User-Defined Virtual Interaction Space and Manipulation of Virtual Cameras with Vectors

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having a program recorded thereon for manipulating virtual objects in a three-dimensional (3D) sensor space, the program, when executed on a processor, implementing a method comprising:

• receiving a virtual vector field in response to a control gesture that makes swirling motions in a 3D sensor space;
• obtaining a virtual vector field using the control gesture received, wherein the virtual vector field is a vortex;
• receiving one or more subsequent control gestures that make circular sweeps in the 3D sensor space;
• obtaining one or more virtual objects in response to the subsequent control gestures received and object vectors defined on respective virtual objects;
• obtaining interactions of the vector field compounded with the object vectors based on their respective magnitudes;
• and
• providing for display, one or more of the virtual objects brought closer to a center of the vortex, or one or more of the virtual objects pushed away from the center of the vortex, in proportion to the interactions of the vector field and the object vectors.

A smart phone having an interface that manipulates virtual objects in a three-dimensional (3D) sensor space, the smart phone comprising:

• a hardware controller storing instructions that, when executed, implement actions including:
• receiving a control gesture, as viewed by a camera having a particular vantage point, that makes swirling motions in a 3D sensor space;
• obtaining a virtual vector field using the control gesture received, wherein the virtual vector field is a vortex;
• receiving one or more subsequent control gestures that make circular sweeps in the 3D sensor space;
• obtaining one or more virtual objects in response to the subsequent control gestures received and object vectors defined on respective virtual objects;
• obtaining interactions of the vector field compounded with the object vectors based on their respective magnitudes;
• and
• providing for display, one or more of the virtual objects brought closer to a center of the vortex, or one or more of the virtual objects pushed away from the center of the vortex, in proportion to the interactions of the vector field and the object vectors.