Three-dimensional interface for content location

• US 9,946,803 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2014
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Karakotsios, Kenneth M, Bozarth, Bradley J
• Primary Examiner(s): Ge, Jin
• Application Number:
  US14/480,390
• Publication Number:
  US 20150062121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,317 Days
• Field of Search: 345619
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/00 3D [Three Dimensional] image rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/20 Perspective computation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/20 Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2016 Rotation, translation, scaling
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/60 Rotation of whole images or parts thereof

Abstract

Instances of content, such as search results or browse items, can be displayed using a plurality of three-dimensional elements, with selected pieces of information for each instance placed upon faces, sides, or other portions of those elements. A user can view similar information for each of the instances of content by rotating the elements, such as by interacting with an input element or rotating a portable computing device rendering the elements. The user can apply various filtering criteria or value ranges, whereby the relative position of the elements in three-dimensional space can be adjusted based at least in part upon the applied values. By rotating the elements, applying criteria, and changing the camera view of the elements, a user can quickly compare a large number of instances of context according to a number of different criteria, and can quickly locate items of interest from a large selection of items.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of displaying content using a computing device, comprising:

receiving a search query;

determining a plurality of instances of content, relating to the search query,

the plurality of instances of content comprising a first instance of content and a second instance of content,

the first instance of content comprising a first aspect and a second aspect,

the second instance of content comprising a third aspect and a fourth aspect;

displaying, according to a user-adjustable criteria, a first multi-sided three-dimensional element in a two-dimensional display, the first multi-sided three-dimensional element corresponding to the first instance of content;

displaying, according to the user-adjustable criteria, a second multi-sided three-dimensional element, in the two-dimensional display, the second multi-sided three-dimensional element corresponding to the second instance of content;

displaying the first aspect on a first side of the first multi-sided three-dimensional element;

displaying the second aspect on a second side of the first multi-sided three-dimensional element;

displaying the third aspect on a first side of the second multi-sided three-dimensional element, the first aspect and the third aspect being a first common type of information;

displaying the fourth aspect on a second side of the second multi-sided three-dimensional element, the second aspect and the fourth aspect being a second common type of information, the first common type of information being different than the second common type of information;

determining a first rotation of the computing device, with respect to a user, based at least in part upon a first input detected by at least one sensor of the computing device;

determining a first filtering criterion;

displaying an updated presentation display for the first multi-sided three-dimensional element and the second multi-sided three-dimensional element, based at least in part upon the first filtering criterion and a direction of the first rotation of the computing device, wherein the first aspect of the first instance of content and the third aspect of the second instance of content are emphasized relative to the second aspect and the fourth aspect based on the direction of the first rotation, and the first multi-sided three-dimensional element is displayed larger than the second multi-sided three-dimensional element based on the first filtering criterion;

in response to a first selection of the first instance of content, generating a detail view of the first instance of content;

determining a second rotation of the computing device, with respect to a user, based at least in part upon a second input detected by at least one sensor of the computing device; and

displaying additional information associated with the first instance of content, based at least in part upon a direction of the second rotation of the computing device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the second multi-sided three-dimensional element larger in the display of the computing device relative to the first multi-sided three-dimensional element.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising displaying a visual transition between displaying the first multi-sided three-dimensional element larger in the display and displaying the second multi-sided three-dimensional element larger in the display.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein a speed of the visual transition is based at least in part on an amount of the first rotation of the computing device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a first image of a plurality of images associated with the first instance of content; and

displaying a second image of the plurality of images, based at least in part upon the direction of the second rotation of the computing device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising, clearing the display of the additional information.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a second filtering criterion corresponding to a range of values; and

displaying the updated presentation display based on a weighted combination of the direction of the first rotation, the first filtering criterion and the second filtering criterion, wherein the first multi-sided three-dimensional element and the second multi-sided three-dimensional element are arranged according to the range of values.

8. A computing device for displaying content, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device including instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to;

receive a search query;

determine a plurality of instances of content, relating to the search query,

the plurality of instances of content comprising a first instance of content and a second instance of content,

the first instance of content comprising a first aspect and a second aspect,

the second instance of content comprising a third aspect and a fourth aspect;

display, according to a user-adjustable criteria, a first multi-sided three-dimensional element in a two-dimensional display, the first multi-sided three-dimensional element corresponding to the first instance of content;

display, according to the user-adjustable criteria, a second multi-sided three-dimensional element in the two-dimensional display, the second multi-sided three-dimensional element corresponding to the second instance of content;

display the first aspect on a first side of the first multi-sided three-dimensional element;

display the second aspect on a second side of the first multi-sided three-dimensional element;

display the third aspect on a first side of the second multi-sided three-dimensional element, the first aspect and the third aspect being a first common type of information;

