- Number
- 10521096
- Published
- 2019-12-31
- Filed
- 2017-07-24
- Assignee
- Disney Enterprises, Inc.
- Inventors
- Chapman; Steven, Patel; Mehul, Agyemang; Calis, Popp; Joseph
- CPC
- G06F3/04815; G02B27/00; G06F3/011; G06F3/017; G06F3/0346; G06F3/04845; G06F3/04847; G06T11/60
- Verdict
- Medium Notable software
- Source
- Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline
The keeper's note
Virtual reality experience control system grant.
Abstract
A virtual reality system has a virtual reality headset having an interior display screen that displays a virtual reality environment. Further, the virtual reality headset has a receiver, in operable communication with the virtual reality headset, that receives one or more user inputs from a user immersed in the virtual reality environment when wearing the virtual reality headset. In addition, the virtual reality headset has a memory that stores a theme associated with the virtual reality environment and a timeline associated with the theme. The timeline has a plurality of time-based intervals that each correspond to content for the theme. The processor alters the virtual reality environment to correspond to the content for the theme associated with a time-based interval selected by the user via the geometrically-shaped object through the receiver when the user is immersed in the virtual reality environment.
Background
BACKGROUND1. Field(1) This disclosure generally relates to the field of user experiences. More particularly, the disclosure relates to a virtual reality (“VR”) environment.2. General Background(2) Current VR configurations typically allow a user to wear a VR headset in which a user can view a virtual environment. Such configurations provide the user with various simulated features (e.g., imagery, audio, etc.) so that the user has a realistic sense of being present within the virtual environment. For example, the user may move around within the virtual environment as if the user was, in reality, present within a real environment corresponding to that virtual environment. Yet, current configurations do not allow for user control of the particular virtual environment once the user is in that virtual environment. For example, a user that may want to alter the virtual environment would have to remove the VR headset, provide an input in a real world environment to a VR system to change the virtual environment, and then inconveniently place the VR headset on once again to resume the VR experience in the altered virtual environment. By having to shift between a virtual environment and a real world environment to alter the virtual environment, the quality of the VR experience is diminished.SUMMARY(3) In one aspect, a virtual reality system has a virtual reality headset having an interior display screen that displays a virtual reality environment. Further, the virtual reality headset h
Claims
1. A virtual reality system comprising: a virtual reality headset having an interior display screen that displays a virtual reality environment, the virtual reality environment comprising scenery and a geometrically-shaped object; a receiver, in operable communication with the virtual reality headset, that receives one or more user inputs, via the geometrically-shaped object, to alter the scenery, the one or more user inputs being received from a user immersed in the virtual reality environment when wearing the virtual reality headset; a memory that stores a theme associated with the virtual reality environment and a timeline associated with the theme, the timeline having a plurality of time-based intervals that each correspond to content for the theme; and a processor that generates the virtual reality environment, the geometrically-shaped object positioned within the virtual reality environment, and the plurality of time-based intervals positioned at least partially around a periphery of the geometrically-shaped object, the processor altering the scenery in the virtual reality environment to correspond to the content for the theme that corresponds to a time-based interval selected by the user from the plurality of time-based intervals via the geometrically-shaped object when the user is immersed in the virtual reality environment.
2. The virtual reality system of claim 1, wherein the geometrically-shaped object surrounds the user in the virtual reality environment.
3. The virtual reality system of claim 1, wherein the geometrically-shaped object has an exterior portion that is accessible by the user in the virtual reality environment.
4. The virtual reality system of claim 1, wherein the geometrically-shaped object is a cylinder.
5. The virtual reality system of claim 1, wherein the theme is a room, and the content corresponding to the plurality of time-based intervals each comprise an appearance of the room associated with a particular time in the timeline.
6. The virtual reality system of claim 1, wherein the theme is a character from media content, and the content corresponding to the plurality of time-based intervals each comprise a scene from the media content associated with a particular time in the timeline for the character in the media content.
7. The virtual reality system of claim 1, wherein the receiver recognizes one or more gestures of the user with respect to the geometrically-shaped object in the virtual environment.
8. The virtual reality system of claim 7, wherein a first gesture from the one or more gestures corresponds to a command to move the geometrically-shaped object in the virtual environment in increments according to the plurality of time-based intervals.
9. The virtual reality system of claim 8, wherein a second gesture from the one or more gestures corresponds to a command to stop the movement of the geometrically-shaped object in the virtual environment and select one of the plurality of time-based intervals.
10. The virtual reality system of claim 7, wherein a gesture from the one or more gestures corresponds to a command to change the granularity of the increments of the plurality of time-based intervals.
11. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage device having a computer readable program stored thereon, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to: display, with a virtual reality headset, a virtual reality environment, the virtual reality environment comprising scenery and a geometrically-shaped object; receive one or more user inputs, via the geometrically-shaped object, to alter the scenery, the one or more user inputs being received from a user immersed in the virtual reality environment when wearing the virtual reality headset; store a theme associated with the virtual reality environment and a timeline associated with the theme, the timeline having a plurality of time-based intervals that each correspond to content for the theme; generate, with a processor, the virtual reality environment, the geometrically-shaped object positioned within the virtual reality environment, and the plurality of time-based intervals positioned at least partially around a periphery of the geometrically-shaped object; and alter, with the processor, the scenery in the virtual reality environment to correspond to the content for the theme that corresponds to a time-based interval selected by the user from the plurality of time-based intervals via the geometrically-shaped object when the user is immersed in the virtual reality environment.
12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the geometrically-shaped object surrounds the user in the virtual reality environment.
13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the geometrically-shaped object has an exterior portion that is accessible by the user in the virtual reality environment.
14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the geometrically-shaped object is a cylinder.
15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the theme is a room, and the content corresponding to the plurality of time-based intervals each comprise an appearance of the room associated with a particular time in the timeline.
16. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the theme is a character from media content, and the content corresponding to the plurality of time-based intervals each comprise a scene from the media content associated with a particular time in the timeline for the character in the media content.
17. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the receiver recognizes one or more gestures of the user with respect to the geometrically-shaped object in the virtual environment.
18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein a first gesture from the one or more gestures corresponds to a command to move the geometrically-shaped object in the virtual environment in increments according to the plurality of time-based intervals.
19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein a second gesture from the one or more gestures corresponds to a command to stop the movement of the geometrically-shaped object in the virtual environment and select one of the plurality of time-based intervals.
20. A method comprising: displaying, with a virtual reality headset, a virtual reality environment, the virtual reality environment comprising scenery and a geometrically-shaped object; receiving one or more user inputs, via the geometrically-shaped object, to alter the scenery, the one or more user inputs being received from a user immersed in the virtual reality environment when wearing the virtual reality headset; storing a theme associated with the virtual reality environment and a timeline associated with the theme, the timeline having a plurality of time-based intervals that each correspond to content for the theme; generating, with a processor, the virtual reality environment, the geometrically-shaped object positioned within the virtual reality environment, and the plurality of time-based intervals positioned at least partially around a periphery of the geometrically-shaped object; and altering, with the processor, the scenery in the virtual reality environment to correspond to the content for the theme that corresponds to a time-based interval selected by the user from the plurality of time-based intervals via the geometrically-shaped object when the user is immersed in the virtual reality environment.