Method of building a three-dimensional network site, network site obtained by this method, and method of navigating within or from such a network site

Abstract

A method for producing network sites, in particular websites, offers real immersion in the sites (in the manner of video games) with intuitive and fluid navigation that does not require a means for directing the avatar, allows selective referencing by a search engine of objects contained on the site, as well as providing improved access security. A simple mechanical control means (arrow keys on a keyboard, mouse without click buttons, joystick formed by a handle on a base with push buttons) or virtual control means (arrow-based computer representation, system for the detection of a movement of the hand, eye, etc., accelerometer remote control, etc.) can be used to direct the avatar. The method allows the movements of the avatar to be interpreted, such as a simple walk through the site or a command to navigate to another space on the site (same URL) or to another site (different URL).

1 . A method building a three-dimensional network site (A-B) accessible by a network through a network address, and consultable via an interface linked to the network, comprising the following steps:
 A) with a 3D modeling software package:
 a1) generating a three-dimensional project comprising at least one three-dimensional space (A1-A6; B1-B3); 
 a2) creating at least one two- or three-dimensional navigation object (N1-N26) in the three-dimensional project and placing the at least one two- or three-dimensional navigation object in the at least one three-dimensional space (A1-A6 B1-83) in a defined spatial position of the navigation object (P11b); 
 a3) creating a two- or three-dimensional object (1) which is mobile in the three-dimensional space (A1-A6; B1-B3) and controllable by a user by virtue of a control interface or a peripheral linked to the interface; 
   B) with a real-time 3D software package:
 b1) assigning to the or to each three-dimensional space (A1-A6; B1-B3): 
   a benchmark system of three-dimensional coordinates;   first aesthetic properties;   first functional properties; and   first simulated physical properties;
 b2) assigning to the navigation object (N1-N26): 
   second aesthetic properties;   navigation properties, as a link to an arrival position in the at least one three-dimensional space (A1-A6; B1-B3) or a link to a destination network address; and   second simulated physical properties;
 b3) assigning to the said mobile object: 
   an initial position in the three-dimensional space (A1-A6; B1-B3) or one of the three-dimensional spaces of the three-dimensional project, and   third aesthetic properties;   second functional properties; and   third simulated physical properties;
 b4) recording the three-dimensional project as a digital file having a format interpretable by at least one navigation software package; 
   C1) creating and networking an access table for the three-dimensional network site comprising at least the following items of information:
 a descriptor of the access table comprising a number of rows, a number of columns and one or more field separator(s) used; 
 an identifier (P11a) of the or of each three-dimensional space in the three-dimensional network site; 
 an identifier of the or of each navigation object; 
 the position (P11b) of each navigation object; 
 the navigation properties of each navigation object; and 
 an initial position ( 4 ,  6 ) of a user when the user accesses the three-dimensional network site; 
   D) storing the file obtained in step b4) on an on-line network server;   E) assigning a network address to the file so as to render the file accessible by the network in the form of a network site,
 wherein the at least one navigation object (N11) comprises a two- or three-dimensional information (N111) and a two- or three-dimensional detection zone (N112), the at least one navigation object (N11) being also programmed to detect whether the mobile object ( 1 ) overlaps the detection zone (N112) to start a timeout of predefined duration starting as soon as the mobile object ( 1 ) and the two- or three-dimensional detection zone (N112) overlap and to generate a navigation action as a function of the navigation properties assigned to the navigation object (N11) when the mobile object remains overlapping the two- or three-dimensional detection zone (N112) throughout a duration of the timeout. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of building the three-dimensional network site according to  claim 1 , wherein the access table comprises rights-of-access data. 
     
     
         3 . The method of building the three-dimensional network site according to  claim 1 , further comprising, after step C1), a step C2) of encrypting the access table. 
     
     
         4 . The method of building the three-dimensional network site according to  claim 1 , further comprising, after step C1), a step C3) of dividing the access table into several files, and of peer-to-peer sharing of the files between several computer servers. 
     
     
         5 . The method of building the three-dimensional network site according to  claim 3 , further comprising, after step C2), a step C3) of dividing the encrypted access table into several files, and of peer-to-peer sharing of the said files between several computer servers. 
     
