System and method for providing three-dimensional graphical user interface

• US 8,881,048 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2010
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SpaceTime3D, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SpaceTime3D, Inc.
• Inventors: Bakhash, E. Eddie
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, TING ZHOU
• Application Number:
  US12/751,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20110029907A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,679 Days
• Field of Search: 715/781, 715/848, 715/764, 715/766, 715/767, 715/782, 715/788, 707/706
• US Class Current: 715/782
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/26 Visual data mining; Browsing structured data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• 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 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/20 Perspective computation
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for providing an improved three-dimensional graphical user interface. In one embodiment, the method generally comprises: receiving an input from an end user, and capturing computing output from at least one computer source in response to the received end-user input. The computing output can be presented as two or more objects within a three-dimensional virtual space displayed to the end user. In one embodiment, the method further comprises generating a timeline that includes an icon for each object presented within the virtual space. In another embodiment, the method further comprises providing a database for storing and categorizing data regarding each object presented within the virtual space.

Claims

1. A method for providing a three-dimensional (3D) graphical user interface, comprising:

receiving at least first and second inputs from an end user;

receiving first and second webpages from at least one server in response to said first and second inputs, wherein the first and second inputs are website addresses corresponding to said first and second webpages, respectively;

displaying at least a portion of the first webpage on a first object within a 3D space, and at least a portion of the second webpage on a second object within the 3D space, comprising;

rendering the first and second webpages;

capturing first and second images of the at least a portion of the first webpage and

the at least a portion of the second webpage, respectively; and

texturing the first image on the first object and the second image on the second object, the first object being displayed in a foreground of the 3D space and the second object being displayed in a background of the 3D space; and

displaying additional information, comprising;

receiving an interaction by the end user on the first image;

replacing the first and second objects within the 3D space with a window within a two-dimensional (2D) space in response to receiving the interaction, wherein the window includes the rendered first webpage;

receiving an interaction by the end user on a link provided in the rendered first webpage, the link corresponding to the additional information;

rendering the additional information; and

displaying the rendered additional information in said window within the 2D space.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

capturing a third image of at least a portion of the rendered additional information;

texturing the third image on the first object, the third image thereby replacing the first image on the first object; and

replacing the window within the 2D space with at least the first and second objects within the 3D space, wherein the first object is displayed in the foreground of the 3D space and the second object is displayed in the background of the 3D space.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a toggle interaction by the end user; and

replacing the window within the 2D space with at least the first and second objects within the 3D space in response to the toggle interaction.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a navigation interaction by the end user; and

moving said second object from the background of the 3D space to the foreground of the 3D space in response to the navigation interaction.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a toggle interaction by the end user; and

replacing the window within the 2D space with at least the first and second objects within the 3D space in response to the toggle interaction.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at least a third input from the end user;

receiving a third webpage from the at least one server in response to the third input; and

displaying at least a portion of the third webpage on a third object within the 3D space, comprising;

rendering the third webpage;

capturing a third image of the at least a portion of the third webpage; and

texturing the third image on the third object, the third object being displayed in a further background of the 3D space, behind the second object.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving the first and second webpages from the at least one server in response to said first and second inputs further comprises receiving the first webpage from a first server in response to said first input and receiving the second webpage from a second server in response to said second input.

8. A system for providing a three-dimensional (3D) graphical user interface, comprising:

a display screen;

an input device for receiving at least one input from an end user

a processor module operatively coupled to the display screen and the user input device; and

a memory module operatively coupled to the processor module, the memory module comprising executable code for the processor module to;

receive at least first and second inputs from an end user;

receive first and second webpages from at least one source in response to said first and second inputs, wherein the first and second inputs are website address corresponding to said first and second webpages, respectively;

display at least a portion of the first webpage on a first object within a 3D space on the display screen, and at least a portion of the second webpage on a second object within the 3D space on the display screen, comprising;

rendering the first and second webpages;

capturing first and second images of the at least a portion of the first webpage and the at least a portion of the second webpage, respectively; and

texturing the first image on the first object and the second image on the second object, the first object being displayed in a foreground of the 3D space and the second object being displayed in a background of the 3D space; and

display additional information, comprising;

receiving an interaction by the end user on the first image;

replacing the first and second objects within the 3D space with a window within a two-dimensional (2D) space on the display screen in response to receiving the interaction, wherein the window includes the rendered first webpage;

receiving an interaction by the end user on a link provided in the rendered first webpage, the link corresponding to the additional information;

rendering the additional information; and

displaying the rendered additional information on the display screen in said window within the 2D space on the display screen.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said executable code is further configured to:

capture a third image of at least a portion of the rendered additional information;

texture the third image on the first object, the third image thereby replacing the first image on the first object; and

replace the window within the 2D space with at least the first and second objects within the 3D space, wherein the first object is displayed in the foreground of the 3D space and the second object is displayed in the background of the 3D space.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said executable code is further configured to:

receive a toggle interaction by the end user; and

replace the window within the 2D space with at least the first and second objects within the 3D space in response to the toggle interaction.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said executable code is further configured to:

receive a navigation interaction by the end user; and

move said second object from the background of the 3D space to the foreground of the 3D space in response to the navigation interaction.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein said executable code is further configured to:

receive a toggle interaction by the end user; and

replace the window within the 2D space with at least the first and second objects within the 3D space in response to the toggle interaction.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein said executable code is further configured to:

receive at least a third input from the end user;

receive a third webpage from the at least one server in response to the third input; and

display at least a portion of the third webpage on a third object within the 3D space, comprising;

rendering the third webpage;

capturing a third image of the at least a portion of the third webpage; and

texturing the third image on the third object, the third object being displayed in a further background of the 3D space, behind the second object.

14. A method for providing a three-dimensional (3D) graphical user interface, comprising:

receiving at least first and second website addresses from an end user;

using said first and second website addresses to retrieve first and second webpages from at least one source in response to said first and second inputs;

displaying at least a portion of the first webpage within a 3D space, and at least a portion of the second webpage within the 3D space, comprising;

generating first and second images of the at least a portion of the first webpage and the at least a portion of the second webpage, respectively; and

displaying the first image and the second image in the 3D space, the first image being displayed in a foreground of the 3D space and the second image being displayed in a background of the 3D space; and

displaying additional information to said end user, comprising;

receiving an interaction from the end user with the first image;

replacing the first and second images within the 3D space with a window within a two-dimensional (2D) space in response to receiving the interaction, wherein the window includes the first webpage;

receiving an interaction by the end user on a link provided in the first webpage, the link corresponding to the additional information; and

displaying the additional information to the user.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the additional information is displayed in the window, thereby replacing the first webpage in the window.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

generating a third image of at least a portion of the additional information; and

replacing the window with at least the second and third images within the 3D space, wherein the third image replaces the first image in the foreground of the 3D space, and the second image remains in the background of the 3D space.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a toggle interaction by the end user; and

replacing the window with at least the second and third images within the 3D space in response to the toggle interaction.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising;

receiving a navigation interaction by the end user; and

moving said second image from the background of the 3D space to the foreground of the 3D space in response to the navigation interaction.