Abstract: A system and method for creating a virtual world for supporting a consumer experience is disclosed. The apparatus in an example embodiment includes providing access to a database of item listing categories, each item listing category in the database having an associated link to a source for physical items corresponding to the item listing category; generating an image of a virtual store in a three-dimensional (3D) virtual environment; populating the virtual store with at least one first object representing an item listing category; receiving a signal indicative of user interaction with the at least one first object; and using the associated link to re-direct the user to the source for physical items corresponding to the item listing category represented by the at least one first object with which the user interacted.

Abstract: Systems and methods for imaging operations data as a three-dimensional image, which include rendering a three-dimensional image of an object having at least one attribute, a marker in the object, and one or more operations values relative to one or more respective positions on the marker in the object. A data structure comprising a data field, the data field comprising a three-dimensional image of an object having at least attribute, a marker and one or more operations values relative to one or more respective positions on the marker in the object at a selected time.

Abstract: An electronic device for providing a display that changes based on the user's perspective is provided. The electronic device may include a sensing mechanism operative to detect the user's position relative a display of the electronic device. For example, the electronic device may include a camera operative to detect the position of the user's head. Using the detected position, the electronic device may be operative to transform displayed objects such that the displayed perspective reflects the detected position of the user. The electronic device may use any suitable approach for modifying a displayed object, including for example a parallax transform or a perspective transform. In some embodiments, the electronic device may overlay the environment detected by the sensing mechanism (e.g., by a camera) to provide a more realistic experience for the user (e.g., display a reflection of the image detected by the camera on reflective surfaces of a displayed object).

Abstract: A handheld synthetic vision system includes a display, a sensor suite and a computer all housed in a handheld unit. The system enhances normal vision by displaying to a user actual or digitally created visual scenes of objects and information that may or may not be perceptible to unaided human senses.

Abstract: The present invention provides a new and unique platform for authoring and deploying interactive characters which are powered by artificial intelligence. The platform permits the creation of a virtual world populated by multiple characters and objects, interacting with one another so as to create a life-like virtual world and interacting with a user so as to provide a more interesting and powerful experience for the user. This system can be used for entertainment purposes, for commercial purposes, for educational purposes, etc.

Abstract: Generating a dynamic legend for a drawing developed by a diagramming software program. A drawing sheet module and legend module, logically-coupled to the drawing sheet module, are useful for generating and updating a dynamic legend. The legend module can support the addition of a legend to a drawing sheet. The legend module can also determine if legend symbols should be automatically added to the legend. If legend symbols are added to a drawing sheet, that addition can be automatically reflected in the dynamic legend. Symbols can be converted such that they may be reflected in a dynamic legend.

Abstract: A method for disabling and re-enabling third-party advertisements is disclosed. An Internet accessible “virtual world” or interactive on-line community can have its advertisements disabled by the entering and subsequent validation of a registration code that is associated with a toy into a website, once validated, displaying a virtual representation of the toy on the website, providing virtual world content so that the virtual representation of the toy is caused to interact with the virtual world content and the toy virtual representations of other users, displaying advertisement on the website in a first mode and allowing customization of the virtual world content including the disabling of advertisements in a second mode. In a similar manner the third party advertisements can be re-enabled.

Abstract: The invention is directed to systems and Methods for immersive advertising on a wide area network, such as the Internet or World Wide Web. Immersive advertisements are customized presentations developed and imbedded within the body of web content. They can take the form of non-static images imbedded within a configurable primary image model or they can be a non-configurable, highly stylized, and animated component imbedded within the content of a web page.

Abstract: A virtual cities server hosts one or more virtual cities, which in turn include one or more virtual environments with which a user interacts, where the one or more virtual environmental are three-dimensional spaces. The one or more virtual cities correspond to one or more physical cities, and virtual environments in turn correspond to physical environments in physical cities, thereby allowing businesses, organizations, and individual to establish virtual presences that correspond to physical presences and conduct transactions and activities that ultimately facilitate physical transactions and activities.

