Abstract:
Technologies, architectures, and systems suitable for exploring virtual spaces, objects within the virtual spaces, and information and data related to the virtual spaces and objects. Example virtual spaces include representations of real spaces such as outer space, geographic spaces such as landscaped and the like, atomic and sub-atomic spaces, and the like, and any other real space, as well as any imaginary spaces and any combination of the foregoing. Also provided are example technologies for managing collections of linked narratives related to the virtual spaces and collections of related objects and information and data related to the objects and virtual spaces. Further provided are technologies for linking virtual spaces, linked narratives, objects, and information and data regarding such, and for aiding a user in browsing and navigating between such.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Most spatial exploration tools, such as Microsoft&#39;s Virtual Earth and other similar tools, provide a means of exploring spatial environments via multi-resolution terrain rendering. But such tools generally assume an a priori understanding of the space and the motivation to explore the content within the space. For example, to use such tools, one generally needs to know in advance where they wish to look and/or what they are looking for. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0002]    The following presents a simplified summary of the disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding to the reader. This summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure and it does not identify all key/critical elements of the invention or delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts disclosed herein in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later herein. 
         [0003]    The examples presented herein provide technologies, architectures, and systems suitable for exploring virtual spaces, objects within the virtual spaces, and information and data related to the virtual spaces and objects. Example virtual spaces include representations of real spaces such as outer space, geographic spaces such as landscaped and the like, atomic and sub-atomic spaces, and the like, and any other real space, as well as any imaginary spaces and any combination of the foregoing. Also provided are example technologies for managing collections of linked narratives related to the virtual spaces and collections of related objects and information and data related to the objects and virtual spaces. Further provided are technologies for linking virtual spaces, linked narratives, objects, and information and data regarding such, and for aiding a user in browsing and navigating between such. 
         [0004]    Many of the attendant features will be more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    The present description will be better understood from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is block diagram showing an example Interactive Linked Narrative Architecture. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing another example of the Interactive Linked Narrative Architecture. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a static image example of a linked narrative supported by a Linked Narrative Layer such as described in connection with  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a static image example of a virtual space presentation interface supported by a Contextual Exploration &amp; Simulation Layer such as described in connection with  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram showing an example Interactive Linked Narrative System (“ILNS”) based on the Interactive Linked Narrative Architecture (“ILNA”) described in connection with  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram showing an example computing environment in which the technologies described herein may be implemented. 
       
    
    
       [0012]    Like reference numerals are used to designate like parts in the accompanying drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    The detailed description provided below in connection with the accompanying drawings is intended as a description of the present examples and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present examples may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth at least some of the functions of the examples and/or the sequence of steps for constructing and operating examples. However, the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different examples. 
         [0014]    Although the present examples are described and illustrated herein as being implemented in a computing environment, the environment described is provided as an example and not a limitation. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the present examples are suitable for application in a variety of different types of computing environments. 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is block diagram showing an example Interactive Linked Narrative Architecture. The Interactive Linked Narrative Architecture (“ILNA”) typically supports three interlinked layers suitable for providing a deeper understanding of spatial environments and their contents than can be provided by conventional spatial exploration tools. The INLA layers include top or Linked Narrative Layer, the middle or Contextual Exploration &amp; Simulation Layer, and the bottom or Information &amp; Data Layer. The ILNA utilizes these interlinked layers together to present, among other things, a collection of guided tours or linked narratives regarding a spatial environment or virtual space, to present objects within a field of view of the virtual space, and to present various information and data regarding the virtual space and the objects within the virtual space. The term “virtual space” as used herein generally refers to a representation of some space, actual or imaginary, from a particular point of reference, such as outer space (the Earth, for example, being the point of reference) or some other space surrounding a particular point of reference (some point on the Earth, for example). The term “spatial environment” as used herein generally refers to a virtual space, real space, and/or imaginary space. Such spaces may, for example, be galactic, subatomic, or of any scope in-between. 
         [0016]    The top layer of the ILNA, or Linked Narrative Layer (“LNL”), typically provides a collection of linked narratives or guided tours. In general, the LNL manages a collection of linked narratives and associated data/metadata along with their presentation to a user via a suitable user interface. Such management may include searching, authoring, browsing, and presentation of linked narratives. Such narratives typically serve to present a topic or topics to a user. Examples, of linked narratives include automated instructional slide presentations, audio/video instructional presentations, podcasts, or any other form of presentation or the like. The topic(s) of a linked narrative generally relate to some aspect of the virtual space(s) with which it is associated. For example,  FIG. 1  indicates two example linked narratives, one titled “Stellar Evolution” and another titled “Supernova and element creation”. The terms “linked narrative” and “guided tour” as used herein generally refer to automated or semi-automated presentations including metadata links to related objects in the CESL layer. Such a presentation can typically be paused and restarted. 
