Three-dimensional digital modeling with two-dimensional canvas

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10599284-B2
Application number	US-201715713431-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2017
Priority date	May 1, 2017
Publication date	Mar 24, 2020
Grant date	Mar 24, 2020

Abstract

A three-dimensional model can be presented in a two-dimensional digital canvas on a computer display. User input directed at the three-dimensional model in the two-dimensional canvas can be received. The three-dimensional model can be manipulated in response to the user input. A two-dimensional view of the three-dimensional model can be displayed. Corresponding data structures for the model, the canvas, and the two-dimensional objects in the data structure can be maintained and updated. One or more additional techniques can also be utilized in a computer system, such as continuous user-controlled model rotation in a two-dimensional canvas; viewport autofit and non-autofit modes; rotating the model around a camera look-at point; ghosting outside the viewport; normalizing modeling units and values; preset buttons with on-button previews; user-defined view presets; and/or two-dimensional image substitution.

First claim

We claim:

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
maintaining a two-dimensional digital canvas data structure in a computer system, with the canvas data structure representing a two-dimensional digital canvas;
maintaining one or more data structures representing one or more two-dimensional objects in the two-dimensional canvas;
maintaining a three-dimensional model data structure representing a three-dimensional model located in the two-dimensional canvas, with the maintaining of the three-dimensional model data structure comprising converting physical length values for the three-dimensional model from physical length units in the three-dimensional model to normalized values in normalized units;
presenting the three-dimensional model in the two-dimensional canvas on a computer display, with the presenting of the three-dimensional model using the normalized values;
receiving first user input directed at the three-dimensional model in the two-dimensional canvas;
a first act of manipulating the three-dimensional model in response to the first user input;
updating the three-dimensional model data structure to represent the first act of manipulating in response to the first user input;
updating the canvas data structure to represent the first act of manipulating in response to the first user input;
presenting a normalized value on the computer display, with the presented normalized value being one of the normalized values;
receiving second user input directed at the three-dimensional model, with the second user input indicating a change to the presented normalized value;
a second act of manipulating the three-dimensional model in response to the second user input, with the second act of manipulating comprising changing the normalized value in response to the second user input;
revising the three-dimensional model according to the changed normalized value in response to the second user input;
updating the three-dimensional model data structure to represent the second act of manipulating in response to the second user input;
displaying a two-dimensional view of the three-dimensional model in the two-dimensional canvas after the second act of manipulating of the three-dimensional model in response to the second user input; and
updating the canvas data structure to represent the second act of manipulating in response to the second user input.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises displaying a two-dimensional view of the three-dimensional model in the two-dimensional canvas during the manipulating of the three-dimensional model, with the displaying of the two-dimensional view comprising generating and displaying a non-ghosted view of a three-dimensional model portion whose view is located within a viewport in the canvas, and generating and displaying a ghosted view of a three-dimensional model portion whose view is located outside the viewport in the canvas, with a texture of the ghosted view being different from a texture of the non-ghosted view, with the displaying of the two-dimensional view comprising updating three-dimensional model ghosting, and with the updating of the three-dimensional model ghosting comprising transitioning portions of the two-dimensional view of the three-dimensional model between being part of the ghosted view and being part of the non-ghosted view as the transitioned portions move across a boundary of the viewport.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the texture of the ghosted view omits one or more visual features of the non-ghosted view.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the one or more visual features comprise opacity, with the generating of the ghosted view comprising generating semi-transparent objects in place of opaque objects.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the one or more visual features comprise line portions, with the generating of the ghosted view comprising generating dashed lines in place of solid lines.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising displaying a two-dimensional view of the three-dimensional model in the two-dimensional canvas after the first act of manipulating of the three-dimensional model, with the displaying after the first act of manipulating omitting from the display the portion of the three-dimensional model whose view is located outside the viewport in the canvas.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein:
the method further comprises presenting a gallery of preset buttons on the computer display, with each of the preset buttons indicating a set of display settings for the three-dimensional model, and with the presented preset buttons each including a preview of the three-dimensional model displayed with the display settings for the corresponding preset button;
wherein the method further comprises receiving third user input directed at the three-dimensional model in the two-dimensional canvas, with the third user input comprising a selection of a preset button in the gallery of preset buttons;
wherein the method further comprises a third act of manipulating the three-dimensional model in response to the third user input, with the third act of manipulating comprising applying a corresponding set of selected display settings for the preset button selected by the third user input;
the acts further comprise updating the three-dimensional model data structure to represent the third act of manipulating in response to the third user input;
the method further comprises displaying a two-dimensional view of the three-dimensional model in the two-dimensional canvas after the third act of manipulating of the three-dimensional model in response to the third user input; and
the method further comprises updating the canvas data structure to represent the third act of manipulating in response to the third user input.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises:
receiving user input hovering a user input indicator over one of the preset buttons; and
in response to receiving the hovering user input, displaying in the two-dimensional canvas a preview of the three-dimensional model displayed with the display settings for the preset button over which the hovering user input occurred.

9. A computer system comprising:
at least one processor; and
memory comprising instructions stored thereon that when executed by at least one processor cause at least one processor to perform acts comprising:
maintaining a two-dimensional digital canvas data structure in a computer system, with the canvas data structure representing a two-dimensional digital canvas;
maintaining one or more data structures representing one or more two-dimensional objects in the two-dimensional canvas;
maintaining a three-dimensional model data structure representing a three-dimensional model located in the two-dimensional canvas, with the maintaining of the three-dimensional model data structure comprising converting physical length values for the three-dimensional model from physical length units in the three-dimensional model to normalized values in normalized units;
presenting the three-dimensional model in the two-dimensional canvas on a computer display, with the presenting of the three-dimensional model using the normalized values;
receiving first user input directed at the three-dimensional model in the two-dimensional canvas;
a first act of manipulating the three-dimensional model in response to the first user input;
updating the three-dimensional model data structure to represent the first act of manipulating in response to the first user input;
updating the canvas data structure to represent the first act

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Le Doux Adam Ross
• Gueniot Alexandre
• Ahuja Bharat Kumar
• Li Jie
• Krissi Jordan
• Kernek Matthew William
• Fuller Michael Alexander
• Onder Onur
• Tridandapani Ramya
• Gervais Constance Worsfold
• Brown Garrett William
• Gilmore Michael Jay
• Adams Tyler Robert
• Mignone Thomas R
• Horn Stephanie Lorraine
• Gao Eric Minghai
• Alekson Heather Joanne
• Welman Chris
• Nhan Thomas

Classifications

• G06T2200/24

  involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs] · CPC title

• G06T11/60

  Creating or editing images; Combining images with text · CPC title

• G06T2219/028

  Multiple view windows (top-side-front-sagittal-orthogonal) · CPC title

• G06T2210/62

  Semi-transparency · CPC title

• G06T2219/2024

  Style variation · CPC title