Computerized method and apparatus using containment relationships to represent objects in a three-dimensional space, and for moving therethrough

Claim 2

A graphics display system comprising: two-dimensional graphics displaying means; and graphics processing means for a plurality of three-dimensional objects, a first one of said objects being contained within a second one of said objects, said graphics processing means comprising: means for representing said plurality of three-dimensional objects as a corresponding plurality of convex polyhedra; means for indicating containment relationships among said plurality of convex polyhedra corresponding to containment relationships among said plurality of three-dimensional objects, including said first object which is contained within said second object; and means for rendering a two-dimensional representation of the plurality of three-dimensional objects by selectively rendering only some of said convex polyhedra on said graphics displaying means, based upon the containment relationships in said containment indicating means, such that said first object is not rendered on said graphics displaying means upon rendering said second object from a perspective outside said second object, and said second object is not rendered on said graphics displaying means upon rendering said first object from a perspective inside said first object.

Claim 3

The graphics display system of claim 1 wherein said containment indicating means comprises a containment logical tree for indicating said containment relationships.

Claim 4

The graphics display system of claim 1 further comprising means for indicating connection relationships among said plurality of three-dimensional objects.

Claim 5

The graphics display system of claim 1 wherein said connection indicating means comprises means for indicating connection of at least a first surface of a third one of said convex polyhedra to at least a second surface of a fourth one of said convex polyhedra.

Claim 6

The graphics display system of claim 4 wherein said connection indicating means further comprises means for indicating a location of at least one hole between said at least a first surface which is connected to said at least a second surface.

Claim 7

The graphics display system of claim 3 wherein said connection indicating means comprises a connection logical graph for indicating said connection relationships.

Claim 8

A graphics display method for displaying a plurality of three-dimensional objects, a first one of said objects being contained within a second one of said objects, said graphics display method comprising the steps of: representing in a graphics processor, said plurality of three-dimensional objects as a corresponding plurality of convex polyhedra; generating in the graphics processor, a representation of containment relationships among said plurality of convex polyhedra corresponding to containment relationships among said plurality of three-dimensional objects including said a first object which is contained within said second object; and displaying the plurality of convex polyhedra on a two-dimensional display by selectively rendering only some of said polyhedra on said two-dimensional display based on the containment relationships represented in the graphics processor, such that said first object is not rendered on said graphics display upon rendering said second object from a perspective outside said second object, and said second object is not rendered on said graphics display upon rendering said first object from a perspective inside said first object.

Claim 9

A graphics display method for displaying a plurality of three-dimensional objects, a first one of said objects being contained within a second one of said objects, said graphics display method comprising the steps of: representing in a graphics processor, said plurality of three-dimensional objects as a corresponding plurality of convex polyhedra; generating in the graphics processor, a representation of containment relationships among said plurality of convex polyhedra corresponding to containment relationships among said plurality of three-dimensional objects including said a first object which is contained within said second object; and displaying the plurality of convex polyhedra on a two-dimensional display by selectively rendering only some of said polyhedra on said two-dimensional display based on the containment relationships represented in the graphics processor, such that said first object is not rendered on said graphics display upon rendering said second object from a perspective outside said second object, and said second object is not rendered on said graphics display upon rendering said first object from a perspective inside said first object.

Claim 10

The graphics display method of claim 7 wherein said generating step comprises the step of generating a containment logical tree for indicating the containment relationships among said plurality of convex polyhedra.

Claim 11

The graphics display method of claim 7 further comprising the step of generating a representation of the connection relationships among said plurality of convex polyhedra corresponding to connection relationships among said plurality of three-dimensional objects.

Claim 12

The graphics display method of claim 9 wherein said connection relationships generating step comprises the step of representing that at least a first surface of a third one of said convex polyhedra is connected to at least a second surface of a fourth one of said convex polyhedra.

Claim 13

The graphics display method of claim 10 wherein said surface connection representing step further comprises the step of representing a location of at least one hole between said at least a first surface which is connected to said at least second surface.

Claim 14

The graphics display method of claim 9 wherein said connection relationships generating step comprises the step of generating a connection logical graph for representing said connection relationships.

Claim 15

Apparatus for moving through a computer-generated three-dimensional space rendition, said moving apparatus comprising: two-dimensional graphical display means, for displaying a three-dimensional space rendition thereon; two-dimensional pointing means, for moving a reference on said two-dimensional graphical display means in response to two-dimensional movement of said two-dimensional pointing means; function selection means; first means for moving in a first plane in the displayed three-dimensional space rendition, in response to movement of said two-dimensional pointing means; and second means for moving in a second plane in the displayed three-dimensional space rendition, in response to the combination of selection of said function selection means and two-dimensional movement of said two-dimensional pointing means; wherein said second moving means comprises means for rising up and sinking down in a vertical plane of the displayed three-dimensional space rendition, and for moving left and moving right in the horizontal plane of the displayed three-dimensional space rendition, in response to the combination of selection of said first function selection means and forward, backward, left and right movement, respectively, of said two-dimensional pointing means.

