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US5526478A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Three dimensional model with three dimensional pointers and multimedia functions linked to the pointers

Assignee: SLIP-TEST Inc
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Filing: 1994-06-30
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Granted: 1996-06-11
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Expires: 2014-06-30
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Abstract

Abstract A computer implemented method of annotating a geometric figure displayed and manipulable in three-dimensional representation on a display of a computer system with a pointer is described. The pointer is also displayed and manipulable in three-dimensional representation on the display. The method associates multimedia functions with the geometric figure. The pointer is positioned to point at an area of the geometric figure using a control device. The geometric figure is displayed in a particular view orientation when the pointer points at the area of the geometric figure. The pointer is then oriented three-dimensionally such that the pointer can point at the area of the geometric figure at a desired angle. The particular view orientation of the geometric figure with the pointer can be preserved such that the particular view orientation of the geometric figure with the pointer can later be retrieved. The pointer can be activated by attaching a marker to the pointer using the control device. When the pointer is activated, the pointer can be associated with a multimedia function such that when the pointer is again activated, the multimedia function is executed.

Inventors

  • 👤 Sanford H. Russell, Jr.
  • 👤 Douglas S. Dennis
  • 👤 Richard J. Carey

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-07 23:48
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F15/00; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/048; G06F3/0481; G06F3/04812; G06F3/0484; G06F3/04845; G06T; G06T19/00; G06T2219/00; G06T2219/004

