Navigation In a Three Dimensional Environment Using An Orientation Of A Mobile Device

• US 20100045667A1
• Filed: 08/24/2009
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kornmann, David, Birch, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,847,992 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• 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 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/003 Navigation within 3D models or images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]

Abstract

This invention relates to navigation in a three dimensional environment using an orientation of a mobile device. In an embodiment, a computer-implemented method navigates a virtual camera in a three dimensional environment on a mobile device. The method includes: receiving orientation information of the mobile device; and orienting the virtual camera in the three dimensional environment according to the orientation information.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for navigating a virtual camera in a three dimensional environment on a mobile device, comprising:

(a) receiving orientation information of the mobile device; and

(b) orienting the virtual camera in the three dimensional environment according to the orientation information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving (a) comprises receiving an orientation of the mobile device relative to gravity.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the orienting (b) comprises changing a pitch of a virtual camera according to the orientation of the mobile device relative to gravity.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving (a) comprises receiving a heading of the mobile device, and wherein the orienting (b) comprises changing a yaw of a virtual camera according to the heading of the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(c) receiving a location of the mobile device; and

(d) positioning the virtual camera according to the location of the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

(e) repeating steps (a) through (d) to track the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the three dimensional environment comprises a three dimensional model of the Earth.

8. A system for navigating a virtual camera in a three dimensional environment on a mobile device, comprising:

a sensor that receives orientation information of the mobile device; and

a navigation module that orients the virtual camera in the three dimensional environment according to the orientation information.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the sensor receives an orientation of the mobile device relative to gravity.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the navigation module changes a pitch of a virtual camera according to the orientation of the mobile device relative to gravity.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the sensor receives a heading of the mobile device, and the navigation module changes a yaw of a virtual camera according to the heading of the mobile device.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a location receiver that receives a location of the mobile device, and

wherein the navigation module positions the virtual camera according to the location of the mobile device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the three dimensional environment includes a three dimensional model of the Earth.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the navigation module tracks the mobile device within the three dimensional model of the Earth.