Claim 16

Apparatus for moving through a computer-generated three-dimensional space rendition, said moving apparatus comprising: two-dimensional graphical display means, for displaying a three-dimensional space rendition thereon; two-dimensional pointing means, for moving a reference on said two-dimensional graphical display means in response to two-dimensional movement of said two-dimensional pointing means; function selection means; first means for moving in a first plane in the displayed three-dimensional space rendition, in response to movement of said two-dimensional pointing means; and second means for moving in a second plane in the displayed three-dimensional space rendition, in response to the combination of selection of said function selection means and two-dimensional movement of said two-dimensional pointing means; wherein said second moving means comprises means for rising up and sinking down in a vertical plane of the displayed three-dimensional space rendition, and for moving left and moving right in the horizontal plane of the displayed three-dimensional space rendition, in response to the combination of selection of said first function selection means and forward, backward, left and right movement, respectively, of said two-dimensional pointing means.

Claim 17

The moving apparatus of claim 13 wherein said first moving means comprises means for moving forward, moving backward, turning left and turning right in a horizontal plane of the displayed three-dimensional space rendition, in response to forward, backward, left and right movement, respectively, of said two-dimensional pointing means.

Claim 18

The moving apparatus of claim 13 wherein said two-dimensional pointing means comprises a mouse, and wherein said function selection means comprises a key.

Claim 19

The moving apparatus of claim 15 wherein said key comprises a key on said mouse.

Claim 20

The moving apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a keyboard including a plurality of keys, and wherein said key comprises a predetermined one of said keyboard keys.

Claim 21

Apparatus for moving through a computer-generated three-dimensional space rendition, said moving apparatus comprising: two-dimensional graphical display means, for displaying a three-dimensional space rendition thereon; two-dimensional pointing means, for moving a reference on said two-dimensional graphical display means in response to two-dimensional movement of said two-dimensional pointing means; function selection means; first means for moving in a first plane in the displayed three-dimensional space rendition, in response to movement of said two-dimensional pointing means; and second means for moving in a second plane in the displayed three-dimensional space rendition, in response to the combination of selection of said function selection means and two-dimensional movement of said two-dimensional pointing means; second function selection means; and means for rotating in the displayed three-dimensional space rendition, in response to the combination of selection of said second function selection means and two-dimensional movement of said two-dimensional pointing means; wherein said rotating means comprises means for rotating up and rotating down relative to a first axis in the horizontal plane of the displayed three-dimensional space rendition, and for rotating up and rotating down relative to a second axis in the horizontal plane of the displayed three-dimensional space rendition, in response to the combination of selection of said second function selection means and forward, backward, left and right movement, respectively, of said two-dimensional pointing means.

Claim 22

Apparatus for moving through a computer-generated three-dimensional space rendition, said moving apparatus comprising: two-dimensional graphical display means, for displaying a three-dimensional space rendition thereon; two-dimensional pointing means, for moving a reference on said two-dimensional graphical display means in response to two-dimensional movement of said two-dimensional pointing means; function selection means; first means for moving in a first plane in the displayed three-dimensional space rendition, in response to movement of said two-dimensional pointing means; and second means for moving in a second plane in the displayed three-dimensional space rendition, in response to the combination of selection of said function selection means and two-dimensional movement of said two-dimensional pointing means; second function selection means; and means for rotating in the displayed three-dimensional space rendition, in response to the combination of selection of said second function selection means and two-dimensional movement of said two-dimensional pointing means; wherein said rotating means comprises means for rotating up and rotating down relative to a first axis in the horizontal plane of the displayed three-dimensional space rendition, and for rotating up and rotating down relative to a second axis in the horizontal plane of the displayed three-dimensional space rendition, in response to the combination of selection of said second function selection means and forward, backward, left and right movement, respectively, of said two-dimensional pointing means.