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim 113 words
A computer implemented method of associating multimedia functions with a geometric figure, comprising the steps of: (a) generating a pointing icon to point at the geometric figure displayed and manipulable as a three-dimensional representation on a display of a computer system using a control device; (b) activating the pointing icon by attaching a marker icon to the pointing icon using the control device, wherein when the pointing icon is activated, the pointing icon can be attached with a multimedia function; (c) attaching the multimedia function to the activated pointing icon such that when the pointing icon is activated after the multimedia function is attached to the pointing icon, the multimedia function is executed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 113 words
A computer implemented method of associating multimedia functions with a geometric figure, comprising the steps of: (a) generating a pointing icon to point at the geometric figure displayed and manipulable as a three-dimensional representation on a display of a computer system using a control device; (b) activating the pointing icon by attaching a marker icon to the pointing icon using the control device, wherein when the pointing icon is activated, the pointing icon can be attached with a multimedia function; (c) attaching the multimedia function to the activated pointing icon such that when the pointing icon is activated after the multimedia function is attached to the pointing icon, the multimedia function is executed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 50 words
(Amended) The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the step of attaching the multimedia function to the activated pointing icon further comprises the step of deactivating the pointing icon by disconnecting the marker icon from the pointing icon after the multimedia function has been attached to the pointing icon.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 59 words
The computer implemented method of claim 2, further comprising the step of activating the pointing icon after the multimedia function has been attached to the pointing icon and the pointing icon has been deactivated by connecting the marker icon to the pointing icon that has already been attached to the multimedia function such that the multimedia function is executed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 27 words
The computer implemented method of claim 3, wherein the multimedia function is one of an action for displaying multimedia information and an execution of a multimedia program.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 38 words
The computer implemented method of claim 4, wherein the multimedia information further comprises text data, audio information, a different geometric figure also displayed and manipulable as a three-dimensional representation, graphics, a visual image, video information, and animated information.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 67 words
The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating a pointing icon to point at the geometric figure using a control device further comprises the steps of (i) positioning the pointing icon substantially perpendicular to an area of the geometric figure; (ii) orienting the pointing icon such that the pointing icon can point at the area of the geometric figure at a desired angle.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 67 words
The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising the step of preserving a predetermined view orientation of the geometric figure with the pointing icon by linking the predetermined view orientation to the pointing icon of the geometric figure when the pointing icon is activated, wherein the preserved predetermined view orientation of the geometric figure can be viewed when the pointing icon is deactivated and then activated.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 66 words
The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: (i) positioning the pointing icon with respect to an area of the geometric figure using a control device, wherein the pointing icon is also displayed in three-dimensional representation on the display; (ii) orienting the pointing icon such that the pointing icon can point at the area of the geometric figure at a desired angle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 120 words
A computer implemented method of annotating a geometric figure displayed as a three-dimensional representation on a display of a computer system with a pointing icon, comprising the steps of: (a) positioning the pointing icon with respect to an area of the geometric figure using a control device, wherein the geometric figure is displayed in a predetermined view orientation, wherein the pointing icon is also displayed in three-dimensional representation on the display; (b) attaching the predetermined view orientation of the geometric figure to the pointing icon such that the predetermined view orientation of the geometric figure can be viewed when the pointing icon is enabled: (c) viewing the preserved predetermined view orientation by attaching a marker icon to the pointing icon.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 120 words
A computer implemented method of annotating a geometric figure displayed as a three-dimensional representation on a display of a computer system with a pointing icon, comprising the steps of: (a) positioning the pointing icon with respect to an area of the geometric figure using a control device, wherein the geometric figure is displayed in a predetermined view orientation, wherein the pointing icon is also displayed in three-dimensional representation on the display; (b) attaching the predetermined view orientation of the geometric figure to the pointing icon such that the predetermined view orientation of the geometric figure can be viewed when the pointing icon is enabled: (c) viewing the preserved predetermined view orientation by attaching a marker icon to the pointing icon.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 34 words
The computer implemented method of claim 9, further comprising the step of orienting the pointing icon such that the pointing icon can point at the area of the geometric figure at a desired angle.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 78 words
The computer implemented method of claim 9, wherein the step of attaching the predetermined view orientation of the geometric figure to the pointing icon further comprises the steps of (i) enabling the pointing icon by attaching the marker icon to the pointing icon using the control device; (ii) attaching the predetermined view orientation of the geometric figure to the pointing icon, wherein when the pointing icon is disabled and then enabled, the preserved predetermined view orientation is viewed.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 127 words
In a computer system including a processor, a memory, a display, and an input control device, an apparatus for associating multimedia functions with a geometric figure, comprising: (A) means for associating a pointing icon with the geometric figure displayed and manipulable as a three-dimensional representation on the using the input control device; (B) means for connecting a marker icon to the pointing icon using the control device, wherein the pointing icon is enabled when the marker icon is connected to the pointing icon, wherein when the pointer is enabled, the pointing icon can be connected to a multimedia function; (C) means for connecting the multimedia function to the enabled pointing icon such that when the pointing icon is disabled and then enabled, the multimedia function is executed.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 127 words
In a computer system including a processor, a memory, a display, and an input control device, an apparatus for associating multimedia functions with a geometric figure, comprising: (A) means for associating a pointing icon with the geometric figure displayed and manipulable as a three-dimensional representation on the using the input control device; (B) means for connecting a marker icon to the pointing icon using the control device, wherein the pointing icon is enabled when the marker icon is connected to the pointing icon, wherein when the pointer is enabled, the pointing icon can be connected to a multimedia function; (C) means for connecting the multimedia function to the enabled pointing icon such that when the pointing icon is disabled and then enabled, the multimedia function is executed.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 40 words
The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising means for disabling the pointing icon by disconnecting the marker icon from the pointing icon, wherein the multimedia function remains to be connected to the pointing icon after the pointing icon is disabled.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 53 words
The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for connecting enables the pointing icon by connecting the marker icon to the pointing icon, wherein the multimedia function is executed when the pointing icon is enabled after the multimedia function has been connected to the pointing icon and the pointing icon has been disabled.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 18 words
The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the multimedia function can be multimedia information or a multimedia program execution.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 23 words
The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the multimedia information comprises text data, audio information, graphics, a visual image, video information, and animated information.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 64 words
The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising: (a) means for positioning the pointing icon with respect to an area of the geometric figure using the control device, wherein the pointing icon is displayed in three-dimensional representation on the display; (b) means for orienting the pointing icon such that the pointing icon can point at the area of the geometric figure at a desired angle.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 54 words
The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising means for preserving a predetermined view orientation of the geometric figure with the pointing icon by connecting the preserved predetermined view orientation to the pointing icon, wherein the preserved predetermined view orientation of the geometric figure can be viewed by disabling and then enabling the pointing icon.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 50 words
The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for positioning positions the pointing icon substantially perpendicular to the area of the geometric figure, wherein the means for orienting orients the pointing icon such that the pointing icon can point at the area of the geometric figure at a desired angle.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 183 words
A display system, comprising (A) a processor; (B) a display coupled to the processor; (C) a memory coupled to the processor for storing data, wherein the memory stores a first data for displaying a geometric figure on the display three-dimensionally, wherein the memory stores a second data for displaying a pointing icon on the display, wherein the memory stores a third data for displaying a marker icon on the display, wherein the second data is connected to the first data, wherein the second data is also connected to a multimedia function when the second data is connected to the third data wherein the third data is then disconnected from the second data after the second data is connected to the multimedia function, wherein when the processor accesses the memory for the first data, the processor obtains the first and second data to display the geometric figure with the pointing icon on the display, wherein when the pointing icon is enabled by again connecting the third data to the second data, the processor accesses the memory for the multimedia function through the second data.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 183 words
A display system, comprising (A) a processor; (B) a display coupled to the processor; (C) a memory coupled to the processor for storing data, wherein the memory stores a first data for displaying a geometric figure on the display three-dimensionally, wherein the memory stores a second data for displaying a pointing icon on the display, wherein the memory stores a third data for displaying a marker icon on the display, wherein the second data is connected to the first data, wherein the second data is also connected to a multimedia function when the second data is connected to the third data wherein the third data is then disconnected from the second data after the second data is connected to the multimedia function, wherein when the processor accesses the memory for the first data, the processor obtains the first and second data to display the geometric figure with the pointing icon on the display, wherein when the pointing icon is enabled by again connecting the third data to the second data, the processor accesses the memory for the multimedia function through the second data.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 28 words
The display system of claim 20, wherein the second data is connected to the first data when the pointing icon points at an area of the geometric figure.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 24 words
The display system of claim 20, wherein the multimedia function comprises an action for displaying multimedia information and an execution of a multimedia program.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 24 words
The display system of 20, wherein the multimedia function is connected to the second data by enabling the pointing icon displayed on the display.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 24 words
The display system of 20, wherein the multimedia function is connected to the second data by enabling the pointing icon displayed on the display.

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1999-06-11 1999-12-11 2000-06-11 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2003-06-11 2003-12-11 2004-06-11 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2007-06-11 2007-12-11 2008-06-11 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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