3D model presentation system with motion and transitions at each camera view point of interest (POI) with imageless jumps to each POI

• US 9,070,402 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2006
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Inventors: Khan, Azam, Fitzmaurice, George William, Kurtenbach, Gordon Paul, Burtnyk, Nicolas Alexandre
• Primary Examiner(s): Augustine, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US11/373,159
• Publication Number:
  US 20070211149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,396 Days
• Field of Search: 715/716, 715/838, 715/721, 715/848, 715/964
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/20 Perspective computation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/003 Navigation within 3D models or images
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D

Abstract

An interactive 3D presentation system that utilizes a collection of shots or motion views where each shot can include a combination of a camera view and camera action. A visual transition, such as a fade, can be presented at the end and beginning of sequential shots. Between the end point of a first shot and the beginning of a sequential shot, the scene is not shown. The system allows interactive authoring and/or viewing a 3D visual experience composed by defining a collection of shots where each shot is a combination of a camera view point of interest (POI) plus a camera motion path. The POI is placed on the path in a variety of ways where it can be at the beginning, in the middle or at the end of the path. A collection of predefined, cinematically styled camera motion paths, such as a crane and track shots, can be made available to the author. The pacing and duration of each shot can be adjusted. A graphical user interface showing the scene is provided and includes thumbnails of the POI or sets of POIs where the user can select a thumbnail to play an associated shot or set. The interface allows for the arrangement and ordering of shots to be used in a presentation. The system allows a shot to be retrieved from a collection of shots by indexing the 3D locations of each shot'"'"'s camera path and using this index to find the nearest neighbors to a user specified mouse cursor position. Variations in the scene can also be selected using the interface.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

specifying, by an author, a first motion view of a 3D scene indicating a point in the 3D scene to be featured, the first motion view including defining a cinematographic shot along an author specified path, a camera movement and a view of the 3D scene featuring the point;

determining whether a point in the 3D scene selected by a user, other than the author, is relevant towards presentation of the point to be featured as specified by the author; and

controlling presentation of the 3D scene to the user using the first motion view featuring the point in correspondence with the camera movement and the view specified by the author, when the determining indicates the point selected by the user is relevant to featuring the point as specified by the author.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

allowing the author to specify a second motion view; and

allowing the user to execute the first and second motion views in a sequence.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, further comprising allowing the author to specify a visual transition at an end of the first motion view and at a beginning of the second motion view.

4. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein a display of a view of the scene between an end point of the first motion view and a start point of the second motion view is a viewless transition.

5. A method as recited in claim 2, further comprising allowing the author to specify automatic repeated playing of the first and second motion views.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising allowing the author to specify one of a view type and a path type.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising allowing the author to specify a point of interest, comprising a point along the path and a view direction at the point.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising allowing the author to specify a pace and duration of the first motion view.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first motion view has a predefined type path.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first motion view has a path curve and view orientations along the path curve interactively drawn by the author.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising allowing the user to specify the first motion view by selecting a thumbnail image representing the first motion view.

12. A method as recited in claim 2, further comprising allowing the user to specify a set of the first and second motion views to play by selecting a thumbnail image representing the set.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, further comprising locating a motion view associated with the point.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the locating comprises identifying a closest motion view to the point.

15. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the locating comprises identifying a motion view that is closest to the point and oriented toward the point.

16. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the locating comprises identifying N motion views closest to and oriented toward the point.

17. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising allowing the author to select scene variations for the first motion view.

18. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the execution of the motion view is automatic.

19. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the execution of the motion views is automatic.

20. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the motion view is presented by one of executing the motion view or playing a rendered motion view.