Claim 23

Apparatus for moving through a computer-generated three-dimensional space rendition, said moving apparatus comprising: two-dimensional graphical display means, for displaying a three-dimensional space rendition thereon; two-dimensional pointing means, for moving a reference on said two-dimensional graphical display means in response to two-dimensional movement of said two-dimensional pointing means; function selection means; and means for moving in six degrees of freedom through the displayed three-dimensional space rendition, said six degrees of freedom including translation along three orthogonal axes and rotation about said three orthogonal axes, in response to the combination of selection of said function selection means and two-dimensional movement of said two-dimensional pointing means; wherein said function selection means comprises first and second function selection means; wherein said six degrees of freedom comprise translation along mutually orthogonal x, y and z axes, and rotation about said x, y and z axes, and wherein said two-dimensional pointing means moves the reference horizontally and vertically along said graphical display means, and wherein said moving means comprises: means for translating through the displayed three-dimensional space rendition along said y axis in response to vertical movement of said two-dimensional pointing means and for rotating about said z axis in response to horizontal movement of said two dimensional pointing means; means for translating through the displayed three-dimensional space rendition along said z axis in response to vertical movement of said two dimensional pointing means and selection of said first function selection means, and for translating along said x axis in response to horizontal movement of said two-dimensional pointing means and selection of said first function selection means; and means for rotating in the displayed three-dimensional space rendition about said x axis in response to vertical movement of said two-dimensional pointing means and selection of said second function selection means, and for rotating about said y axis in response to horizontal movement of said two-dimensional pointing means and selection of said second function selection means.

Claim 24

Apparatus for moving through a computer-generated three-dimensional space rendition, said moving apparatus comprising: two-dimensional graphical display means, for displaying a three-dimensional space rendition thereon; two-dimensional pointing means, for moving a reference on said two-dimensional graphical display means in response to two-dimensional movement of said two-dimensional pointing means; function selection means; and means for moving in six degrees of freedom through the displayed three-dimensional space rendition, said six degrees of freedom including translation along three orthogonal axes and rotation about said three orthogonal axes, in response to the combination of selection of said function selection means and two-dimensional movement of said two-dimensional pointing means; wherein said function selection means comprises first and second function selection means; wherein said six degrees of freedom comprise translation along mutually orthogonal x, y and z axes, and rotation about said x, y and z axes, and wherein said two-dimensional pointing means moves the reference horizontally and vertically along said graphical display means, and wherein said moving means comprises: means for translating through the displayed three-dimensional space rendition along said y axis in response to vertical movement of said two-dimensional pointing means and for rotating about said z axis in response to horizontal movement of said two dimensional pointing means; means for translating through the displayed three-dimensional space rendition along said z axis in response to vertical movement of said two dimensional pointing means and selection of said first function selection means, and for translating along said x axis in response to horizontal movement of said two-dimensional pointing means and selection of said first function selection means; and means for rotating in the displayed three-dimensional space rendition about said x axis in response to vertical movement of said two-dimensional pointing means and selection of said second function selection means, and for rotating about said y axis in response to horizontal movement of said two-dimensional pointing means and selection of said second function selection means.

Claim 25

The moving apparatus of claim 19 wherein said two-dimensional pointing means comprises a mouse, and wherein said function selection means comprises a key.

Claim 26

The moving apparatus of claim 20 wherein said key comprises a key on said mouse.

Claim 27

The moving apparatus of claim 20 further comprising a keyboard including a plurality of keys, and wherein said key comprises a predetermined one of said keyboard keys.

Claim 28

A graphics display system for rendering a three-dimensional space including a plurality of three-dimensional objects, a first one of said objects being contained within a second one of said objects, and for moving through the three-dimensional space rendition, said graphics display system comprising: two-dimensional graphics displaying means; two-dimensional pointing means, for moving a reference on said two-dimensional graphics displaying means; function selection means; and graphics processing means, said graphics processing means comprising: means for representing said plurality of three-dimensional objects as corresponding plurality of convex polyhedra; means for indicating containment relationships among said plurality of convex polyhedra corresponding to containment relationships among said plurality of three-dimensional objects including said first object which is contained within said second object; means for rendering a two-dimensional representation of the plurality of three-dimensional objects by selectively rendering only some of said convex polyhedra on said graphics displaying means, based upon the containment relationships in said containment indicating means, such that said first object is not rendered on said graphics displaying means upon rendering said second object from a perspective outside said second object, and said second object is not rendered on said graphics displaying means upon rendering said first object from a perspective inside said first object; and means for moving in six degrees of freedom through the displayed three-dimensional space rendition on said graphics displaying means, said six degrees of freedom including translation along three orthogonal axis and rotation about said three orthogonal axis, in response to the combination of selection of said function selection means and two-dimensional movement of said two-dimensional pointing means.

