Method and system of controlling a cursor in a three-dimensional graphical environment

• US 8,112,722 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2008
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Enyi, Jin, Zhao Xia, Plocher, Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pesin, Boris
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ell, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US12/034,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20090217209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,447 Days
• Field of Search: 715/808, 715/851, 715/856, 715/861, 345/157, 345/419
• US Class Current: 715/856
• 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

Abstract

A method of controlling a cursor displayed on a display device is provided. A three-dimensional environment is displayed on a display device. A cursor and a plurality of objects are displayed on the display device within the three-dimensional environment. The cursor comprises a zone defining a volume to identify at least one object that is at least partially located within the volume. The size of the volumetric activation zone is dynamically adjusted so that a predetermined constraint is satisfied. The predetermined constraint is a function of at least a relationship between the volumetric activation zone of the cursor and at least one of the plurality of objects.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a cursor displayed on a display device, the method comprising:

displaying a three-dimensional environment on a display device;

displaying, on the display device, a cursor and a plurality of objects within the three-dimensional environment, wherein the cursor comprises a zone defining a volume to identify at least one object that is at least partially located within the volume;

dynamically adjusting the size of the zone so that a predetermined constraint is satisfied, wherein the predetermined constraint is a function of at least a relationship between the zone and at least one of the plurality of objects, wherein the size of the zone is dynamically adjusted such that it is possible for more than one object to be located within the zone at the same time; and

recognizing one object located within the zone as an active object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined constraint comprises at least one of:

a constraint specifying that only a predetermined number of objects are at least partially located within the volume and a constraint specifying each change in the size of the zone is the minimum change that otherwise satisfies any other constraints.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamically adjusting the size of the zone comprises:

determining a first distance within the three-dimensional environment between a first object of the plurality of objects and the zone; and

changing a size of the zone based on at least the first distance.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the first distance comprises at least one of:

determining a distance from a center of the zone to a nearest point of the first object;

determining a distance from a center of the zone to a farthest point of the first object;

determining a distance from an outer surface of the zone to the first object; and

determining a distance from the zone to a point of the first object which is nearest to the zone.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein changing the size of the zone based on the first distance comprises changing the size of the zone such that a distance from a center of the zone to a point on the outer surface of the zone is larger than the first distance.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining a second distance from the zone to a second object, wherein changing the size of the zone comprises changing the size of the zone based on at least the first distance and the second distance.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining the first distance comprises determining a distance from the center of the zone to a point of the first object that is nearest to the center of the zone and wherein determining the second distance comprises determining a distance from the center of the zone to a point of the second object that is nearest to the center of the zone, wherein the second object is second nearest to the zone;

wherein changing the size of the zone comprises changing the size of the zone such that a distance from a center of the zone to a point on the outer surface of the zone is smaller than the lesser of the second distance and the distance between the center of the zone and the point of the nearest object that is farthest from the center of the zone.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein changing the size of the zone comprises changing the size of the zone such that a distance from a center of the zone to a surface of the zone is greater than or equal to the point of the nearest object that is nearest to the center of the zone.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein changing the size of the zone comprises changing the size of the zone such that a distance from a center of the zone to a surface of the zone is smaller than or equal to the distance from the center of the zone to a point of the second nearest object that is nearest to the center of the zone.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein if more than one object is located within the zone at the same time, the first of said more than one objects to have come within the zone is recognized as the active object.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein if more than one object is located within the zone at the same time, the last of said more than one objects to have come within the zone is recognized as the active object.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the size of the zone is dynamically adjusted such that more than one object is located within the zone at the same time when a plurality of objects are equidistant from the center of the zone.

13. A system for controlling a cursor in a three-dimensional environment, the system comprising:

a processor to execute software;

a display device communicatively coupled to the processor;

an input device communicatively coupled to the processor in order to receive input from the input device; and

a storage medium communicatively coupled to the processor from which the processor reads at least a portion of the software for execution thereby, wherein the software is configured to cause the processor to;

display a three-dimensional environment on the display device;

display, on the display device, a cursor and a plurality of objects within the three-dimensional environment, wherein the cursor comprises a volumetric activation zone defining a volume to identify at least one object that is at least partially located within the volume;

dynamically adjust the size of the volumetric activation zone so that a predetermined constraint is satisfied, wherein the predetermined constraint is a function of at least a relationship between the zone and at least one of the plurality of objects, wherein the software is configured to cause the processor to dynamically adjust the size of the volumetric activation zone such that it is possible for more than one object to be located within the volumetric activation zone at the same time; and

recognize one object within the volumetric activation zone as an active object.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the predetermined constraint comprises at least one of:

a constraint specifying that only a predetermined number of objects are at least partially located within the volume and a constraint specifying each change in the size of the volumetric activation zone is the minimum change that otherwise satisfies any other constraints.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the software is configured to cause the processor to:

determine a first distance within the three-dimensional environment between a first object of the plurality of objects and the volumetric activation zone; and

changing a size of the volumetric activation zone based on at least the first distance.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the software is configured to cause the processor to determine the first distance by doing at least one of:

determining a distance from a center of the volumetric activation zone to a nearest point of the first object;

determining a distance from a center of the volumetric activation zone to a farthest point of the first object;

determining a distance from an outer surface of the volumetric activation zone to the first object; and

determining a distance from the volumetric activation zone to a point of the first object which is nearest to the volumetric activation zone.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the software is configured so that if more than one object is located within the volumetric activation zone at the same time, the processor recognizes the first of the more than one objects to have come within the volumetric activation zone as the active object.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the software is configured so that if more than one object is located within the volumetric activation zone the processor at the same time, the processor recognizes the last of the more than one objects to have come within the volumetric activation zone as the active object.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the software is configured to cause the processor to dynamically adjust the size of the volumetric activation zone such that more than one object is located within the volumetric activation zone at the same time when a plurality of objects are equidistant from the center of the volumetric activation zone.

20. A program product comprising a non-transitory processor-readable medium on which program instructions are embodied, wherein the program instructions are operable, when executed by at least one programmable processor included in a device, to cause the device to:

display a three-dimensional environment on a display device communicatively coupled to the device;

display, on the display device, a cursor and a plurality of objects within the three-dimensional environment, wherein the cursor comprises an activation zone defining a volume to identify at least one object that is at least partially located within the volume;

dynamically adjust the size of the activation zone so that a predetermined constraint is satisfied, wherein the predetermined constraint is a function of at least a relationship between the zone and at least one of the plurality of objects; and

wherein the size of the activation zone is dynamically adjusted such that it is possible for more than one object to be located within the activation zone at the same time and wherein if more than one object is located within the activation zone at the same time, only one of the objects within the activation zone is recognized as an active object.

21. The program product of claim 20, wherein the predetermined constraint comprises at least one of:

a constraint specifying that only a predetermined number of objects are at least partially located within the volume and a constraint specifying each change in the size of the activation zone is the minimum change that otherwise satisfies any other constraints.

22. A method of controlling a cursor displayed on a display device, the method comprising:

displaying a three-dimensional environment on a display device;

displaying, on the display device, a cursor and a plurality of objects within the three-dimensional environment, wherein the cursor comprises a zone defining a volume to identify at least one object that is at least partially located within the volume;

if there is only one object that is nearest to the center of the zone, dynamically adjusting the size of the zone so that said only one object is at least partially within the zone; and

if there is more than one object nearest to the center of the zone, dynamically adjusting the size of the zone so that no object is within the zone.