Importance

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Abstract

The invention causes a panoramic view to be realistically displayed to a viewing audience. A fixed display device displays a portion of the panoramic view and a rotating support structure supports the viewing audience. The orientation of the portion of the panoramic view shown by the display device changes in coordination with the rotation of the support structure, while the viewing audience changes its viewing direction to continue looking at the display device. The characteristics of the system (in particular, the rotation of the support structure) are controlled so that the viewing audience is not conscious of the movement of the support structure, but thinks, instead, that the display device (and the displayed portion of the panoramic view) is moving about the support structure as the viewing audience changes its viewing direction. The invention can be implemented as a non-interactive system in which the system operates independently of the viewing audience. Alternatively, the invention can be implemented as an interactive system in which the orientation of the displayed portion of the panoramic view and the position of the support structure rotate in response to viewer input. The interactive system can be implemented either as a direct control system or a feedback control system.

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First Claim