Patent · US Expired

Three-dimensional volume selection tool

US5886700A · kind A · utility

10Cited by
7References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 24, 1997
Grant dateMar 23, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 24, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F3/04842
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for manipulating a three-dimensional sub-volume within a graphical display is disclosed and includes selecting an option from a menu screen to relocate or re-size a three-dimensional sub-volume within the graphical display, and upon selecting the option to relocate or re-size, proceeding with the following. A cursor is placed on either the sub-volume or a selected corner of the sub-volume within the graphical display, a selected one of a left and a right mouse buttons is depressed, and the sub-volume is dragged to a relocation area or resized within an "x-y" plane and/or a "z" plane of the graphical display according to depression of the selected mouse button and placement of the cursor. When the selected one of the left and right mouse buttons is released, the x, y, and z-coordinates of the relocation area and/or resizing are locked. The sub-volume is, therefore, manipulated within a three-dimensional frame of reference by controlling the mouse.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.