as) United States
`a2) Patent Application Publication co) Pub. No.: US 2003/0179231 Al
`(43) Pub. Date:
`Sep. 25, 2003
`Kamiwadaet al.
`
`US 20030179231A1
`
`(54) METHOD FOR BROWSING VIRTUAL
`THREE-DIMENSIONAL INFORMATION,
`COMPUTER PROGRAM AND STORAGE
`MEDIUM
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors: Toru Kamiwada, Kawasaki (JP);
`Takushi Fujita, Kawasaki (JP); Takuya
`Sakamoto, Kawasaki (JP)
`
`Correspondence Address:
`STAAS & HALSEY LLP
`SUITE 700
`1201 NEW YORK AVENUE, N.W.
`WASHINGTON, DC 20005 (US)
`
`(73) Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED, Kawasaki (JP)
`
`(21) Appl. No.:
`
`10/270,194
`
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`Oct. 15, 2002
`
`(30)
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`
`Mar. 20, 2002
`
`(JP) oe eeeceseeteeeeeeeeeeee 2002-079279
`
`Publication Classification
`
`(SL) Tite C07 ieccceccescssssssssscsscesceeseeseesessesseeerensee G09G 5/00
`
`(S52) US. C0.
`
`ccececcssssssssssssessscessessesseseeeeeee 345/757; 345/850
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A method for browsing virtual three-dimensional informa-
`tion 1s provided in which a display is changed automatically
`while maintaining link relationship among information
`objects displayed in a virtual three-dimensional space. Plural
`information objects related to each other by a link structure
`are located in the virtual three-dimensional space, and some
`of them are displayed on the display screen of a computer.
`The display including the information objects are changed in
`accordance with a field from a viewpoint
`that moves
`responding to user’s operation. A destination list 1s displayed
`on the display screen. The destination list includesa plural-
`ity of icons or character strings related respectively to the
`information objects located on the virtual three-dimensional
`space. When an icon or a character string included in the
`destination list
`is selected as a destination by an input
`device, a control portion searches a destination information
`object that is related to the selected icon or character string
`in accordance with the link structure and changesthe display
`screen so as to alter tracing a link to the state of view where
`the destination information object is displayed.
`
`DISPLAY
`
`DEVICE
`
`
`
`16
`
`DISPLAY PROGESS
`PORTION
`
`INPUT PROCESS
`PORTION
`
`<—
`
`12
`
`13
`
`MAIN
`
`MEMORY
`
`17
`
`COMMUNICATION
`
`PORTION
`
`NETWORK
`
`FS
`
`14
`
`18
`
`CONTROL
`
`PORTION
`
`
`19
`
`OBJECT
`
`INFORMATION
`
`MANAGEMENT
`
`PORTION
`
`INFORMATION
`
`OBJECT
`
`= a ee ee ee eee ee es iee ee es i aee ee
`
`mh cee we eee ee ee
`
`SPACETIME3D
`EXHIBIT 2011 - PAGE 1
`
`PESeea ae ee eee ewer eeeaeee ee ee eee eee es ele le eee ee el eee eee i
`
`15
`
`4
`
`
`DISK
`DRIVE
`
`SPACETIME3D
`EXHIBIT 2011 - PAGE 1
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Sep. 25,2003 Sheet 1 of 9
`
`US 2003/0179231 Al
`
`FIG.1
`
`
`
`DISPLAY
`
`DEVICE
`
`
`
`15
`
`4
`
`PNPN DISK
`DRIVE
`DISPLAY PROCESS
`INPUT PROCESS
`PORTION
`PORTION
`
`4
`
`5
`
`14
`
`12
`
`CONTROL|MAIN
`
`PORTION|MEMORY
`
`
`
`
`18
`
`OBJECT
`INFORMATION
`MANAGEMENT
`
`PORTION
`
`OBJECT
`
`INFORMATION
`
`17
`
`COMMUNICATION
`PORTION
`
`NETWORK
`
`6
`
`=—-
`
`SPACETIME3D
`EXHIBIT 2011 - PAGE 2
`
`SPACETIME3D
`EXHIBIT 2011 - PAGE 2
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Sep. 25,2003 Sheet 2 of 9
`
`US 2003/0179231 Al
`
`FIG.2
`
`24
`
`26
`
`21
`
`22
`
`Th
`S
`CVA
`
`23 |
`
`SPACETIME3D
`EXHIBIT 2011 - PAGE 3
`
`SPACETIME3D
`EXHIBIT 2011 - PAGE 3
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Sep. 25,2003 Sheet 3 of 9
`
`US 2003/0179231 Al
`
`FIG.
