MULTISCALE THREE-DIMENSIONAL NAVIGATION

• US 20100265248A1
• Filed: 04/16/2009
• Published: 10/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Inventors: MORDATCH, Igor, MCCRAE, James, KHAN, Azam, GLUECK, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,665,259 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• 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 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/205 Image-based rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/003 Navigation within 3D models or images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/21 Collision detection, intersection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/36 Level of detail

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for providing an end user with a multiscale three-dimensional (3D) navigation experience in design software application programs. An adaptive multiscale 3D navigation system allows an end user to transition between a planetary scale down to an individual building scale. The end user may navigate within the building, inspecting object details within the building. The size of the environment is sensed automatically, and the viewing and travel parameters are adjusted accordingly to provide the end user with a seamless navigation experience. A consistent navigation experience is supported at various scales, and real-time collision detection is provided. Scale computation for 3D scenes and collision detection may be based on a generated depth cubemap of the environment.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing a multiscale three-dimensional (3D) navigation environment, the method comprising:

obtaining a set of distance values indicating distances between a camera and at least one closest fragment of associated with one or more geometric objects in a 3D scene environment;

computing a scale for the 3D scene environment based on the set of distance values, wherein the scale indicates a relationship between a control unit of the 3D scene environment and a display unit of a rendered frame;

rendering the 3D scene environment as viewed from the camera to produce a rendered frame; and

storing the rendered frame in a memory or displaying the rendered frame on a display device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of generating a depth cubemap that stores the set of distance values.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

determining that the camera has changed position within the 3D scene environment; and

repeating the steps of generating the depth cubemap, computing the scale, and rendering the 3D scene environment based on the changed position.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

determining that a geometric object within the 3D scene environment has been modified; and

repeating the steps of generating the depth cubemap, computing the scale, and rendering the 3D scene environment based on the modified geometric object.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of generating the depth cubemap comprises replacing a geometric object in the 3D scene environment with a proxy object that has a lower resolution than the geometric object.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of generating the depth cubemap comprises rendering the 3D scene environment at a lower pixel resolution relative to a pixel resolution associated with the rendered frame.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining a collision detection threshold.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

determining that one or more of the distance values in the set of distance values are within the collision detection threshold;

computing a net penalty force for the one or more distance values that are within the collision detection threshold; and

applying the net penalty force in the 3D scene environment.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining that the camera has changed position within the 3D scene environment; and

repeating the steps of obtaining the set of distance values, computing the scale, and rendering the 3D scene environment based on the changed position.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining that a geometric object within the 3D scene environment has been modified; and

repeating the steps of obtaining the set of distance values, computing the scale, and rendering the 3D scene environment based on the modified geometric object.

11. A computer-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by a processing unit, cause the processing unit to provide a multiscale three-dimensional (3D) navigation environment, by performing the steps of:

obtaining a set of distance values indicating distances between a camera and at least one closest fragment associated with one or more geometric objects in a 3D scene environment;

computing a scale for the 3D scene environment based on the set of distance values, wherein the scale indicates a relationship between a control unit of the 3D scene environment and a display unit of a rendered frame;

rendering the 3D scene environment as viewed from the camera to produce a rendered frame; and

storing the rendered frame in a memory or displaying the rendered frame on a display device.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising the step of generating a depth cubemap that stores the set of distance values.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

determining that the camera has changed position within the 3D scene environment; and

repeating the steps of obtaining the set of distance values, computing the scale, and rendering the 3D scene environment based on the changed position.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

determining that a geometric object within the 3D scene environment has been modified; and

repeating the steps of generating the depth cubemap, computing the scale, and rendering the 3D scene environment based on the modified geometric object.

15. A computer-implemented method for performing collision avoidance in a multiscale three-dimensional (3D) navigation environment, the method comprising:

obtaining a set of distance values indicating distances between a camera and at least one closest fragments associated with one or more geometric objects in a 3D scene environment;

computing a collision detection threshold for the 3D scene environment;

determining that one or more of the distance values in the set of distance values are within the collision detection threshold; and

computing a net penalty force for the one or more distance values are within the collision detection threshold;

applying the net penalty force in the 3D scene environment;

rendering the 3D scene environment as viewed from the camera to produce a rendered frame; and

storing the rendered frame in a memory or displaying the rendered frame on a display device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of generating a depth cubemap that stores the set of distance values.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of generating the depth cubemap comprises rendering the 3D scene environment at a lower pixel resolution relative to a pixel resolution associated with the rendered frame.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

determining that the camera has not moved toward a destination target in the 3D scene environment;

dilating the collision detection threshold, and

repeating the steps of determining, computing, applying, and rendering.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of computing an updated position of the camera based on the set of distance values, the position of the camera, and a position of a destination target in the 3D scene environment.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the collision detection threshold for the 3D scene environment is computed based on a distance between a destination target and the camera along a path.