Collaborative work environment supporting three-dimensional objects and multiple, remote participants

• US 6,219,057 B1
• Filed: 10/13/1998
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Silicon Graphics Incorporated (Graphics Properties Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Carey, Richard, Marrin, Christopher F., Mott, David C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Padmanabhan, Mano
• Application Number:
  US09/169,938
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 345/419, 345/329, 345/330, 345/331, 345/332
• 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: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/024 Multi-user, collaborative environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2016 Rotation, translation, scaling

Abstract

A collaborative work environment supports manipulating an object defined by a three-dimensional model by multiple remote participants. A three-dimensional model of the object is able to be translated, rotated and scaled in a work area of a whiteboard associated with the collaborative work environment. Each of the remote participants is able to view, manipulate, and mark-up the three-dimensional model of the object so that the remote participants can work collaboratively together.

Claims

1. In a collaborative work environment supporting a plurality of remote participants, a method for manipulating three-dimensional objects in a work area displayed on a workstation of each of the plurality of remote participants, the method comprising:

displaying an image of a three-dimensional object in the work area of each of the plurality of participants, said image being displayed from a same perspective in the work area of each of the plurality of participants, said three-dimensional object defined by a three-dimensional model in an object space;

manipulating said object by operating on said three-dimensional model, said step of manipulating performed in response to input by one of the plurality of participants, said step of manipulating resulting in a manipulated object;

communicating information associated with said manipulated object to the workstation of each other of the plurality of participants, wherein said information associated with said manipulated object defines a transformation of said three-dimensional model;

rendering, at the workstation of each other of the plurality of participants, said manipulated image based on said transformation and said three-dimensional model; and

displaying said manipulated image of said manipulated object in the work area of each of the plurality of participants thereby allowing each of the plurality of participants to collaboratively view and manipulate said object, said manipulated image being displayed from a same perspective in the work area of each of the plurality of participants.

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

performing a gesture in relation to said image of said object in the work area, said gesture performed in response to input from one of the plurality of participants;

communicating said gesture to each other of the plurality of participants; and

displaying said gesture on the workstation of each of the plurality of participants.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said gesture comprises annotating said image.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said gesture comprises indicating a feature of said image via a cursor.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said gesture comprises freehand drawing.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of manipulating comprises a step of scaling said object, said step of scaling occurring proportionately in three dimensions.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of manipulating comprises a step of cutting-and-pasting said object between the work area and a three-dimensional authoring tool operating on the workstation of said one of the plurality of participants.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of manipulating comprises a step of translating said object in the work area.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said step of manipulating comprises a step of rotating said object in the work area.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of rotating is constrained to a single axis of rotation.

11. In a collaborative work environment among a plurality of remote participants, a method for manipulating three-dimensional objects in a graphical user interface (GUI) displayed on a workstation of each of the plurality of remote participants, the method comprising:

displaying one or more two-dimensional images in an image plane of the GUI such that said one or more two-dimensional images are displayed from a same perspective on the workstation of each of the plurality of remote participants;

displaying one or more three-dimensional objects in an object space of the GUI, said object space located in front of said image plane, said one or more three-dimensional objects being displayed from a same perspective on the workstation of each of the plurality of participants;

displaying one or more text areas in a text plane of the GUI, said text plane located in front of said image plane and said object space;

performing a manipulation on an object projected in said object space, said manipulation performed by one of the plurality of participants;

communicating information associated with said manipulation to the workstation of each other of the plurality of participants, wherein said information associated with said manipulation defines a transformation of a three-dimensional model; and

displaying said manipulation in said object space of the GUI, thereby allowing said manipulation to be viewed by each other of the plurality of participants, said manipulation being displayed from a same perspective on the workstation of each of the plurality of participants.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of communicating further comprises the steps of:

processing said manipulation by said workstation of said each other of the plurality of participants thereby reducing an amount of communication bandwidth required among the plurality of participants and allowing said each other of the plurality of participants to view said manipulation in real time.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said manipulation is a scaling of said object, said scaling occurring proportionately in three dimensions.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said manipulation is a cut-and-paste operation on said object, said cut-and-paste operation occurring between said object space of the GUI and a three-dimensional authoring tool operating on a workstation of said one of the plurality of participants.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said manipulation is a rotation of said object in said object space.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said rotation is restricted to a single axis of rotation.

17. An interactive, collaborative method for manipulating a three-dimensional object by a plurality of remote participants each having a workstation, the method comprising the steps of:

representing a three-dimensional object by means of a three-dimensional model;

storing said three-dimensional model on the workstation of each of the plurality of remote participants;

displaying a projected image of the three-dimensional object in a shared work area that is visible on the workstation of each of the remote participants, said displayed projected image being displayed from a same perspective on the workstation of each of the remote participants, said projected image generated from said three-dimensional model;

interactively manipulating the three-dimensional object within said shared work area, said manipulating performed with respect to said projected image by any one of the remote participants;

transmitting data describing said manipulating of the three-dimensional object to the workstation of each other of the plurality of participants, said transmitted data defining a transformation of said three-dimensional model;

generating a manipulated projected image of the three-dimensional object using said transmitted data and said three-dimensional model, said generating performed by the workstation of each other of the plurality of participants; and

displaying said manipulated projected image of the three-dimensional object in said shared work area of each of the plurality of participants in real-time, said displayed manipulated projected image being displayed from a same perspective on the workstation of each of the plurality of participants.

