3D Interactive Menu Grid Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Three-dimensional (3D) menus in digital interactive devices often suffer from disorientation when navigating, as items become hidden from view as the virtual camera moves, making it difficult for users to recall the correct path to previously selected items, especially as the number of menu items increases.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a grid arrangement within a virtual environment where items are relocated based on navigation commands, preserving adjacency relationships and introducing border affordances to maintain visibility and intuitive navigation, using a cyclic navigation function to rearrange items on a rhomboidal, hexagonal, or radial grid pattern.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the virtual camera moves forward to approach a specific item, then the selected item becomes more visible and accessible, but previously viewed items exit from the view and become unreachable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a wraparound mechanism where items that would normally exit the view behind the camera are instead relocated to positions in front of the camera, effectively utilizing the third dimension (depth) to maintain visibility. This creates a continuous navigation space where the camera can move forward indefinitely without losing items from view.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic item relocation based on camera position. As the camera moves forward, items are dynamically repositioned from behind-the-camera positions to in-front positions, maintaining a consistent set of visible items and creating a dynamic but stable navigation experience.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the virtual camera rotates 180 degrees or moves backward to reach previous items, then all items remain accessible, but the navigation becomes non-intuitive and complex
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of allowing the camera to rotate or move backward to access previous items, the patent inverts the approach by making the items move forward to meet the camera. The wraparound mechanism relocates items from behind the camera to positions in front, effectively reversing the navigation direction and maintaining forward-only camera movement.
3Loss of information
If all menu items are displayed in a single view, then the user has an overview of all options, but the number of visible items is limited by the screen area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the menu items into multiple groups or levels that can be accessed through forward camera movement. Instead of displaying all items simultaneously in a fixed arrangement, the wraparound mechanism allows items to be distributed across multiple virtual positions that become accessible as the camera progresses forward, effectively expanding the display capacity beyond the physical screen area.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for navigating an interactive menu in a virtual environment is provided. The interactive menu comprises a first number of selectable items. The method includes providing a grid on a delimited portion of a plane in the virtual environment. The grid includes a second number of locations equal to said first number. The method further includes providing a plurality of navigation directions within said grid and arranging each item of the menu on a respective location of the grid according to an item-grid arrangement. Adjacencies along said navigation directions among items located on the grid determine corresponding adjacency relationships; adjacency relationships are further determined along said navigation directions among items located on border locations of the grid which are situated on borders of said delimited portions. The method further includes shooting a first item in the close-up to enable selection of said item, receiving a navigation command identifying a navigation direction along which a second item to be selected is located, and altering the item-grid arrangement to relocate the items in different locations of the grid based on the received navigation command in such a way to shoot the second item in the close-up. Said altering the item-grid arrangement provides for preserving the adjacency relationships.