         [0017]    In one example, linked narratives are a means to engage a user and draw him into the subject matter made available via the ILNA. This is of particular value when the user is unfamiliar with the subject matter or isn&#39;t particularly interested in it. Thus linked narratives of the top layer serve as means to establish a reason for a user to care about the subject. Further, linked narratives sstablish a story, character or scene framework from which to begin to organize and remember the information users access regarding a topic. 
         [0018]    The middle layer of the ILNA, or Contextual Exploration &amp; Simulation Layer (“CESL”), typically provides a collection of objects present in the virtual space(s) represented by the LNL, each object typically including and/or associated with semantic information such as object type, classification(s), object image(s), and the like. An object may also be associated with other data and/or metadata including presentations, simulations, demonstrations, descriptions, explanations, or the like of which the object is generally a topic. In general, the CESL manages a collection of objects and associated data/metadata along with their presentation to a user via a suitable user interface. Such management may include searching, filtering, authoring, browsing, and presentation of objects and their data/metadata. Further, the CESL typically manages the exploration of a virtual space. That is, the CESL layer presents portions of the virtual space to a user in response to the user&#39;s browsing activity, presents object thumbnails to the user that represents objects within the user&#39;s current field of view (“FOV”) of the virtual space, and exercises links based on user object selection. 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  indicates two example object presentations, one titled “Multiple survey Virtual Sky” and another titled “Interactive Simulations”, each associated with an object or objects not shown. In one example, the virtual space itself may be represented as an object. The term “object” as used herein generally refers to a representation of an entity of a spatial environment. A few examples of such objects include stars, galaxies, nebula, quasars, planets, and any other astronomical object or class of objects, as well as landscapes, or any other entity, real or imaginary, of any spatial environment, real or imaginary. 
         [0020]    The bottom layer of the ILNA, or Information &amp; Data Layer (“IDL”), typically provides a collection of information data related to the objects, and/or links to such. Also provided may be links to original source data, references sources, related web sites, and the like. In general, the IDL manages a collection of information and data along with their presentation to a user via a suitable user interface. Such management may include searching, retrieval, authoring, browsing, and presentation of object information and data. A few examples of such data include spectral and magnitude data such as for stars and/or other astronomical objects. Sources of such astronomical data, including image data, include sky surveys, astronomical catalogs, and the like.  FIG. 1  indicates two example data, one titled “SDSS Data” (where SDSS stands for the “Sloan Digital Sky Survey”) and another titled “Other Source data”, each related to an object or objects not shown. 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing another example of the Interactive Linked Narrative Architecture  200 . ILNA  200  includes the upper LNL  210 , the middle CESI  220 , and the lower IDL  230  as described in connection with  FIG. 1 . LNL  210  typically includes a collection of linked narratives, as represented by example blocks LN 1  and LN 2  through LN n    218 . Each linked narrative may include metadata as indicated by the circle at the bottom of each block, such as circle  219 . The metadata of a linked narrative may include links to other related linked narratives in LNL  210  (as indicated by example arrow  212 ) and to related objects in CESL  220  (as indicated by example arrow  214 ). The term “metadata” as used herein typically refers to data about link narratives of a LNL, objects of a CESL, and/or information or data of an IDL. Such metadata may include keywords, synonyms, categorizations, classifications, reference codes, catalog identifiers, links, universal resource locators (“URL”), and/or the like. 
         [0022]    CESL  220  typically includes a collection of objects, as represented by blocks O 1  and O 2  through O n    228 . The metadata of an object may include links to related linked narratives in LNL  210  (as indicated by example arrow  226 ), to other related objects in CESL  220  (as indicated by example arrow  244 ), and to information and data in IDL  230  (as indicated by example arrow  222 ). 
