Navigation system for a 3D virtual scene

摘要

A navigation system for navigating a three-dimensional (3D) scene that includes a model or object with which a user can interact. The system accommodates and helps both novice and advanced users. To do this, the system provides a rewind function where view waypoints are stored as navigation occurs and the user can move the view back to one of the rewind points.

主权项

1. A method, comprising:
determining whether an operation being performed by a three-dimensional (3D) model navigational tool while navigating a 3D scene requires one or more intermediate waypoints, wherein each waypoint comprises a camera view position, a camera orientation, and a thumbnail image of the 3D scene based on the camera view position and the camera orientation; if the operation requires one or more intermediate waypoints, then:
determining that a threshold period of time has elapsed since last adding to a rewind history, andgenerating a new waypoint as an intermediate waypoint by adding state information associated with a current view of the 3D scene to the rewind history and generating a new thumbnail image associated with the current view; and if the operation does not require one or more intermediate waypoints, then:
waiting for an end of the operation, andgenerating a new waypoint that is associated with a view of the 3D scene at the end of the operation.