Graph-based visual navigation through spatial environments

• US 6,388,688 B1
• Filed: 04/06/1999
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 2, LLC
• Original Assignee: Vergics Corporation
• Inventors: Schileru-Key, Rodica
• Primary Examiner(s): dela Torre, Crescelle N.
• Application Number:
  US09/287,088
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: 345/326, 345/333, 345/334, 345/339, 345/340, 345/343, 345/346, 345/348, 345/355, 345/356, 345/357, 345/302, 345/419, 345/440, 345/700, 345/744, 345/762, 345/764, 345/765, 345/781, 345/803-805, 345/835, 345/839, 345/848, 345/850, 345/853-855, 707/500.1
• US Class Current: 715/854
• 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: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A computer system and method of operation thereof are provided that allow interactive navigation and exploration of spatial environments, both real and virtual. The computer system employs a data architecture comprising a network of nodes connected by branches. Each node in the network represents an intersection in the real environment that allows a user of the computer system to select which path to follow. Likewise, each branch in the network represents a path connecting physical intersections in the real environment. The network is constructed directly from a map of the target environment. Navigation data such as image frame sequences, intersections between paths, and other related information are associated with the elements of the network. This establishes a direct relationship between locations in the environment and the data which represent them. From such an organization, the user may tour the environment, viewing the image sequences associated with each path and choosing among intersecting paths at will. In addition to navigating through the environment, the user may also access auxiliary information that is related to particular points of interest.

Claims

1. A computer system for navigating a virtual environment, the computer system comprising:

a computer;

a display device connected to the computer;

one or more input devices connected to the computer; and

a computer program executing on the computer, wherein the computer program comprises computer instructions for;

generating a virtual environment from a real environment, the virtual environment comprising a plurality of nodes connected by branches, wherein each node represents an intersection in the real environment and each branch represents a path connecting intersections in the real environment;

displaying a map of at least a portion of the nodes and branches of the virtual environment in a first window of the display device;

displaying a visual representation of the virtual environment in a second window of the display device; and

enabling a user to navigate through the virtual environment by entering navigation commands via at least one input device.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein each path in the map further comprises directional information, and the directional information is expressed relative to a current position in the map.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the computer program further comprises computer instructions for:

associating multimedia content with a portion of the virtual environment;

displaying a visual representation of the multimedia content as an element of the virtual environment displayed in the second window of the display device;

detecting that the user has selected the visual representation of the multimedia content via one of the input devices; and

displaying the multimedia content in a window of the display device.

4. The computer system of claim 3, wherein the multimedia content is displayed in a third window of the display device.

5. The computer system of claim 3, wherein the multimedia content further comprises a web page.

6. The computer system of claim 3, wherein the multimedia content further comprises a video clip.

7. A computer system for composing a virtual environment, the computer system comprising:

a computer;

a display device connected to the computer;

one or more input devices connected to the computer; and

a computer program executing on the computer, wherein the computer program comprises computer instructions for;

generating a virtual environment from a real environment, the virtual environment comprising a plurality of nodes connected by branches;

enabling a user to associate an intersection of the real environment with a node of the virtual environment; and

enabling a user to associate a visual representation of a path connecting intersections of the real environment with a branch of the virtual environment.

8. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the computer program further comprises computer instructions for enabling a user to associate multimedia content with an element of the virtual environment.

9. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the computer program further comprises computer instructions for editing associations between nodes and intersections and between branches and paths.

10. A method for navigating a virtual environment generated from a real environment, the virtual environment comprising a plurality of nodes connected by branches, wherein each node represents an intersection in the real environment and each branch represents a path connecting intersections in the real environment, the method comprising:

displaying a map of at least a portion of the nodes and branches of the virtual environment in a first window of a display device;

displaying a visual representation of the virtual environment in a second window of the display device; and

a user navigating through the virtual environment by entering navigation commands via at least one input device connected to the display device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein each path in the map further comprises directional information, and the directional information is expressed relative to a current position in the map.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

associating multimedia content with a portion of the virtual environment;

displaying a visual representation of the multimedia content as an element of the virtual environment displayed in the second window of the display device;

the user selecting the visual representation of the multimedia content via one of the input devices; and

displaying the multimedia content in a window of the display device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the multimedia content is displayed in a third window of the display device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the multimedia content further comprises a web page.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the multimedia content further comprises a video clip.

16. A method for composing a virtual environment, the method comprising:

generating a virtual environment from a real environment, the virtual environment comprising a plurality of nodes connected by branches;

a user associating an intersection of the real environment with a node of the virtual environment; and

the user associating a visual representation of a path connecting intersections of the real environment with a branch of the virtual environment.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the user associating multimedia content with an element of the virtual environment.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising editing associations between nodes and intersections and between branches and paths.

