Picture display method and apparatus

A computer network configured to provide graphical data to a computer and to receive requests from the computers comprising:

• a video server operationally coupled with a network and configured to provide graphical data to a computer over the network wherein the graphical data includes a plurality of viewpoints within a three-dimensional virtual reality and a plurality of discrete selection areas, wherein each of the plurality of discrete selection areas is associated with at least one of the plurality of viewpoints;
• a management server operationally coupled with the video server and the network and configured to receive requests from the computer and to provide the graphical data in response to the requests;
• a computer configured to receive the graphical data from the video server and to provide requests to the management server;
• and
• a network operationally coupled with the computer, the video server and the management server wherein the network transmits the graphical data and the requests.

A picture display apparatus, comprising:

• a display configured to display a three-dimensional picture;
• a pointing device configured to point to a position in the picture displayed in said display;
• a holding memory configured to store the control information of a plurality of possible stop points pre-determined in a three-dimensional space;
• and
• a control circuit configured to cause the three-dimensional picture to be displayed on said display based on said control information of the possible stop points in the three-dimensional space held by said holding memory, said possible stop points corresponding to positions in said picture pointed to by said pointing device, wherein selection of a first stop point by the pointing device causes the display to change from a viewpoint associated with a second stop point to a viewpoint associated with the first stop point.

A picture display apparatus, comprising:

• a display configured to receive picture information;
• a control circuit operationally coupled with the display and configured to provide picture information for a virtual reality wherein the picture information includes a first viewpoint and a plurality of selection areas;
• and
• a selection device operationally coupled with the control circuit and configured to choose from among the plurality of selection areas wherein upon selection of one of the plurality of selection areas the picture information changes from the first viewpoint to a second viewpoint associated with the chosen selection area wherein the second viewpoint is a pre-determined distance from the first viewpoint.

A picture displaying method, comprising the steps of:

• providing a display for displaying a three-dimensional picture;
• providing a pointing device for pointing to a position in the picture displayed in said display;
• providing a holding memory for storing the control information of a plurality of possible stop points pre-determined in a three-dimensional space;
• and
• causing the three-dimensional picture to be displayed on said display based on said control information of the possible stop points in the three-dimensional space held by said holding memory, said possible stop points corresponding to positions in said picture pointed to by said pointing device, wherein selection of a first stop point by the pointing device causes the display to change from a viewpoint associated with a second stop point to a viewpoint associated with the first stop point.

A picture displaying method, comprising the steps of:

• providing a display to receive picture information;
• operationally coupling a control circuit with the display, said control circuit configured to provide picture information for a virtual reality wherein the picture information includes a first viewpoint and a plurality of selection areas;
• and
• operationally coupling a selection device with the control circuit, said selection device configured to choose from among the plurality of selection areas wherein upon selection of one of the plurality of selection areas the picture information changes from the first viewpoint to a second viewpoint associated with the chosen selection area wherein the second viewpoint is a pre-determined distance from the first viewpoint.