Parabolic Camera Trajectory for 3D Viewpoint Transitions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing three-dimensional environment navigation systems often disorient users with rapid or significant camera transitions, failing to provide a meaningful graphical representation of the contextual or geographical relationship between origin and destination positions, leading to a poor user experience.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that determine a parabolic camera trajectory for transitioning a virtual camera from an origin to a destination position, maintaining the origin position during the ascent and destination position during descent, with a peak visible distance calculated based on the distance between the two positions, and a parabolic tilt trajectory that adjusts the camera's tilt angle to enhance user understanding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the virtual camera is panned at a significant velocity or for a significant distance prior to appropriate altitude change, then the transition speed is improved, but the displayed portion of the model appears as an unrecognizable blur causing user disorientation
Solution Approach 1:
The camera transition is divided into multiple sequential stages: initial altitude maintenance phase, intermediate altitude increase phase, and final altitude adjustment phase. Each stage maintains specific parameters while transitioning others, preventing information loss during high-speed panning by ensuring altitude adjustments occur at appropriate intervals throughout the transition sequence.
2Device complexity
If the altitude of the camera is changed at a constant rate, then the transition process is simplified, but the user perceives accelerating fall as the camera approaches the destination position causing disorientation
Solution Approach 1:
The altitude transition rate is made dynamic rather than constant. The system adjusts the altitude change rate based on the camera's proximity to the destination position, applying slower rates during approach phases to create a perceptually uniform transition that prevents the accelerating fall effect while maintaining manageable computational complexity through predefined rate schedules.
3Measurement precision
If the virtual camera provides a detailed view of the destination position, then the location precision is improved, but the contextual or geographical relationship between origin and destination positions is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The camera periodically adjusts its altitude and field of view during the transition sequence, alternating between broader contextual views that show both origin and destination relationships, and more focused views that highlight destination details. This periodic variation in viewing scale maintains geographical context understanding while still providing detailed destination information at appropriate intervals.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods to transition between viewpoints in a three-dimensional environment are provided. One example method includes obtaining data indicative of an origin position and a destination position of a virtual camera. The method includes determining a distance between the origin position and the destination position of the virtual camera. The method includes determining a peak visible distance based at least in part on the distance between the origin position and the destination position of the virtual camera. The method includes identifying a peak position at which the viewpoint of the virtual camera corresponds to the peak visible distance. The method includes determining a parabolic camera trajectory that traverses the origin position, the peak position, and the destination position. The method includes transitioning the virtual camera from the origin position to the destination position along the parabolic camera trajectory. An example system includes a user computing device and a geographic information system.