Rendering a three-dimensional time helix in a virtual universe

• US 9,830,719 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2009
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Grim, III, Clifton E., Marzke, Rex E., Stevens, Mark B., Ward, Gary A., Wilson, John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Liu, Zhengxi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yang, Yi
• Application Number:
  US12/393,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20100214285A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,197 Days
• Field of Search: 345419, 345661, 715848, 715763
• 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: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

The present invention provides a 3-D time helix renderable in a virtual universe. In one embodiment, there is a time helix tool, including a construction component configured to: generate a 3-D time helix in a virtual universe, and populate the 3-D time helix with a set of data objects. The time helix tool further comprises a rendering component configured to render the 3-D time helix with at least one of the set of data objects to a user of the virtual universe.

Claims

1. A method for rendering a three dimensional (3-D) time helix in a virtual universe, the method comprising:

capturing information associated with events of a user of the virtual universe through a set of data collecting sensors located on a set of personal devices of the user, and storing the captured information in a database as metadata information about objects, texts, and scripts associated with virtual content in the virtual universe;

analyzing a time value of an earliest and a latest entry in the database;

generating, based on the analysis, a 3-D time helix in the virtual universe from the metadata information stored in the database;

populating the 3-D time helix with a set of data objects, the set of data objects comprising images associated with the captured information, and the 3-D time helix comprising indicators of connections between each of the set of data objects and a plurality of rotations each defining an equal time increment of a date range corresponding to the set of data objects, wherein adjusting a compression of the 3-D time helix adjusts the time increment defined by each of the plurality of rotations;

optimizing the time increment of the plurality of rotations to minimize visual confusion and maximize a view of the set of data objects stored in the database and presented on the 3-D time helix;

rendering the 3-D time helix with at least one of the set of data objects to the user;

modifying a scope of the 3-D time helix in response to an interaction with the 3-D time helix by an avatar of the user, the interaction comprising a proximity of the avatar in 3-D space to a portion of the 3-D time helix; and

rendering an object in the virtual universe corresponding with a data object selected by the user from the 3-D time helix.

2. The method according to claim 1, the generating comprising:

determining a date range for the set of data objects, the set of data objects located within a data repository.

3. The method according to claim 2, the populating comprising generating a representation of at least one of the set of data objects along the 3-D time helix according to the date range of the set of data objects.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising adjusting a pitch of the 3-D time helix to adjust the increment of time corresponding to each of the plurality of rotations of the 3-D time helix.

5. The method according to claim 1 further comprising interacting with the set of data objects and the 3-D time helix via an avatar.

6. The method according to claim 1 further comprising charging a rendering fee for facilitating the rendering of the 3-D time helix with at least one of the set of data objects to the user in the virtual universe.

7. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

receiving an interaction by an avatar of the user with a data object of the set of data objects;

generating a second 3-D time helix corresponding to a sub-increment of the date range of the set of data objects; and

populating the second 3-D time helix with a sub-set of data objects.

8. A computer system for rendering a three-dimensional (3-D) time helix in a virtual universe, comprising:

a processor;

memory, comprising program instructions, operably associated with the processor; and

program instructions of a time helix tool storable in the memory and executable by the processor, the program instructions of the time helix tool causing the system to;

capture information associated with events of a user of the virtual universe through a set of data collecting sensors located on a set of personal devices of the user, and store the captured information in a database as metadata information about objects, texts, and scripts associated with virtual content in the virtual universe;

analyze a time value of an earliest and a latest entry in the database;

generate, based on the analysis, a 3-D time helix in the virtual universe from the metadata information stored in the database;

populate the 3-D time helix with a set of data objects, the set of data objects comprising images associated with the captured information, and the 3-D time helix comprising indicators of connections between each of the set of data objects and a plurality of rotations each defining an equal time increment of a date range corresponding to the set of data objects, wherein adjusting a compression of the 3-D time helix adjusts the time increment defined by each of the plurality of rotations;

optimize the time increment of the plurality of rotations to minimize visual confusion and maximize a view of the set of data objects stored in the database and presented on the 3-D time helix;

render the 3-D time helix with at least one of the set of data objects to the user;

modify a scope of the 3-D time helix in response to an interaction with the 3-D time helix by an avatar of the user, the interaction comprising a proximity of the avatar in 3-D space to a portion of the 3-D time helix; and

render an object in the virtual universe corresponding with a data object selected by the user from the 3-D time helix.

9. The time helix tool according to claim 8, the program instructions of the time helix tool further causing the system to:

determine a date range for the set of data objects, the set of data objects located within a data.

10. The computer system according to claim 9, the program instructions of the time helix tool further causing the system to generate a representation of at least one of the set of data objects along the 3-D time helix according to the date range of the set of data objects.

