LIGHTWEIGHT THREE-DIMENSIONAL DISPLAY

• US 20120133653A1
• Filed: 02/06/2012
• Published: 05/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Gossweiler, Richard C. III, Limber, Mark A., Brewington, Brian E., Lowrie, Matthew W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,350,848 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• 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 15/20 Perspective computation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics

Abstract

A computer-implemented imaging process method includes generating a progression of images of a three-dimensional model and saving the images at a determined location, generating mark-up code for displaying image manipulation controls and for permitting display of the progression of images in response to user interaction with the image manipulation controls, and providing the images and mark-up code for use by a third-party application.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

receiving in a web browser one or more user inputs that designate points along a path around a three-dimensional model;

obtaining, for each of the points along the path, a two-dimensional image of the three-dimensional model taken from the point along the path; and

storing the two-dimensional images in association with the three-dimensional model.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating mark-up code for displaying image manipulation controls and for permitting display of the two-dimensional images;

generating a progression of the two-dimensional images in response to a user interaction with the image manipulation controls; and

providing the progression of the two-dimensional images and mark-up code for use by the web browser.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting equally spaced points along the path.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a number of designated points to ensure a particular difference between the stored two-dimensional images.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing code that when invoked by the web browser, displays a control for a user to choose an axis around which a viewpoint will rotate around the three-dimensional model;

obtaining a progression of two-dimensional images corresponding to the viewpoint; and

providing the progression of two-dimensional images corresponding to the viewpoint for display in the web browser.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the designated points are selected to occur on a sphere surrounding the three-dimensional model.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing code that when invoked by the web browser, displays a control for a user to scan forward and backward through the two-dimensional images; and

providing a progression of the two-dimensional images corresponding to the user scanning forward and backward through the two-dimensional images for display in the web browser.

8. A system comprising:

one or more computers and one or more storage devices storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising;

receiving in a web browser one or more user inputs that designate points along a path around a three-dimensional model;

obtaining, for each of the points along the path, a two-dimensional image of the three-dimensional model taken from the point along the path; and

storing the two-dimensional images in association with the three-dimensional model.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

generating mark-up code for displaying image manipulation controls and for permitting display of the two-dimensional images;

generating a progression of the two-dimensional images in response to a user interaction with the image manipulation controls; and

providing the progression of the two-dimensional images and mark-up code for use by the web browser.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising selecting equally spaced points along the path.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising selecting a number of designated points to ensure a particular difference between the stored two-dimensional images.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

providing code that when invoked by the web browser, displays a control for a user to choose an axis around which a viewpoint will rotate around the three-dimensional model;

obtaining a progression of two-dimensional images corresponding to the viewpoint; and

providing the progression of two-dimensional images corresponding to the viewpoint for display in the web browser.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the designated points are selected to occur on a sphere surrounding the three-dimensional model.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

providing code that when invoked by the web browser, displays a control for a user to scan forward and backward through the two-dimensional images; and

providing a progression of the two-dimensional images corresponding to the user scanning forward and backward through the two-dimensional images for display in the web browser.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing software comprising instructions executable by one or more computers which, upon such execution, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

receiving in a web browser one or more user inputs that designate points along a path around a three-dimensional model;

obtaining, for each of the points along the path, a two-dimensional image of the three-dimensional model taken from the point along the path; and

storing the two-dimensional images in association with the three-dimensional model.

16. The medium of claim 15, further comprising:

generating mark-up code for displaying image manipulation controls and for permitting display of the two-dimensional images;

generating a progression of the two-dimensional images in response to a user interaction with the image manipulation controls; and

providing the progression of the two-dimensional images and mark-up code for use by the web browser.

17. The medium of claim 15, further comprising selecting equally spaced points along the path.

18. The medium of claim 15, further comprising selecting a number of designated points to ensure a particular difference between the stored two-dimensional images.

19. The medium of claim 15, further comprising:

providing code that when invoked by the web browser, displays a control for a user to choose an axis around which a viewpoint will rotate around the three-dimensional model;

obtaining a progression of two-dimensional images corresponding to the viewpoint; and

providing the progression of two-dimensional images corresponding to the viewpoint for display in the web browser.

20. The medium of claim 15, wherein the designated points are selected to occur on a sphere surrounding the three-dimensional model.