display the fourth aspect on a second side of the second multi-sided three-dimensional element, the second aspect and the fourth aspect being a second common type of information, the first common type of information being different than the second common type of information;

determine a first rotation of the computing device, with respect to a user, based at least in part upon a first input detected by at least one sensor of the computing device;

determine a first filtering criterion;

display the first multi-sided three-dimensional element and the second multi-sided three-dimensional element in an adjusted relative position, based at least in part upon the first filtering criterion and the first rotation of the computing device, wherein the first aspect of the first instance of content and the third aspect of the second instance of content are emphasized relative to the second aspect and the fourth aspect based on the first rotation, and the first multi-sided three-dimensional element is displayed larger than the second multi-sided three-dimensional element based on the first filtering criterion;

in response to a first selection of the first instance of content, generate a detail view of the first instance of content;

determine a second rotation of the computing device, with respect to a user, based at least in part upon a second input detected by at least one sensor of the computing device; and

display additional information associated with the first instance of content, based at least in part upon a direction of the second rotation of the computing device.

9. The computing device of claim 8, further comprising instructions, that when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

display the second multi-sided three-dimensional element larger in the display of the computing device relative to the first multi-sided three-dimensional element.

10. The computing device of claim 9, further comprising instructions, that when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to display a visual transition between display the first multi-sided three-dimensional element larger in the display and display the second multi-sided three-dimensional element larger in the display.

11. The computing device of claim 10, wherein a speed of the visual transition is based at least in part on an amount of the first rotation of the computing device.

12. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the detail view comprises a display of a first image of a plurality of images associated with the first instance of content, and display of a second image of the plurality of images, based at least in part upon a direction of the second rotation of the computing device.

13. The computing device of claim 8, wherein second additional information associated with the first instance of content is associated with a different direction of the second rotation of the computing device.

14. The computing device of claim 8, wherein display the first multi-sided and second multi-sided three-dimensional elements in the adjusted relative position comprises shift the first multi-sided and second multi-sided three-dimensional elements forward or backward along a z-axis, wherein the z-axis is orthogonal to the primary plane of the display.

15. The computing device of claim 14, wherein a direction of shifting the first multi-sided and second multi-sided three-dimensional elements forward or backward along the z-axis corresponds to a direction of the first rotation of the computing device.

16. The computing device of claim 14, wherein a speed of shifting the first multi-sided and second multi-sided three-dimensional elements forward or backward along the z-axis is based at least in part on an amount of the first rotation of the computing device.

17. The computing device of claim 8, further comprising instructions, that when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

determine a second filtering criterion corresponding to a range of values; and

display the updated presentation display based on a weighted combination of the direction of the first rotation, the first filtering criterion and the second filtering criterion, wherein the first multi-sided three-dimensional element and the second multi-sided three-dimensional element are arranged according to the range of values.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for displaying content, the instructions when executed by at least one processor causing the at least one processor to:

receive a search query;

determine a plurality of instances of content, relating to the search query,

the plurality of instances of content comprising a first instance of content and a second instance of content,

the first instance of content comprising a first aspect and a second aspect,

the second instance of content comprising a third aspect and a fourth aspect;

display, according to a user-adjustable criteria, a first multi-sided three-dimensional element in a two-dimensional display, the first multi-sided three-dimensional element corresponding to the first instance of content;

display, according to the user-adjustable criteria, a second multi-sided three-dimensional element in the two-dimensional display, the second multi-sided three-dimensional element corresponding to the second instance of content;

display the first aspect on a first side of the first multi-sided three-dimensional element;

display the second aspect on a second side of the first multi-sided three-dimensional element;

display the third aspect on a first side of the second multi-sided three-dimensional element, the first aspect and the third aspect being a first common type of information;

display the fourth aspect on a second side of the second multi-sided three-dimensional element, the second aspect and the fourth aspect being a second common type of information, the first common type of information being different than the second common type of information;

determine a first filtering criterion;

display, based on the first filtering criterion, the first multi-sided three-dimensional element larger on a display element of a computing device than the second multi-sided three-dimensional element;

determine a direction of a first rotation of the computing device, with respect to a user, based at least in part upon a first input detected by at least one sensor of the computing device;

based on the direction of the first rotation, display the second multi-sided three-dimensional element larger on the display than a third multi-sided three-dimensional element; and

remove the first multi-sided three-dimensional element from the display.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein larger on the display is relative to a viewpoint along a z-axis oriented orthogonally to the display element of the computing device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, further comprising:

determine a second rotation of the computing device, with respect to a user, based at least in part upon a second input detected by at least one sensor of the computing device; and

display additional information associated with the third multi-sided three-dimensional element.