Gaze-operated point designation on a 3D object or scene

A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium whose contents cause a processor to perform a method for controlling the display of a three-dimensional (3D) object or scene on a two-dimensional (2D) display device, comprising:

• providing a system, wherein the system comprises one or more distinct software modules, and wherein the distinct software modules comprise a virtual 3D model object generator module and a 2D image generator function module;
• calculating a 3D mathematical model surface of an object or scene from a plurality of 3D points on the surface using the virtual 3D model object generator module;
• calculating a target virtual camera state for a virtual camera to view the surface for each surface point of the plurality of 3D points on the surface using the virtual 3D model object generator module, producing a plurality of target virtual camera states, wherein each target virtual camera state of the plurality of target virtual camera states comprises target values for a plurality of camera control and location parameters of the virtual camera for viewing a point of the plurality of 3D points using the 2D image generator function module;
• and
• generating a 2D image of the surface on a 2D display device from a current view of the surface by the virtual camera at a current virtual camera state using the 2D image generator function, wherein the current virtual camera state of the virtual camera comprises current values for the plurality of camera control and location parameters of the virtual camera with respect to the surface.

A system for controlling the display of a three-dimensional (3D) object or scene on a two-dimensional (2D) display device, comprising:

• one or more processors that
• calculate a 3D mathematical model surface of an object or scene from a plurality of 3D points on the surface,
• calculate a target virtual camera state for a virtual camera to view the surface for each surface point of the plurality of 3D points on the surface, producing a plurality of target virtual camera states, wherein each target virtual camera state of the plurality of target virtual camera states comprises target values for a plurality of camera control and location parameters of the virtual camera for viewing a point of the plurality of 3D points, and
• generating a 2D image of the surface on a 2D display device from a current view of the surface by the virtual camera at a current virtual camera state, wherein the current virtual camera state of the virtual camera comprises current values for the plurality of camera control and location parameters of the virtual camera with respect to the surface.