Method and apparatus for providing a virtual tour of a dormatory or other institution to a prospective resident

Abstract

Prospective resident of a dormitory or other institution are provided with a panoramic, interactive tour which can be viewed via CD ROM, disk, print and/or on-line via the Internet and/or Extranet and/or other network. The tour is filmed on-site at each institution providing the service. The tour database can be arranged via school(s) and/or via geographic location(s) and/or via other selection criteria. Schools will preferably send a disk with the tour of each of its dormitories to all freshmen along with the registration materials so that they can actually see each dormitory before making their housing selection. By clicking on the front door the student will enter the lobby and can likewise enter all common areas, hallways, and a sample of each room type by clicking on hotspots. A floor plan with a perspective indicator will be present. There are several alternative ways to change perspective including, without limitation, clicking on the word/icon/picture for another room or direction, click and drag, using keyboard keys, clicking on certain keys, rapid clicking on the mouse and/or voice commands. This enables the viewer to control the tour including, without limitation, to zoom in, zoom out, look/move left, look/move right, move forward or backwards. The tour can also be put into self operating mode where it can be watched as a “movie” with less interaction. The tours can be viewed in monitor or with VR goggles and/or gloves. The screen size can be changed and reconfigured. Optional audio can be accessed with options that include, without limitation, celebrity tour, current student input, local information and others.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.