Touch gestures for navigation and interacting with content in a three-dimensional space

A computer-implemented method, using a touch-sensitive display unit, of manipulating some portion of a three-dimensional (3D) representation of a scene resting on a virtual ground plane, the method comprising:

• generating and displaying on a display device of the touch-sensitive display unit the 3D representation of the scene from a view direction of a reference virtual camera;
• identifying, by the touch-sensitive display unit, the portion to be manipulated;
• and
• manipulating the portion along with a virtual carousel using the generated representation of the 3D scene.

A system for manipulating a portion of a three-dimensional (3D) representation of a scene, the system comprising:

• a programmable processor;
• touch-sensitive display unit having a display device;
• and
• memory for storing machine-readable instructions executable by the processor, wherein, when executed, the instructions cause the processor to:
• identify, using the touch-sensitive display unit, the portion of the 3D representation of a scene to be manipulated;
• and
• at least one of translate and rotate the portion using the touch-sensitive display unit.