What is claimed is:
1. A computer-implemented system that enables interactive visualization of a geographical scene having one or more physical structures residing therein, comprising:
a model database for storing three-dimensional model data for the physical structures which may reside in the geographical scene;
a scene definition data structure that represents the geographical scene, the scene definition data structure being comprised of a plurality of data records, where each data record represents a physical structure residing in the geographical scene, each data record further includes an identifier for the physical structure, link data which provides information to access corresponding model data for the physical structure, position data which provides positional information for the physical structure in the geographical scene, and hierarchical data which is indicative of data records having a child relationship thereto; and
a scene definition application connected to the model database and the scene definition data structure, the scene definition application operable to retrieve the plurality of hierarchical data records and interactively display the geographical scene.
2. The computer-implemented system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of data records of the scene definition data structure are arranged in a tree structure.
3. The computer-implemented system of claim 2 wherein the scene definition application is operable to dynamically build a window tree which parallels the tree structure of the scene definition data structure, where the window tree is displayed on a graphical user interface of the system.
4. The computer-implemented system of claim 3 wherein the identifier for the physical structure is further defined as a text label that identifies the physical structure in the window tree which is displayed on the graphical user interface.
5. The computer-implemented system of claim 1 wherein the link data is further defined as a filename for the corresponding model data in the model database.
6. The computer-implemented system of claim 1 further includes a graphics engine, the graphics engine being cooperatively operable with the scene definition application to render the model data for each physical structure displayed in the geographic scene.
7. The computer-implemented system of claim 6 wherein the scene definition application cooperatively operable with the graphics engine to dynamically build a scene graph which parallels the scene definition data structure, the scene graph being used by the graphics engine to render the model data for each physical structure displayed in the geographic scene.
8. The computer-implemented system of claim 1 wherein each data record further includes time period data which defines when the physical structure exists in the geographical scene.
9. The computer-implemented system of claim 8 wherein the scene definition application displays physical structures in the geographical scene, where the specified time falls within the time period associated with each physical structure displayed in the geographical scene.
10. A data record for storing hierarchical scene data that represents a geographical scene, the data record embodied in a computer readable medium, comprising:
an identifier for a physical structure residing in the geographical space;
link data which provides information to access three-dimensional model data for the physical structure;
positional data which provides location information for the physical structure in the geographical scene; and
hierarchical data which is indicative of other data records having a child relationship to said data record.
11. The data record of claim 10 wherein the identifier is further defined as a text label that describes the physical structure.
12. The data record of claim 10 wherein the link data is further defined as a filename for the model data in a model database.
13. The data record of claim 10 wherein the hierarchical data is further defined as a number of data records having a child relationship to said data record.
14. The data record of claim 10 further comprises time period data which defines when the physical structure exists in the geographical scene.
15. The data record of claim 14 wherein the time period data is further defined as an effective data and a removal date.
16. A method for retrieving scene definition data that represents a geographical space having one or more physical structures residing therein, comprising:
providing a scene definition data structure that represents the geographical space, the scene definition data structure comprised of a root node and a plurality of associated nodes, such that each node represents a physical structure residing in the geographical scene;
determining an address for the root node of the scene definition data structure;
retrieving a data record for the root node based on said address, said data record including hierarchical data which indicates first generation data records having a child relationship to said data record; and
recursively retrieving the first generation data records based on the hierarchical data in the data record for the root node.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein each of the first generation data records further includes additional hierarchical data which indicates second generation data records having a child relationship to the said first generation data record and further comprises recursively retrieving the second generation data records for a given first generation data record prior to retrieving an adjacent first generation data record.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for heating or cooling an area using a heating and cooling system, the method comprising:
circulating a first medium through a first circuit;
circulating a second medium through a second circuit;
transferring thermal energy between a first heat exchanger and the first medium;
transferring thermal energy between a second heat exchanger and the second medium;
providing at least one thermoelectric module having a first surface in thermal communication with the first heat exchanger and a second surface in thermal communication with the second heat exchanger;
providing at least one bypass line in the first circuit, wherein when the first medium is circulated through the at least one bypass line, the first medium is prevented from being in thermal communication with the first heat exchanger;
selectively operating the system in a heating mode or a cooling mode;
directing current in a first direction through the at least one thermoelectric module such that the first surface cools the first heat exchanger and the second surface heats the second heat exchanger when the heating mode is selected; and
directing current in a second direction through the at least one thermoelectric module such that the first surface warms the first heat exchanger and the second surface cools the second heat exchanger when the cooling mode is selected.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising operatively engaging an engine with the first circuit.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising transferring thermal energy between a third heat exchanger and the first medium.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising moving air through the third heat exchanger with a blower.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising transferring thermal energy between a fourth heat exchanger and the second medium.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising moving air through the fourth heat exchanger with a blower.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising operatively engaging a fifth heat exchanger with the first circuit.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the fifth heat exchanger is a radiator.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first circuit comprises at least one bypass line and at least one valve configured to direct the first medium through one of the at least one bypass line and the fifth heat exchanger.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising directing the first medium through one of the at least one bypass line and the first circuit in thermal communication with the first heat exchanger using at least one double switching valve.
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising circulating the first medium through a third circuit connected to the first circuit, wherein the third circuit comprises a valve and a sixth heat exchanger.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising operatively engaging a cold generating system with the third circuit.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the third circuit further comprises at least one bypass line and at least one valve configured to direct the first medium through one of the at least one bypass line and the cold generating system.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein the cold generating system is a thermoelectric device.
15. The method of claim 12, wherein the cold generating system is a cold storage system.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the cold storage system is a phase change material.
17. The method of claim 1, wherein the second circuit comprises a demisting heat exchanger and at least one valve, whereby the at one least valve directs the second medium through one of the fourth heat exchanger and the demisting heat exchanger.
18. A method for heating or cooling an area using a heating and cooling system, the method comprising:
circulating a first medium through a first circuit;
circulating a second medium through a second circuit;
transferring thermal energy between a first heat exchanger and the first medium;
transferring thermal energy between a second heat exchanger and the second medium;
providing at least one thermoelectric module having a first surface in thermal communication with the first heat exchanger and a second surface in thermal communication with the second heat exchanger;
operatively engaging a heat generating system with the first circuit, wherein the heat generating system is separate from the at least one thermoelectric module;
selectively operating the system in a heating mode or a cooling mode;
directing current in a first direction through the at least one thermoelectric module such that the first surface cools the first heat exchanger and the second surface heats the second heat exchanger when the heating mode is selected; and
directing current in a second direction through the at least one thermoelectric module such that the first surface warms the first heat exchanger and the second surface cools the second heat exchanger when the cooling mode is selected.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the heat generating system comprises a battery.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein the heat generating system comprises an electronic device.
21. The method of claim 18, wherein the heat generating system comprises an internal combustion engine.
22. The method of claim 18, wherein the heat generating system comprises positive temperature coefficient device.
23. The method of claim 18, wherein the heat generating system comprises an exhaust of the vehicle.
24. The method of claim 18, wherein the heat generating system comprises a fuel cell.
25. The method of claim 18, wherein the heat generating system comprises a thermoelectric device.
26. The method of claim 18, wherein the heat generating system comprises a heat storage system.
27. The method of claim 26, wherein the heat storage system comprises a phase change material.
28. The method of claim 18, wherein the first circuit further comprises at least one bypass line and at least one valve configured to direct the first medium through one of the at least one bypass line and the heat generating system.