Continuous Determination of a Perspective

• US 20120146896A1
• Filed: 07/27/2010
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Eckl, Roland
• Granted Patent: US 9,128,612 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/00 General purpose image data processing

Abstract

In a method and operating element for establishing an angle of view for an observer with respect to a two or three-dimensional object, which is displayed on an output device, the establishment of the angle of view takes place by control on a simple circular disc. A point on the disc is converted to a position on a virtual sphere. The respective angle of view with respect to the object is established by the axis, determined by the calculated position on the virtual sphere and the sphere center.

Claims

1. A method for establishing an angle of view for an observer with respect to an object, or a three-dimensional object, comprising the following steps:

a) establishment of an angle of view for the observer by mechanical-tactile or indirect input on a circular, substantially level, input field,

wherein a point of the circular input field, defined by the input, is converted to a positioning point on a virtual sphere,

wherein the center points of the virtual sphere and of the object) substantially correspond and

wherein the connecting line from the center point of the virtual sphere to the positioning point on the sphere establishes the angle of view for the observer,

wherein the mechanical-tactile or indirect input from the input field is determined continuously and, on entering a transition region of the input field located around the edge of the circle, the positioning point automatically migrates to the rear part of the virtual sphere and

b) displaying the object) with respect to the established angle of view on an output mechanism.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a circle outline is applied to the input field.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a circle center point is applied to the input field.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transition region is applied in color or tactile form to the input field.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the conversion of a position on the input field is performed on the positioning point of the virtual sphere by cone surface projection or azimuthal projection.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the circular input field surrounds the actual object or lies between the observer and object.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the angle of view is restricted to sections of the object.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the input field is convex or concave.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of a direction of view and a starting point of the observer is movable by a fixed relative value.

10. An operating element for carrying out a method according to claim 1.

11. An operating element according to claim 10, wherein the object can be displayed relative to the established angle of view on an output mechanism.

12. The operating element according to claim 10, wherein the operating element can be displayed on the output mechanism.

13. The operating element according to claim 1, wherein the operating element is embodied as a separate input element.

14. A method for aligning an object by establishing its position in the three-dimensional space, comprising the following steps:

a) establishment of an axis of the object;

b) establishment of the position by mechanical-tactile or indirect input on a circular, substantially level, input field,

wherein a point of the circular input field, defined by the input is converted into a positioning point on a virtual sphere,

wherein the center points of the virtual sphere and of the object substantially correspond and

wherein the object according to the established axis so that the connecting line from the center point of the virtual sphere to the positioning point on the sphere and the established axis correspond,

wherein the mechanical-tactile or indirect input from the input field is determined continuously and, on entering a transition region of the input field located around the edge of the circle, the positioning point automatically migrates to the rear part of the virtual sphere.

15. The method according to claim 14 further comprising:

c) displaying the object relative to the view resulting from the change of location.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the object is a physical object, further comprising:

d) rotating the object relative to the calculated change of location.

20. The method according to claim 14, wherein a circle outline is applied to the input field.

21. The method according to claim 14, wherein a circle center point is applied to the input field.

22. The method according to claim 14, wherein the transition region is applied in color or tactile form on the input field.

23. The method according to claim 14, wherein the input field is convex or concave.

24. An operating element for carrying out a method according to claim 14.

17. A method for moving a view, comprising:

a) establishment of the position by mechanical-tactile or indirect input on a circular, substantially level, input field,

wherein a point of the circular input field defined by the input is converted into a positioning point on a virtual sphere,

wherein the view is moved in the direction and distance of the calculated change of position of the point on the surface of the virtual sphere,

wherein the mechanical-tactile or indirect input from the input field is determined continuously and on entering a transition region of the input field located around the edge of the circle, the positioning point automatically migrates to the rear part the virtual sphere.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the view corresponds to a map or another two-dimensional area.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the view corresponds to the position of a camera in a plane.

25. The method according to claim 17, wherein a circle outline is applied to the input field.

26. The method according to claim 17, wherein a circle center point is applied to the input field.

27. The method according to claim 17, wherein the transition region is applied in color or tactile form on the input field.

28. The method according to claim 17, wherein the input field is convex or concave.