data comprising at least either of texture data or display form defining data, and to store a plurality of display image generators, each corresponding to the linked different content item types of the information object to generate display images from corresponding generated display intermediate data of the linked content item types of the information object; and a controller controlling the apparatus to perform operations comprising; assigning a display priority to each linked content items of the information object, changing the display priority of a particular linked content item of the information object based upon a geometric relation of the particular linked content item to said visual field in the virtual space, wherein the geometric relation of the particular linked content item to the visual field in the virtual space is a relative relation comprising one or more of position, orientation, or scale ratio of the particular linked content item to the visual field in the virtual space, controlling one of the intermediate data generators corresponding to the particular linked content item type of the information object to generate display intermediate data to display the particular linked content item type of the information object, according to the geometric relation of the particular linked content item to said visual field in the virtual space by comparing said changing display priority of the particular linked content item of the information object with a predetermined threshold for determining whether to generate the display intermediate data of the particular linked content item of the information object, and controlling one of the display image generators corresponding to the particular linked content item type of the information object, to generate a display image of the particular linked content item type of the information object from the generated display intermediate data of the particular linked content item type of the information object, according to the geometric relation between the visual field and the particular linked content item of the information object, to render a display image on a display memory region by comparing said changing display priority of said particular linked content item of the information object with a predetermined threshold for determining whether to generate the display image of said particular linked content item of the information object.
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Specification