Nec Corporation

Kazuo Kunieda

Masaki Hara

Shengjin Wang

An information visualization system allows carrying out a three-dimensional walk through and hyperlink operation with little processing and allows automatically incorporating modifications into the image. A partial image generating device that forms the information visualization system generates a walk through image from three-dimensional space shape information and walk through path information, and converts same into a plurality of partial images that are partitioned at branching points. A branching information generating device generates branching information for the partial images. A hyperlink information generating device generates hyperlink information based on the visualized object information in the three-dimensional space. A partial image selection device sends a partial image switching instruction in order to switch partial images depending on the path selection of the user. A partial image link play device sends a partial image selection instruction depending on the partial image switching instruction, and at the same time smoothly links and plays the switched partial images.

Information visualization system

In an in-space viewpoint control device, a viewpoint control means comprises a recommend vector setting means, a viewpoint information determination means, a viewing point order calculation means, a viewpoint pass generating means, and a relevant information visualization control means. The recommend vector setting means sets recommend vectors for the object which reflects the intentions of the content designer. The viewpoint information determination means is determines a viewing direction and a viewpoint position in the space for viewing the object on the basis of the recommend vector information. The viewing point order calculation means is responsive when a plurality of recommend vectors are being set, as it determines a rotation order for each viewing point being determined in accordance with the recommend vector. The viewpoint pass generating means calculates an appropriate shifting pass for the viewing point following the calculated rotation order, such that the viewing point is shifted smoothly. The relevant information visualization control means is responsive to the user's decision of having relevant information displayed along with the object, as it controls their disposition, the place and direction of the viewing point such that they do not interfere with each other.

In-space viewpoint control device for use in information visualization system

To provide an information visualizing system for presenting information of items to a user flexibly and automatically according to user's manipulation to control a virtual space, the information visualizing includes a target object indicator (22) for designating certain of visual object displayed in the virtual space as target objects whereof positional relation to a target indication object displayed in the virtual space satisfies a certain condition; a related-information generator (23 and 24) for generating related-information to be displayed in connection to the target objects according to relational condition designated by the user by processing information concerning the target objects; a target object revisor (26) for controlling the target object indicator to update the target objects automatically at appropriate intervals according to the situation of the virtual space; and a related-information (27) revisor for controlling the related-information generator (23 and 24) to update the related-information automatically at appropriate intervals according to the situation of the virtual space.

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Tokyo, Japan

Kazuo Kunieda