3D Cube Map Virtual Store Navigation With Interactive Layers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ecommerce websites struggle to provide engaging virtual environments that replicate the nuances of brick-and-mortar shopping experiences, particularly for products like clothing, due to cost constraints and limitations in virtual browsing capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A method to generate an interactive virtual environment using cube maps, where a computer-generated 3D model is converted into multiple viewpoints, with mapping planes and locators, allowing product models and dynamic features like animation layers and virtual characters, enabling navigation and interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If retailers build custom virtual stores with sophisticated browsing features, then user engagement and shopping experience are improved, but development cost and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses 360-degree panoramic images as 2D representations of 3D virtual environments, allowing users to navigate and interact with virtual stores without requiring complex 3D rendering engines. This copying approach simplifies the technical implementation while maintaining immersive shopping experiences.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces cube maps as an intermediary data structure that bridges between 3D virtual environments and 2D display interfaces. By converting 3D panoramic views into 2D cube map representations, the system enables efficient rendering and interaction without requiring full 3D graphics processing.
2Adaptability or versatility
If 3D virtual environments are created with multiple viewpoints and navigation paths, then user immersion and product discovery are enhanced, but data storage and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the 3D virtual environment into multiple 360-degree panoramic images, each representing a specific viewpoint. These segmented views are then converted into 2D cube map representations, reducing the data complexity while preserving navigation capabilities across multiple viewpoints.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of storing and rendering full 3D models with complex geometry and textures, the system uses 2D panoramic images as simplified copies of the virtual environment. This approach significantly reduces data storage requirements while maintaining the ability to provide immersive multi-viewpoint experiences.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods include a virtual environment generator to create an interactive virtual environment based on one or more cube maps. The virtual environment generator derives the cube maps from a computer-generated 3D model to correspond to viewpoints in the computer-generated 3D model. The cube maps represent static images and the virtual environment generator further layers various features and virtual items onto the cube maps to create the interactive virtual environment with both static and dynamic portions. One or more mapping locators are generated and layered onto the cube maps. Interactive layers, product models, animation layers, and virtual items, such as virtual characters and environment objects, are layered onto the cube map (e.g., via associations with the mapping locators). Interactions at the interactive layer can cause product information to be displayed. In a friend mode, multiple user devices can simultaneously present and/or interact with the cube map together.