Abstract: Some embodiments provide a mapping application that displays a rotation of a 3D map and corresponding rotation of a set of map labels overlaying the 3D map in response to receiving input to rotate the 3D map. When a particular map label in the set of map labels rotates towards an upside down orientation, the mapping application also replaces the particular map label with a version of the particular map label arranged in a right side up orientation to prevent the particular map label from being displayed in the upside down orientation in the 3D map.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a mapping application that displays a rotation of a 3D map and corresponding rotation of a set of map labels overlaying the 3D map in response to receiving input to rotate the 3D map. When a particular map label in the set of map labels rotates towards an upside down orientation, the mapping application also replaces the particular map label with a version of the particular map label arranged in a right side up orientation to prevent the particular map label from being displayed in the upside down orientation in the 3D map.

Abstract: The disclosed methods include generating a navigation presentation for a device navigating a route. A virtual camera modifies how it captures map portions to produce scenes in the navigation presentation based on changes in navigation context. The method identifies different attributes describing different navigation contexts at different times during the navigation presentation, and uses these attributes to identify styles for operating the virtual camera. The method uses a style to specify the camera's positional attributes which define map portions that the virtual camera identifies for rendering to produce navigation scenes for some time (until the navigation context changes, or the presentation ends when the context does not change again). When the navigation context changes, the identified attributes may change. This change may cause selecting a new virtual camera style. When the style changes, the method modifies the way the virtual camera captures the portion of the map to render.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a mapping application that displays a rotation of a 3D map and corresponding rotation of a set of map labels overlaying the 3D map in response to receiving input to rotate the 3D map. When a particular map label in the set of map labels rotates towards an upside down orientation, the mapping application also replaces the particular map label with a version of the particular map label arranged in a right side up orientation to prevent the particular map label from being displayed in the upside down orientation in the 3D map.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide several novel methods for generating a navigation presentation that displays a device navigating a route on a map. The method of some embodiments uses a virtual camera that, based on detected changes in the navigation context, dynamically modifies the way it captures portions of the map to produce different navigation scenes in the navigation presentation. To generate the navigation scenes, the method of some embodiments (1) identifies different sets of attributes that describe the different navigation contexts at different times during the navigation presentation, and (2) uses these different sets of attributes to identify different styles for operating the virtual camera. In some embodiments, the method uses an identified style to specify the virtual camera's positional attributes, which, in turn, define the portions of the map that the virtual camera identifies for rendering to produce several navigation scenes for a period of time (e.g.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a mapping application that displays a rotation of a 3D map and corresponding rotation of a set of map labels overlaying the 3D map in response to receiving input to rotate the 3D map. When a particular map label in the set of map labels rotates towards an upside down orientation, the mapping application also replaces the particular map label with a version of the particular map label arranged in a right side up orientation to prevent the particular map label from being displayed in the upside down orientation in the 3D map.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide methods for generating navigation presentations that display a device navigating a route on a map. The method uses a virtual camera that, based on detected changes to the navigation context, dynamically modifies how it captures map portions to produce navigation scenes in the presentation. The method of some embodiments identifies attribute sets describing different navigation contexts and uses these attribute sets to identify virtual camera operating styles. The method uses an identified style to specify the virtual camera's positional attributes, which define the map portions identified for rendering to produce navigation scenes over time. During the navigation presentation, each time the navigation context changes, the identified attribute set may change. This, in turn, may cause the method to select a new virtual camera operating style. When the style changes, the method modifies the way the virtual camera captures the map portion to render.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide several novel methods for generating a navigation presentation that displays a device navigating a route on a map. The method of some embodiments uses a virtual camera that, based on detected changes in the navigation context, dynamically modifies the way it captures portions of the map to produce different navigation scenes in the navigation presentation. To generate the navigation scenes, the method of some embodiments (1) identifies different sets of attributes that describe the different navigation contexts at different times during the navigation presentation, and (2) uses these different sets of attributes to identify different styles for operating the virtual camera. In some embodiments, the method uses an identified style to specify the virtual camera's positional attributes, which, in turn, define the portions of the map that the virtual camera identifies for rendering to produce several navigation scenes for a period of time (e.g.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a mapping application that displays a rotation of a 3D map and corresponding rotation of a set of map labels overlaying the 3D map in response to receiving input to rotate the 3D map. When a particular map label in the set of map labels rotates towards an upside down orientation, the mapping application also replaces the particular map label with a version of the particular map label arranged in a right side up orientation to prevent the particular map label from being displayed in the upside down orientation in the 3D map.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a mapping application that displays a rotation of a 3D map and corresponding rotation of a set of map labels overlaying the 3D map in response to receiving input to rotate the 3D map. When a particular map label in the set of map labels rotates towards an upside down orientation, the mapping application also replaces the particular map label with a version of the particular map label arranged in a right side up orientation to prevent the particular map label from being displayed in the upside down orientation in the 3D map.

