The present invention relates generally to Internet navigation schemes and more particularly to an Internet navigation system and method that models cyberspace as a virtual 3D space allowing for intuitive navigation and zooming navigation.
With the fast development of the Internet, more and more people are web surfing. The Internet has become another type of media in additional to traditional newspapers, radio and TV. Most of the time, users use specialized tools such as web browsers to browse the Internet. Currently the most popular web browsers are: Netscape, Internet Explorer, and Firefox. However, web browsers aren't the only tool that can be used to navigate the Internet. Any program that can communicate with a web server through the HTTP protocol and can understand HTML pages can be used to browse the Internet. These include text-based programs such as lynx and many other customized browsers or applications like the AOL package.
The main purpose of the web browser is to connect to a listening port of a web server (default value is 80) and send an HTTP request such as a GET command for a particular web page. Once the web server receives the request, it parses the request, searches the local data store in the server, and returns the matched data, normally in the html format. The web browser interprets the returned web page in html format and then renders it into a human readable format and presents to the end user. If there are other links inside the html page that are also needed to render the page, for example, images or audio and video clips, the browser will send other requests to retrieve these data before rendering the page.
In addition to html pages, modern web browsers are capable of rendering data in other formats, such as xml data, text, jpg and many other common data types. In addition, by means of a browser plug-in or extension, web browsers can even understand and display more data types after release and installation such as VRML or even some 3D graphical languages.
Normally, to use a web browser, users need to first enter the address of a web page; the URL in the address bar of the web browser. Then after that particular web page has being displayed, the browser will display the html pages in a main window and display hypertext link inside html pages in a different highlighted color or font. Users use a mouse or keyboard to scroll up and down the web page while reading and use the mouse to click on the highlighted links to browse another page from the current page. The user can always click the BACK icon in the browser to return back to a previous link and a FORWARD arrow button to revisit a link he/she has just viewed. Of course a HOME icon is always available to jump to the user's start page, which is customizable.
However, almost all current web browsers display web pages in a 2 dimensional window which cannot be directly associated with the real world and, as such, is not realistic for viewers.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,664,980 to Bryan, Douglas L. et al. discloses a visual navigation utilizing web technology. A display navigation system is presented in which indicia for a first target category and a second target category are presented to a user on a display, where the indicia are associated with keywords and the keywords are assigned weight. The user then performs various interactions and the user's interactions are detected. Additional indicia are presented to the user in response to the interactions, where the additional indicia represent additional target categories that are similar or dissimilar to the first and second target categories depending on the interactions and weight of the keywords. Finally, additional indicia are displayed.
This patent is not related to web browsing technology.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,604,103 to Wolfe, Mark A. discloses a system and method for information retrieval employing a preloading procedure. During the time the user spends viewing the displayed information, other information that the user is likely to read or study later is preloaded into memory. If the user later requests the preloaded information, it can be written to the display very quickly. As a result, the user's request to view new information can be serviced quickly.
This patent discloses a document retrieval system having improved response time by caching a series of documents first.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,731,314 to Cheng; Gavin, et al. discloses a network-based three-dimensional multiple-user shared environment apparatus and method. A client computer program provides instructions for a processor to locate and retrieve rich media and HTML files for running in a three-dimensional graphical user interface. The program provides instructions for the processor to generate a three-dimensional (3D) graphical user interface on a display. Then, the processor generates a metaphorical user object for navigating and interacting in the three dimensions within the environment via navigational and interactive inputs, respectively, from a user. The processor also integrates an HTML object into the environment, and interacts the user object with the HTML object in response to an interactive input from the user. Preferably, the processor generates one or more additional user objects for additional users. Each of the additional user objects can also interact with the HTML object, the first user object and/or each other within the environment in response to interactive inputs from the additional users. In addition, the first user object may interact with any or all of the additional user objects in response to interactive inputs from the first user. The interactive inputs may be proxy expressions from one user to another.
This patent discloses a 3D graphical user interface but it does not discuss how to browse the web space in general.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,931,604 to Lane, Derek Graham discloses a method of navigating a collection of interconnected nodes. A method and apparatus for organizing and processing interconnected pieces of information (“nodes”) using a digital computer is disclosed. Each node has elements that may be text, images, audio, video, and other computer programs. A graph-based user interface presents the individual nodes in spatial arrangements that reflect the relationships among the nodes. User interaction indicating interest in a particular node results in an increase in the “activation” of that node. This leads to an increase in the size of the presentation of that node, as well as an increase in the size of the presentation of closely related nodes. The result is a unique user interaction paradigm that allows for intuitive traversal of complex collections of nodes.
