Method and system for displaying visual content in a virtual three-dimensional space

Abstract

A system and system for positioning content elements in a virtual 3D space. A 2D base plane is designated in the 3D space, and the visual content is positioned in the 3D space with at least one page being parallel to the base plane. A viewpoint and a viewing ray are selected in the 3D space from which to view the 3D space with the viewing ray being neither parallel nor perpendicular to the base plane. A 2D surface is then positioned in the 3D space so that the 2D surface intersects the view ray between the viewpoint and the base plane. At least a portion of the 3D space is then projected onto the 2D surface by a perspective projection determined by the viewing ray. The process may be repeated as desired each time optionally selecting a new viewpoint and/or selecting a new viewing ray and/or altering a property of one or more content elements. The projection onto the viewing surface may be displayed on a display device such as a computer monitor.

1 . A method for displaying a projection of a virtual three-dimensional (3D) space on a display device, comprising:
 a) designating a 2D base plane in a virtual three-dimensional (3D) space;   b) positioning a first page and at least a second page or a content element in the 3D space with at least the first page parallel to the base plane, wherein each page is a 2D array of 2D and/or volumetric 3D content elements and each page has a layout;   c) selecting a viewpoint and a viewing ray extending from the viewpoint and intersecting the base plane at an angle between 0 and 90°;   d) positioning a first planar 2D surface in the 3D space so that the first planar 2D surface intersects the viewing ray between the viewpoint and the base plane so as to define a viewing frustum, within which is a viewing space, wherein the viewing space contains at least a portion of the first page and at least a portion of the second page or content element;   e) projecting the entire viewing space onto the first planar 2D surface using a single perspective projection determined by the viewing ray, such that for every point in the viewing space that is projected onto a corresponding point on the first 2D surface, that point of the viewing space, the corresponding point projected onto the first 2D surface and the viewpoint are collinear;   f) optionally projecting the single perspective projection on the first 2D surface onto a second 2D surface; and   g) displaying the first 2D planar surface or the second 2D surface on a display device.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  including said step of projecting the projection on the first 2D surface onto a second 2D surface, the second 2D surface being a flat surface, a spherical surface, a cylindrical surface, or an irregular surface, and said displaying step comprises displaying the second 2D surface on the display device. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein two adjacent pages are separated from each other in the base plane. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein two adjacent pages are separated from each other in the base plane. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one page contains at least one 3D volumetric content element. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising a step of parsing a page into content elements and repositioning one or more of the content elements in the 3D space. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein and the page's content elements are repositioned in the 3D space so as to preserve the layout. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein a content element is repositioned in the base plane next to the page. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein a content element is repositioned in the base plane next to the page. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein a content element is repositioned out of the base plane. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein a 2D content element is positioned parallel to the base plane. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein a 2D content element is repositioned so that it projects from the base plane. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein a content element is repositioned out of the base plane. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein a 2D content element is positioned parallel to the base plane. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein a 2D content element is repositioned so that it projects from the base plane. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising a step of positioning in 3D space one or more additional content elements. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein one or more of the additional content elements are advertising. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein a content element is positioned equidistantly between two pages. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein a content element is positioned between two adjacent pages closer to one of the pages than the other. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a content element executes a response when the viewing ray or the viewpoint satisfies a predetermined condition. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the predetermined condition is selected from the group comprising:
 (h) a distance from the viewpoint to the content element is less than a predetermined distance;   (i) the content element intersects a cone centered around the viewing ray having a vertex at the viewpoint and a predetermined apical angle;   (j) the content element intersects a cone centered around the viewing ray having a vertex at the viewpoint and a predetermined apical angle as the viewpoint moves towards the content element;   (k) the content element intersects a cone centered around the viewing ray having a vertex at the viewpoint and a predetermined apical angle as the viewpoint moves away from the content element;   (l) the content element intersects a cone centered around the viewing ray having a vertex at the viewpoint and a predetermined apical angle as the viewpoint accelerates or decelerates;   (m) the viewpoint passes by the content element; and   (n) the user requests a response from a content element using a computer input device.   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the response is selected from the group consisting of:
 the content element becomes animated;   the content element is repositioned; and   the content element issues sounds.   
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the response is selected from the group consisting of:
 the content element becomes animated;   the content element is repositioned; and   the content element issues sounds.   
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said step (r) is not present and said displaying step comprises displaying the first 2D surface on the display device. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the display device is a computer monitor, a television, or a set-top box. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein one or more of the display devices is remotely located. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (h) designating one or more planes in the 3D space in addition to the base plane, the additional planes being parallel to the base plane; and   (i) positioning one or more pages or content elements in the additional planes.   
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27 , further comprising:
 (j) selecting a plane from among the base plane and the additional planes; and removing the other planes from the 3D space; and   (k) projecting at least a portion of the 3D space onto the 2D surface by a perspective projection determined by the viewing ray.   
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one page is an application window. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein the window contains a content element that is at least a portion of a document page. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising a step of designating in the base plane one or more regions for positioning a page and/or content element. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising a step of replacing a page or a content element in the base plane when a distance between the viewpoint and the page or content element is greater than a predetermined distance. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the base plane is subdivided into content areas by a grid. 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the grid designates areas in the base plane for one or more pages, areas surrounding pages, or areas between the designated areas surrounding pages. 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the pages are results of a search query. 
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a first content element is positioned between a second content element and a third content element in a different page. 
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting content elements or pages in the 3D with their positions in the 3D space to a local disk or a remote location. 
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising a step of displaying the second 2D surface on one or more viewing surfaces. 
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising repeating said steps (c)-(g) at least once, each time optionally selecting a new viewpoint and/or selecting a new viewing ray and/or altering a property of one or more content elements or one or more pages in the 3D space. 
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first 2D surface is a flat surface, a spherical surface, a cylindrical surface, or an irregular surface. 
     
