Three-dimensional space for navigating objects connected in hierarchy

• US 9,164,653 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2014
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inspace Technologies Limited
• Original Assignee: Inspace Technologies Limited
• Inventors: Keondjian, Servan, Gerami, Saman, Virapen, David, Holme, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Durkin, James T
• Application Number:
  US14/181,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20140267241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• Field of Search: 715/760, 715/836, 715850-852
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/44 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• 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: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for browsing objects organized in a hierarchy using a three-dimensional user interface. Some embodiments of the present technology involve a platform that renders an interface that represents objects that are hierarchically connected in three-dimensional space and that allows navigation through the hierarchy by moving through the three-dimensional space.

Claims

1. A system for navigating a three-dimensional browsing interface comprising:

an interface rendition module configured to arrange a hierarchy of data objects in a three-dimensional content browsing interface, wherein a hierarchal relationship is represented by a parent data node having a higher position in the hierarchy being orbited by a plurality of child data nodes having a lower position in the hierarchy;

a focus module configured to accept a selection command applied to the parent node, the selection command being effective to cause additional interface navigation commands to navigate the three-dimensional browsing interface relative to the selected parent node;

a zoom module configured to accept a zoom command for navigating a depth axis of the three-dimensional content browsing interface;

an orbit module configured to;

apply a flocking technique for automatically arranging the plurality of child data nodes in an orbit around the parent; and

apply a bumper constraint to the parent node in the form of a spherical boundary around the parent node that prevents the zoom command from allowing the zoom command to navigate within beyond a predetermined threshold closeness to the parent node, wherein the bumper constraint further includes gaps in the spherical boundary near locations of the child nodes, wherein the gaps allow zoom commands along the depth axis that aligns with the gap to navigate through the spherical boundary despite the bumper constraint;

wherein the focus module is further configured to automatically re-select a child node upon receiving a zoom command for navigating along the depth axis through the gap within a predetermined threshold zoom limit of the child node, wherein re-selection of the child node causes additional interface navigation commands to navigate the three-dimensional browsing interface relative to the re-selected child node instead of the parent node.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a teleport module configured to;

display a teleportation node in the interface;

launch, upon the teleportation node receiving the selection command and the zoom command, an additional three-dimensional content browsing interface; and

display a browser tab configured to accept a tab selection for returning to the original three-dimensional content browsing interface.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface rendition module is further configured to display a bounce back animation to indicate the presence of the bumper constraint upon receiving a zoom command that attempts to navigate within beyond a predetermined threshold closeness to the parent node.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein orbit is evenly-spaced ring orbit.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein orbit is evenly-spaced spherical orbit.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the interface rendition module is further configured to launch a full version of the executable application upon receiving a zoom command for navigating along the depth axis through the gap within the predetermined threshold zoom limit of the child node.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the interface rendition module is further configured to play the sound at a higher volume upon receiving a zoom command for navigating along the depth axis through the gap within the predetermined threshold zoom limit of the child node.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the child node represents an executable application, and wherein the interface rendition module is further configured to launch a lite version of the executable application upon receiving a zoom command for navigating along the depth axis to a predetermined distance away the child node.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the child node represents a data object having a sound component, and wherein the interface rendition module is further configured to play a sound at low volume upon receiving a zoom command for navigating along the depth axis to a predetermined distance away the child node.