`
`29
`
`4
`
`rf a SZKSZ
`
`
`
`22
`
`26
`
`SPACETIME3D
`EXHIBIT 2011 - PAGE 4
`
`SPACETIME3D
`EXHIBIT 2011 - PAGE 4
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Sep. 25,2003 Sheet 4 of 9
`
`US 2003/0179231 Al
`
`FIG.4
`
`24
`
`26
`
`21
`
`{|| r ;
`
`
`LN
`ET
`
`~
`
`SPACETIME3D
`EXHIBIT 2011 - PAGE 5
`
`SPACETIME3D
`EXHIBIT 2011 - PAGE 5
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Sep. 25,2003 Sheet 5 of 9
`
`US 2003/0179231 Al
`
`FIG.5
`
`(a)
`
`(c)
`
`(Cb)
`
`0
`
`21
`
`21
`
`3T
`
`SPACETIME3D
`EXHIBIT 2011 - PAGE 6
`
`SPACETIME3D
`EXHIBIT 2011 - PAGE 6
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Sep. 25,2003 Sheet 6 of 9
`
`US 2003/0179231 Al
`
`FIG.6
`
`#IOT
`
`URL1T «+ URL OF CURRENT
`INFORMATION
`
`OBJECT
`#102
`
`
`
`
`
`PREPARATION OF LINR-~ &S
`
`INFORMATION FROM URL1 IS
`COMPLETED?
`
`#103
`
`
`READ DATA OF URLI SO AS
`TO CONSTRUCT LINK
`INFORMATION
`
`#104
`
`PATH IS EMPTY?
`
`URL2 — HEAD OF PATH
`
`
`
`LINK DESTINATION
`FROM URLI INCLUDES
`
`No
`URL2?
`
`Yes
`PERFORM MOVEMENT
`OF VIEWPOINT
`
`#107
`
`#108
`
`URL1 « URL2
`
`END
`
`SPACETIME3D
`EXHIBIT 2011 - PAGE 7
`
`SPACETIME3D
`EXHIBIT 2011 - PAGE 7
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Sep. 25,2003 Sheet 7 of 9
`
`US 2003/0179231 Al
`
`FIG./
`
`START
`
`#201
`
`
`
`URL1 < URL OF CURRENT
`INFORMATION
`
`OBJECT
`
`
`
`#202
`
`
`
`
`
`Yes
`PREPARATION OF LINK
`INFORMATION FROM URLI IS
`
`COMPLETED?
