Graphical interface for manipulation of 3D models
A method comprising analyzing a data file representing a three dimensional object to automatically identify a plurality of views of interest based on at least one observable characteristic of the three dimensional object; and defining an access mechanism to permit the plurality of views to be accessed.
1 . A graphical user interface (GUI) for accessing files of three dimensional objects, the GUI comprising:
a selection window to simultaneously display a plurality of adjusted scale views of three dimensional content accessible through the window;
a file access module to pass a selected file to an additional module for further processing.
2 . The GUI of claim 1 further comprising:
a rendering module to automatically generate the adjusted scale views.
3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
a rendering module to render a larger size representation of content selected in the selection window.
4 . The GUI of claim 1 further comprising:
an animation module to animate a preselected content item within the selection window to reveal alternative views of the item.
5 . The GUI of claim 4 wherein animation of a content item occurs responsive to a user input.
6 . The GUI of claim 4 wherein animation occurs automatically in a predefined sequence.
7 . The GUI of claim 1 wherein the content in the selection window is displayed in a three dimensional array.
8 . The GUI of claim 1 further comprising:
an analysis module to identify a characteristic of each file; and
an organizer module to visually arrange the plurality of adjusted scale views based on the characteristic.
9 . The GUI of claim 8 wherein the analysis module:
analyzes the content of the files; and wherein the organizer module changes a spatial arrangement of the adjusted scale views based on the content of corresponding files.
10 . The GUI of claim 1 further comprising:
a database of content characteristics to permit organization of content based on the characteristics.
11 . The GUI of claim 10 further comprising:
an attribute extractor to automatically identify characteristics of a new content item; and
populating the database with characteristics of the new content item.
12 . The GUI of claim 10 wherein a content item is automatically grouped with a category based on a characteristic identified.
13 . The GUI of claim 1 further comprising:
an organizer module to associate into a group, a subset of the files within the selection window, based on characteristics of the files in the subset; and
a summary module to automatically generate a single view within the selection window, the single view representative of the group and replacing the plurality of adjusted scale views of the subset.
14 . The GUI of claim 13 wherein the single view is generated by automatically selecting one of the plurality of adjusted scale views in the subset according to defined criteria.
15 . The GUI of claim 13 wherein the single view is generated automatically by processing data from the plurality of adjusted scale views in the subset and synthesizing a single composite view reflective of characteristics of the group.
16 . The GUI of claim 13 wherein the single view is generated by identifying the group as belonging to a known class of three dimensional objects based upon the characteristics, and using a previously defined view as the single view.