Auto-Smasher for Real-World Contextual Visualization

1 . A method for placement of a new virtual object in a virtual environment, the method comprising:

identifying a location for the new virtual object within the virtual environment;

identifying a footprint associated with the new virtual object for placement at the location;

setting a height of the virtual environment within the footprint to a height level with the footprint to produce a modified virtual environment;

placing the new virtual object within the footprint; and

rendering the modified virtual environment and new virtual object for display to a user via an interface scene.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein setting the height of the virtual environment comprises removing at least one pre-existing virtual object of the virtual environment that is located within the footprint.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of rendering comprises:

animating the new virtual object virtually falling onto the location within the virtual environment; and

animating the removal of the at least one pre-existing virtual object.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein rendering the virtual environment and new virtual object comprises additionally rendering the footprint and the method further comprises:

receiving, from a user via the interface scene, a change to at least one of a dimension, size, orientation, shape, and location of the footprint to product a modified footprint; and

repeating the step of setting the height of the virtual environment with respect to the modified footprint.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, from a user via the interface scene, a change to a parameter of the virtual object comprising at least one of a location and an orientation within the footprint to produce a modified parameter; and

moving the new virtual object within the footprint based on the modified parameter.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the new virtual object is a virtual building designed by the user and the virtual environment generated based on at least one of real world map data and real world terrain data.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

performing a simulation with respect to the virtual object and the modified virtual environment; and

displaying a result of the simulation to the user via the interface scene.

8 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium encoded with instructions for execution by a processor for placement of a new virtual object in a virtual environment, the non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising:

instructions for identifying a location for the new virtual object within the virtual environment;

instructions for identifying a footprint associated with the new virtual object for placement at the location;

instructions for setting a height of the virtual environment within the footprint to a height level with the footprint to produce a modified virtual environment;

instructions for placing the new virtual object within the footprint; and

instructions for rendering the modified virtual environment and new virtual object for display to a user via an interface scene.

9 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions for setting the height of the virtual environment comprise instructions for removing at least one pre-existing virtual object of the virtual environment that is located within the footprint.

10 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions for rendering comprise:

instructions for animating the new virtual object virtually falling onto the location within the virtual environment; and

instructions for animating the removal of the at least one pre-existing virtual object.

11 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions for rendering the virtual environment and new virtual object comprise instructions for additionally rendering the footprint and the non-transitory machine-readable medium further comprises:

instructions for receiving, from a user via the interface scene, a change to at least one of a dimension, size, orientation, shape, and location of the footprint to product a modified footprint; and

instructions for repeating the step of setting the height of the virtual environment with respect to the modified footprint.

12 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8 , further comprising:

instructions for receiving, from a user via the interface scene, a change to a parameter of the virtual object comprising at least one of a location and an orientation within the footprint to produce a modified parameter; and

instructions for moving the new virtual object within the footprint based on the modified parameter.

13 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the new virtual object is a virtual building designed by the user and the virtual environment is generated based on at least one of real world map data and real world terrain data.

14 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8 , further comprising:

instructions for performing a simulation with respect to the virtual object and the modified virtual environment; and

instructions for displaying a result of the simulation to the user via the interface scene.

15 . A device for rendering a new virtual object within a virtual environment, the device comprising:

a memory storing descriptions of the new virtual object and the virtual environment; and

a processor in communication with the memory configured to:

identify a location for the new virtual object within the virtual environment;

identify a footprint associated with the new virtual object for placement at the location;

set a height of the virtual environment within the footprint to a height level with the footprint to produce a modified virtual environment;

place the new virtual object within the footprint; and

render the modified virtual environment and new virtual object for display to a user via an interface scene.

16 . The device of claim 15 , wherein in setting the height of the virtual environment the processor is configured to remove at least one pre-existing virtual object of the virtual environment that is located within the footprint.

17 . The device of claim 16 , wherein in rendering, the processor is configured to:

animate the new virtual object virtually falling onto the location within the virtual environment; and

animate the removal of the at least one pre-existing virtual object.

18 . The device of claim 15 , wherein in rendering the virtual environment and new virtual object, the processor is configured to additionally render the footprint and the the processor is further configured to:

receive, from a user via the interface scene, a change to at least one of a dimension, size, orientation, shape, and location of the footprint to product a modified footprint; and

repeat the step of setting the height of the virtual environment with respect to the modified footprint.

19 . The device of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive, from a user via the interface scene, a change to a parameter of the virtual object comprising at least one of a location and an orientation within the footprint to produce a modified parameter; and

move the new virtual object within the footprint based on the modified parameter.

20 . The device of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

perform a simulation with respect to the virtual object and the modified virtual environment; and

display a result of the simulation to the user via the interface scene.