EP0545684A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Low-cost system for modeling player position and movement in a virtual reality system
Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
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Filing: 1992-12-02
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-12-02
Abstract
Abstract A virtual reality system (20) wherein an operator perceives being in a virtual reality world (74) of virtual reality images (62) comprises a display circuit (36) including a display screen (60) for displaying image data as a virtual reality image (62). Memory circuit contains image data. Helmet device (28) attaches to the operator and contains display screen (60) for generating image data on display screen (60) in response to operator movement and control signals. Microprocessor (76) associates with memory circuit for extracting image data from memory circuit to control display circuit (36) to change virtual reality image (62) as though the operator were within and associated with the virtual reality image. Virtual reality system (20) provides a low-cost system for using a variety of virtual reality techniques. The system and method for modeling the relative position and movement of objects in the virtual reality world (74) includes representing graphically a first and second object in a virtual reality world (74) on a graphical display (60 and 68), determining a partitioning plane between the first and second objects, and determining a second partition plane between the first and second object in response to either of said first or second objects moving across the first partitioning plane. The method and system then graphically represent on the graphical display (60 and 68) movement of the first and second objects within the virtual reality world (74) by selectively obscuring the first and second objects according to their relative position to the predetermined observation point.
Inventors
- 👤 Christopher A. Crane
- 👤 Daniel M. Donahue
- 👤 Andrew K. Smith
- 👤 Donald W. Adkins
- 👤 Tom J. Bannon
- 👤 Judd E. Heape
- 👤 Thomas M. Siep
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 00:48
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T15/00; G06T15/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
122 words
A virtual reality system wherein an operator perceives being in a virtual reality world of virtual reality images, said system comprising: a display circuit for displaying image data as a virtual reality image, said display circuit including a display screen; memory for containing said image data; a veiwing device for attaching to the operator, said veiwing device containing said display screen and associated to generate image data on said display screen in response to operator movement of said device; and a microprocessor associated with said memory for extracting said image data from said memory and from said image data controlling said display circuit to change said virtual reality image as though the operator were within and associated with said virtual reality image.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of Claim 1, further comprising image data input circuitry for generating image data on said data screen in response to a prescribed set of operator controlled inputs and directing said image data to said memory circuit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of Claim 2, wherein said image data input circuitry comprises a power hand assembly.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of Claim 2, wherein said image data input circuitry comprises a joy stick device.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein said display circuit comprises a card associated with said veiwing device, said card comprising circuitry for generating and sending display signals to said display screen.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of Claim 5, wherein said card may be selectively connected with other portions of said display circuit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of Claim 5 or Claim 6, wherein said display circuit comprises a graphics signal processor for generating graphics signals for said cards to use in producing said display signals for said display screen.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of any of claims 5 to 7, wherein said memory comprises a master virtual world database from which a plurality of cards obtain data for generating display signals for said display screen.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of any preceding claim, further comprising a chassis for containing said memory, said microprocessor, and a predetermined portion of said display circuit.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
111 words
A method for producing a virtual reality world of virtual reality images using a virtual reality system wherein an operator perceives being in said virtual reality world, comprising the steps of: displaying image data as a virtual reality image on a display screen associated with a display circuit; containing said image data within memory; attaching to the operator a veiwing device containing said display screen; generating image data on said display screen in response to operator movement of said device; extracting said image data from said memory; and controlling said display circuit to change said virtual reality image as though the operator were within and associated with said virtual reality image.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of Claim 10, further comprising the steps of generating image data on said data screen in response to a prescribed set of operator controlled inputs and directing said image data to said memory.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of Claim 10 or Claim 11, further comprising the step of generating and sending display signals to said display screen using a card circuit.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of Claim 12, further comprising the step of selectively connecting a plurality of said cards with other portions of said display circuit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of Claim 12 or Claim 13, further comprising the step of generating graphic signals for said cards to use in producing said display signals for said display screen using a graphics signal processor.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
53 words
The method of any of claims 12 to 14, further comprising the steps of storing a master virtual world database from which a plurality of cards may obtain data in said memory, and generating display signals for a plurality said display screens in response to said data of said master virtual world database.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
123 words
A method of modeling the relative position and movement of objects in a virtual reality environment, comprising the steps of: representing graphically a first and a second object in a Virtual reality environment on a graphic display; determining a first partitioning plane between said first and second objects; determining a second partitioning plane between said first and second objects in response to either of said first or second object moving across said first partitioning plane; and representing graphically on said graphical display movement of said first and second objects within said virtual reality environment by selectively obscuring said first and second objects according to the relative position of said first and second objects in said virtual reality environment to the predetermined observation point.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of Claim 16, further comprising the step of permitting a plurality of viewers to perceive being in said virtual reality environment and viewing from within the environment the relative position and movement of each other in said virtual reality environment.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of Claim 17, further comprising the steps of containing data describing the virtual reality environment in a master database and updating said master database with data describing the relative movement of said objects.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of Claim 17 or Claim 18, further comprising the steps of generating a terminal node associated with each of said objects, an intermediate node associated with said second partitioning plane, and a root node associated with said first partitioning plane.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of Claim 19, wherein said terminal node and intermediate node generating step further comprises the steps of forming an intermediate node in response to at least one of said objects crossing said first partitioning plane, said associating said intermediate node with said second partitioning plane.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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