`
`#203
`
`
`
`READ DATA OF URLI SO AS
`TO CONSTRUCT LINK
`INFORMATION
`
`#204
`
`
`PATH {S EMPTY? Yes
`
`
`No
`
`#209
`
`#208
`
`PERFORM MOVEMENT
`OF VIEWPOINT
`
`URL? — HEAD OF PATH
`
`
`#206
`
`
`LINK DESTINATION
`
`
`
`FROM URLI INCLUDES
`No
`
`#207
`Yes
`
`URL1I + URL2
`
`END
`
`SPACETIME3D
`EXHIBIT 2011 - PAGE 8
`
`SPACETIME3D
`EXHIBIT 2011 - PAGE 8
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Sep. 25,2003 Sheet 8 of 9
`
`US 2003/0179231 Al
`
`FIG.8
`
`492
`
`4]
`
`40
`
`DESTINATION’
`DESTINATION2
`DESTINATION3/¥Yf
`
`DESTINATION4 7
`
`FIG.Y
`
`51
`
`02
`
`DESTINATION4
`
`DESTINATION1
`DESTINATION2
`
`DESTINATIONS
`
`SPACETIME3D
`EXHIBIT 2011 - PAGE 9
`
`SPACETIME3D
`EXHIBIT 2011 - PAGE 9
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Sep. 25,2003 Sheet 9 of 9
`
`US 2003/0179231 Al
`
`FIG.10
`
`62
`
`61
`
`DESTINATION 1
`
`DESTINATION2
`
`FIG.11
`
`71
`
`72
`
`fo PLATE
`
`YY
`
`Tt
`
`BOX
`
`SPHERE
`DOCUMENT 1
`DOCUMENT2
`DOCUMENT3
`
`DOCUMENT4 PYRAMID
`
`SPACETIME3D
`EXHIBIT 2011 - PAGE 10
`
`SPACETIME3D
`EXHIBIT 2011 - PAGE 10
`
`

`

`US 2003/0179231 Al
`
`sep. 25, 2003
`
`METHOD FOR BROWSING VIRTUAL
`THREE-DIMENSIONAL INFORMATION,
`COMPUTER PROGRAM AND STORAGE MEDIUM
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0001]
`
`1. Field of the Invention
`
`invention relates to a method for
`[0002| The present
`browsing virtual three-dimensional information by locating
`a plurality of information objects that are related to each
`other by a link structure in a virtual three-dimensional space,
`displaying some of the information objects on a display
`screen of a computer and changing the display including the
`information objects in accordance with a field from a
`viewpoint that alters responding to user’s operation.
`
`[0003]
`
`2. Description of the Prior Art
`
`|0004) Acomputer having a large capacity storage device
`such as a hard disk drive or a digital versatile disk drive as
`well as a computer connected to a network such as the
`Internet can obtain and utilize an enormous amount of
`information and various types of information. Such infor-
`mation can be utilized usually by displaying the obtained
`information on a display screen of a computer.
`
`In order to use a limited size of display screen
`[0005]
`efficiently and to display information with good viewability
`for users, a graphical user interface (GUI) utilizing a multi-
`window system such as Microsoft Windows(a registered
`trade mark) is used widely. In the GUI utilizing the multi-
`window system, plural pieces of information are displayed
`in plural display windows, which are overlaid on a two-
`dimensional display screen, so that many pieces of infor-
`mation can be displayed on one display screen.
`
`In the GUI utilizing the multi-window system,
`[0006]
`links to other information can be embedded in information
`displayed in a window. For example, a hypertext markup
`language (HTML) is used for describing the links. When the
`user selects a link using a pointing device such as a mouse,
`information of the link destination is displayed. Programs
`(such as Microsoft Internet Explorer) are widely used for
`browsing such plural pieces of information related to each
`other by a link structure one after another by a simple
`operation.
`
`In general, when a link is selected by the pointing
`[0007|
`device, display contents in the display window about infor-
`mation of the link origin are changed instantly so as to
`display information of the link destination. Alternatively,
`another window is created for displaying information of the
`link destination, and the created window becomesan active
`window displayed on the front of the window displaying the
`original information.
`
`[0008] The operation of tracing the link so as to change
`display information one after another has usually no means
`for directly displaying a history of the selected links. There-
`fore, it is difficult to grasp the relationship between infor-
`mation of the link origin and information of the link desti-
`nation in the method where contents of display changes one
`after another in one window.
`
`In contrast, concerning the method where informa-
`[0009]
`tion of the link destination is displayed in a new window
`every time when a link destination is selected, windowsof
`information on the path from the link origin to the link
`
`destination are remained on the display screen. Therefore,
`the user can see information on the path by switching an
`active window, so as to understand easily the relationship
`between the information of the link origin and the informa-
`tion of the link destination. However, if the numberof links
`on the path increases, the number of windows remaining on
`the display screen increases so that many windows may
`overlap, resulting in difficulty in grabbing the relationship
`among, the windows.
