| 摘要 |
<p>A referencing system and method for determining relative distances and locations of three-dimensional objects displayed on a computer generated display, to enable the objects to be connected or otherwise manipulated relative to one another. The system includes one or more nodes, which upon activation emits radial vectors in any direction in three-dimensional space from a reference point on the node. The vectors project referencing shapes onto the objects, thereby indicating the relative distances and locations of the objects. In one embodiment of the referencing system of the present invention, a referencing shape becomes smaller as the activated node approaches the object onto which the referencing shape is projected. A perceptive volume surrounds the referencing point of each node, as well as each object or group of objects containing more than one node, such that selecting (for example, with a cursor or computer mouse) an object or group of connected objects outside or within its perceptive volume enables the object or group to be moved with or without rotating the object or group, respectively. Two or more objects can be connected by selecting (for example, with a cursor or computer mouse) a first object or group of connected objects, and dragging the first object or group toward a second object or group of connected objects until the first and second objects or groups of connected objects are within their perceptive volumes, thereby enabling the first and second objects or groups of connected objects to connect at a node situated on the first or second object or group of connected objects.</p> |