Abstract: An information processing device and integrated information system in which many resources are accessible by a simple, clear user interface are provided. The information processing device includes a use interface including displayed faces of a 3D polyhedron icon used to select information to be executed from multiple pieces of information. The multiple pieces of information are allocated to the faces. The 3D polyhedron icon is a parallelepiped for example. By rotating the 3D polyhedron icon horizontally and vertically, a face to be displayed can be switched. The user interface displays an index showing the rotational direction of the 3D polyhedron icon.

Abstract: A three dimensional web store having product images is created. Three dimensional product images are rendered from manufacturing information instead of the products themselves. The location of all products, advertisements, aisles, signs, and displays is determined for a real world store. The web store is then created using three dimensional internet or virtual world viewing and maneuvering capabilities, to appear identical to the real world store.

Abstract: Three-dimensional-model processing apparatus, three-dimensional-model processing methods, and computer programs are provided. In a three-dimensional-model processing apparatus, method, and computer programs, it is determined whether relative positions or relative attitudes of a plurality of three-dimensional objects shown on an image display unit satisfy a predetermined processing execution condition. When it is determined that the processing execution condition is satisfied, distinction information indicating that processing such as pickup or joining of objects is possible is presented. For example, display mode is changed or sound is output for the objects. A user is allowed to immediately find without stress whether an object is at a position where pickup or joining is possible. This improves the efficiency of operation.

Abstract: An electronic programming guide (“EPG”) in accordance with the invention provides pictograms and/or logos, to indicate to a television viewer the television programs being displayed on a television. The EPG information display format is thus easier to recognize than prior art EPG formats. In one embodiment, the EPG pictograms have 3D characteristics. The EPG information can be displayed in a window within a television screen while a program is being shown on the remainder of the screen. Thus, the viewer can know what is playing on the various channels while he or she is watching one of the channels. In one embodiment, the EPG is used in conjunction with a remote controller that includes a help button for facilitating operation of the EPG by the user. The EPG comprises a set of geometric surfaces located in virtual 3D space. The pictograms and/or logos, along with alpha-numeric text data and video clips are applied to the geometric surfaces using a 3D graphics pipeline.

Abstract: The present invention uses invisible junctions which are a set of local features unique to every page of the electronic document to match the captured image to a part of an electronic document. The present invention includes: an image capture device, a feature extraction and recognition system and database. When an electronic document is printed, the feature extraction and recognition system captures an image of the document page. The features in the captured image are then extracted, indexed and stored in the database. Given a query image, usually a small patch of some document page captured by a low resolution image capture device, the features in the query image are extracted and compared against those stored in the database to identify the query image. The present invention also includes methods for recognizing and tracking the viewing region and look at point corresponding to the input query image.

Abstract: A graphical presentation is produced at a display of a host computer such that a scene description is rendered and updated by a received digital music input, wherein the digital music input is matched to trigger events of the scene description and actions of each matched trigger event are executed in accordance with action processes of the scene description, thereby updating the scene description with respect to objects depicted in the scene on which the actions are executed. The updated scene description is then rendered. The system provides a means for connecting a graphics API to a musical instrument digital interface (e.g., MIDI) data stream and producing a presentation.

Abstract: An interactive formatting tool enables a user to analyze and modify the formatting properties that have been applied to a text string. A user can invoke the formatting tool by displaying an Interactive Formatting Pane and then selecting a text string for analysis. The Interactive Formatting Pane will display all formatting properties applied to the text selection, including font properties, paragraph properties, and section properties. The Interactive Formatting Pane may also display table format properties, frame format properties, cell format properties and bullets and numbering format properties, if applicable. The user may then select a formatting category (e.g., font size) from the Interactive Formatting Pane and a format modification dialog will be displayed. The format modification dialog enables the user to modify the formatting properties associated with the selected formatting category. The Interactive Formatting Pane also includes a compare selection checkbox.

