EP-3710962-B1 - VIRTUAL/AUGMENTED REALITY MODELING APPLICATION FOR ARCHITECTURE

EP3710962B1EP 3710962 B1EP3710962 B1EP 3710962B1EP-3710962-B1

Inventors

GUNNARSSON, HILMAR
THORVALDSSON, HARALDUR DARRI
PALMER, CHARLES
SAEVARSSON, Vilhelm

Dates

Publication Date: 20260506
Application Date: 20181113

Claims (15)

An architectural modeling system, the system comprising: an input controller including one or more sensors, the input controller being configured to: detect, with the one or more sensors, a single continuous movement of the input controller from a starting position to a final position; and generate, responsive to detecting the single continuous movement of the input controller, one or more input signals-; a display including a display screen; and a system controller configured to be coupled to the input controller and the display, the system controller configured to: generate a three-dimensional simulated environment; display a field of view of the simulated environment on the display screen; receive, from the input controller, the one or more input signals indicative of the single continuous-movement of the input controller; generate, based on the one or more input signals, a virtual object represented as a polyhedral volumetric object, wherein at least one feature of the polyhedral volumetric object is defined by the starting position and the final position of the single continuous movement of the input controller, and by a momentum with which the input controller is moved during the single continuous movement; and display the virtual object in the field of view of the simulated environment on the display screen.
The system of claim 1, wherein the input controller is configured to: detect, with an actuator of the one or more actuators, an actuation of the actuator; generate, responsive to detecting the actuation of the actuator and the single continuous movement of the input controller, an object generation signal; and communicate the object generation signal to the system controller, wherein the one or more input signals include the object generation signal.
The system of claim 2, wherein the input controller is further configured to: detect, with the one or more sensors, a tilted orientation of the input controller; generate, responsive to detecting the tilted orientation of the input controller, a controller orientation signal; and provide the controller orientation signal to the system controller.
The system of claim 3, wherein the system controller is configured to generate, responsive to receiving the one or more input signals including the controller orientation signal, a cross-section view of the virtual object.
The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of virtual objects, wherein each virtual object of the plurality of virtual objects is represented as a polyhedral volumetric object.
The system of claim 5, wherein the virtual object includes a first feature and a second feature, and wherein the system controller is configured to restrict the first feature based on at least one of the second feature of the virtual object and a third feature of at least one second virtual object of the plurality of virtual objects.
The system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of virtual objects includes a first virtual object and a second virtual object, and wherein the system controller is configured to combine the first virtual object and the second virtual object responsive to detecting a collision between the first virtual object and the second virtual object.
The system of claim 1, wherein the system controller is further configured to generate a second virtual object, and combine the virtual object with the second virtual object responsive to receiving the one or more input signals representing a bashing operation of the virtual object with the second virtual object.
The system of claim 1, wherein the system controller is further configured to be coupled to a plurality of input controllers.
A computer implemented method of modeling architectural objects, the method comprising: generating a three-dimensional simulated environment; providing first display signals indicative of a field of view of the simulated environment to a display; receiving one or more input signals including a signal indicative of a single continuous movement of an input controller from a starting position to a final position; generating, based on the one or more input signals, a virtual object represented as a polyhedral volumetric object, wherein at least one feature of the polyhedral volumetric object is defined by the starting position and the final position of the single continuous movement of the input controller, and by a momentum with which the input controller is moved during the single continuous movement; and providing second display signals indicative of the simulated environment including the virtual object in the field of view of the simulated environment to the display.
The method of claim 10, further comprising: receiving the one or more input signals including a signal indicative of a tilted orientation of the input controller; and providing third display signals indicative of the simulated environment including a cross-section of the virtual object.
The method of claim 10, further comprising generating a plurality of virtual objects represented as polyhedral volumetric objects.
The method of claim 10, wherein the virtual object is a first virtual object, and wherein the method further comprises: receiving the one or more input signals including a signal indicative of one of a movement of the first virtual object and a shape alteration of the first virtual object; detecting a collision between the first virtual object and a second virtual object; and constraining the first virtual object relative to the second virtual object responsive to the collision.
The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving one or more input signals from a plurality of input controllers.