`
`In order to solve the complicated display screen of
`[0010]
`many pieces of information (or windows), an information
`browsing method can be utilized in which information is
`displayed in a virtual three-dimensional space on a display
`screen of a computer (see Japanese unexamined patent
`publication No. 9-73553, for example). In this information
`browsing method, various types of information are located
`as information objects in a virtual three-dimensional space,
`and the information from a viewpoint that is set within the
`virtual three-dimensional space is changed responding to
`user’s operation so that
`the display of the information
`objects is changed.
`
`[0011] The display in the virtual three-dimensional space
`enables more abundant display methods such that relation-
`ship among plural pieces of information can be shown by
`positions and sizes of the information objects. For example,
`when displaying information of the link origin, a small
`information object of the link destination is placed at the
`position where the link exists. In this case, by operating to
`trace the link so that a viewpoint approachesthe position of
`the information object of the link destination, a user can
`observe the trace of the link like an animation. If the links
`are traced one after another by this method, since the link
`information remains as relative positions in the virtual
`three-dimensional space, the relationship of the links can be
`erabbed more easily than the case where windows are
`switched one after another.
`
`there is a problem as follows in the
`[0012] However,
`information browsing method utilizing the virtual
`three-
`dimensional space as explained above. It 1s supposed that
`while browsing certain information it becomes necessary to
`display another information object having relatively little
`relevance to the information that is currently displayed. This
`operation can be easily performed in the above-mentioned
`two methods utilizing the normal two-dimensional display
`window (or windows). Namely, whenthe display of another
`information object is instructed, the contents of the display
`window are switched to that of the designated information,
`or a new window is displayed for the designated informa-
`tion.
`
`[0013] However, since the information browsing method
`utilizing the virtual three-dimensional space is based on
`tracing the link relationship by moving a viewpoint, it is
`difficult
`to switch the display abruptly like the normal
`two-dimensional display window.If the display contents of
`the window are switched abruptly to the display of the
`designated information, the advantage of the information
`browsing method utilizing the virtual
`three-dimensional
`space, 1.e., easiness in grabbing link relationship by posi-
`tions may be lost.
`
`[0014] Otherwise, if a new information object appears in
`the virtual three-dimensional space abruptly instead of dis-
`playing a new window, new relationship is required to be
`
`SPACETIME3D
`EXHIBIT 2011 - PAGE 11
`
`SPACETIME3D
`EXHIBIT 2011 - PAGE 11
`
`

`

`US 2003/0179231 Al
`
`sep. 25, 2003
`
`generated regardless of the relationship with other informa-
`tion objects, which may cause confusion in grabbing the link
`relationship with high probability. Especially,
`if such a
`display change is repeated, information objects having little
`relevance may gatherin the virtual three-dimensional space,
`which causes more difficulty in grabbing the relationship
`among, plural pieces of information.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0015] An object of the present invention is to provide a
`method for browsing, virtual three-dimensional information,
`in which even if display of information having little rel-
`evance to the current information is instructed, the display
`can be changed sequentially without deteriorating easiness
`in grabbing link relationship among information objects
`shown in the virtual three-dimensional space.
`
`[0016] A virtual three-dimensional information browsing
`method according to the present invention comprises the
`steps of locating a plurality of information objects that are
`related to each other by a link structure in a virtual three-
`dimensional space, displaying some of the information
`objects on a display screen of a computer, changing the
`display including the information objects in accordance with
`a field from a viewpoint that moves responding to user’s
`operation, and displaying a destination list on the display
`screen, the destination list including a plurality of icons or
`character strings related respectively to the information
`objects located on the virtual
`three-dimensional space.
`When an icon or a character string included in the destina-
`tion list is selected as a destination by an input device, a
`control portion searches a destination information object that
`is related to the selected icon or character string in accor-
`dance with the link structure and changes the display screen
`so as to alter tracing a link to the state of view where the
`destination information object is displayed.
