Virtual reality system and method

Abstract

A method comprises displaying in virtual reality a computer-generated scene; obtaining a movement command from a real-world physical movement of a user, the movement command corresponding to a movement of a virtual body; and adjusting the movement of the virtual body in dependence on an effect of gravity in the computer-generated scene and/or in dependence on the presence of at least one object within the computer-generated scene that inhibits the movement of the virtual body, wherein the adjusting of the movement is such that the adjusted movement of the virtual body does not correspond with the real-world physical movement of the user.

1 . A method comprising:
 displaying in virtual reality a computer-generated scene representative of a surface of interest and at least one further surface;   receiving from a user an annotation input comprising a first part and a second part, wherein at least the second part extends beyond the surface of interest; and   drawing the annotation in the computer-generated scene such that the first part is drawn on the surface of interest and the second part are drawn on an imaginary surface defined relative to the surface of interest,   wherein the virtual annotation is provided by the user using a virtual annotation tool and wherein the virtual annotation tool is configured to project a virtual substance from a first viewing position and wherein the method further comprises:   selecting the surface of interest by projecting the virtual substance onto said surface of interest.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the virtual annotation tool comprises at least one of a virtual laser pointer, a virtual pencil, a virtual pen, a virtual spray can. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising determining a transition between the first part and the second part of the annotation, wherein the transition between the first part and the second part comprises a location at which the virtual substance ceases to be projected onto the surface of interest and starts to be projected onto a or the further surface. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein the determining of the transition comprises determining the transition in dependence on a distance between the surface of interest and the further surface. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein defining of the imaginary surface comprises defining the imaginary surface relative to a normal of the surface of interest. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the imaginary surface comprises an imaginary plane aligned with the surface of interest. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the imaginary surface is invisible in the computer-generated scene. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the displaying of the computer-generated scene comprises displaying the computer-generated scene as if viewed from the or a first viewing position, the method further comprising displaying the computer-generated scene and the drawn annotation from a second viewing position maintaining a position of the drawn annotation in the computer-generated scene, such that an appearance of the drawn annotation from the first viewing position is different from an appearance of the drawn annotation from the second viewing position. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the displaying of the computer-generated scene comprises displaying the computer-generated scene as if viewed from the or a first viewing position, the method further comprising displaying the computer-generated scene and the drawn annotation from a second viewing position wherein a position of the drawn annotation in three-dimensional space moves between the first viewing position and second viewing position, so as to maintain a constant appearance of the drawn annotation when viewed from the first viewing position and from the second viewing position. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the or a structure represented in the computer-generated scene comprises at least one of an architectural structure, a building, a house, an apartment building, a residential building, a commercial building, an office building. 
     
     
         11 . A computer program product comprising computer readable instructions that are executable by a processor to perform a method according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus comprising at least one display screen, at least one user input device, and at least one processor configured to:
 display in virtual reality on the at least one display screen a computer-generated scene representative of a surface of interest and at least one further surface;   receive from a user via the at least one user input device an annotation input comprising a first part and a second part, wherein at least the second part extends beyond the surface of interest; and   draw the annotation in the computer-generated scene such that the first part is drawn on the surface of interest and the second part are drawn on an imaginary surface defined relative to the surface of interest,   wherein the virtual annotation is provided by the user using a virtual annotation tool and wherein the virtual annotation tool is configured to project a virtual substance from a first viewing position and wherein the method further comprises:   selecting the surface of interest by projecting the virtual substance onto said surface of interest.