Patent ID: 6995759

Claim:
A data processing apparatus configured as a virtual environment data browser, the data processing apparatus comprising: a processor coupled with at least one memory device and data network interface means for receiving a first data set defining a virtual environment and objects therein when coupled to a data network including a source of the first data set; user input means and rendering means for periodically generating an image based on the first data set, and, from a viewpoint, at a location and with an orientation in said virtual environment determined at least partially by input from said user input means; and a clip store containing a second data set defining an appearance of a further virtual environment object when viewed from a plurality of directions, the second data set being independent of and unrelated to the first data set, wherein the rendering means generates an image of said further virtual environment object from a one of said plurality of directions determined by the user input commands to move said viewpoint, and patches said generated image into the image of the virtual environment so that the generated image appears in front of the user and follows the user's navigational commands.