`
`[0017] According to this method, the viewpoint can be
`moved automatically to an information object having little
`relevance while maintaining relative positions (i.e.,
`link
`relationship) among the information objects located in the
`virtual
`three-dimensional space. Therefore,
`the user can
`browse various kinds of information easily with grabbing
`information relationship. Since the relationship among the
`information objects can be visualized in the virtual three-
`dimensional space that is displayed by the automatic move-
`ment of the viewpoint, a complicated information structure
`can be grabbed without difficulty.
`
`Ina preferred embodiment, each of the plural icons
`[0018]
`or character strings is related to an identifier indicating the
`destination information object and the identifiers of the
`plural information objects on the path to the destination
`information object in accordance with the link structure. As
`the identifier of the information object, a URL (Uniform
`Resource Locator) is used usually. The path tracing a link
`from an information object
`to a destination information
`object is not always a single path but there are usually plural
`paths. In this case, it is preferable to specify the path to be
`traced to the destination information by designating plural
`URLs.
`
`In addition, it is preferable to display the character
`[0019]
`string or the icon as an anchorin relationship with a URL of
`the destination of this automatic movement and URLsthat
`form the path to the destination, and to start the automatic
`
`movement responding to user’s operation for selecting the
`anchor. Thus, complicated automatic movement can be
`realized by a simple operation.
`
`In the above-mentioned search process, it is pref-
`[0020]
`erable that if the link information of the information object
`on the path is not read yet, the link information is read newly
`before continuing the destination search. Thus, a type of
`preread of the path information enables smooth search of the
`destination information object.
`
`[0021] A computer program according to the present
`invention for realizing the above-mentioned virtual three-
`dimensional information browsing method makes a com-
`puter perform the process that comprises the steps of locat-
`ing a plurality of information objects that are related to each
`other by a link structure in a virtual three-dimensional space,
`displaying some of the information objects on a display
`screen of a computer, changing the display including the
`information objects in accordance with a field from a
`viewpoint that alters responding to user’s operation, display-
`ing a destination list on the display screen, the destination
`list including a plurality of icons or character strings related
`respectively to the information objects located on the virtual
`three-dimensional space, searching a destination informa-
`tion object that is related to the selected icon or character
`string in accordance with the link structure when an icon or
`a character string included in the destination list is selected
`as a destination by an input device, and changingthe display
`screen to alter with tracing a link to the state of view where
`the destination information object is displayed.
`
`[0022] Such a computer program can be stored in a
`computer readable storage medium such as a CD-ROM for
`supply and installed from the storage medium into a com-
`puter to be executed.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`[0023] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of
`a computer system for realizing a method for browsing
`virtual
`three-dimensional
`information according to the
`present invention.
`
`[0024] FIG. 2 shows an example of information objects in
`the virtual three-dimensional space displayed on a display
`screen of a display device.
`
`[0025] FIG. 3 showsa link relationship among the infor-
`mation objects shown in FIG.2.
`
`[0026] FIG. 4 shows an example of change in display
`when the viewpoint approaches from the display screen
`shown in FIG. 2 to the sphere information object.
`
`[0027| FIG. 5 shows an example of change in display
`when the viewpoint further approaches from the display
`screen shown in (c) of FIG. 4 to one information object on
`the sphere information object.
`
`[0028] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a first example showing a
`general process of the URL search.
`
`[0029] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a second example showing
`a general process of the URL search.
`
`[0030] FIG. 8 showsa first example of a display form of
`the destination list.
`
`SPACETIME3D
`EXHIBIT 2011 - PAGE 12
`
`SPACETIME3D
`EXHIBIT 2011 - PAGE 12
`
`

`

`US 2003/0179231 Al
`
`sep. 25, 2003
`
`[0031] FIG. 9 shows asecond example of the display form
`of the destination list.
