Patent ID: 7773100
Filing Date: 2010-08-10
Classification: G06F,G06T

Abstract:
1. A method for rotating an object displayed on an electronic device, comprising: a. providing a first means for displaying a predetermined view of an object, where said object is rotated by sequencing through a plurality of predetermined views observed from predetermined angles; and b. providing a second means for specifying a current angle from which to observe said object, said current angle comprised of a current colatitude coordinate and a current longitude coordinate; and c. responsive to said current colatitude coordinate having a value greater than approximately 180 degrees, displaying an up-side-down orientation of one of said plurality of predetermined views nearest to having both a colatitude coordinate substantially 360 degrees minus said current colatitude coordinate and a longitude coordinate substantially 180 degrees different from said current longitude coordinate; and d. responsive to said current colatitude coordinate having a value less than approximately 180 degrees, displaying a right-side-up orientation of one of said plurality of predetermined views nearest to having both a colatitude coordinate substantially equal to said current colatitude coordinate and a longitude coordinate substantially equal to said current longitude coordinate; wherein said plurality of predetermined views are images of a physical object; and wherein said images were acquired through use of a digital camera from said predetermined angles; and wherein said first means comprises an electronic device; whereby the amount of possible rotation of the object is extended by displaying the back side of the object up-side-down when rotating over the top and displaying the front side right-side-up again when the object rotation continues over the original bottom providing an appearance of continuous rotation.