     
         6 . A three-dimensional network site (A, B) obtained by the method according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 the network address (URL1-URL6);   the at least one three-dimensional space (A1-A6; B1-B3);   the at least one navigation object (N1-N26) placed at a position (P11b) of the navigation object;   at least one object ( 1 ) that is mobile and controllable in the space (A1-A6; B1-B3);   
       the three-dimensional network site associated with an access table comprising at least the following items of information:
 the descriptor of the access table so as to be able to be interpreted by the navigation software package, comprising the number of rows, the number of columns and the field separator(s) used; 
 an identifier (P11a) of the or of each three-dimensional space in the site; 
 an identifier of the or of each navigation object; 
 the position (P11b) of each navigation object; 
 the navigation properties of each navigation object; and 
 an initial position ( 4 ,  6 ) of a user when the latter accesses the site wherein the at least one navigation object (N11) comprises a two- or three-dimensional information display (N111) and of a two- or three-dimensional detection zone (N112), the navigation object (N 11) being also programmed to detect whether the mobile object ( 1 ) overlaps the detection zone (N112), to start a timeout of predefined duration starting as soon as the mobile object and the detection zone overlap, and to generate a navigation action as a function of the navigation properties assigned to the navigation object (N11) when the mobile object ( 1 ) remains overlapping the detection zone (N112) throughout the duration of the timeout. 
 
     
     
         7 . A method of navigation from or within the network address of a three-dimensional space of a three-dimensional network site according to  claim 6 , with aid of a hardware interface, comprising the following steps:
 α) in a navigation software package suitable for the hardware interface:
 α.1) opening the network address (URL1-URL6); 
 α.2) controlling the movement of the mobile object ( 1 ) in the or one of the three-dimensional spaces (A1-A6; B1-B3) from the initial position ( 4 ,  6 ); 
 α.3) selecting the navigation object (N1-N26) by positioning the mobile object ( 1 ) in an overlapping mariner with respect to the navigation object (N1-N26); 
 α.4) starting a timeout of predefined duration, as soon as the mobile object ( 1 ) and the navigation object (N1-N26) or the detection zone (N112) overlap, 
 α.6) generating a navigation action as a function of the navigation properties assigned to the navigation object (N1-N26), only if the mobile object ( 1 ) and the navigation object (N1-N26) or the detection zone (N112) remain overlapped throughout the duration of the timeout. 
   
     
     
         8 . The method of navigation according to  claim 7  from or within the network address of the three-dimensional network site, wherein step α3) comprises selecting the navigation object (N1-N26) by positioning the mobile object ( 1 ) in an overlapping manner with respect to the zone of detection (N112) of the navigation object (N11). 
     
     
         9 . The method of navigation according to  claim 7 , wherein step α) comprises furthermore, before step α.6), a step α.5) of predefined repositioning of the mobile object with respect to the navigation object, as soon as the mobile object and the navigation object or the detection zone of the navigation object overlap, the repositioning keeping the mobile object and the navigation object or the detection zone overlapping. 
     
     
         10 . The method of navigation according to  claim 7 , wherein step α.4) of timeout further comprises, during the timeout, consultation by the navigation software package of the access table of the network site or the access table of the destination network site. 
     
     
         11 . The method of navigation according to  claim 10 , wherein step α.4) comprises, furthermore, during the timeout, and after the reception of the access table, the displaying of an arrival position by default and of the position of the object or of each of the navigation objects of the network site or the destination network site, so that the user can choose the position at which he wishes to arrive. 
     
     
         12 . The method of navigation according to  claim 7  within the network address of the three-dimensional network site, wherein:
 step α.1) further comprises creation and storage in memory of a first history table (P1) of a last in-first out type, as well as the association of the first history table with previous position and next position selectable buttons of the network site; and 
 step α.6) comprises an insertion, as first entry (P11) in the first history table (P1), of the identifier (P11a) of the three-dimensional space in which the mobile object is situated, and of the position (P11b) of the navigation object selected in the three-dimensional space. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of navigation according to  claim 12 , wherein step α) is repeated n−2 times, n being an integer greater than or equal to 3, so as to end up at an arrival position of rank n, the first history table being created only at the first iteration and supplemented during the other iterations, each iteration of step α) corresponding to the positioning of the mobile object at a new arrival position in a three-dimensional space having the same network address as the network site in which the navigation object is situated, the identifier of the three-dimensional space and the position of the selected navigation object being stored chronologically at each iteration in the first history table during navigation. 
     
