Apparatus and Methods of Computer-Simulated Three-Dimensional Interactive Environments
First Claim
1. A computer system for facilitating human interaction in a virtual environment, the system comprising:
- an algorithm-driven camera system, programmed to operate in a fast paced dynamic environment without modifying the state of the objects in that environment, said system using the human'"'"'s input of movements and actions within the virtual environment to determine and frame a camera view for display to the human, without any need for separate input from the human to operate the camera.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Computer-simulated three-dimensional environments include automatable and/or constrainable camera control, for video gameplay, real estate and/or landscape demonstrations, or any other digitizable environment. In gameplay applications, the system can be customizably programmed to automatically adapt to the environment based on the player'"'"'s location within the virtual environment, information about what the programmer believes is relevant (or wants to make relevant) in the scene being displayed, and other factors. Certain embodiments of the inventive apparatus and methods generally automatically incorporate and honor the “rules of cinematography,” but also preferably include other “action video game” principles that can override or trump those rules.
25 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A computer system for facilitating human interaction in a virtual environment, the system comprising:
an algorithm-driven camera system, programmed to operate in a fast paced dynamic environment without modifying the state of the objects in that environment, said system using the human'"'"'s input of movements and actions within the virtual environment to determine and frame a camera view for display to the human, without any need for separate input from the human to operate the camera. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. Apparatus for providing interaction between one or more humans and a 3D virtual environment, including:
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a 3D virtual environment, said environment including a plurality of points of interest that are preselected and weighted in importance by a programmer; at least one main character within the environment; a display device for displaying the environment to said one or more humans; a control device by which said one or more humans can control said character, including moving said character within the environment; a plurality of cameras that are programmed to travel with the main character as that character moves within the environment; and a modifier stack module, said module including the ability to automatically select from among said cameras the one that will be displayed on said display device to said one or more humans. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for selecting a camera view within a virtual 3D environment, including:
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providing a virtual 3D environment having programmed therein points of interest (POIs) identified as having relative degrees of importance; providing a plurality of camera views into that virtual world; using said relative degrees of importance of said POIs to select from those camera views the camera view to be displayed to a human interacting with the virtual environment, without requiring human control of said camera view. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A method for controlling the simulated movement of a camera through a virtual 3D environment, including:
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providing means for determining an ideal viewpoint to display from the virtual environment; providing means for determining the camera viewpoint current being displayed; providing means for smoothly transitioning the viewpoint being displayed from the current viewpoint toward the ideal viewpoint. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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Specification