This patent discloses a method for displaying general graphs and nodes.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,724,407 to Cheng, Gavin discloses a method and system for displaying conventional hypermedia files in a 3D viewing environment. A method and a software program running on a server computer coupled to a network, such as the internet, includes a three-dimensional (3D) viewing environment generating module. When a resource locator identifying a requested hypermedia resource, probably input by a pc user logged onto the network, is received from the network by a server computer, the 3D viewing environment generating module generates a 3D viewing environment corresponding to and preferably including the requested hypermedia resource. The 3D viewing environment is sent over the network to the user's pc enabling the user to view the requested hypermedia resource in an overlay 3D viewing environment, probably already running on the user's pc. A software program also provides instructions for a computer running a 3D browser to provide a viewing environment in a 3D space having one or more displays including a conventional hypermedia resource identifiable by a conventional resource locator. One or more additional displays may also be provided in the same viewing environment, wherein the additional displays each show an auxiliary hypermedia resource fetched from the network. A request may be generated for the 3D viewing environment displaying the conventional hypermedia resource when it is determined that the resource is not pre-designed for viewing with the 3D browser. In this case, the conventional hypermedia resource is fetched from the network and displayed within the 3D viewing environment. The auxiliary hypermedia resources may be commercial advertisements that can be viewed simultaneously with the conventional hypermedia source in the same 3D viewing environment.
This patent discloses providing the 3D viewing environment for the hypermedia resource but does not cover how to browse entire Internet web sites and pages.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,636,246 to Gallo, Anthony Carmen, et al. discloses a three dimensional spatial user interface. A method and system provides a three dimensional spatial user interface (SUI) to a user of a computing device. The SUI may be manipulated in three dimensions and contains a plurality of portals. A portal may contain a sensory cue that provides a reminder as to the content of the portal. Upon selection of a portal, an application program associated with the cue in the portal is invoked. Portals may also contain further instances of the SUI of the present invention, thus providing hierarchical depth. In the preferred embodiment, the SUI is implemented as a sphere and may be viewed from an external or internal perspective.
This patent discloses a user interface that is displayed in three dimensions to display a plurality of sensory cues.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,636,210 to Cheng, Gavin discloses a method and system for auto-navigation in a three dimensional viewing environment. The method, in one embodiment, includes receiving a jump request from one viewing point to another. The method also includes determining a destination from the current viewing point with respect to the jump request. The method further includes calculating a trajectory to the destination from the current viewing point. The method stills includes displaying a set of views in animation form along the trajectory and displaying a view corresponding to the destination.
This patent discloses determining and calculating a trajectory among viewing points.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,772,139 to Smith, III, Julius O. discloses a method and apparatus for facilitating use of hypertext links on the world wide web. A database server contains pointers to useful information, such as on the World Wide Web. Users of the server may have hypertext links added automatically into documents they submit. Users may additionally contribute to the link database, thereby extending it, and may add additional qualifying information pertaining to the links.
This patent discloses automating the linking of documents on the World Wide Web by authors of Web content.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,675,212 to Greenwood, Jon Michel discloses a method and apparatus for efficient data browsing. A method and apparatus for providing improved efficiency in data browsing is disclosed. Automatic continuation of a data browsing session is enabled, while a download of a requested data file, that has been temporarily delayed, is handled separately in a background process. This separate background process generates additional requests for the requested data file as needed, thereby overcoming delays caused by transient network traffic and also enabling automatic downloading of data files that are undeliverable when first requested. When the download of the requested data file is successfully completed, a notification is provided and the requested data file is made observable.
