Patent ID: 6204850
Filing Date: 2001-03-20
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A computer implemented system for representing and navigating a 3D graphical environment on a display surface, comprising:a plurality of graphical nodes, each graphical node having a graphical representation and its own bounded volume with a relative 3D coordinate space defined by local X, Y, and Z coordinate extents; selected ones of the graphical nodes being parent graphical nodes having a navigable link to at least one child graphical node; each child graphical node having a coordinate location in the 3D coordinate space of each one of its parent graphical nodes and a scale value defining a relative size of the child graphical node in the volume of the coordinate space of each parent graphical node;a viewer module that:stores a view volume anchored at a user movable viewpoint within the coordinate space of a current, selected graphical node, the viewpoint having a depth on a depth axis of the coordinate space of the current, selected graphical node, the viewpoint movable within the coordinate space of the current, selected graphical node, and between the coordinate spaces of different graphical nodes;dynamically modifies the view volume in response and in proportion to a movement of the viewpoint along the depth axis of the current, selected graphical node by decreasing the view volume in response to an increased depth of the viewpoint, and by increasing the view volume in response to a decreased depth of the viewpoint;selects the child graphical nodes of the current, selected graphical node having coordinate extents intersecting the view volume within the current, selected graphical node; anddisplays the selected child graphical nodes on the display surface at a size and surface location determined as a function of the scale and coordinate location of the child graphical node relative to the view volume.