`
`[0032] FIG. 10 showsa third example of the display form
`of the destination list.
`
`[0033] FIG. 11 shows an example in which the destination
`list is displayed in a hierarchy manner indicating the link
`structure among the information objects.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENTS
`
`[0034] Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained
`more in detail with reference to embodiments and drawings.
`
`[0035] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of
`a computer system for realizing a method for browsing
`virtual
`three-dimensional
`information according to the
`present invention. The virtual three-dimensional information
`browsing method of the present invention can be embodied
`by installing a special-purpose program (that can be a part of
`a system program) into a computer system suchas a personal
`computer or a workstation. This program for browsing
`virtual three-dimensional information can be supplied with
`being stored in a storage medium 5 such as a CD-ROM (<e.,
`an optical disk) and is installed in an auxiliary storage device
`(such as a hard disk drive) 13 of a computer 1 using a disk
`drive 4.
`
`[0036| The program installed in the auxiliary storage
`device 13 is loaded into a main memory 12 and executed by
`a control portion (CPU) 14. The computer 1 includesthe
`main memory 12, the auxiliary storage device 13, the control
`portion 14, an input processportion 15 and a display process
`portion 16. The input process portion 15 1s connected to an
`input device 2 such as a keyboard and a mouse, while the
`display process portion 16 is connected to a display device
`3 such as a cathode ray tube (a CRT) or a liquid crystal
`display (an LCD).
`
`[0037] Furthermore, a communication portion 17 for mak-
`ing connection with a network 6 such as the Internet and an
`object information management portion 18 for managing
`object information 19 is connected to the control portion 14.
`Objects that were read from the outside via the communi-
`cation portion 17 are transferred to the object information
`management portion 18, which processes them to be the
`object information 19 to be managed. The object informa-
`tion management portion 18 can be constituted as a part of
`the control portion 14. In addition, the object information 19
`can be-included in data that are stored in the auxiliary
`storage device 13. In the system of this embodiment, an
`example will be explained in which information on the
`network 6 is browsed.
`
`In FIG. 1, information from the input device 2 is
`[0038]
`transferred to the control portion 14 via the input process
`portion 15. The control portion 14 manages information of
`the virtual three-dimensional space such as a current view-
`point location and performs processes such as moving the
`viewpoint responding to information from the input process
`portion 15. In addition, the control portion 14 obtains the
`object information 19 via the object information manage-
`ment portion 18 and generates display data such as positions
`and sizes of information objects to be displayed from
`information of field from the current viewpoint. The display
`data are transferred to the display process portion 16.
`
`[0039| The display process portion 16 displays informa-
`tion in the display device 3 in accordance with the display
`data from the control portion 14. In this program, various
`forms of the information object such as text data, an image
`or a three-dimensional shape object can be displayed, and
`each information object can have link information to other
`information objects. The user uses the input device 2 to
`conduct operation of moving the viewpoint in the virtual
`three-dimensional space so as to browse various information
`objects that are connected by the link.
`[0040] FIG. 2 shows an example of information objects in
`the virtual three-dimensional space displayed on a display
`screen 21 of the display device 3. In this example, a large
`plate 22 is one information object, which has links to four
`information objects, 1.e., a small plate 23, a box 24, a sphere
`25 and a pyramid 26.
`[0041] FIG. 3 showsa link relationship among the infor-
`mation objects shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 3, arrow lines
`indicate link relationship among the information objects.It
`is understood from FIG.3 that the information object of the
`sphere 25 has links to four information objects (documents)
`31-34, and that these information objects 31-34 are placed
`on the surface of the sphere information object 25, though
`they don’t appear in the display shown in FIG.2.