A non-transitory computer readable medium storing sequences of computer-executable instructions for optimizing control schemes implemented by a plurality of intelligent agents, the sequences of computer-executable instructions including instructions that instruct at least one processor to: generate a three-dimensional simulated environment; provide first display signals indicative of a field of view of the simulated environment to a display screen; generate, based on one or more input signals indicative of a single continuous movement of an input controller from a starting position to a final position, a virtual object represented as a polyhedral volumetric object, wherein at least one feature of the polyhedral volumetric object is defined by the starting position and the final position of the single continuous movement of the input controller, and by a momentum with which the input controller is moved during the single continuous movement; and provide second display signals indicative of the virtual object in the field of view of the simulated environment to the display screen.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 62/585,025, titled "VIRTUAL/AUGMENTED REALITY MODELING APPLICATION FOR ARCHITECTURE," filed on November 13, 2017. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention At least one example in accordance with the present invention relates generally to modeling systems and methods. 2. Discussion of Related Art The use of modeling software to generate models of geometric assemblies is known. Furthermore, it is known for architects or other building design professionals to use modeling software to model building structures. Conventional modeling software is typically executed on a computer implementing a two-dimensional (2D) monitor display. Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are increasingly becoming an area of technical interest for many industries. VR generally refers to the exposure of a user to purely computer-generated stimuli, including visual stimuli. In contrast, AR generally refers to the exposure of a user to a combination of real and computer-generated stimuli. VR and AR systems are particularly popular in the entertainment industry. Documents XP055549878 and XP033084055 disclose examples of architectural modeling methods and systems according to available prior art. SUMMARY According to one aspect, an architectural modeling system is provided. The system includes an input controller configured to generate one or more input signals, a display including a display screen, and a system controller configured to be coupled to the input controller and the display. The system controller is configured to generate a three-dimensional simulated environment, display a field of view of the simulated environment on the display screen, receive, from the input controller, the one or more input signals indicative of a three-dimensional movement of an input controller, generate, based on the one or more input signals, a virtual object represented as a polyhedral volumetric object, and display the virtual object in the field of view of the simulated environment on the display screen. In one embodiment, the input controller includes one or more sensors and one or more actuators, and wherein the input controller is configured to detect, with an actuator of the one or more actuators, an actuation of the actuator, detect, with the one or more sensors, a single continuous movement of the input controller, generate, responsive to detecting the actuation of the actuator and the single continuous movement of the input controller, an object generation signal, and communicate the object generation signal to the system controller, wherein the one or more input signals include the object generation signal. In some embodiments, the input controller is further configured to detect, with the one or more sensors, a tilted orientation of the input controller, generate, responsive to detecting the tilted orientation of the input controller, a controller orientation signal, and provide the controller orientation signal to the system controller, wherein the one or more input signals include the controller orientation signal. In an embodiment, the system controller is configured to generate, responsive to receiving the one or more input signals including the controller orientation signal, a cross-section view of the virtual object. In at least one embodiment, a plurality of virtual objects is provided, wherein each virtual object of the plurality of virtual objects is represented as a polyhedral volumetric object. In an embodiment, the virtual object includes a first feature and a second feature, and wherein the system controller is configured to restrict the first feature based on at least one of the second feature of the virtual object and a third feature of at least one second virtual object of the plurality of virtual objects. In some embodiments, the plurality of virtual objects includes a first virtual object and a second virtual object, and wherein the system controller is configured to combine the first virtual object and the second virtual object responsive to detecting a collision between the first virtual object and the second virtual object. In an embodiment, detecting the collision between the first virtual object and the second virtual object includes detecting an overlap between the first virtual object and the second virtual object. In some embodiments, the system controller is further configured to model physical interactions in the three-dimensional simulated environment in accordance with the laws of physics. In at least one embodiment, the system is configured to be coupled to a three-dimensional printer, and wherein the system is configured to provide a file encoding the virtual object to the three-dimensional printer. In some embodiments, the system controller is further configured to generate a second virtual object, and combine the virtual object with the second virtual object responsive