         [0023]    IDL  230  typically includes a collection of information and data related to objects, such as the data items represented by blocks D 1  and D 2  through D n    238 . A data item may be the actual data itself, or it may be a link or the like to the information or data. Not shown in  FIG. 2 , a data item may be a link to another object or to a linked narrative, typically in some manner related to the data item. In one example, a data item may be a URL to information at a web site. In another example, a data item may be a reference to data in a database. In yet another example, a data item may be the actual data or information versus a link or the like, such as a star&#39;s spectral type of alternate catalog names for an object. 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a static image example of a linked narrative  300  supported by a Linked Narrative Layer such as described in connection with  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Example linked narrative  300  includes an audio/video instructional presentation  310  that is titled  312  “New star structures found in the Milky Way alter galactic model”. Included in the presentation are example dynamic overlay images  314  and  316  that may be displayed in relation to relevant portions of presentation  310 . Also included is an example contextual object bar  318  showing thumbnail images of objects currently related to the presentation as it progresses. In one example, a user may pause the presentation by selecting an object from object bar  318 . Many other type ad styles of linked narrative may also be supported by an LNL including automated instructional slide presentations, audio/video instructional presentations, podcasts, or any other form of presentation or the like. 
         [0025]    The object thumbnails displayed in example object bar  318  represent links between linked narrative  300  and objects of the CESL of the ILNA described in connection with  FIGS. 1 and 2 . In one example, a user may select an object thumbnail to explore the object, thus exercising the link between linked narrative  300  of the LNL and the selected object of the CESL. Similarly, a user may access information and data related to the selected object, the information and data of the IDL of the ILNA, thus exercising links between the selected object of the CESL and information and data of the IDL. Such selecting and accessing may be performed via any suitable user interface mechanism or the like. 
         [0026]      FIG. 4  is a static image example of a virtual space presentation interface  400  supported by a Contextual Exploration &amp; Simulation Layer such as described in connection with  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Example 400 includes a current field of view (“FOV”)  410  of the virtual space which, in this example, is of outer space. A user may generally explore the virtual space by moving the FOV to a desired location in the virtual space via suitable user interface mechanisms. Further, the user may zoom in or out of the virtual space as desired, thus narrowing or widening the FOV respectively. Example FOV position and zoom indicators  430  may indicate the current FOV within the virtual space to aid user exploration. Other such indicators may alternatively or additionally be used. Example object bar  420  typically presents thumbnail images of objects within the current FOV. A user may select a thumbnail to zoom in on an object and/or access information and data of the IDL associated with the object. Further, a user may use a mouse control or the like to hover over a thumbnail (or otherwise indicate a desired thumbnail) causing the corresponding object in FOV  410  to be indicated, such as by noticeably marking it or highlighting it or the like. 
         [0027]    Example menu bar  440  provides a means for users to browse the collection of guided tours or linked narratives managed by the LNL of the INLA as indicated by the “Guided Tours” menu option. Other suitable user interface means or the like may alternatively or additionally be used to browse the collection of guided tours. In one example, selecting the “Guided Tours” menu results in a display of thumbnail images, each such image representing a link narrative. A user can select a desired image to start the corresponding narrative. 
         [0028]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram showing an example Interactive Linked Narrative System (“ILNS”) based on the Interactive Linked Narrative Architecture (“ILNA”) described in connection with  FIGS. 1 and 2 . In one example, ILNS  500  includes Linked Narrative Layer module  510 , Contextual Exploration &amp; Simulation Layer module  520 , and Information &amp; Data Layer module  530 . In one example, ILNS  500  is implemented as an Internet service. Data store  540  may be one or more data stores of any suitable type which may be included as part of ILNS  500  and/or be external to ILNS  500 . Data store  540  typically stores ILNS  500  configuration data, data regarding supported virtual spaces, objects, and object information and data, and other operational data, and the like. 
         [0029]    Ovals  501 ,  502 , and  503  represent the three main exploration and navigation levels of ILNS  500  and generally correspond to the three example layers of the ILNA described in connection with  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Level  501  typically includes a collection of guided tours or linked narratives associated with a virtual space(s), and supports arbitrary browsing of a virtual space(s). The collection of linked narratives and their operation are generally managed by LNL module  510  as indicated by the dashed arrow between LNL module  510  and oval  501 . Browsing of a virtual space is generally managed by CESL module  520  as indicated by the dashed arrow between CESL module  520  and level oval  501 . Users may move from level  501  of system  500  to level  502 , typically by selecting an object in the virtual space or by selecting an object presented in a linked narrative. 
         [0030]    Level  502  typically includes a collection of objects related to the virtual space(s) of level  501 . Further, level  502  may manage the presentation of simulations, instructional presentations, and the like associated with one or more of the objects. Exploration of objects is generally managed by CESL module  520  as indicated by the dashed arrow between CESL module  520  and level oval  502 . Users may move from level  502  of system  500  to level  503  (as indicated by the arrow in  FIG. 5  between levels  502  and  503 ), typically by accessing information and/or data associated with an object. Users may move from level  502  of system  500  to level  501  (as indicated by the arrow in  FIG. 5  between levels  502  and  501 ), typically by selecting a linked narrative. 
