Navigation system for a 3D virtual scene

• US 9,052,797 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2008
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Inventors: Fitzmaurice, George, Matejka, Justin, Kurtenbach, Gord
• Primary Examiner(s): Shih, Haoshian
• Application Number:
  US12/200,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20090083666A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,476 Days
• Field of Search: 715/711, 715/764, 715810-813, 715821-823, 715/834, 715/845, 715/850, 715/851, 715/856, 715/859, 715/860
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04895 Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/003 Navigation within 3D models or images
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons

Abstract

A navigation system for navigating a three-dimensional (3D) scene that includes a model or object with which a user can interact. The system accommodates and helps both novice and advanced users. To do this, the system provides a set of mini navigation wheels for experienced users that include all of the function of the larger wheels in pie shaped wedges and that acts as a cursor.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a display; and

a processor coupled to the display and configured to;

generate a first wheel that is configured to allow a user to navigate a software application, wherein the first wheel includes a plurality of activation zones, and each activation zone corresponds to a different tool for navigating the software application;

miniaturize the first wheel into a corresponding mini wheel that is configured as a tracking menu and includes a plurality of pie-shaped wedges, wherein each pie-shaped wedge corresponds to a different one of the activation zones;

cause the mini wheel to follow a system cursor as the system cursor moves within a display area when system cursor hits an edge of the mini wheel, and

replace the mini wheel with a tool cursor when a mouse event causes a function corresponding to one of the activation zones to be activated.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the tool cursor corresponds to a zoom tool for zooming into a displayed scene and located in an upper quadrant wedge.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the tool cursor corresponds to an orbit tool for orbiting with respect to an object in a displayed scene and located in a left quadrant wedge.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the tool cursor corresponds to a rewind tool for rewinding states of a view history and located in a right quadrant wedge.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the tool cursor corresponds to a pan tool for panning in a scene and located in a bottom quadrant wedge.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the tool cursor corresponds to a walk tool for moving a view away from a start point in a scene and located in an upper quadrant wedge.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the tool cursor corresponds to an up/down tool for moving up/down in a scene relative to an up vector of a model and located in a bottom quadrant wedge.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the tool cursor corresponds to a look tool for adjusting the view direction for a scene and located in a left quadrant wedge.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the tool cursor corresponds to a zoom tool for zooming into a displayed scene and located in an upper wedge.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the tool cursor corresponds to a walk tool for moving a view away from a start point in a scene and located in an upper right wedge.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the tool cursor corresponds to a rewind tool for rewinding states of a view history and located in a right wedge.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the tool cursor corresponds to an up/down tool for moving up/down in a scene relative to an up vector of a model and located in a bottom right wedge.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the tool cursor corresponds to a pan tool for panning in a scene and located in a bottom wedge.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the tool cursor corresponds to a look tool for adjusting the view direction for a scene and located in a bottom left wedge.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the tool cursor corresponds to an orbit tool for orbiting with respect to an object in a displayed scene and located in a left wedge.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the tool cursor corresponds to a center tool for centering a view on the display and located in an upper left wedge.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the different functions corresponding to the different activation zones is activated at all times.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first wheel and the mini wheel is semitransparent.

19. A computer-implemented method for providing a mechanism for navigating a software application, the method comprising:

generating a first wheel that is configured to allow a user to navigate the software application, wherein the first wheel includes a plurality of activation zones, and each activation zone corresponds to a different tool for navigating the software application;

miniaturizing the first wheel into a corresponding mini wheel that is configured as a tracking menu and includes a plurality of pie-shaped wedges, wherein each pie-shaped wedge corresponds to a different one of the activation zones;

causing the mini wheel to follow a system cursor as the system cursor moves within a display area when the system cursor hits an edge of the mini wheel, and

replacing the mini wheel with a tool cursor when a mouse event causes a function corresponding to one of the activation zones to be activated.

20. A computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to provide a mechanism for navigating a software application, by performing the steps of:

generating a first wheel that is configured to allow a user to navigate the software application, wherein the first wheel includes a plurality of activation zones, and each activation zone corresponds to a different tool for navigating the software application;

miniaturizing the first wheel into a corresponding mini wheel that is configured as a tracking menu and includes a plurality of pie-shaped wedges, wherein each pie-shaped wedge corresponds to a different one of the activation zones;

causing the mini wheel to follow a system cursor as the system cursor moves within a display area when the system cursor hits an edge of the mini wheel, and

replacing the mini wheel with a tool cursor when a mouse event causes a function corresponding to one of the activation zones to be activated.