This patent discloses using separate background processes for downloading a piece of file information.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,570,563 to Honda, Yasuaki discloses a method and system for three-dimensional virtual reality space sharing and for information transmission. When an object is moved on a client terminal, a message indicating the movement of the object is transmitted to a server terminal. The server terminal transmits the message to other client terminals. Each of the client terminals stores a message table in advance to execute the message. According the message table, an image for locally moving a particular object, for example, is generated and displayed. This novel setup transmits information about the update of an updated object composed of a plurality of sub objects each of whose state is subject to change, in a minimum transmission volume. This, in turn, allows cooperative operations of the plurality of sub objects to be smoothly displayed in a three-dimensional virtual reality space shared by a plurality of users.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,362,817 to Powers, Michael, et al. discloses a system for creating and viewing 3D environments using symbolic descriptors. A computer-based system for designing and using three-dimensional environments over a bandwidth limited network such as the Internet is disclosed. The system allows an environment to be specified as a series of two-dimensional grids of text characters. Each character occupies a single grid position and represents an object in the environment. Objects can be given characteristics such as texture maps, and associated images and sounds that are triggered by events such as a user approaching the object. An object or image can be a hyperlink so that, when clicked or moved upon, the user is transported to a new location. A basic set of objects and media (images and sounds) is provided so that a designer of an environment does not have to perform low-level three-dimensional modeling. Objects can behave differently when placed near one another. For example, walls fuse together to provide a longer wall. Ramps weld together to provide a single, longer, ramp having a slope that is shallower than the two or more ramps welded together. The environments are customizable by referring to block objects, texture maps, bitmap images, sound files, etc., that can be located anywhere on the Internet, including the user's computer. The system adapts to display differing levels of detail dependent on the performance ability of the user's computer platform.
These patents are focused on technology to reduce transmission volume in 3D virtual reality space.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,006 to Weinberg, Amir, et al. discloses methods for graphically representing web sites and hierarchical node structures. A visual Web site analysis program, implemented as a collection of software components, provides a variety of features for facilitating the analysis and management of web sites and Web site content. A mapping component scans a Web site over a network connection and builds a site map which graphically depicts the URLs and links of the site. Site maps are generated using a unique layout and display methodology which allows the user to visualize the overall architecture of the Web site. Various map navigation and URL filtering features are provided to facilitate the task of identifying and repairing common Web site problems, such as links to missing URLs. A dynamic page scan feature enables the user to include dynamically-generated Web pages within the site map by capturing the output of a standard Web browser when a form is submitted by the user, and then automatically resubmitting this output during subsequent mappings of the site. The Web site analysis program is implemented using an extensible architecture which includes an API that allows plug-in applications to manipulate the display of the site map. Various plug-ins are provided which utilize the API to extend the functionality of the analysis program, including an action tracking plug-in which detects user activity and behavioral data (link activity levels, common site entry and exit points, etc.) from server log files and then superimposes such data onto the site map.
This patent discloses analyzing the internal topology of web pages in a web site.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,889,951 to Lombardi, Julian discloses systems, methods, and a computer program products for accessing, leasing, relocating, constructing and modifying internet sites within a multi-dimensional virtual reality environment. The disclosed invention facilitates viewing, organizing, and optimizing Internet sites. A multi-dimensional virtual environment includes one or more respective virtual sites for each Internet site. Users are given the ability to explore the virtual environment and access Internet site data and services via respective virtual site(s). Transfer of data related to an Internet and virtual site includes assigning a transfer priority to each virtual site based on the user's location within the virtual environment, and transferring data based on the assigned priority. Users are provided with the ability to lease portions of the virtual environment, to create and modify the appearance and functionality of virtual sites on leased portions, to assign Internet site data and services to virtual sites, and to relocate virtual sites within the virtual environment.
This patent discloses providing users of the Internet with the ability to see Internet sites before selecting to use their services, thereby eliminating the need for HTML/VRML links and knowledge of Internet site URLs. It does not disclose organizing the Internet web sites and the web pages in an organizational way.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,184,867 to Kandogan, Eser, et al. discloses an input for three dimensional navigation using two joysticks. A two-joystick interface for use with an information processing system having a 3D virtual reality module implements a bulldozer control metaphor permitting movement in three orthogonal directions—forward-backward, up-down, left-right—and turning about a vertical axis. The pointing interface includes mode switching permitting use of the joysticks for the cursor positioning and page scrolling functions of the information processing system. The pointing system includes a frame-of-reference conversion module for transforming the pointing devices software interface to a four-degree-of-freedom three-dimensional interface, an interface with a virtual reality module including a display function. Ergonomic embodiments of the interface include locating the joysticks, e.g., two IBM TrackPoints along the bottom row of keys of a standard keyboard, and, alternatively, placing the joysticks and related momentary switches in a wristpad.
This patent discloses input devices for 3D navigation.
