Coupling a display object to a viewpoint in a navigable workspace

A method of operating a system including a user input device for receiving signals indicating actions and requests of a system user;

• a display device having a display area for presenting images;
• a processor connected for receiving the signals from the user input device, and connected for providing images to the display device;
• and memory for storing data;
• the processor being further connected for accessing the data stored in the memory;
• the method comprising:
• presenting a first image in the display area of the display device that is perceptible as viewed from a first viewpoint position and from a first viewpoint orientation in a three-dimensional (3D) navigable workspace (hereafter, the workspace);
• the workspace including a first display object;
• receiving a first signal from the user input device selecting the first display object as a selected display object;
• in response to the first signal,
• determining a preferred viewing position and a preferred viewing orientation for the selected display object in the workspace;
• presenting on the display a second image of the workspace including the selected display object in the preferred viewing position and in the preferred viewing orientation therein;
• the second image and the selected display object being perceptible as viewed from the first viewpoint position and from the first orientation in the workspace;
• and
• storing display object coupling data indicating that the selected display object is coupled to the first viewpoint position and to the first orientation;
• the selected display object indicating the display object coupling data;
• receiving a sequence of next viewpoint signals from the user input device requesting viewpoint motion in the workspace;
• each next viewpoint signal indicating a next viewpoint and a next orientation in the workspace that is displaced in the workspace from the next viewpoint and from the next orientation of a preceding next viewpoint signal in the sequence of signals;
• and
• in response to receiving each next viewpoint signal, while the display object coupling data indicates that the selected display object is coupled to the first viewpoint position and to the first orientation,
• storing viewpoint coordinate data indicating the next viewpoint and the next orientation of the preceding next viewpoint signal;
• determining an updated display object position and an updated display object orientation in the workspace for the selected display object using the stored viewpoint coordinate data, the next viewpoint and the next orientation;
• and
• presenting on the display, a respective next image including the selected display object;
• the respective next image being perceptible as viewed from the next viewpoint and from the next orientation in the workspace;
• the selected display object being presented in each respective next image so that the selected display object is perceptible as a moved continuation of the selected display object in a preceding respective next image and is perceptible as being viewed from the first viewpoint position and from the first orientation in the workspace;
• the selected display object being presented in the updated display object position and in the updated display object orientation in the workspace.

A system comprising:

• input circuitry, connected to a user input device, for receiving signals indicating actions and requests of a system user;
• output circuitry connected to a display device having a display area for presenting images;
• a processor connected for receiving the signals from the input circuitry, and connected for providing images to the output circuitry for presentation by the display device;
• and
• memory for storing data;
• the data stored in the memory including instruction data indicating instructions the processor can execute;
• the processor being further connected for accessing the data stored in the memory;
• the processor, in executing the instructions, presenting a first image on the display that is perceptible as viewed from a first viewpoint in an n-dimensional navigable workspace (hereafter, the workspace);
• the workspace including a first display object;
• the processor further in executing the instructions, receiving a first signal from the system user selecting the first display object as a selected display object;
• the processor, further in executing the instructions, storing display object coupling data indicating that the selected display object is coupled to the first viewpoint in response to the first signal;
• the processor, further in executing the instructions, receiving a sequence of next viewpoint signals from the user input device requesting viewpoint motion in the workspace;
• each next viewpoint signal indicating a next viewpoint in the workspace that is displaced in the workspace from the next viewpoint of a preceding next viewpoint signal in the sequence of signals;
• and
• the processor, further in executing the instructions, presenting on the display, in response to each next viewpoint signal, a respective next image including the selected display object;
• the respective next image being perceptible as viewed from the next viewpoint in the workspace;
• the selected display object being presented in each respective next image so that the selected display object is perceptible as a moved continuation of the selected display object in a preceding respective next image;
• when the display object coupling data indicates that the selected display object is coupled to the first viewpoint, the selected display object being presented in each respective next image so that the selected display object is perceptible as being viewed from the first viewpoint in the workspace.

An article of manufacture for use in a system that includes a display having a display area for presenting images to a system user;

• a user input device for receiving signals indicating actions and requests of the system user;
• memory for storing data;
• a storage medium access device for accessing a medium that stores data;
• and a processor connected for receiving data from the user input device, for providing data defining images to the display, and for accessing the data stored in the memory;
• the processor further being connected for receiving data from the storage medium access device;
• the article comprising:
• a data storage medium that can be accessed by the storage medium access device when the article is used in the system;
• and
• data stored in the data storage medium so that the storage medium access device can provide the stored data to the processor when the article is used in the system;
• the stored data comprising
• signal receiving instruction data indicating input instructions the processor can execute to receive signal data from the user input device;
• the signal data including signals for selecting a first display object included in a navigable workspace and for performing viewpoint motion in the navigable workspace;
• a first image of the navigable workspace displayed in the display area being perceptible as viewed from a first viewpoint in the navigable workspace;
• and
• operation performing instruction data indicating response instructions the processor can execute to perform operations in response to the signal data;
• when a first signal indicates the system user's selection of the first display object as a selected display object, execution of the response instructions causing the processor to store display object coupling data indicating that the selected display object is coupled to the first viewpoint;
• and
• when a sequence of next viewpoint signals including a series of next viewpoints indicates the system user's request for viewpoint motion in the navigable workspace, execution of the response instructions causing the processor to store viewpoint coordinate data indicating a position of the first viewpoint in the first workspace, and, in response to each next viewpoint signal, to present a respective next image including the selected display object in the display area;
• the respective next image being perceptible as viewed from the next viewpoint;
• when the display object coupling data indicates that the selected display object is coupled to the first viewpoint, the selected display object being presented in the respective next image using the viewpoint coordinate data and the next viewpoint so that the selected display object is perceptible as viewed from the first viewpoint.