Opacity desktop with depth perception

• US 20030128242A1
• Filed: 01/07/2002
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 6, LLC
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Gordon, Gerald S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,043,701 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/848
• 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: G06T 15/00 3D [Three Dimensional] image rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/20 Perspective computation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]

Abstract

A method of displaying information within a three-dimensional workspace on a computer display includes partitioning the workspace into a plurality of layers, where each layer corresponds to a display depth relative to a user. At least one substantially opaque container object is displayed at a first display depth. The user is provided with a pointer operative to select objects within the three-dimensional workspace at a plurality of display depths. In response to the user selecting a container object, the opacity level of the selected container object is reduced in order to reveal at least one content object contained therein. The at least one content object contained within the selected container object is displayed at a deeper display depth relative to the first display depth. By combining three-dimensional depth cues with opacity level adjustment the present invention provides a visually pleasing computer workspace with enhanced depth perception and organization features.

Claims

1. A method of displaying information within a three-dimensional workspace on a computer display, said method comprising:

partitioning the workspace into a plurality of layers, where each layer corresponds to a display depth relative to a user;

displaying at least one substantially opaque container object at a first display depth;

providing to the user a pointer operative to select objects within the three-dimensional workspace at a plurality of display depths; and

responsive to the user selecting a container object,

reducing an opacity level of the selected container object in order to reveal at least one content object contained therein, and

displaying the at least one content object contained within the selected container object at a deeper display depth relative to the first display depth.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein reducing the opacity of the selected container object includes:

determining a desired opacity level of the selected container object,

selecting a dither pattern corresponding to the desired opacity level, and

replacing pixels corresponding to the container object with pixels corresponding to the at least one content object in accordance with the selected dither pattern.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising responsive to the user selecting a container object, prompting the user for a password corresponding to the selected container object.

4. The method as set forth in claim 3, wherein each container object is selectively accessible by providing a different password.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the providing step includes:

receiving a control signal indicating a user preference for one of (i) a two-dimensional pointer operative to select objects at the first display depth, and (ii) a three-dimensional pointer operative to select objects at the plurality of display depths.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5, further including:

dynamically adjusting the size of the three-dimensional pointer based upon the layer being accessed by the user, such that the three-dimensional pointer is larger at the first display depth and smaller at the plurality of display depths.

7. A computer system for displaying information within a three-dimensional workspace, said system comprising:

means for displaying a container object at (i) a first display depth and (ii) a first opacity level,

means for displaying content objects at a plurality of display depths that are deeper than the first display depth,

a multi-mode object selection device operative to select (i) container objects at the first display depth and (ii) content objects at deeper display depths, and

means responsive to a user selection for adjusting the opacity level of the selected container object to reveal the content objects contained therein.

8. The computer system according to claim 7, wherein the display means includes a LC display.

9. The computer system according to claim 7, wherein the display means include a CRT monitor.

10. The computer system according to claim 7, further comprising:

a Z-buffer for storing (i) a number of layers for each container and content object, where each layer corresponds to a relative display depth, and (ii) a location for data associated with each layer of each container and content object; and

a frame buffer for storing composited data for each layer corresponding to all container object data and content object data within said layer

11. The computer system according to claim 7, further comprising:

means for dynamically adjusting a size of the multi-mode object selection device based upon the display depth in which the user selects an object, such that the size of the multi-mode selection device is greater at the first display depth than at the deeper display depths.

12. In a computer system having a visual display system operating in conjunction with a visual display screen, a computer-implemented method of presenting a three-dimensional workspace having depth perception on the display screen, said method comprising:

displaying a plurality of substantially opaque pictorial objects at a first display depth perceived to be proximate the display screen,

providing to the user a three-dimensional cursor operative to navigate within the three-dimensional workspace; and

,

responsive to the user selecting one of the substantially opaque pictorial objects,

reducing an opacity level of the selected substantially opaque pictorial object; and

displaying at least one graphical object at a deeper display depth relative to the first display depth

14. The method as set forth in claim 14, further including:

adjusting the size of the three-dimensional cursor based upon the display depth at which the user is navigating.

13. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein reducing the opacity level of the selected substantially opaque pictorial object includes:

replacing pixels from the substantially opaque pictorial object with pixels from the graphical object contained therein in accordance with a predetermined dither pattern.