21. A method, comprising:

specifying, by an author, a set of the first and second motion views to play by selecting a thumbnail image representing the set where each first motion view of a 3D scene includes a cinematographic shot along an author specified path including camera movement and a view in association with the 3D scene;

allowing the author to specify a pace and duration for each view;

allowing the author to specify a visual transition at an end of the first motion view and at a beginning of the second motion view;

allowing the author to specify one of a path type from among predetermined path types for each motion view;

allowing the author to specify a point of interest for each motion view, comprising a point along the path and a view direction at the point;

determining whether a point in the 3D scene selected by a viewer, other than the author, is relevant towards presentation of the point of interest as specified by the author; and

controlling presentation of the motion views to the viewer by transitioning along the paths in sequence according to the path types with the path traversing the points and viewing in the directions and with a viewless cut between the motion views, as specified by the author, when the determining indicates the point selected by the viewer is relevant to the point of interest as specified by the author.

22. A system, comprising:

a display;

an input device; and

a computer configured to execute an operation including;

specifying, an author, with the input device, a first motion view of a 3D scene by indicating a point in the scene to be featured, the first motion view defining a cinematographic shot along an author specified path including camera movement and a view in association with the 3D scene,

determining whether a point in the 3D scene selected by a user, other than the author, is relevant towards presentation of the point to be featured as specified by the author, and

controlling presentation of the 3D scene to the user using the first motion view featuring the point in correspondence with the camera movement and the view specified by the author, when the determining indicates the point selected by the user is relevant to featuring the point as specified by the author.

23. A graphical user interface of a device, comprising:

a computer configured to execute an operation including;

a view of a 3D scene produced by a computer; and

a thumbnail image representing a motion view of the 3D scene produced by the computer including a cinematographic shot along an author specified path including camera movement and a view in association with the 3D scene featuring a point,

where the operation determines whether a point in the 3D scene selected by a user, other than the author, is relevant towards presentation of a point to be featured in the motion view as specified by the author, and

where a viewer is provided with controlled presentation of the 3D scene using the motion view featuring the point in correspondence with the camera movement and the view specified by an author, when the determining indicates the point selected by the viewer is relevant to featuring the point as specified by the author.

24. An interface as recited in claim 23, further comprising a thumbnail image representing a set of motion views.

25. An interface as recited in claim 23, further comprising thumbnail images representing alternate 3D scenes.

26. An interface as recited in claim 23, further comprising a play control for playing the motion view.

27. An interface as recited in claim 23, further comprising a loop control for repeatedly playing the motion view.

28. A computer readable storage controlling a computer to execute a process comprising:

specifying, by an author, a first motion view of a 3D scene by indicating a point in the 3D scene to be featured, the first motion view defining a cinematographic shot along an author specified path including camera movement and a view of the 3D scene;

determining whether a point in the 3D scene selected by a user, other than the author, is relevant towards presentation of the point to be featured as specified by the author; and

allowing the user to automatically execute the first motion view featuring the point based on controlled presentation of the first motion view in correspondence with the camera movement and the view specified by the author, when the determining indicates the point selected by the user is relevant to featuring the point as specified by the author.

29. A method, comprising:

allowing an author to specify a point in a scene;

locating a view of the scene closest to the point and determining whether a point in the 3D scene selected by a viewer, other than the author, is relevant towards presentation of the point to be featured as specified by the author based on the view closest to the point; and

allowing the author to specify a cinematographic shot along an author specified path including camera movement to feature the point in the scene, and

where a viewer of the shot is provided with controlled presentation of the point featured in correspondence with the camera movement and the view specified by the author, when the determining indicates the point selected by the viewer is relevant to featuring the point as specified by the author.

30. A method, comprising:

specifying, by an author, a visual sequence in a 3D scene by defining a location in the scene to be featured, the visual sequence including a cinematographic shot along an author specified path including camera movement and a view in association with the 3D scene, the author specified path being one of a predefined path, an imported path and an author drawn path;

determining whether a point in the 3D scene selected by a user, other than the author, is relevant towards presentation of the point to be featured as specified by the author; and

controlling a view by the user using the visual sequence in correspondence with the camera movement and the view specified by the author, when the determining indicates the point selected by the user is relevant to featuring the point as specified by the author.