`[0042] FIG. 4 shows an example of change in display
`when the viewpoint approaches from the display screen 21
`shown in FIG.2 to the sphere information object 25. When
`the user conducts operation of the input device 2 such as a
`mouse on the display screen 21 shown in FIG. 2 so as to
`approach the sphere information object 25,
`the display
`screen alters as shown in (a) through (c) of FIG. 4. Namely,
`the sphere information object 25 is enlarged (zoomed in),
`and the four information objects 31-34 located on the
`surface of the sphere become visible gradually. This pro-
`eram is mainly applied to such a method for browsing virtual
`three-dimensional information in which various types of
`information can be browsed by operation of moving the
`viewpoint. A process for reading information to be displayed
`from the network is controlled in accordance with the
`relationship to the viewpoint location.
`[0043]
`In the viewpoint location of (a) shown in FIG.4,
`information about the large plate information object 22 is
`read from the network 6 via the communication portion 17
`first and transferred to the object information management
`portion 18. The object information management portion 18
`analyzes the received information and obtains data to be
`displayed in the virtual three-dimensional space or the link
`information to other information objects, which are man-
`aged as object information. After analyzing the link infor-
`mation, the link destination information of the information
`objects 23-26, which were found to be at locations to be
`displayed on the display screen 21 in relationship with the
`viewpoint location, are obtained in the same way and are
`stored as the object information 19.
`[0044] When approaching the sphere information object
`25 until
`the display shown in (b) of FIG. 4,
`the four
`information objects 31-34 that are included in the link
`information of the sphere information object 25 cometo the
`positions to be displayed. Therefore,
`these information
`objects are obtained and displayed,too. In the display shown
`in (c) of FIG. 4, the four information objects 31-34 are
`further enlarged (zoomed in), so that contents of their text
`are displayed.
`
`SPACETIME3D
`EXHIBIT 2011 - PAGE 13
`
`SPACETIME3D
`EXHIBIT 2011 - PAGE 13
`
`

`

`US 2003/0179231 Al
`
`sep. 25, 2003
`
`[0045| FIG. 5 shows an example of change in display
`when the viewpoint further approaches from the display
`screen 21 shownin (c) of FIG. 4 to one information object
`on the sphere information object 25. In this example, the
`viewpoint approaches the information object 31 on the
`sphere information object 25 as shown in (a) through (c) of
`FIG.5. In this way, responding to movement of the view-
`point approaching each information object gradually, infor-
`mation is read from the network sequentially so that infor-
`mation necessary for screen display is constructed at any
`time.
`
`[0046] The above explanation is for the example of change
`in display when user conducts operation approaching
`(zooming in) a specific information object using a pointing
`device (the input device 2) such as a mouse. The program of
`this embodiment further includes the steps in which when
`the user designates a destination as being explainedlater, the
`control portion 14 performs automatically the above-men-
`tioned change of the display screen.
`
`|0047| As an example, the user designates the URL of the
`destination information object. When the URL 1s designated,
`the control portion 14 searches the information objectthat is
`identical to the designated URL in such a wayasto trace the
`link from the current information object. Then, the control
`portion 14 moves the viewpoint automatically until
`the
`position where the information object is displayed on the
`screen. For example, when the URL indicating one of the
`information objects 31 linked from the sphere information
`object 25 is designated in the state of display screen shown
`in FIG. 2 (or in (a) of FIG. 4), the changes of the display
`screen shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 are performed automatically
`without zooming-in operation by the user with a mouse or
`other devices. As a result, the viewpoint moves automati-
`cally to the position shown in (c) of FIG.5.
`
`[0048] The search of the destination information objectis
`performed by tracing the link relationship as shown in FIG.
`3 to check match of the URLs from thestart point that 1s an
`information object displayed in the center of the display
`screen when the automatic movement is instructed. For
`example, in the display screen shown in FIG. 2, the large
`plate information object 22 is a start point for performing the
`search. First, concerning the information objects 23-26
`including the box and the sphere linked to the large plate
`information object 22, it is checked whether each of them
`matches the URL designated as the destination or not.
`
`Ifthe matching URL is not found, the similar check
`(0049|
`of the URL 1s performedfor information objects linked from
`the information objects 23-26. In this example, the URL of
`the information object 31 linked from the sphere information
`object 25 is identical to the URL designated as the destina-
`tion, so this is regarded as the information object of the
`destination in the automatic movement.
