NAVIGATION SYSTEM FOR A 3D VIRTUAL SCENE

• US 20090083666A1
• Filed: 08/28/2008
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Inventors: Fitzmaurice, George, Matejka, Justin, Kurtenbach, Gord
• Granted Patent: US 9,052,797 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/834
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• 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 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04895 Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/003 Navigation within 3D models or images
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons

Abstract

A navigation system for navigating a three-dimensional (3D) scene that includes a model or object with which a user can interact. The system accommodates and helps both novice and advanced users. To do this, the system provides a set of mini navigation wheels for experienced users that include all of the function of the larger wheels in pie shaped wedges and that acts as a cursor.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface displayed on a display, comprising:

a cursor having pie shaped wedges comprising tool activation zones designating a location of a tool action and selecting a tool responsive to a user controlled position.

2. An interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising a zoom tool for zooming into a displayed scene and located in an upper quadrant wedge.

3. An interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising an orbit tool for orbiting with respect to an object in a displayed scene and located in a left quadrant wedge.

4. An interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising a rewind tool for rewinding states of a view history and located in a right quadrant wedge.

5. An interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising a pan tool for panning in a scene and located in a bottom quadrant wedge.

6. An interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising a walk tool for moving a view away from a start point in a scene and located in an upper quadrant wedge.

7. An interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising an up/down tool for moving up/down in a scene relative to an up vector of a model and located in a bottom quadrant wedge.

8. An interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising a look tool for adjusting the view direction for a scene and located in a left quadrant wedge.

9. An interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising a zoom tool for zooming into a displayed scene and located in an upper wedge.

10. An interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising a walk tool for moving a view away from a start point in a scene and located in an upper right wedge.

11. An interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising a rewind tool for rewinding states of a view history and located in a right wedge.

12. An interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising an up/down tool for moving up/down in a scene relative to an up vector of a model and located in a bottom right wedge.

13. An interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising a pan tool for panning in a scene and located in a bottom wedge.

14. An interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising a look tool for adjusting the view direction for a scene and located in a bottom left wedge

15. An interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising an orbit tool for orbiting with respect to an object in a displayed scene and located in a left wedge

16. An interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising a center tool for centering a view on the display and located in an upper left wedge.

19. An interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising a dot cursor movable within the pie cursor.

20. An interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the cursor has a size ranging from 128×

128 pixels to 16×

16 pixels, with a default size of 32×

32 pixels.

21. An interface as recited in claim 1, wherein an arrow cursor is displayed in the cursor when the size is 128×

128 pixels or 62×

64 pixels.

22. An interface as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one wedge is selected at all times.

23. An interface as recited in claim 1i wherein the cursor is semitransparent.

24. An interface as recited in claim 1, a system cursor can be displayed when the interface is larger than a predetermined size in pixels.

25. An interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising locking a currently highlighted tool when a modifier key is activated.

26. An interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising replacing the interface with an arrow cursor when a modifier key is activated.

27. An interface as recited in claim 1, further retaining a current tool for multiple mouse movements/clicks when a modifier key is held.

28. An interface as recited in claim 1, the cursor disappears when a tool is active and is replaced by a tool cursor is used and when the tool action is complete cursor is redisplayed with the previously selected wedge highlighted.

29. An interface as recited in claim 1, wherein a cursor tooltip can be displayed when the cursor is stationary for a threshold period of time.

17. An interface as recited in claim 17 further comprising a tool name text label indicating a tool and displayed responsive to the user controlled position.

18. An interface as recited in claim 17 further comprising an enhanced wedge hit zone larger than a visible wedge.

30. A view object graphical user interface displayed on a display for viewing an object in a three dimensional scene, comprising:

a cursor having pie type wedges comprising tool activation zones designating a location of a tool action and selecting a tool responsive to a user controlled position, the tools comprising;

a zoom tool for zooming into a displayed scene and located in an upper quadrant wedge;

an orbit tool for orbiting with respect to an object in a displayed scene and located in a left quadrant wedge;

a rewind tool for rewinding states of a view history and located in a right quadrant wedge; and

a pan tool for panning in a scene and located in a bottom quadrant wedge.

31. A tour graphical user interface displayed on a display for touring a three dimensional scene, comprising:

a cursor having pie type wedges comprising tool activation zones designating a location of a tool action and selecting a tool responsive to a user controlled position, the tools comprising;

a walk tool for moving a view away from a start point in a scene and located in an upper quadrant wedge;

an up/down tool for moving up/down in a scene relative to an up vector of a model and located in a bottom quadrant wedge;

a look tool for adjusting the view direction for a scene and located in a left quadrant wedge; and

a rewind tool for rewinding states of a view history and located in a right quadrant wedge.

32. A navigation graphical user interface displayed on a display for navigating a three dimensional scene, comprising:

a cursor having pie type wedges comprising tool activation zones designating a location of a tool action and selecting a tool responsive to a user controlled position, the tools comprising;

a zoom tool for zooming into a displayed scene and located in an upper wedge;

a walk tool for moving a view away from a start point in a scene and located in an upper right wedge;

a rewind tool for rewinding states of a view history and located in a right wedge;

an up/down tool for moving up/down in a scene relative to an up vector of a model and located in a bottom right wedge;

a pan tool for panning in a scene and located in a bottom wedge;

a look tool for adjusting the view direction for a scene and located in a bottom left wedge;

an orbit tool for orbiting with respect to an object in a displayed scene and located in a left wedge; and

a center tool for centering a view on the display and located in an upper left wedge.

33. An apparatus, comprising:

a display; and

a computer producing a cursor on the display having pie shaped wedges comprising tool activation zones designating a location of a tool action and selecting a tool responsive to a user controlled position.

34. A computer readable storage for controlling a computer apparatus comprising a program producing a cursor having pie shaped wedges comprising tool activation zones designating a location of a tool action and selecting a tool responsive to a user controlled position.

35. An apparatus, comprising:

a display showing a cursor having pie shaped wedges comprising tool activation zones designating a location of a tool action and selecting a tool responsive to a user controlled position.