19. A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer instructions for:

generating a virtual environment from a real environment, the virtual environment comprising a plurality of nodes connected by branches, wherein each node represents an intersection in the real environment and each branch represents a path connecting intersections in the real environment;

displaying a map of at least a portion of the nodes and branches of the virtual environment in a first window of a display device;

displaying a visual representation of the virtual environment in a second window of the display device; and

enabling a user to navigate through the virtual environment by entering navigation commands via at least one input device.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein each path in the map further comprises directional information, and the directional information is expressed relative to a current position in the map.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, further comprising computer instructions for:

associating multimedia content with a portion of the virtual environment;

displaying a visual representation of the multimedia content as an element of the virtual environment displayed in the second window of the display device;

detecting that the user has selected the visual representation of the multimedia content via one of the input devices; and

displaying the multimedia content in a window of the display device.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the multimedia content is displayed in a third window of the display device.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the multimedia content further comprises a web page.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the multimedia content further comprises a video clip.

25. A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer instructions for:

generating a virtual environment from a real environment, the virtual environment comprising a plurality of nodes connected by branches;

enabling a user to associate an intersection of the real environment with a node of the virtual environment; and

enabling the user to associate a visual representation of a path connecting intersections of the real environment with a branch of the virtual environment.

26. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, further comprising computer instructions for enabling the user to associate multimedia content with an element of the virtual environment.

27. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, further comprising computer instructions for enabling the user to edit associations between nodes and intersections and between branches and paths.

28. A computer system for navigating a virtual environment, the computer system comprising:

a computer;

a display device connected to the computer;

one or more input devices connected to the computer; and

a computer program executing on the computer, wherein the computer program comprises computer instructions for;

displaying a map of at least a portion of a virtual environment generated from a real environment in a first window of the display device;

displaying a visual representation of the virtual environment in a second window of the display device; and

highlighting a branch in the map displayed in the first window while a visual representation of a corresponding path in the real environment is displayed in the second window;

detecting that a user has selected an intersection on the map;

in response to the user selecting the intersection, displaying a corresponding visual representation of the intersection in the virtual environment in the second window;

highlighting an icon displayed in the first window and corresponding to an element of the virtual environment associated with multimedia data while the element is displayed in the second window;

detecting that a user has selected a visual representation of an element of the virtual environment associated with multimedia data; and

in response to the user selecting the element, displaying the multimedia data in a window of the display device.

29. The computer system of claim 28, wherein the computer program is a video game.

30. The computer system of claim 28, wherein the virtual environment further comprises a visual representation of an exhibit.

31. A method of navigating a virtual environment generated from a real environment, the method comprising:

displaying a map of at least a portion of the virtual environment in a first window of a display device of a computer;

displaying a visual representation of the virtual environment in a second window of the display device; and

highlighting a branch in the map displayed in the first window while a visual representation of a corresponding path in the real environment is displayed in the second window;

detecting that a user has selected an intersection on the map;

in response to the user selecting the intersection, displaying a corresponding visual representation of the intersection in the virtual environment in the second window;

highlighting an icon displayed in the first window and corresponding to an element of the virtual environment associated with multimedia data while the element is displayed in the second window;

detecting that a user has selected a visual representation of an element of the virtual environment associated with multimedia data; and

in response to the user selecting the element, displaying the multimedia data in a window of the display device.

32. A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer instructions for:

displaying a map of at least a portion of a virtual environment generated from a real environment in a first window of a display device of a computer;

displaying a visual representation of the virtual environment in a second window of the display device; and

highlighting a branch in the map displayed in the first window while a visual representation of a corresponding path in the real environment is displayed in the second window;

detecting that a user has selected an intersection on the map;

in response to the user selecting the intersection, displaying a corresponding visual representation of the intersection in the virtual environment in the second window;

highlighting an icon displayed in the first window and corresponding to an element of the virtual environment associated with multimedia data while the element is displayed in the second window;

detecting that a user has selected a visual representation of an element of the virtual environment associated with multimedia data; and

in response to the user selecting the element, displaying the multimedia data in a window of the display device.

33. A computer system for navigating a vixtual environment, the computer system comprising a

server computer connected to at least one client computer via a global-area network;

wherein the client computer includes a display device, one or more input devices, and a computer program executable on the client computer, wherein the computer program comprises computer instructions for;

retrieving a virtual environment generated from a real environment from a storage of the server computer, the virtual environment comprising a plurality of nodes connected by branches, wherein each node represents an intersection in the real environment and each branch represents a path connecting intersections in the real environment;

displaying a map of at least a portion of the virtual environment in a first window of the display device;

displaying a visual representation of the virtual environment in a second window of the display device; and

enabling a user to navigate through the virtual environment by entering navigation commands via at least one input device.