Appeal No. 1999-1602
Application No. 08/776,957
BACKGROUND
The invention is directed to an information processing method and apparatus
which display a “virtual space” in response to viewer-specified “viewpoint information”
indicating a desired viewpoint within the virtual space (Brief at 2). Representative claim
7 is reproduced below.
7. An information display method, comprising the steps of:
controlling view point information of a virtual user within a virtual space in
accordance with input information from a user;
reading virtual space structured data from a memory unit in accordance
with the viewpoint information of the virtual user, the virtual space structured
data including data indicative of predetermined areas of the virtual space having
hierarchical structure and corresponding to nodes, some of the nodes having
low order, wherein the data indicates that each of plural objects and an entrance
hall area for collectively or panoramically displaying the objects is disposed
within a different one of the predetermined areas of the virtual space, and
wherein the data links each of the objects to a different one of the nodes having
low order; and
displaying the virtual space on the basis of at least some of the virtual
space structured data, wherein the virtual space structured data includes data
indicating that the entrance hall area is disposed at one side of a polygon, and
the objects are disposed at other respective sides of the polygon.
The examiner relies on the following references:
O’Neill et al. (O’Neill) 5,621,906 Apr. 15, 1997
(filed Feb. 13, 1995)
Goh 5,678,015 Oct. 14, 1997
(filed Sep. 1, 1995)
Claims 2-5 and 7-10 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable
over O’Neill and Goh.
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