18. In a collaborative work environment supporting a plurality of remote participants, a method for manipulating three-dimensional objects in a work area displayed on a workstation of each of the plurality of remote participants, the method comprising:

displaying an image of a three-dimensional object in the work area of each of the plurality of participants, said three-dimensional object defined by a three-dimensional model in an object space;

displaying a plurality of identifiers corresponding to the plurality of participants in the work area of each of the plurality of participants, each of said plurality of identifiers identifying one of the plurality of participants;

displaying a plurality of cursors in the work area of each of the plurality of participants, each of said plurality of cursors corresponding to one of said plurality of identifiers thereby allowing each of the plurality of participants to view who is performing an operation in the work area;

manipulating said object by operating on said three-dimensional model, said step of manipulating performed in relation to one of the plurality of participants maneuvering their corresponding cursor in the work area of each of the plurality of participants, said step of manipulating resulting in a manipulated object defined by a transformation of said three-dimensional model;

communicating said transformation to the workstation of each other of the plurality of participants;

generating a manipulated projected image of the three-dimensional object using said transformation and said three-dimensional model, said generating performed by the workstation of each other of the plurality of participants; and

displaying a manipulated image of said manipulated object in the work area of each of the plurality of participants, said displayed manipulated image being generated in the workstation of each other of the plurality of participants using said transformation and said three-dimensional model.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein each of said plurality of identifiers comprises text identifying a name of one of said plurality of participants.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein each of said plurality of identifiers comprises a still photographic image of one of the plurality of participants.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein each of said plurality of identifiers comprises a live video image of one of the plurality of participants, said live video image being supplied by a camera coupled to the workstation of the one of the plurality of participants.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein each of said plurality of cursors is identified with a number corresponding to one of the plurality of participants.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein each of said plurality of cursors is identified with a color corresponding to one of the plurality of participants.

24. In an environment including a first work station communications with at least one additional workstation, a method for manipulating three-dimensional objects in a work area displayed on each of the workstations, the method comprising:

storing an original three-dimensional model on the first work station;

displaying an image of a three-dimensional object in the work area of the first work station, said three-dimensional object defined by said original three-dimensional model;

accepting an input from an operator of the first work station;

manipulating said object by operating on said original three-dimensional model in response to said input, said step of manipulating resulting in a manipulated three-dimensional object;

communicating information describing a relationship between said original three-dimensional object and said manipulated three-dimensional object to the at least one additional workstation in communications with the first work station, thereby enabling the at least one additional workstation to determine said manipulated three-dimensional object by applying said information to a copy of said original three dimensional model stored on the at least one additional workstation;

displaying a manipulated image of said manipulated three-dimensional object in the work area of the first workstation and the work area of the at least one additional workstation.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said information describing said relationship between said original three-dimensional object and said manipulated three-dimensional object comprises a matrix.

26. In a collaborative work environment supporting a plurality of remote participants, a method for manipulating objects in a work area displayed on a workstation of each of the plurality of remote participants, the method comprising:

displaying an image of an object in the work area of each of the plurality of participants, said object defined by a model in an object space;

manipulating said object by operating on said model, said step of manipulating performed in response to input by one of the plurality of participants, said step of manipulating resulting in a manipulated object;

communicating information associated with said manipulated object to the workstation of each other of the plurality of participants, where in said information associated with said manipulated object defines a transformation of said model;

constructing a manipulated model of said manipulated object in the workstation of each other of the plurality of remote participants, said constructing performed using said model and said information associated with said manipulated object; and

displaying a manipulated image of said manipulated object in the work area of each of the plurality of participants thereby allowing each of the plurality of participants to collaboratively view and manipulate said object.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said step of manipulating comprises a step of scaling said object.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein said step of manipulating comprises a step of cutting-and-pasting said object in the work area.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein said step of manipulating comprises a step of translating said object in the work area.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein said step of manipulating comprises a step of rotating said object in the work area.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said step of rotating is constrained to a single axis of rotation.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein said object comprises a two dimensional object.

33. The method of claim 26, wherein said object comprises a three dimensional object.

34. An interactive, collaborative method for manipulating an object by a plurality of remote participants each having a workstation, the method comprising the steps of:

representing an object by means of a model;

storing said model on the workstation of each of the plurality of remote participants;

displaying a projected image of the object in a shared work area that is visible on the workstation of each of the remote participants, said projected image generated using said model;

interactively manipulating the object within said shared work area, said manipulating performed with respect to said projected image by any one of the remote participants;

transmitting data describing said manipulating of the object to the worksation of each other of the plurality of participants, said transmitted data defining a transformation of said model;

generating a manipulated projected image of the object using said transmitted data and said model, said generating performed by the workstation of each other of the plurality of participants; and

displaying said manipulated projected image of the object in said shared work area of each of the plurality of participants.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said manipulation is a scaling of said object.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein said manipulation is a cut-and-paste operation on said object.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein said manipulation is a rotation of said object in said object space.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein said rotation is restricted to a single axis of rotation.

39. The method of claim 34, wherein said object comprises a two dimensional object.

40. The method of claim 34, wherein said object comprises a three dimensional object.