`
`if the
`In the above-mentioned search process,
`[0050]
`sphere information object 25 is not read from the network 6
`yet, the URL of the information object that 1s linked from the
`sphere information object 25 cannot be known. In this case,
`since the information object having the URL of the desti-
`nation cannot be found, the search ends 1n failure. Accord-
`ingly,
`the automatic movement of the viewpoint
`to the
`destination also ends in failure. Therefore,
`in the virtual
`three-dimensional
`information browsing method of this
`embodiment, not only the URL of the information object of
`
`the final destination but also one or more URLs on the path
`to the URL are designated as a destination of the automatic
`movement so that
`the above-mentioned failure can be
`avoided.
`
`in order to perform the automatic
`[0051] For example,
`movement of the viewpoint shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the
`URL of the information object 31 to be the destination as
`well as the URL of the sphere information object 25 on the
`movement path is designated before performing the auto-
`matic movement. First,
`information object matching the
`URL designated as the information object on the path is
`searched, and then the sphere information object 25 linked
`from the large plate information object 22 1s found. Then,
`the destination is searched by checking the links from the
`sphere information object 25. If the information about the
`sphere information object 25 is not read from the network6,
`a forced reading process 1s performed before the search so
`that the link information is prepared. When the preparation
`of the link information is completed, the search from the
`sphere information object 25 as a start point is performed so
`as to find the information object matching the destination
`URL, and the search will succeed.
`
`[0052| FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a first example showing a
`general process of the URL search explained above. In Step
`#101, the URL of the information object that is a current
`object of browse is assigned to URLI. In Step #102, it is
`checked whether preparation of the link information from
`the URLI is completed or not. If the preparation 1s com-
`pleted, the process jumps to Step #1085.
`
`If the preparation of the link information from the
`[0053]
`URL1is not completed, the data of the URLI are read from
`the network 6 in Step #103 so that the link information is
`constructed.
`In the following Step #104,
`it
`is checked
`whether the path is empty or not. If the path is empty, the
`process1s finished since it means reachingthe destination.If
`the path is not empty, the process goes to Step #105.
`
`In Step #105, the head of the path is assigned to
`[0054]
`URL2. In Step #106, it is checked whether the link desti-
`nation from the URLI1 includes the URL2 or not. If it
`includes URL2, the movementof the viewpoint to the URL2
`is performed in Step #107, and then the URL2 is reassigned
`as a new URLI in Step #108. After that,
`the process is
`repeated from Step #102. If the URL2 1s not included, it
`means that the search ends in failure, and the process is
`finished.
`
`In this example of process, the search of the link
`[0055|
`destination information object and the movement of the
`viewpoint
`to the found information object are repeated
`alternately. Namely, every time when one information object
`is found, the movementof the viewpoint to the information
`object is performed (Step #107). Therefore, if the search
`ends in failure on the way to the destination, the viewpoint
`is moved to the information object just before the failure.
`[0056]
`FIG.7 is a flowchart of a second example showing
`a general process of the URL search. In this example, in
`contrast to the example shown in FIG.6, the URL search to
`the destination is performed first (Steps #201-#207), and
`then the movement of the viewpoint is performed in the
`mass (Step #208). Also in this case, the change of the display
`screen is similar to the example shown in FIG. 6. Namely,
`the display screen changes so that the viewpoint moves
`sequentially tracing the path (the link).
`
`SPACETIME3D
`EXHIBIT 2011 - PAGE 14
`
`SPACETIME3D
`EXHIBIT 2011 - PAGE 14
`
`

`

`US 2003/0179231 Al
`
`sep. 25, 2003
`
`[0057| Furthermore, in this example, in contrast to the
`example shown in FIG.6, if the search endsin failure on the
`way to the destination, the movementof the viewpoint(e.,
`the change of the display screen) is not performed (No in
`Step #206)