Dynamically modifying visual rendering of a visual element comprising a visual contouring associated therewith

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10607407-B2
Application number	US-201815941951-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2018
Priority date	Mar 30, 2018
Publication date	Mar 31, 2020
Grant date	Mar 31, 2020

Abstract

Method and system for dynamically modifying, in an interactive computer simulation station, visual rendering of a visual element in a computer generated environment from an interactive computer simulation. Pre-defined visual characteristics comprise a visual contouring associated with the visual element. The method comprises receiving, via a tangible instrument module, one or more commands for controlling a simulated vehicle. The method also comprises dynamically affecting the visual contouring of the visual element considering at least one of a distance factor between the simulated vehicle and the visual element in the computer generated environment and a relative contrast between the pre-defined visual characteristics of the visual element and underlying computer generated environment elements. The distance factor and the relative contrast are determined in real-time during execution of the interactive computer simulation prior to rendering the visual element for display.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for dynamically modifying, in an interactive computer simulation station, a visual rendering of a visual element in a computer-generated environment from an interactive computer simulation, wherein pre-defined visual characteristics comprising a visual contouring are associated with the visual element, the method comprising:
receiving, via a tangible instrument module, one or more commands from a trainee of the interactive computer simulation station for controlling, in the computer-generated environment, a simulated vehicle of the interactive computer simulation; and
at the interactive computer simulation station and during execution of the interactive computer simulation, dynamically affecting the visual contouring of the visual element considering at least one of:
a distance factor between the simulated vehicle and the visual element in the computer-generated environment; and
a relative contrast between the pre-defined visual characteristics of the visual element and underlying computer-generated environment elements;

wherein the distance factor and the relative contrast are determined in real-time during execution of the interactive computer simulation prior to rendering the visual element for display.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein dynamically affecting the visual contouring of the visual element is performed considering both the distance factor and the relative contrast.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein dynamically affecting the visual contouring of the visual element is performed for the visual element when the visual element enters a minimum visual range from a simulated element in the interactive computer simulation.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the minimum visual range is defined considering at least one of an identity of the trainee, an identifier of the visual element and display capabilities of the simulation station.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein dynamically affecting the visual contouring of the visual element stops from being performed when the visual element exits a maximum enhancement range from a simulated element in the interactive computer simulation.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein dynamically affecting the visual contouring of the visual element considering the relative contrast comprises modulating a plurality of pixels surrounding the visual element for obtaining a target contrast level with the underlying computer-generated environment elements.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the visual contouring is provided by a hollow three-dimensional mesh associated with the visual element to increase contour thickness of the visual element.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising modifying at least one of the pre-defined visual characteristics of the visual element considering at least one of:
a relative directional vector between the simulated vehicle and the visual element in the computer-generated environment and;
one or more pre-identified distinctive visual characteristics of the visual element.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein modifying at least one of the pre-defined visual characteristics of the visual element is performed by associating a highlighting three-dimensional mesh with the visual element to highlight the one or more pre-identified distinctive visual characteristics of the visual element.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein modifying the at least one of the pre-defined visual characteristics of the visual element is performed by applying one or more tailoring parameters determined considering at least one of an identity of the trainee and an identifier of the visual element, wherein the one or more tailoring parameters are applied when dynamically affecting the visual contouring of the visual element is performed.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein dynamically affecting the visual contouring of the visual element is performed by applying one or more tailoring parameters determined considering at least one of an identity of the trainee and an identifier of the visual element.

12. An interactive computer simulation station comprising:
a tangible instrument module for receiving one or more commands from a trainee thereof for controlling, in a computer-generated environment from an interactive computer simulation, a simulated vehicle in the interactive computer simulation;
a display system for displaying rendered images of the computer-generated environment comprising a visual element having associated therewith pre-defined visual characteristics comprising a visual contouring;
a processor module, comprising a dedicated graphics unit for, that during execution of the interactive computer simulation:
dynamically affecting the visual contouring of the visual element during execution of the interaction computer simulation considering at least one of:
a distance factor between the simulated vehicle and the visual element in the computer-generated environment; and
a relative contrast between the pre-defined visual characteristics of the visual element and underlying computer-generated environment elements;

wherein the processor module is configured to determine the distance factor and the relative contrast in real-time during execution of the interactive computer simulation prior to rendering the visual element by the dedicated graphics unit.

13. The interactive computer simulation station of claim 12 , wherein the processor module is configured to dynamically affect the visual contouring of the visual element considering both the distance factor and the relative contrast.

14. The interactive computer simulation station of claim 12 , wherein the processor module is configured to dynamically affect the visual contouring of the visual element for the visual element when the visual element enters a minimum visual range from a simulated element in the interactive computer simulation.

15. The interactive computer simulation station of claim 14 , wherein the minimum visual range is defined considering at least one of an identity of the trainee, an identifier of the visual element and display capabilities of the simulation station.

16. The interactive computer simulation station of claim 12 , wherein the processor module is configured to stop dynamically affecting the visual contouring of the visual element when the visual element exits a maximum enhancement range from a simulated element in the interactive computer simulation.

17. The interactive computer simulation station of claim 12 , wherein the processor module is configured to dynamically affect the visual contouring of the visual element considering the relative contrast by modulating a plurality of pixels surrounding the visual element for obtaining a target contrast level with the underlying computer-generated environment elements.

18. The interactive computer simulation station of claim 12 , wherein the visual contouring is provided by a hollow three-dimensional mesh associated with the visual element to increase contour thickness of the visual element.

19. The interactive computer simulation station of claim 12 , wherein the processor module is configured to further modify at least one of the pre-defined visual characteristics of the visual element considering at least one of:
a relative directional vector between the simulated vehicle and the visual element in the computer-generated environment; and
one or more pre-identified distinctive visual characteristics of the visual element.

20. The interactive computer simulation station of claim 19 , wherein the process

Assignees

• Cae Inc

Inventors

• Lasnier Sylvain

Classifications

• G09B9/36

  Simulation of night or reduced visibility flight · CPC title

• G06F3/011

  Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00) · CPC title

• G09B9/063

  by using visual displays · CPC title

• G06T9/20

  Contour coding, e.g. using detection of edges · CPC title

• G09B9/003

  for military purposes and tactics · CPC title