11. The time helix tool according to claim 8, the program instructions of the time helix tool further causing the system to adjust a pitch of the 3-D time helix to adjust the increment of time corresponding to each of the plurality of rotations of the 3-D time helix.

12. The time helix tool according to claim 11, the program instructions of the time helix tool further causing the system to allow interaction with the set of data objects and the 3-D time helix via an avatar.

13. The time helix tool according to claim 11, the program instructions of the time helix tool further causing the system to:

receive an interaction by an avatar of the user with a data object of the set of data objects;

generate a second 3-D time helix corresponding to a sub-increment of the date range of the set of data objects; and

populate the second 3-D time helix with a sub-set of data objects.

14. The time helix tool according to claim 8, the program instructions of the time helix tool further causing the system to charge a rendering fee for facilitating the rendering of the 3-D time helix with at least one of the set of data objects to the user in the virtual universe.

15. A computer-readable hardware storage device, wherein the computer-readable hardware storage device is not a transitory signal, storing computer instructions, which when executed, enables a computer system to render a three-dimensional (3-D) time helix in a virtual universe, the computer instructions comprising:

capturing information associated with events of a user of the virtual universe through a set of data collecting sensors located on a set of personal devices of the user, and storing the captured information in a database as metadata information about objects, texts, and scripts associated with virtual content in the virtual universe;

analyzing a time value of an earliest and a latest entry in the database;

generating, based on the analysis, a 3-D time helix in the virtual universe from the metadata information stored in the database;

populating the 3-D time helix with a set of data objects, the set of data objects comprising images associated with the captured information, and the 3-D time helix comprising indicators of connections between each of the set of data objects and a plurality of rotations each defining an equal time increment of a date range corresponding to the set of data objects, wherein adjusting a compression of the 3-D time helix adjusts the time increment defined by each of the plurality of rotations;

optimizing the time increment of the plurality of rotations to minimize visual confusion and maximize a view of the set of data objects stored in the database and presented on the 3-D time helix;

rendering the 3-D time helix with at least one of the set of data objects to the user;

modifying a scope of the 3-D time helix in response to an interaction with the 3-D time helix by an avatar of the user, the interaction comprising a proximity of the avatar in a 3-D space to a portion of the 3-D time helix; and

rendering an object in the virtual universe corresponding with a data object selected by the user from the 3-D time helix.

16. The computer-readable hardware storage device according to claim 15, the computer instructions for generating further comprising:

determining a date range for the set of data objects, the set of data objects located within a data repository.

17. The computer-readable hardware storage device according to claim 16, the computer instructions for populating further comprising generating a representation of at least one of the set of data objects along the 3-D time helix according to the date range of the set of data objects.

18. The computer-readable hardware storage device according to claim 16 further comprising computer instructions for adjusting a pitch of the 3-D time helix to adjust the increment of time corresponding to each of the plurality of rotations of the 3-D time helix.

19. The computer-readable hardware storage device according to claim 18 further comprising computer instructions for allowing interaction with the set of data objects and the 3-D time helix via an avatar.

20. The computer-readable hardware storage device according to claim 15 further comprising instructions for charging a rendering fee for facilitating the rendering of the 3-D time helix with at least one of the set of data objects to the user in the virtual universe.

21. The computer-readable hardware storage device according to claim 15 further comprising computer instructions for:

receiving an interaction by an avatar of the user with a data object of the set of data objects;

generating a second 3-D time helix corresponding to a sub-increment of the date range of the set of data objects; and

populating the second 3-D time helix with a sub-set of data objects.

22. A method for deploying a time helix tool for use in a computer system that provides interaction with a three-dimensional (3-D) time helix in a virtual universe, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure operable to;

capture information associated with events of a user of the virtual universe through a set of data collecting sensors located on a set of personal devices of the user, and storing the captured information in a database as metadata information about objects, texts, and scripts associated with virtual content in the virtual universe;

analyze a time value of an earliest and a latest entry in the database;

generate, based on the analysis, a 3-D time helix in the virtual universe from the metadata information stored in the database;

populate the 3-D time helix with a set of data objects, the set of data objects comprising images associated with the captured information, and the 3-D time helix comprising indicators of connections between each of the set of data objects and a plurality of rotations each defining an equal time increment of a date range corresponding to the set of data objects, wherein adjusting a compression of the 3-D time helix adjusts the time increment defined by each of the plurality of rotations;

optimize the time increment of the plurality of rotations to minimize visual confusion and maximize a view of the set of data objects stored in the database and presented on the 3-D time helix;

render the 3-D time helix with at least one of the set of data objects to the;

modify a scope of the 3-D time helix in response to an interaction with the 3-D time helix by an avatar of the user, the interaction comprising a proximity of the avatar in 3-D space to a portion of the 3-D time helix; and

render an object in the virtual universe corresponding with a data object selected by the user from the 3-D time helix.