Patent ID: 8892358

Claim:
A method for rendering graphics in a three-dimensional virtual environment corresponding to a physical environment surrounding a vehicle comprising: generating with at least one camera in an in-vehicle information system data corresponding to a plurality of photographs of the physical environment surrounding the vehicle taken in a plurality of directions extending outward from the vehicle; generating with at least one sensor in the in-vehicle information system sensor data corresponding to a shape, relative distance from the vehicle, and a direction from the vehicle of an object in the physical environment; generating with a processor in the in-vehicle information system a default three-dimensional projection surface centered around a virtual representation of the vehicle in a virtual environment; generating with the processor first polygon model data corresponding to the shape of the object in the sensor data; deforming with the processor the three-dimensional projection surface with reference to the first polygon model data for the object at a location in the virtual environment corresponding to the relative distance and direction of the object in the sensor data; projecting with the processor the plurality of photographs onto the deformed three-dimensional projection surface; and displaying with a display device in the in-vehicle information system graphics corresponding to the deformed three-dimensional projection surface with the plurality of projected photographs.