Progressive Indoor Map Disclosure via Dynamic 3D Shell Transparency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current digital mapping applications lack an intuitive and aesthetically pleasing way to display and interact with the internal features of buildings on a digital map, particularly when zooming in or selecting a building, as they often obscure indoor information with opaque external shells.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method to display three-dimensional (3D) representations of buildings on a digital map, where the external shell becomes progressively transparent as a virtual camera approaches, allowing users to reveal indoor information such as floor layouts and features by adjusting the transparency based on zoom level or selection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a 3D representation of a building is displayed on a digital map, then the building's external appearance is shown, but the indoor information is obscured by the opaque external shell
Solution Approach 1:
The external shell of the building is made dynamically adjustable in transparency. Users can interact with the interface to change the transparency level of the external shell, allowing them to switch between viewing the building's exterior and its interior floor plans. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by enabling both opaque external representation and transparent internal information display as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The transparency parameter of the external shell is made changeable. By allowing the transparency value to be adjusted from completely opaque to partially transparent or fully transparent, the system can reveal indoor information when needed while maintaining external appearance when desired. This parameter change enables the same building representation to serve multiple viewing purposes.
2Loss of information
If the external shell is made transparent to reveal indoor information, then indoor features become visible, but the building's external appearance is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The transparency of the external shell is made dynamic rather than fixed. The system allows users to adjust the transparency level interactively, so the external shell can switch between maintaining its aesthetic appearance and revealing indoor features. This dynamic property enables the same visual element to serve conflicting purposes at different times.
Solution Approach 2:
The building representation is segmented into distinct visual layers: the external shell and the indoor floor plan information. By separating these into independent display layers, the system can control the transparency of each independently, allowing the external shell to maintain its appearance while indoor information becomes visible through controlled transparency adjustment.
3Loss of information
If indoor map information is always displayed, then users can see building interiors, but map elements are occluded and the interface becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The display of indoor information is made dynamic rather than static. The system automatically adjusts what is displayed based on user interaction - when a user selects or zooms toward a building, the external shell becomes progressively more transparent to reveal indoor floor plans. This dynamic behavior provides indoor information on demand without requiring constant interface complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares multiple transparency states of the external shell in advance (completely opaque, partially transparent, fully transparent) and automatically transitions between them based on user actions. This preliminary preparation of display states allows smooth transitions and immediate information reveal without requiring complex real-time calculations or multiple interface elements.
Data Source
AI summary
A digital map of a geographic area is displayed via a user interface, and a 3D representation of a building located in the geographic area is displayed on the digital map. A virtual camera is used to view the digital map, and the location of the virtual camera is changeable in response to user input. The external shell of the 3D representation is made increasingly transparent as a virtual camera approaches the 3D representation of the building to reveal indoor information for the building.