Abstract: Disclosed are a system and method for generating three-dimensional objects to represent files in a three-dimensional environment. A primary classifier classifies stored files into groups based on a first set of properties and generates three-dimensional mesh objects to represent each file. The mesh objects are the same within each group and distinguish the files from group to group. A secondary classifier further classifies each group of files into sub-groups based on a second set of properties and deforms the mesh objects in each sub-group in a particular manner to distinguish files from sub-group to sub-group. Additional classifiers modify the deformed mesh objects to further distinguish files within each sub-group (e.g., by varying the shape, texture, animation, etc.). Each three-dimensional object can then be embedded into a three-dimensional graphical user interface as a selection tool that provides visual cues regarding the contents of a particular file.

Abstract: User information is displayed as a multi-sided user object for different sides of the multi-sided user object on a device having a limited display. The user object can be a user profile and the multi-sided user object can be a multi-sided user profile object where updates to the user profile can be made directly via a PC, or via the device via changes made to side(s) of the multi-sided user profile object. The multi-sided user object can be displayed as part of any client process, e.g., an application, a networked service or web widget display system.

Abstract: A virtual object for use in an object oriented environment; the virtual object comprising at least a user-sensible aspect and further comprising at least a functional aspect; the said user-sensible aspect being encapsulated as a user-sensible encapsulation, separately from the functional aspect, which is encapsulated as a functional encapsulation.

Abstract: This invention relates to a system and method for operating and managing real world devices through a three-dimensional virtual user interface. In a preferred form, the invention relates to using a three-dimensional virtual user interface to control the playing of content items on a display device or on multiple display devices, all managed and operated by the present invention. The system allows for real-time previewing of the content items rendered on the displays on a single control computer monitor. The invention may be seen as a computer having an application employing a three-dimensional virtual user interface for operating and previewing a display device or devices.

Abstract: A method provides a virtual presentation of a product and includes registering at least one registration code for at least one product on a website; after successful registration, viewing a virtual replica of the at least one product on the website, accessing at a least a subset of features on the website that allow user interaction with the virtual replica of the at least one product, and purchasing one or more virtual furnishings for at least one virtual room on the website, in which room said virtual replica is viewable.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a dynamic user interface for a dense three-dimensional scene is presented. Clusters are placed in a three-dimensional scene arranged proximal to each other such cluster to form a cluster spine. Each cluster includes one or more concepts. Each cluster spine is projected into a two-dimensional display relative to a stationary perspective. Controls operating on a view of the cluster spines in the display are presented. A compass logically framing the cluster spines within the display is provided. A label to identify one such concept in one or more of the cluster spines appearing within the compass is generated. A plurality of slots in the two-dimensional display positioned circumferentially around the compass is defined. Each label is assigned to the slot outside of the compass for the cluster spine having a closest angularity to the slot.

Abstract: A device and also a system for generating a period-specific calendar view in an electronic device with a display for displaying information and a database for storing calendar data, wherein the method reads calendar data of the period from the database for a calendar view, wherein the period comprises a set of shorter periods which cover the period in a compiled manner, to be displayed in the calendar view, and wherein the calendar data comprise a set of user activities which are allocated to the shorter periods, and the calendar view is displayed on the display of the device by using the calendar data, wherein a quantitative distribution of the activities within the scope of the period is visualized in a three-dimensional bar chart, whose single bar structure illustrates a shorter period of time and its length dimension is dependent on the quantity of activities within the shorter period.

Abstract: A method for storing, displaying, and retrieving user-selected portions of software application data, display, and functional operations includes one or more 3-D objects portrayed on a computer display. The 3-D object has various onscreen data, 3-D object, text portion, switch, video/audio clip, or the like assigned to and displayed on facets of the 3-D object. The 3-D object is rotatable about at least one axes, so that each one of the six surfaces of the 3-D object may be brought into full visualization, while two other surfaces are partially visible. A plurality of 3-D objects may be combined for functional operations among corresponding files stored on the 3-D objects.