Abstract: The methods and systems for scoring multiple time-based assets and events include declaratively playing a first media sequence; and declaratively initiating a second media sequence at a predetermined time prior to an end point of the first media sequence wherein the predetermined time is independent from an amount of time utilized to play the first media sequence.

Abstract: The methods and systems for scoring multiple time-based assets and events include declaratively playing a first media sequence; and declaratively initiating a second media sequence at a predetermined time prior to an end point of the first media sequence wherein the predetermined time is independent from an amount of time utilized to play the first media sequence.

Abstract: The methods and systems for scoring multiple time-based assets and events include declaratively playing a first media sequence; and declaratively initiating a second media sequence at a predetermined time prior to an end point of the first media sequence wherein the predetermined time is independent from an amount of time utilized to play the first media sequence.

Abstract: A system and method for the real-time composition and presentation of a complex, dynamic, and interactive experience by means of an efficient declarative markup language. Using the Surface construct, authors can embed images or full-motion video data anywhere they would use a traditional texture map within their 3D scene. Authors can also use the results of rendering one scene description as an image to be texture mapped into another scene. In particular, the Surface allows the results of any rendering application to be used as a texture within the author's scene. This allows declarative rendering of nested scenes and rendering of scenes having component Surfaces with decoupled rendering rates.

Abstract: A system and method for declarative markup that allows temporal manipulation of media assets. The media assets can be audio media, video media, animations, audio-visual media, images or events. Using the present invention a media sequence can be formed by playing more than one medium in series, in parallel or in any other temporal combination wherein a medium is cued to another medium. A media sequence created using the present invention can become part of a new media sequence, and the rate of playing the media sequence can be controlled by fields associated with the new media sequence. Also, using present invention, a media sequence can be cued to start playing at a fixed time before the end of a first media sequence, and in this instance the length of the first media sequence can be varied while still maintaining the fixed time from the end of the first media sequence.

Abstract: A system and method for declarative markup that allows temporal manipulation of media assets. The media assets can be audio media, video media, animations, audio-visual media, images or events. Using the present invention a media sequence can be formed by playing more than one medium in series, in parallel or in any other temporal combination wherein a medium is cued to another medium. A media sequence created using the present invention can become part of a new media sequence, and the rate of playing the media sequence can be controlled by fields associated with the new media sequence. Also, using present invention, a media sequence can be cued to start playing at a fixed time before the end of a first media sequence, and in this instance the length of the first media sequence can be varied while still maintaining the fixed time from the end of the first media sequence.

Abstract: A collaborative work environment supports manipulating an object defined by a three-dimensional model by multiple remote participants. A three-dimensional model of the object is able to be translated, rotated and scaled in a work area of a whiteboard associated with the collaborative work environment. Each of the remote participants is able to view, manipulate, and mark-up the three-dimensional model of the object so that the remote participants can work collaboratively together.

Abstract: A system and method for increasing the performance associated with creating simulated 3D worlds from a network. The system and method provides a means for increasing the performance by fetching objects in the order of their importance. A priority scheme is used to determine the fetching, pre-fetching, and caching of URLs. The operations of assigning priorities, making prefetch requests and cache management is driven by data in an asset database table. The database contains information pertaining to each asset within the current scene such as the priority, status, region, type bounds, and retrieval time. The asset database table is updated based on fetching activities, camera position, and the positions of moving assets. A world scene is subdivided into appropriately sized regions when a scene is first downloaded. Asset type origins are defined and moved, based on the position, orientation, and velocity of the camera. Regions are assigned priorities based on their distance from the asset origin.

Abstract: A collaborative work environment supports manipulating an object defined by a three-dimensional model by multiple remote participants. A three-dimensional model of the object is able to be translated, rotated and scaled in a work area of a whiteboard associated with the collaborative work environment. Each of the remote participants is able to view, manipulate, and mark-up the three-dimensional model of the object so that the remote participants can work collaboratively together.

Abstract: A browser for allowing a user to navigate in a three-dimensional world having a plurality of objects provides enhanced navigational capabilities. The browser allows the user to seek to an object or location in the world, navigate throughout the world using cursor inputs and select an object to follow links associated with that object. The browser differentiates between a seek command, a select command and a travel command entered by the user via a pointing device to provide the three navigational capabilities without requiring the user to change a navigational mode of the browser. A traveler viewer allows the user to travel throughout the three-dimensional world using pointing device inputs such as single click inputs, double click inputs and click and drag inputs. An examiner viewer allows the user to examine a three-dimensional object by rotating the object, zooming in and out on the object, translating the object in the x and y direction and following links associated with the object or a portion thereof.