United States Patent Application 20030197737 to Kim, Jong Min discloses a 2D/3D web browsing system. The disclosed invention is directed to a 2D/3D web browser for displaying both 2D and 3D information in a window. A web browser for browsing web sites providing two-dimensional (2D) or three dimensional (3D) information is disclosed. The 2D/3D web browser of the present invention comprises a software for accessing a web site and requesting information; and a display for displaying information provided by the web site responding to the request on a display screen having a 2D/3D switchable window and a 3D-only window; wherein, if the information is 3D contents, it is displayed on a combined area of the 2D/3D switchable window and the 3D-only window, and, if the information is 2D contents, it is displayed on the 2D/3D switchable window.
This patent discloses allowing a browser to either display 3D or 2D contents based on server capability.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,924,822 to Card, Stuart Kent, et al. discloses magnification methods, systems, and computer program products for virtual three-dimensional books. A system is described for displaying images of a virtual three-dimensional book having one or more virtual pages. The system comprises a display system capable of executing a display program wherein images of the virtual three-dimensional book are produced on the display system. The display system may include a magnification function producing a virtual magnifier moveable over the virtual pages. The display system may also include a the “stretchy page” display method wherein one section of the page is directly magnified, while other adjacent sections may be directly magnified in a horizontal or vertical direction, but not both directions. Moreover, a virtual page may also be tilted about a central axis of the virtual page to accommodate viewing of a desired section on the display system. Finally, a computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for producing images of a virtual three-dimensional book is also disclosed.
This patent discloses a magnification method to display 3D books.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0207641 to Palm, Charles S. et al. discloses a 3D stereo browser for the internet. A viewer for viewing stereo images either downloaded over a network, such as the Internet, or resident on a personal computer uses a graphical user interface (GUI) to facilitate the display of wireframes with or without texture applied in a variety of formats. In stereo mode, the GUI permits adjustment of the neutral plane and of camera offset. The file sizes utilized with the viewer are very small and permit rapid transmission over a network. The files contain wireframe information, texture map information and animation information.
This patent application relates to a method of displaying stereo images.
Patent number CN1558343 CN200410002524 entitled “Three dimensional resource browser and manager and method thereof” to ZHUGE HAI (CN) et al., relates to a 3D resource browsing manager and a method in the field of computer and network technology. The scheme of the disclosed invention defines a resource in one 3D orthogonal coordinate system, where one resource or one group of closely related resource content is displayed as one small cube with unique coordinate values in the same coordinate system to express its corresponding attribute. The manager includes a resource display member, a resource previewing member, a resource managing member and a resource locating member. The resource browsing process includes the following steps: selecting a resource type with the mouse or shift keys in the 3D resource display interface, determining a required resource, and browsing or completing other management operations. In addition, the coordinate value of some resource may be input to locate the resource in high efficiency.
This patent relates to resource managers and not to the whole Internet.
Patent number CN1556505 entitled “Virtual fractal spectacle three dimensional roaming system” by WANG YAN (CN), et al. discloses a 3D roaming system of virtual fractional scenes, including a material quality generating unit, an entity constructing unit, a VRML browser, a scene map editing unit and a virtual scene browsing unit, and its working flows including starting; initializing device; initializing scene; interactive processing: receiving the information including forward, backward, look-up, look-down, turning left and turning right, and making corresponding transformation on a 3D model and the observed state; calculating object information; pattern romancing processing; ending and otherwise returning to interactive processing recovering resources. It claims the advantages of simple structure, low cost, convenient operation, fast generating of scene environment, etc, and perfects the virtual-reality entity base, applied to the requirements of virtual battlefield training and virtual driving training.
This patent relates to a 3D roaming system and does not relate to modeling the Internet as a 3D world.
Conventional 3D browsers on the market, include 3B (http://www.3b.net/) which displays a 3D city containing lots of bulletin boards, which display the web sites of registered pages. The displayed websites are not part of a whole picture and do not cover all web sites, the display being treated as a virtual 3D shop that contains only paid web sites.
CubicEye from 2ce (http://www.2ce.com) is another 3D browser interface that allows users to see, and interact with, 6 to 625 website pages at one time. The CubicEye environment is initially presented in the form of a six-sided cube; one page is directly in front of you, one to your left and right, one on top and bottom and the last is behind you. Links on every page are active so you can navigate through the links on any or all of the panels.
Other conventional 3D browsers include activeworlds (http://www.activeworlds.com/) which allows users to chat in 3D. However, it requires users to create a virtual 3D world themselves and it also does not contain all the Internet web sites and web pages.