Abstract: Apparatus for interactively generating a display signal. The apparatus comprises: a receiver (2) for receiving a broadcast signal (15), the broadcast signal comprising a plurality of datastreams each including image data defining a background object (22–270), and control parameters (28–39); a foreground computer generated imagery (CGI) device (3) for generating a foreground computer generated object (CGO); a mixer (4) for combining the foreground CGO with background object image data to generate the display signal; and interaction means (3) for receiving the control parameters from the receiver, monitoring the position of the foreground CGO, and adapting the display signal with reference to the monitored position of the foreground CGO and the received control parameters.

Abstract: A design professional such as an interior designer running a browser program at a client computer (i) optionally causes a digital image of a room, or a room model, or room images to be transmitted across the world wide web to a graphics server computer, and (ii) interactively selects furnishings from this server computer, so as to (iii) receive and display to his or her client a high-fidelity high-quality virtual-reality perspective-view image of furnishings displayed in, most commonly, an actual room of a client's home. Opticians may, for example, (i) upload one or more images of a client's head, and (ii) select eyeglass frames and components, to (iii) display to a prospective customer eyeglasses upon the customer's own head. The realistic images, optionally provided to bona fide design professionals for free, promote the sale to the client of goods which are normally obtained through the graphics service provider, profiting both the service provider and the design professional.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system of interactive navigation of a tool relative to three-dimensional volumetric data. The tool may be a camera or a brush and the volume data may be points, curves, iso-surfaces, geometric surfaces or combinations thereof. Moreover, the volume data may be explicitly or implicitly created. In the case of a camera and a surface, a surface of the model is viewed from an initial view point with an initial view direction. A two-dimensional vector, as by moving a mouse, is used to translate the initial view point to a next view point in a plane normal to the view direction and intersecting the initial view point. A point of the surface that is closest to the next view point may then be found, and the next direction of the view is set to the direction from the next position of the view point to the closest surface point. The closest point is found by casting rays from the next view point.

Abstract: The invention relates to a mobile device comprising a display. In order to offer a user a more extensive immediate overview over the information available to a specific topic, it is proposed that the mobile device comprises processing means for presenting on the display a three-dimensional polyhedron as graphical user interface. Different pieces of information that are to be presented to a user of the mobile device are associated to different facets of this polyhedron, and the visible facets of the polyhedron present at least a hint on a respectively associated piece of information to a user of the mobile device. It is further proposed that the mobile device comprises means for enabling a user to cause the processing means to rotate the facets of the presented polyhedron. The invention relates equally to a corresponding graphical user interface and to a corresponding method for presenting such a graphical user interface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling generation of descriptive information, such as dimension generation, relating to creation of a 2-D view of a computer defined graphical model, such as a 3-D model. An option to choose a semi-automatic mode of generation can enable a user to interrupt generation and rework data being transferred from the 3-D model to the 2-D view. One embodiment provides a user with manual control of dimension and constraint generation such that the process can move from one step to the next, under a user's control. In another embodiment, a semi-automatic mode of operation provides a pause in the generation process. During the pause, the user can rework drawing data or halt the process to perform other tasks. In the absence of an interruption, the system can proceed to a next item of drawing data.

Abstract: A computer-implemented graphics system provides visual clues for navigating a three-dimensional space. The graphics system displays a two-dimensional viewport of the three-dimensional space on a monitor attached to the computer. A cursor is moved through the two-dimensional viewport of the three-dimensional space according to a position of the cursor control device attached to the computer. The graphics system determines a position of the cursor within the three-dimensional space relative to the two-dimensional viewport, and generates a visual representation of the cursor to indicate the position of the cursor within the three-dimensional space relative to the two-dimensional viewport. The visual representation of the cursor uses one or more human recognizable metaphors for three-dimensional distance cueing in order to provide an extra dimension of visual feedback to the operator navigating the cursor through the three-dimensional space related to the two dimensional viewport.

Abstract: Files and folders in the form of hierarchy can be confirmed visually easily to enhance the operability of search or content confirmation. An artist reading group 101, an album reading group 102, and a content (each music within an album) reading group 103 are displayed on a display screen. The groups 101 to 103 are displayed so as to form a three-dimensional body, for example, a side (polygonal side) of a polygonal column by a panel 101a or the like having images representative of contents of corresponding files or folders attached thereto.