Virtual reality interaction with 3d printing

Abstract

Systems and methods for enabling a visitor to access VR representations authored by different authors of locations in a virtual universe via a computer network are provided. Data may be stored regarding a plurality of VR data sets. Each VR data set may define a VR representation of a location, as well as 3D data and may be independently authored by a respective author different from the other authors. One or more VR data servers may be adapted to access and transmit the VR data sets. Each VR data set may be associated with a VR data server for access to the VR data set. A domain server may be adapted to access and transmit domain data comprising the location within the universe of each VR representation and the network address of the VR data server associated with the VR representation. Further, a client host may be adapted to communicate with the domain server to receive domain data representing the network address of the VR data server associated with a selected VR representation and to communicate with that VR data server to access the VR data set defining the VR representation without leaving the virtual universe.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for enabling a visitor to access VR representations authored by different authors of locations in a virtual universe via a computer network, the system comprising:
 memory for storing a plurality of VR data sets, each VR data set defining a VR representation of a location, as well as 3D data, each data set independently authored by a respective author different from the other authors;   one or more VR data servers adapted to access and transmit the VR data sets, each VR data set associated with a VR data server for access to the VR data set;   a domain server adapted to access and transmit domain data comprising the location within the universe of each VR representation and the network address of the VR data server associated with the VR representation; and   a client host adapted to communicate with the domain server to receive domain data representing the network address of the VR data server associated with a selected VR representation, the client host further adapted to communicate with that VR data server to access the VR data set defining the VR representation without leaving the virtual universe.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the 3D data is collected in real-time. 
     
     
         3 . A system in  claim 1 , wherein the 3D data comprises 3D files, 3D aggregators or 3D printers or other related 3D data. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the domain server, the one or more data servers, and the client host comprise a plurality of computers with at least one server having access to the world wide web for searching. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more data servers stores a database of the locations of the virtual reality representations and web data strings for 3D data, accessible through the data server and the network addresses of the VR data sets defining such virtual reality representations, whereby VR data sets can be stored remotely from the data server. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the VR data sets comprise first data representing a plurality of photographs and related web data strings allowing the system to search the world wide web for the selected geographical location, each photograph taken in a respective viewing direction, and second data representing the viewing direction of each photograph. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the domain data in the domain server is updated based on author submission of information regarding the network address of the data server and the location in the virtual reality universe associated with the VR data set and the 3D data strings. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the VR data sets comprise data representing a photograph taken from a geographical location as well as 3D data strings. 
     
     
         9 . A method for enabling a visitor to access VR representations authored by different authors of locations in a virtual universe via a computer network, the method comprising:
 providing a plurality of data servers and a domain server interconnected with the data servers, the data servers providing access to sets of VR data of virtual representations of locations within the universe, each set of VR data authored by a respective different author independently of the other authors, the VR data comprising 3D data, the domain server providing access to domain data for selecting the location to visit and the network address of the data server providing access to the VR data for the selected location;   receiving data from the visitor representing a selected location in the universe;   accessing the domain data in response to the received data and obtaining therefrom the network address of the data server that provides access to the VR data for the selected location; and   transferring the VR data for the selected location from the data server to the visitor's computer for generation of a VR presentation of the selected location without leaving the virtual universe.   
     
     
         10 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having embodied thereon a program executable by a processor to perform a method for enabling a visitor to access VR representations authored by different authors of locations in a virtual universe via a computer network, the method comprising:
 providing a plurality of data servers and a domain server interconnected with the data servers, the data servers providing access to sets of VR data of virtual representations of locations within the universe, each set of VR data authored by a respective different author independently of the other authors, the VR data comprising 3D data, the domain server providing access to domain data for selecting the location to visit and the network address of the data server providing access to the VR data for the selected location;   receiving data from the visitor representing a selected location in the universe;   accessing the domain data in response to the received data and obtaining therefrom the network address of the data server that provides access to the VR data for the selected location; and   transferring the VR data for the selected location from the data server to the visitor's computer for generation of a VR presentation of the selected location without leaving the virtual universe.