Dynamic single touch point navigation
Touchscreen-enabled devices are provided to display images of either real or virtual environments, the devices having at least one user interface including a graphical overlay laid over the images for navigating the environments. The device can interpret gestures made by a single finger of the user on the touchscreen as commands to achieve intended maneuvers such as translations of the point of view and rotations of the point of view within the displayed environment. This allows for one-finger navigation of the environment. The elevational angle of the viewpoint may be tilted above or below horizontal as the viewpoint approaches topographical features within the displayed environment, and may return to horizontal after transitioning to a level surface.
1. A computing device comprising:
a touchscreen display; and
logic including a micro-processor and configured to:
display an image of a navigable environment on the touchscreen display, the image characterized by a viewpoint having a position in the navigable environment, the navigable environment having a lower reference plane, and the viewpoint being located at an initial elevational distance above the lower reference plane when the viewpoint is at rest;
receive touch information from the touchscreen display,
filter the touch information to identify contact gestures requesting movement of the position of the viewpoint within the navigable environment along a selected angle in the navigable environment;
vary the image on the touchscreen display to move the position of the viewpoint of the image in response to such contact gestures, wherein horizontal movement of the viewpoint is accompanied by changes in the elevational distance of the viewpoint above the reference plane, the elevational distance alternating between an upper elevational distance that is greater than the initial elevational distance and a lower elevational distance that is less than the initial elevational distance during movement of the viewpoint position;
whereby the viewpoint simulates changes in a person's view due to positional changes in a person's head up and down as a person moves in real life.
2. The computing device of claim 1 wherein the upper elevational distance is substantially within the range of 1.5% to 4% greater than the initial elevational distance, and wherein the lower elevational distance is substantially within the range of 1.5% to 4% less than the initial elevational distance.
3. The computing device of claim 1 wherein the frequency with which the elevational distance alternates between the upper elevational distance and the lower elevational distance is substantially proportional to a speed of movement of the position of the viewpoint.
4. The computing device of claim 1 wherein:
the viewpoint is located above the lower reference plane about a vertical axis when the viewpoint is at rest; and
movement of the viewpoint is accompanied by changes in the lateral location of the viewpoint relative to the vertical axis, the lateral location alternating between a leftmost position on one side of the vertical axis, and a rightmost position on an opposite side of the vertical axis, during movement of the viewpoint position;
whereby the viewpoint simulates changes in a person's view due to positional changes in a person's head from side to side as a person moves in real life.
5. The computing device of claim 4 wherein the leftmost position and the rightmost position are each within the range of from 1 cm to 4 cm from the vertical axis.
6. The computing device of claim 4 wherein the frequency with which the lateral location of the viewpoint alternates between the leftmost and rightmost positions is substantially proportional to a speed of movement of the position of the viewpoint.
7. A computing device comprising:
a touchscreen display; and
logic including a micro-processor and configured to:
display an image of a navigable environment on the touchscreen display, the image characterized by a viewpoint having a position in the navigable environment, the navigable environment including at least first and second support surfaces, the first support surface lying substantially horizontal and the second support surface being elevated above the first support surface;
receive touch information from the touchscreen display,
filter the touch information to identify contact gestures requesting movement of the position of the viewpoint within the navigable environment along a selected angle in the navigable environment;
vary the image on the touchscreen display to move the position of the viewpoint of the image in response to such contact gestures;
wherein the viewpoint is directed substantially horizontally when the viewpoint is positioned over the first support surface and is remote from the second support surface; and
wherein the viewpoint tilts upwardly at an angle to the horizontal when the viewpoint is positioned over the first support surface and as the viewpoint moves horizontally and approaches proximate to the second support surface;
whereby the viewpoint simulates changes in a person's view resulting from a person tilting his or her head upward when approaching an elevated surface in real life.
8. The computing device of claim 7 wherein the viewpoint is tilted upwardly when the position of the viewpoint comes within approximately the range of 1.5 to 4 meters of the second support surface.
9. The computing device of claim 7 wherein the angle to the horizontal about which the viewpoint is tilted upwardly ranges from between 1 degree and 8 degrees.
10. A computing device comprising:
a touchscreen display; and
logic including a micro-processor and configured to:
display an image of a navigable environment on the touchscreen display, the image characterized by a viewpoint having a position in the navigable environment, the navigable environment including at least first and second support surfaces, the first support surface lying substantially horizontal at a first elevation, and the second support surface being at a lower elevation compared to the first elevation;
receive touch information from the touchscreen display,
filter the touch information to identify contact gestures requesting movement of the position of the viewpoint within the navigable environment along a selected angle in the navigable environment;
vary the image on the touchscreen display to move the position of the viewpoint of the image in response to such contact gestures;
wherein the viewpoint is directed substantially horizontally when the viewpoint is positioned over the first support surface and is remote from the second support surface; and
wherein the viewpoint tilts downwardly at an angle to the horizontal when the viewpoint is positioned over the first support surface and as the viewpoint moves horizontally and approaches proximate to the second support surface;
whereby the viewpoint simulates changes in a person's view resulting from a person tilting his or her head downward when approaching a lowered surface in real life.
11. The computing device of claim 10 wherein the viewpoint is tilted downwardly when the position of the viewpoint comes within approximately the range of 1.5 to 4 meters of the second support surface.
12. The computing device of claim 10 wherein the angle to the horizontal about which the viewpoint is tilted downwardly ranges from between 2 degrees and 15 degrees.
13. A computing device comprising:
a touchscreen display; and
logic including a micro-processor and configured to:
display an image of a navigable environment on the touchscreen display, the image characterized by a viewpoint having a position in the navigable environment, the navigable environment including at least first and second support surfaces, the second support surface lying substantially horizontal at a first elevation, and the second support surface being generally inclined to the horizontal and at a different elevation compared to the first elevation;
receive touch information from the touchscreen display,
filter the touch information to identify contact gestures requesting movement of the position of the viewpoint within the navigable environment along a selected angle in the navigable environment;
vary the image on the touchscreen display to move the position of the viewpoint of the image in response to such contact gestures;
wherein the viewpoint is directed at an angle to the horizontal when the viewpoint is positioned over the first support surface; and
wherein the viewpoint is re-directed horizontally when the position of the viewpoint transitions from the first support surface to the second support surface;
whereby the viewpoint simulates changes in a person's view resulting from a person leveling his or her head when transitioning to a horizontal surface from a surface directed along an incline in real life.