     
         14 . The method of navigation according to  claim 13 , further comprising a step β) of backtracking consisting in reading the identifier of the three-dimensional space and the position of the navigation object of rank n−1 in the first history table, and in positioning the mobile object in proximity to the position of the selected navigation object of rank n−1, step β) being repeated k times, k being an integer lying between 1 and n−2. 
     
     
         15 . The method of navigation according to  claim 14 , wherein k lies between 1 and n−3, the position of the selected navigation object of rank k corresponding to the three-dimensional network site, the method comprising, furthermore, after the iteration of rank k of step β), at least one step γ) of navigating towards a navigation object having a position not stored in the first history table, step γ) comprising the following sub-steps:
 γ.1) creation and storage in memory of a second history table of “last in-first out” type, as well as the association of the second history table with “Page forward” and “page back” selectable buttons of the network site; 
 γ.2) controlling the movement of the mobile object in one of the three-dimensional spaces of the network site; 
 γ.3) selecting a navigation object by positioning the mobile object in an overlapping manner with respect to the navigation object; 
 γ.6) generating a navigation action as a function of the navigation properties assigned to the navigation object, and inserting:
 as first entry in the second history table, a reference to the first history table; 
 as second entry in the second history table, the identifier of the departure three-dimensional space and the position of the navigation object selected in the departure three-dimensional space; 
 as last entry in the first history table, a reference to the second history table. 
 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of navigation according to  claim 7  from the network address of the three-dimensional space of the three-dimensional network site, wherein
 step α.1) further comprises creation and storage in memory of a first history table (P1) of a last in-first out type, as well as the association of the first history table with page forward and page back selectable buttons of the navigation software package; and 
 step α.6) comprises the insertion, as first entry (P1a) in the first history table (P1), of the network address (URL1-URL6) of the departure three-dimensional space and the position (P11b) of the navigation object selected in the departure three-dimensional space. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of navigation according to  claim 16 , wherein step α) is repeated n−2 times, n being an integer greater than or equal to 3, so as to end up at a network address of rank n, the first history table being created only at the first iteration and supplemented during the other iterations, each iteration of step α) corresponding to an opening of a new network address, each network address and, if appropriate, a position of each navigation object being stored chronologically in the first history table during navigation. 
     
     
         18 . The method of navigation according to  claim 17 , further comprising a step β) of backtracking consisting in reading the network address of rank n−1 in the first history table, and in opening this network address of rank n−1 in the navigation software package, step β) being repeated k times, k being an integer lying between 1 and n−2. 
     
     
         19 . The method of navigation according to  claim 18 , wherein step β) also comprises the positioning of the mobile object in proximity to the position of the navigation object selected in the three-dimensional space having the network address of rank n−1. 
     
     
         20 . The method of navigation according to  claim 19 , wherein k lies between 1 and n−3, the network address of rank k corresponding to a network site according to the invention, the method comprising, furthermore, after the iteration of rank k of step β), at least one step γ) of navigating towards a network site having a network address not stored in the first history table, step γ) comprising the following sub-steps:
 γ.1) creation and storage in memory of a second history table of “last in-first out” type, as well as the association of the second history table with “Page forward” and “page back” selectable buttons of the navigation software package; 
 γ.2) controlling the movement of the mobile object in the or one of the three-dimensional spaces of the network site having the network address not stored in the first history table; 
 γ.3) selecting a navigation object by positioning the mobile object in an overlapping manner with respect to the navigation object; 
 γ.6) generating a navigation action as a function of the navigation properties assigned to the navigation object, and inserting:
 as first entry in the second history table, a reference to the first history table; 
 as second entry in the second history table, the network address of the departure three-dimensional space and the position of the navigation object selected in the departure three-dimensional space; 
 as last entry in the first history table, a reference to the second history table.