     
         41 . A computer readable non-transitory medium encoded with computer program code for performing all the steps of  claim 1  when said program code is executed on a processor. 
     
     
         42 . A system for displaying a projection of a virtual three-dimensional (3D) space onto a display device, comprising:
 a processor and a display device,   said processor being configured to   (a) designate a 2D base plane in a virtual three-dimensional (3D) space;   (b) position a first page and at least a second page or a content element in the 3D space with at least one page parallel to the base plane, wherein each page is a 2D array of 2D and/or volumetric 3D content elements and each page has a layout;   (c) select a viewpoint and a viewing ray extending from the viewpoint and intersecting the base plane at an angle between 0 and 90°;   (d) position a first planar 2D surface in the 3D space so that the first planar 2D surface intersects the viewing ray between the viewpoint and the base plane so as to define a viewing frustum, within which is the viewing space, wherein a viewing space contains at least a portion of the first page and at least a portion of the second page or content element;   (e) project the entire viewing space onto the first planar 2D surface using a single perspective projection determined by the viewing ray such that for every point in the viewing space that is projected onto a corresponding point on the first 2D surface, that point of the viewing space, the corresponding point projected onto the first 2D surface and the viewpoint are collinear; and   (f) optionally project the single perspective projection on the first 2D surface onto a second 2D surface; and   (g) display the first 2D surface or the second 2D surface on the display device.   
     
     
         43 . The system according to  claim 42 , processor is configured to execute the step of projecting the projection on the first 2D surface onto a second 2D surface, wherein the second 2D surface is a flat surface, a spherical surface, a cylindrical surface, or an irregular surface, and said processor displays the second 2D surface on the display device. 
     
     
         44 . The system according to  claim 42 , wherein two adjacent pages are separated from each other in the base plane. 
     
     
         45 . The system according to  claim 42 , wherein at least one page contains at least one 3D volumetric content element. 
     
     
         46 . The system according to  claim 42 , wherein the processor is further configured to parse a page into content elements and reposition one or more of the content elements in the 3D space. 
     
     
         47 . The system according to  claim 46 , wherein and the processor is further configured to reposition a page's content element so as to preserve the page's layout. 
     
     
         48 . The system according to  claim 46 , wherein the processor is further configured to reposition a content element in the base plane next to the page. 
     
     
         49 . The system according to  claim 46 , wherein the processor is further configured to reposition a content element out of the base plane. 
     
     
         50 . The system according to  claim 49 , wherein the processor is further configured to position a 2D content element parallel to the base plane. 
     
     
         51 . The system according to  claim 49 , wherein the processor is further configured to reposition a 2D content element so that it projects from the base plane. 
     
     
         52 . The system according to  claim 42 , wherein the processor is further configured to position in the 3D space one or more additional content elements. 
     
     
         53 . The system according to  claim 52 , wherein one or more of the additional content elements are advertising. 
     
     
         54 . The system according to  claim 53 , wherein a content element is positioned equidistantly between two pages. 
     
     
         55 . The system according to  claim 53 , wherein a content element is positioned between two adjacent pages closer to one of the pages than the other. 
     
     
         56 . The system according to  claim 42 , wherein a content element executes a response when the viewing ray or the viewpoint satisfies a predetermined condition. 
     
     
         57 . The system according to  claim 56 , wherein the predetermined condition is selected from the group comprising:
 (h) a distance from the viewpoint to the content element is less than a predetermined distance;   (i) the content element intersects a cone centered around the viewing ray having a vertex at the viewpoint and a predetermined apical angle;   (j) the content element intersects a cone centered around the viewing ray having a vertex at the viewpoint and a predetermined apical angle as the viewpoint moves towards the content element;   (k) the content element intersects a cone centered around the viewing ray having a vertex at the viewpoint and a predetermined apical angle as the viewpoint moves away from the content element;   (l) the content element intersects a cone centered around the viewing ray having a vertex at the viewpoint and a predetermined apical angle as the viewpoint accelerates or decelerates;   (m) the viewpoint passes by the content element; and   (n) the user requests a response from a content element using a computer input device.   
     
     
         58 . The system according to  claim 56 , wherein the response is selected from the group consisting of:
 the content element becomes animated;   the content element is repositioned; and   the content element issues sounds.   
     
     
         59 . The system according to  claim 57 , wherein the response is selected from the group consisting of:
 the content element becomes animated;   the content element is repositioned; and   the content element issues sounds.   
     
     
         60 . The system according to  claim 42 , wherein said step (f) is not present and said processor displays the first 2D surface on the display device. 
     
     
         61 . The system according to  claim 60 , wherein the display device is a computer monitor, a television, or a stereo viewer. 
     
     
         62 . The system according to  claim 60 , wherein one or more of the display devices is remotely located. 
     
     
         63 . The system according to  claim 61 , wherein one or more of the display devices is remotely located. 
     
     
         64 . The system according to  claim 42 , wherein the first 2D surface is a flat surface, a spherical surface, a cylindrical surface, or an irregular surface. 
     
     
         65 . A computer readable non-transitory medium as claimed in  claim 42 , wherein said computer program code comprises a plurality of computer instructions executable by the processor. 
     
     
         66 . A computer readable non-transitory medium encoded with a computer program code for performing the steps of  claim 43  when said program code is executed by a processor.