METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRANSPARENCY ADJUSTMENT AND OCCLUSION RESOLUTION FOR URBAN LANDSCAPE VISUALIZATION

• US 20070236507A1
• Filed: 04/02/2007
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accessify, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: IDELIX Software Inc. (Lat49 Media Inc.)
• Inventors: TIGGES, MARK H. A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,983,473 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/592
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/001 Texturing; Colouring; Generation of texture or colour inpainting G06T5/77
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/40 Hidden part removal
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/50 Lighting effects
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/02 characterised by the way in which colour is displayed details of colour display specific for CRTs G09G1/28; specific for flat matrix panels other than liquid crystal displays G09G3/2003; specific for liquid crystal displays G09G3/3607

Abstract

A method for generating a presentation of a region-of-interest within an original image for display on a display screen, the region-of-interest being at a depth within the original image and being occluded by a portion of the original image at a lesser depth, the method comprising: applying graduated transparency to the original image to generate the presentation, the graduated transparency reducing occlusion of the region-of-interest by making transparent at least some of the portion of the original image occluding the region-of-interest, the graduated transparency when applied renders within the presentation a focal region having a maximum level of transparency at the depth of and for the region-of-interest at least partially surrounded by a shoulder region where transparency decreases with lessening depth from the maximum level to that of the original image surrounding the shoulder region to provide context for the focal region with respect to the original image; and, displaying the presentation on the display screen.

Claims

1. A method for generating a presentation of a region-of-interest within an original image for display on a display screen, the region-of-interest being at a depth within the original image and being occluded by a portion of the original image at a lesser depth, the method comprising:

applying graduated transparency to the original image to generate the presentation, the graduated transparency reducing occlusion of the region-of-interest by making transparent at least some of the portion of the original image occluding the region-of-interest, the graduated transparency when applied renders within the presentation a focal region having a maximum level of transparency at the depth of and for the region-of-interest at least partially surrounded by a shoulder region where transparency decreases with lessening depth from the maximum level to that of the original image surrounding the shoulder region to provide context for the focal region with respect to the original image; and

,

displaying the presentation on the display screen.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the region-of-interest is a first object and wherein the portion of the original image at the lesser depth is a second object.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first and second objects are modelled as first and second convex polygons, respectively.

4. The method of claim 3 and further comprising dividing the second polygon into one or more slices, each slice being made at a respective depth into the representation.

5. The method of claim 4 and further comprising assigning each slice a respective level of transparency that increases with depth to thereby apply the graduated transparency.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the original image is an urban landscape image.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the first and second objects are first and second buildings, respectively.

8. The method of claim 1 and further comprising receiving a signal for adjusting the maximum level of transparency in the focal region.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the signal for adjusting the maximum level of transparency is received through a slide bar icon.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the maximum level of transparency is fully transparent.

11. The method of claim 1 and further comprising receiving a signal for adjusting the transparency in the shoulder region.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the signal for adjusting the transparency is received through a slide bar icon.

13. The method of claim 1 and further comprising receiving a signal for adjusting an extent of the focal region.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the signal for adjusting the extent of the focal region is received through at least one handle icon positioned on a perimeter of the focal region.

16. The method of claim 1 and further comprising receiving a signal for adjusting an extent of the shoulder region.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the focal region includes a magnification for the region-of-interest and wherein the magnification decreases in the shoulder region to that of the original image surrounding the shoulder region.

19. The method of claim 18 and further comprising receiving a signal for adjusting the magnification.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the signal for adjusting the magnification is received through a slide bar icon.

21. The method of claim 5 wherein the original image is a computer aided design (“

CAD”

) image.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the CAD image is an image of a three-dimensional mechanical assembly and wherein the first and second objects are first and second components, respectively, of the mechanical assembly.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the signal for adjusting the extent of the shoulder region is received through at least one handle icon positioned on a perimeter of the shoulder region.