Claims
- 1. A process, comprising;
generating and displaying a volumetric display; and producing a two-dimensional graphical user interface having three dimensions within the volumetric display.
- 2. A process as recited in claim 1, wherein the producing comprises positioning the user interface on an outside surface of the display.
- 3. A process as recited in claim 1, wherein the producing comprises positioning the interface in a ring.
- 4. A process as recited in claim 1, wherein the producing comprises positioning the user interface in a plane in the display.
- 5. A process as recited in claim 4, wherein the plane is one of a vertical plane, a horizontal floor plane and an arbitrary angle plane.
- 6. A process as recited in claim 1, wherein the producing comprises positioning the interface responsive to a users eye gaze.
- 7. A process as recited in claim 6, wherein the producing comprises positioning the interface responsive to a users focus of attention.
- 8. A process as recited in claim 1, wherein the producing comprises mapping a 2D interface representation into a 3D interface in the display.
- 9. A process as recited in claim 8, wherein the producing comprises mapping a two-dimensional interface representation to voxels in the volumetric display.
- 10. A process as recited in claim 9, wherein the mapping comprises assigning 2D texture of the interface to each voxel.
- 11. A process as recited in claim 10, wherein when the widget has a thickness of more than one voxel the assigning comprises:
determining whether a voxel intersects a 3D interface surface; mapping the 2D texture when an intersection occurs comprising:
mapping the intersecting voxel to a user interface texture map local surface position; sampling texture of the texture map at the local surface position; and assigning the texture of the sample to the voxel.
- 12. A process as recited in claim 9, further comprising mapping control inputs of the volumetric display to controls of the representation.
- 13. A process as recited in claim 1, wherein the producing comprises drawing the interface in three dimensions using three-dimensional drawing primitives.
- 14. A process, comprising:
producing a volumetric display comprising a two-dimensional graphical user interface having three dimensions; and converting the two-dimensional graphical user interface having three dimensions into a two-dimensional representation.
- 15. A process, comprising;
producing a volumetric display; and producing a two-dimensional graphical user interface within the volumetric display and mapping control inputs of the volumetric display to controls of the interface.
- 16. A process, comprising;
producing a volumetric display; and producing a two-dimensional graphical user interface within the volumetric display and positioning the user interface on an outside surface of the display responsive to a users focus of attention, comprising:
mapping a two-dimensional interface representation to voxels in the volumetric display where the widget has a thickness of more than one voxel; assigning 2D texture of the interface to each voxel, assigning comprising:
determining whether a voxel intersects a 3D interface surface; and mapping the 2D texture when an intersection occurs comprising:
mapping the intersecting voxel to a user interface texture map local surface position; sampling texture of the texture map at the local surface position; and assigning the texture of the sample to the voxel; and mapping control inputs of the volumetric display to controls of the representation.
- 17. A process, comprising:
producing a volumetric display; and converting an entire two-dimensional desk top workspace into a three-dimensional plane within the volumetric display.
- 18. An apparatus, comprising:
a volumetric display system for displaying a three-dimensional scene; an input system inputting a three-dimensional control input for a user interface; and a computer system receiving the control input for the user interface, mapping a two-dimensional representation of the interface to voxels within the display system and mapping the three-dimensional control input to the two-dimensional representation.
- 19. An apparatus comprising:
a volumetric display system for displaying a three dimensional scene; a two-dimensional display system having a two-dimensional display positioned as a floor at the scene and comprising a two-dimensional graphical user interface; an input system inputting a control input for the user interface; and a computer system receiving the control input, activating a control of the interface and performing a display function within the volumetric display system.
- 20. A display comprising:
a three-dimensional volume displaying a three dimensional scene; and a two-dimensional display having three dimensions and being displayed within the three dimensional volume.
- 21. A computer readable storage for controlling a computer by a process of generating and displaying a volumetric display and producing a two-dimensional graphical user interface having three dimensions within the volumetric display.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
[0001] This application is related to and claims priority to U.S. provisional application entitled User Interfaces For Volumetric Displays, having serial No. 60/350,952 (S&H Docket 1252.1054P), by Kurtenbach et al, filed Jan. 25, 2002, this application is also related to U.S. application entitled Three Dimensional Volumetric Display Input And Output Configurations, having Ser. No. ______ (S&H Docket 1252.1054), by Kurtenbach et al, filed concurrently herewith, to U.S. application entitled Volume Management System For Volumetric Displays, having Ser. No. ______ (S&H Docket 1252.1065), by Kurtenbach et al, filed herewith, to U.S. application entitled Graphical User Interface Widgets Viewable And Readable From Multiple Viewpoints In A Volumetric Display, having Ser. No. ______ (S&H Docket 1252.1067), by Fitzmaurice et al, filed concurrently herewith, to U.S. application entitled A System For Physical Rotation of Volumetric Display Enclosures To Facilitate Viewing, having Ser. No. ______ (S&H Docket 1252.1068), by Balakrishnan et al, filed concurrently herewith, to U.S. application entitled Techniques For Pointing To Locations Within A Volumetric Display, having Ser. No. ______ (S&H Docket 1252.1069), by Balakrishnan et al, filed concurrently herewith and all of which are incorporated by reference herein.