Method and system for displaying stereoscopic detail-in-context presentations

A method for generating a stereoscopic presentation of a region-of-interest in a stereoscopic information representation, said stereoscopic information representation including first and second images, comprising the steps of:

• a) selecting a viewpoint for said region-of-interest;
• b) creating a lens surface having a predetermined lens surface shape for said region-of-interest, said lens surface having a plurality of polygonal surfaces constructed from a plurality of points sampled from said lens surface shape;
• c) creating first and second transformed presentations by overlaying said first and second images on said lens surface and perspectively projecting said lens surface with said overlaid first and second images onto a plane spaced from said viewpoint, respectively;
• and,
• d) displaying said first and second transformed presentations on a display screen to generate said stereoscopic presentation.

A method for generating a stereoscopic presentation of a region-of-interest in a stereoscopic information representation, said stereoscopic information representation including first and second images, comprising the steps of:

• a) selecting first and second viewpoints for said region-of-interest;
• b) creating a lens surface having a predetermined lens surface shape for said region-of-interest, said lens surface having a plurality of polygonal surfaces constructed from a plurality of points sampled from said lens surface shape;
• c) creating first and second transformed presentations by overlaying said first and second images on said lens surface and perspectively projecting said lens surface with said overlaid first and second images onto a plane spaced from said first and second viewpoints, respectively;
• and,
• d) displaying said first and second transformed presentations on a display screen to generate said stereoscopic presentation.

A graphical user interface (GUI) for manipulating a stereoscopic presentation of a region-of-interest in an information representation displayed on a display screen of a computer display system, said computer display system including said display screen, a computer, and a pointing device for positioning a cursor on said display screen, said GUI comprising:

• a) a representation of a first slide bar, said first slide bar having a first active area, said first active area for adjusting a separation distance between first and second viewpoints for said region-of-interest by repositioning said first active area with said pointing device;
• b) a representation of a second slide bar, said second slide bar having a second active area, said second active area for adjusting a height of a projection plane for generating said presentation above a basal plane by repositioning said second active area with said pointing device;
• and,
• c) a representation of a third slide bar, said first slide bar having a third active area, said third active area for adjusting a height of GUI interface icons, including said first, second, and third slide bars, above said basal plane by repositioning said third active area with said pointing device.