         [0031]    Level  503  typically includes information and data related to the objects at level  502 . Further, level  503  may manage the presentation of information and data associated with one or more of the objects. Object information and data is generally managed by IDL module  530  as indicated by the dashed arrow between IDL module  530  and level oval  503 . Users may move from level  503  of system  500  to level  502  (as indicated by the arrow in  FIG. 5  between levels  503  and  502 ), typically by selecting data that is a link to an object or to a virtual space. Users may move from level  503  of system  500  to level  501  (as indicated by the arrow in  FIG. 5  between levels  503  and  501 ), typically by selecting data that is a link to a linked narrative. 
         [0032]    LNL module  510  typically manages a collection of linked narratives and associated data/metadata related to one or more virtual spaces as described in connection with the LNL of  FIG. 1 . The management typically includes the presentation of linked narratives to a user responsive to user selection. CESL module  520  typically manages one or more virtual spaces and a collection of objects and associated data/metadata related to the one or more virtual spaces as described in connection with the CESL of  FIG. 1 . The management typically includes the presentation of a virtual space and of related objects to a user responsive to user selection. IDL module  530  typically manages data and information related to one or more objects and/or virtual spaces as described in connection with the IDL of  FIG. 1 . The management typically includes the presentation of information and data to a user responsive to user selection. 
         [0033]    Datastore  580  represents one or more data sources from which IDL module  530  may access object information and data. Examples of datastore  580  include databases, electronic catalogs, digital image collections, references sources, and the like. Such datastores may be integrated as a part of system  500  and/or may be remotes and/or intermittently coupled to system  500 , such as via a network or the like. 
         [0034]    Internet cloud  590  represents one or more Internet-accessible data sources from which IDL module  530  may access object information and data. Examples of Internet-accessible data sources include databases, electronic catalogs, digital image collections, references sources, on-line encyclopedias and dictionaries and other reference material, and the like. 
         [0035]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram showing an example computing environment  600  in which the technologies described herein may be implemented. A suitable computing environment may be implemented with numerous general purpose or special purpose systems. Examples of well known systems may include, but are not limited to, cell phones, personal digital assistants (“PDA”), personal computers (“PC”), hand-held or laptop devices, microprocessor-based systems, multiprocessor systems, servers, workstations, consumer electronic devices, set-top boxes, and the like. 
         [0036]    Computing environment  600  typically includes a general-purpose computing system in the form of a computing device  601  coupled to various components, such as peripheral devices  602 ,  603 ,  604  and the like. System  600  may couple to various other components, such as input devices  603 , including voice recognition, touch pads, buttons, keyboards and/or pointing devices, such as a mouse or trackball, via one or more input/output (“I/O”) interfaces  612 . The components of computing device  601  may include one or more processors (including central processing units (“CPU”), graphics processing units (“GPU”), microprocessors (“μP”), and the like)  607 , system memory  609 , and a system bus  608  that typically couples the various components. Processor  607  typically processes or executes various computer-executable instructions to control the operation of computing device  601  and to communicate with other electronic and/or computing devices, systems or environment (not shown) via various communications connections such as a network connection  614  or the like. System bus  608  represents any number of several types of bus structures, including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, a serial bus, an accelerated graphics port, a processor or local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures, and the like. 
         [0037]    System memory  609  may include computer readable media in the form of volatile memory, such as random access memory (“RAM”), and/or non-volatile memory, such as read only memory (“ROM”) or flash memory (“FLASH”). A basic input/output system (“BIOS”) may be stored in non-volatile or the like. System memory  609  typically stores data, computer-executable instructions and/or program modules comprising computer-executable instructions that are immediately accessible to and/or presently operated on by one or more of the processors  607 . 
         [0038]    Mass storage devices  604  and  610  may be coupled to computing device  601  or incorporated into computing device  601  via coupling to the system bus. Such mass storage devices  604  and  610  may include non-volatile RAM, a magnetic disk drive which reads from and/or writes to a removable, non-volatile magnetic disk (e.g., a “floppy disk”)  605 , and/or an optical disk drive that reads from and/or writes to a non-volatile optical disk such as a CD ROM, DVD ROM  606 . Alternatively, a mass storage device, such as hard disk  610 , may include non-removable storage medium. Other mass storage devices may include memory cards, memory sticks, tape storage devices, and the like. 
         [0039]    Any number of computer programs, files, data structures, and the like may be stored in mass storage  610 , other storage devices  604 ,  605 ,  606  and system memory  609  (typically limited by available space) including, by way of example and not limitation, operating systems, application programs, data files, directory structures, computer-executable instructions, and the like. 
