System and Method for Providing Three-Dimensional Graphical User Interface

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for an improved three-dimensional graphical user interface. In one embodiment, the method generally comprises: receiving an input from an end user and capturing computing output from at least one computer source in response to the received end-user input. The computing output can be presented as two or more objects within a three-dimensional virtual space displayed to the end user. In one embodiment, the method further comprises mapping an interaction with one of the objects to a corresponding function, the function being used to alter the appearance of the object.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for providing a three-dimensional (3D) graphical user interface, comprising:
 receiving a plurality of inputs from a user, said plurality of inputs comprising at least first and second inputs;   capturing a plurality of outputs from a plurality of applications operating on a computer in response to said plurality of inputs, said plurality of applications comprising at least first and second applications, and said plurality of outputs comprising at least first and second outputs;   displaying at least a portion of the plurality of outputs within a 3D space, comprising:
 generating a first image of at least a portion of the first output; 
 generating a second image of at least a portion of the second output; and 
 displaying the first and second images within said 3D space; 
   receiving a third input from said user, said third input being configured to alter said user's perspective of at least said first image in said 3D space; and   allowing said user to interact with said first application, comprising:
 receiving an interaction by said user on said first image; 
 identifying a location of said interaction on said first image; 
 mapping said location of said interaction to a particular function; 
 capturing a third output from said first application, said third output being said first output as modified by said particular function; 
 generating a third image of at least a portion of said third output; and 
 displaying said third image within said 3D space, said third image replacing said first image within said 3D space. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second inputs are requests to open said first and second applications, respectively. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first application is one of a web browser application, a word processor application, a spreadsheet application, and a computer aided design application. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of capturing said plurality of outputs from said plurality of applications further comprises capturing said first output of said first application in a memory device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said step of capturing said plurality of outputs from said plurality of applications further comprises displaying said first output of said first application on a display, said first output being a two-dimensional (2D) output. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said steps of generating said first image and displaying said first image within said 3D space further comprises generating a digital image and displaying said digital image on a display. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said steps of generating said first image and displaying said first image within said 3D space further comprises projecting said first image on one of a space or a surface. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of receiving said third input from said user further comprises allowing said user to interact with at least one navigation icon displayed within said 3D space. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of receiving said third input from said user further comprises allowing said user to interact with said first image within said 3D space. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of altering said user's perspective of at least said first image in said 3D space further comprises at least one of (i) zooming in on said first image, (ii) zooming out from said first image, and (iii) rotating said first image. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first output comprises a first webpage, said third output comprises a second webpage, and said interaction on said first image is with one of (i) a portion of said first image that depicts a back or previous icon, (ii) a portion of said first image that depicts a forward or next icon, and (iii) a portion of said first image associated with a hyperlink to said second webpage. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said interaction on said first image is with a portion of said first image that depicts a command icon, said command icon being one of (i) file, (ii) edit, (iii) view, (iv) insert, (v) format, and (iv) tools. 
     
     
         13 . A system for providing a three-dimensional (3D) graphical user interface, comprising:
 a display device;   an input device for receiving a plurality of inputs from a user, said plurality of inputs comprising at least first and second inputs;   at least one processor module operatively coupled to the display device and the input device; and   at least one memory module operatively coupled to the at least one processor module, the at least one memory module comprising (i) a plurality of applications including at least first and second applications, and (ii) executable code for the at least one processor module to:
 capture a plurality of outputs from said plurality of applications in response to said plurality of inputs, said plurality of outputs comprising at least first and second outputs; 
 using said display device to display at least a portion of the plurality of outputs within a 3D space, comprising:
 generating a first image of at least a portion of the first output; 
 generating a second image of at least a portion of the second output; and 
 displaying the first and second images within said 3D space; 
 
 receiving a third input from said user, said third input being configured to alter said user's perspective of at least said first image in said 3D space; and 
 allow said user to interact with said first application, comprising:
 receiving an interaction by said user toward said first image; 
 identifying a location of said interaction; 
 mapping said location of said interaction to a particular function; 
 capturing a third output from said first application, said third output being said first computing output as modified by said particular function; 
 generating a third image of at least a portion of said third output; and 
 displaying said third image within said 3D space, said third image replacing said first image within said 3D space. 
 
   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein said executable code is further configured to capture said plurality of outputs from said plurality of applications by storing said plurality of outputs in said at least one memory module. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein said executable code is further configured to generate said first image and display said first image within said 3D space by generating a digital first image and displaying said digital first image on a display device. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein said executable code is further configured to display said first image within said 3D space by projecting said first image on one of a space or a surface. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein said executable code is further configured to allow said user to provide said third input by at least one of allowing said user to interact with at least one navigation icon displayed within said 3D space and allowing said user to interact with said first image within said 3D space. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein said executable code is further configured to alter said user's perspective of said first image by at least one of (i) zooming in on said first image, (ii) zooming out from said first image, and (iii) rotating said first image. 
     
     
         19 . A method for providing a three-dimensional (3D) graphical user interface, comprising:
 capturing a plurality of outputs from at least one program running on a computer, said plurality of outputs comprising at least first and second outputs;   displaying at least first and second images within a 3D space, said first image comprising a visual depiction of at least a portion of said first output, and said second image comprising a visual depiction of at least a portion of said second output;   receiving an input from a user for altering said user's perspective of at least said first image within said 3D space; and   allowing said user to interact with said at least one program by:
 receiving an interaction from said user directed toward said first image; 
 identifying a location associated with said interaction; 
 mapping said location to a particular input to said at least one program; 
 capturing a third output from said at least one program, said third output being said first output as modified by said particular input to said at least one program; and 
 displaying said third image within said 3D space by replacing said first image within said 3D space with said third image. 
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said step of displaying said first and second images within said 3D space further comprises one of projecting said first and second images in a space and projecting said first and second images on a surface.