Claim 29

A graphics display system for rendering a three-dimensional space including a plurality of three-dimensional objects, a first one of said objects being contained within a second one of said objects, and for moving through the three-dimensional space rendition, said graphics display system comprising: two-dimensional graphics displaying means; two-dimensional pointing means, for moving a reference on said two-dimensional graphics displaying means; function selection means; and graphics processing means, said graphics processing means comprising: means for representing said plurality of three-dimensional objects as corresponding plurality of convex polyhedra; means for indicating containment relationships among said plurality of convex polyhedra corresponding to containment relationships among said plurality of three-dimensional objects including said first object which is contained within said second object; means for rendering a two-dimensional representation of the plurality of three-dimensional objects by selectively rendering only some of said convex polyhedra on said graphics displaying means, based upon the containment relationships in said containment indicating means, such that said first object is not rendered on said graphics displaying means upon rendering said second object from a perspective outside said second object, and said second object is not rendered on said graphics displaying means upon rendering said first object from a perspective inside said first object; and means for moving in six degrees of freedom through the displayed three-dimensional space rendition on said graphics displaying means, said six degrees of freedom including translation along three orthogonal axis and rotation about said three orthogonal axis, in response to the combination of selection of said function selection means and two-dimensional movement of said two-dimensional pointing means.

Claim 30

The graphics display system of claim 23 wherein said containment indicating means comprises a containment logical tree for indicating said containment relationships.

Claim 31

The graphics display system of claim 23 wherein said graphics processing means further comprises means for indicating connection relationships among said plurality of convex polyhedra.

Claim 32

The graphics display system of claim 25 wherein said connection indicating means comprises means for indicating connection of at least a first surface of a third one of said convex polyhedra to at least a second surface of a fourth one of said convex polyhedra.

Claim 33

The graphics display system of claim 26 wherein said connection indicating means further comprises means for indicating a location of at least one hole between said at least a first surface which is connected to said at least a second surface.

Claim 34

The graphics display system of claim 25 wherein said connection indicating means comprises a connection logical graph for indicating said connection relationships.

Claim 35

The graphics display system of claim 23 wherein said function selection means comprises first and second function selection means.

Claim 36

The graphics display system of claim 29 wherein said six degrees of freedom comprise translation along mutually orthogonal x,y and z axes, and rotation about said x, y and z axes, and wherein said two-dimensional pointing means moves the reference horizontally and vertically along said graphical displaying means, and wherein said moving means comprises: means for translating through the displayed three-dimensional space rendition along said y axis in response to vertical movement of said two-dimensional pointing means and for rotating about said z axis in response to horizontal movement of said two dimensional pointing means; means for translating through the displayed three-dimensional space rendition along said z axis in response to vertical movement of said two dimensional pointing means and selection of said first function selection means, and for translating along said x axis in response to horizontal movement of said two-dimensional pointing means and selection of said first function selection means; and means for rotating in the displayed three-dimensional space rendition about said x axis in response to vertical movement of said two-dimensional pointing means and selection of said second function selection means, and for rotating about said y axis in response to horizontal movement of said two-dimensional pointing means and selection of said second function selection means.

Claim 37

The graphics display system of claim 23 wherein said two-dimensional pointing means comprises a mouse, and wherein said function selection means comprises a key.

Claim 38

The graphics display system of claim 31 wherein said key comprises a key on said mouse.

Claim 39

The graphics display system of claim 31 further comprising a keyboard including a plurality of keys, and wherein said key comprises a predetermined one of said keyboard keys.

Claim 42

The rendering system of claim 34 wherein said containment indicating means comprises a containment logical tree for indicating said containment relationships.

Claim 43

The rendering system of claim 34 further comprising means for indicating connection relationships among said plurality of three-dimensional objects.

Claim 44

The rendering system of claim 36 wherein said connection indicating means comprises means for indicating connection of at least a first surface of a third one of said convex polyhedra to at least a second surface of a fourth one of said convex polyhedra.

Claim 45

The rendering system of claim 36 wherein said connection indicating means comprises a connection logical graph for indicating said connection relationships.

Claim 46

The rendering system of claim 37 wherein said connection indicating means further comprises means for indicating a location of at least one hole between said at least a first surface which is connected to said at least a second surface.

Claim 49

The rendering method of claim 40 wherein said indicating step comprises the step of generating a containment logical tree in the graphics processor, for indicating the containment relationships among said plurality of three-dimensional objects.

Claim 50

The rendering method of claim 40 further comprising the step of generating a representation of the connection relationships among said plurality of three-dimensional objects.

Claim 51

The rendering method of claim 42 wherein said connection relationships generating step comprises the step of representing that at least a first surface of a third one of said three-dimensional objects is connected to at least a second surface of a fourth one of said three-dimensional objects.

Claim 52

The rendering method of claim 42 wherein said connection relationships generating step comprises the step of generating a connection logical graph in the graphics processor for representing said connection relationships.

Claim 53

The rendering method of claim 43 wherein said surface connection representing step further comprises the step of representing a location of at least one hole between the at least a first surface which is connected to said at least a second surface.