         [0040]    Output components or devices, such as display device  602 , may be coupled to computing device  601 , typically via an interface such as a display adapter  611 . Output device  602  may be a liquid crystal display (“LCD”). Other example output devices may include printers, audio outputs, voice outputs, cathode ray tube (“CRT”) displays, tactile devices or other sensory output mechanisms, or the like. Output devices may enable computing device  601  to interact with human operators or other machines, systems, computing environments, or the like. A user may interface with computing environment  600  via any number of different I/O devices  603  such as a touch pad, buttons, keyboard, mouse, joystick, game pad, data port, and the like. These and other I/O devices may be coupled to processor  607  via I/O interfaces  612  which may be coupled to system bus  608 , and/or may be coupled by other interfaces and bus structures, such as a parallel port, game port, universal serial bus (“USB”), fire wire, infrared (“IR”) port, and the like. 
         [0041]    Computing device  601  may operate in a networked environment via communications connections to one or more remote computing devices through one or more cellular networks, wireless networks, local area networks (“LAN”), wide area networks (“WAN”), storage area networks (“SAN”), the Internet, radio links, optical links and the like. Computing device  601  may be coupled to a network via network adapter  613  or the like, or, alternatively, via a modem, digital subscriber line (“DSL”) link, integrated services digital network (“ISDN”) link, Internet link, wireless link, or the like. 
         [0042]    Communications connection  614 , such as a network connection, typically provides a coupling to communications media, such as a network. Communications media typically provide computer-readable and computer-executable instructions, data structures, files, program modules and other data using a modulated data signal, such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism. The term “modulated data signal” typically means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communications media may include wired media, such as a wired network or direct-wired connection or the like, and wireless media, such as acoustic, radio frequency, infrared, or other wireless communications mechanisms. 
         [0043]    Power source  690 , such as a battery or a power supply, typically provides power for portions or all of computing environment  600 . In the case of the computing environment  600  being a mobile device or portable device or the like, power source  690  may be a battery. Alternatively, in the case computing environment  600  is a desktop computer or server or the like, power source  690  may be a power supply designed to connect to an alternating current (“AC”) source, such as via a wall outlet. 
         [0044]    Some mobile devices may not include many of the components described in connection with  FIG. 6 . For example, an electronic badge may be comprised of a coil of wire along with a simple processing unit  607  or the like, the coil configured to act as power source  690  when in proximity to a card reader device or the like. Such a coil may also be configure to act as an antenna coupled to the processing unit  607  or the like, the coil antenna capable of providing a form of communication between the electronic badge and the card reader device. Such communication may not involve networking, but may alternatively be general or special purpose communications via telemetry, point-to-point, RF, IR, audio, or other means. An electronic card may not include display  602 , I/O device  603 , or many of the other components described in connection with  FIG. 6 . Other mobile devices that may not include many of the components described in connection with  FIG. 6 , by way of example and not limitation, include electronic bracelets, electronic tags, implantable devices, and the like. 
         [0045]    Those skilled in the art will realize that storage devices utilized to provide computer-readable and computer-executable instructions and data can be distributed over a network. For example, a remote computer or storage device may store computer-readable and computer-executable instructions in the form of software applications and data. A local computer may access the remote computer or storage device via the network and download part or all of a software application or data and may execute any computer-executable instructions. Alternatively, the local computer may download pieces of the software or data as needed, or distributively process the software by executing some of the instructions at the local computer and some at remote computers and/or devices. 
         [0046]    Those skilled in the art will also realize that, by utilizing conventional techniques, all or portions of the software&#39;s computer-executable instructions may be carried out by a dedicated electronic circuit such as a digital signal processor (“DSP”), programmable logic array (“PLA”), discrete circuits, and the like. The term “electronic apparatus” may include computing devices or consumer electronic devices comprising any software, firmware or the like, or electronic devices or circuits comprising no software, firmware or the like. 
         [0047]    The term “firmware” typically refers to executable instructions, code, data, applications, programs, or the like maintained in an electronic device such as a ROM. The term “software” generally refers to executable instructions, code, data, applications, programs, or the like maintained in or on any form of computer-readable media. The term “computer-readable media” typically refers to system memory, storage devices and their associated media, and the like. 
         [0048]    In view of the many possible embodiments to which the principles of the present invention and the forgoing examples may be applied, it should be recognized that the examples described herein are meant to be illustrative only and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the invention as described herein contemplates all such embodiments as may come within the scope of the following claims and any equivalents thereto.