Navigating a virtual environment of a media content item

Number: 10600245
Published: 2020-03-24
Filed: 2015-05-28
Assignee: LUCASFILM ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LTD.
Inventors: Latta; Lutz Markus, Wakelin; Ian, Johnston; Darby, Grant; Andrew, Gaeta; John
CPC: H04N21/44029; G06T19/003; H04N21/8545; G06T19/006; H04N21/21805; G06F16/9577; G06F3/0346; H04N21/47217; H04N21/23439; H04N21/8541; H04L67/10; H04N21/47205
Verdict: Low Notable software
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

The keeper's note

Novel interaction system for navigating a virtual environment.

Abstract

Systems and techniques are provided for switching between different modes of a media content item. A media content item may include a movie that has different modes, such as a cinematic mode and an interactive mode. For example, a movie may be presented in a cinematic mode that does not allow certain user interactions with the movie. The movie may be switched to an interactive mode during any point of the movie, allowing a viewer to interact with various aspects of the movie. The movie may be displayed using different formats and resolutions depending on which mode the movie is being presented.

Background

FIELD(1) The present disclosure generally relates to providing an interactive media content experience to one or more users. For example, techniques and systems may be provided for navigating a virtual environment of a media content item.BACKGROUND(2) Media content presentation is an ever-evolving industry that provides viewers with many options to enjoy the media content. For example, an item of media content may include a movie or television programming. In some instances, media content may be presented using a virtual reality system that immerses a viewer in a scene of the media content. To provide high quality media content in such a manner, media files for the media content often include large amounts of data that necessitate intensive storage and processing requirements.SUMMARY(3) Techniques and systems are described for presenting media content. In one embodiment, techniques and systems are described for switching between different modes of a media content item. In particular, a media content item may include a movie that has different modes, such as a cinematic mode and an interactive mode. For example, a movie may be presented in a cinematic mode that does not allow certain user interactions with the movie. The movie may be switched to an interactive mode during any point of the movie, allowing a viewer to interact with various aspects of the movie. The movie may be displayed using different formats and resolutions depending on which mode the movie is being presented

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of navigating a virtual environment presented in an interactive mode of a movie using a computing device, the method comprising: receiving, by the computing device, input corresponding to a user command to switch from operation in a cinematic mode of a movie to operation in an interactive mode of the movie; switching, by the computing device, from operation in the cinematic mode to operation in the interactive mode, the interactive mode displays a set of images that corresponds to one or more scenes in which user control of a virtual camera within the virtual environment of the movie is enabled, wherein the interactive mode is presented using at least one of a different aspect ratio and a different resolution than the aspect ratio and the resolution used in the cinematic mode; receiving, by the computing device, the set of images of the virtual environment of the movie, the set of images having been rendered by a cloud server different from the computing device; presenting, by the computing device, the set of images of the virtual environment, the set of images representing one or more camera positions or orientations of the virtual environment of the movie; receiving, by the computing device, a sensor input in response to movement of the computing device, the sensor input corresponding to a navigation command for controlling navigation of the virtual camera within the virtual environment, wherein the navigation command indicates a change from a first perspective to a second perspective in the virtual environment, and wherein the sensor input is received from at least one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a depth sensor, or a global positioning system sensor of the computing device; determining initial positioning information based on the sensor input, wherein the initial positioning information is associated with the second perspective in the virtual environment; associating the initial positioning information with a position indicator; storing the initial positioning information in association with the position indicator in a storage device; transmitting a signal corresponding to the navigation command to the cloud server, the signal including the initial positioning information and the position indicator; receiving image data from the cloud server, the image data including the position indicator and an image rendered by the cloud server based upon the initial positioning information, wherein the image is from the second perspective in the virtual environment; determining updated positioning information for the computing device, wherein the updated positioning information is associated with a third perspective in the virtual environment; retrieving the initial positioning information from the storage device based on the position indicator; modifying, by the computing device, the received image rendered by the cloud server based on the retrieved initial positioning information and the updated positioning information to generate an additional image corresponding to the updated positioning information, wherein modifying the received image changes the received image from the second perspective to the third perspective to correct for a change in perspective that occurred after the initial positioning information used to render the received image was determined; and presenting, by the computing device, the additional image corresponding to the third perspective. 12. A computing device for navigating a virtual environment presented in an interactive mode of a movie, the computing device comprising: an input device for receiving an input corresponding to a user command to switch from operation in a cinematic mode of a movie to an operation in an interactive mode of a movie and a set of images of the virtual environment of the movie, the set of images having been rendered by a cloud server different from the computing device; one or more processors configured to switch from operation in the cinematic mode of the movie to operation in the interactive mode of the movie, the interactive mode displays the set of images that corresponds to one or more scenes of the movie in which user control of a virtual camera within the virtual environment of the movie is enabled and present the set of images of the virtual environment, the set of images representing one or more camera positions or orientations of the virtual environment of the movie, wherein the interactive mode is presented using at least one of a different aspect ratio and a different resolution than the aspect ratio and the resolution used in the cinematic mode; wherein the input device is configured to receive a sensor input in response to movement of the computing device, the sensor input corresponding to a navigation command for controlling navigation of the virtual camera within the virtual environment, wherein the navigation command indicates a change from a first perspective to a second perspective in the virtual environment, and wherein the sensor input is received from at least one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a depth sensor, or a global positioning system sensor of the computing device; wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: determine initial positioning information based on the sensor input, wherein the initial positioning information is associated with the second perspective in the virtual environment; associate the initial positioning information with a position indicator; and store the initial positioning information in association with the position indicator in a storage device; an output device for transmitting a signal corresponding to the navigation command to the cloud server, the signal including the initial positioning information and the position indicator; wherein the input device is configured to receive image data from the cloud server, the image data including the position indicator and an image rendered by the cloud server based upon the initial positioning information, wherein the image is from the second perspective in the virtual environment; and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: determine updated positioning information for the computing device, wherein the updated positioning information is associated with a third perspective in the virtual environment; retrieve the initial positioning information from the storage device based on the position indicator; modify the received image rendered by the cloud server based on the retrieved initial positioning information and the updated positioning information to generate an additional image corresponding to the updated positioning information, wherein modifying the received image changes the received image from the second perspective to the third perspective to correct for a change in perspective that occurred after the initial positioning information used to render the received image was determined; and present the additional image corresponding to the third perspective. 17. A non-transitory, computer-readable memory storing a plurality of instructions executable by one or more processors of a computing device, the plurality of instructions comprising: instructions that cause the one or more processors to receive an input corresponding to a user command to switch from operation in a cinematic mode of a movie to operation in an interactive mode of the movie; instructions that cause the one or more processors to switch operation in the cinematic mode of a movie to operation in the interactive mode, the interactive mode displays a set of images that corresponds to one or more scenes in which user control of a virtual camera within a virtual environment of the movie is enabled, wherein the interactive mode is presented using at least one of a different aspect ratio and a different resolution than the aspect ratio and the resolution used in the cinematic mode; instructions that cause the one or more processors to receive the set of images of the virtual environment of the movie, the set of images having been rendered by a cloud server different from the computing device; instructions that cause the one or more processors to present the set of images of the virtual environment, the set of images representing one or more camera positions or orientations of the virtual environment of the movie; instructions that cause the one or more processors to receive a sensor input in response to movement of the computing device, the sensor input corresponding to a navigation command for controlling navigation of the virtual camera within the virtual environment, wherein the navigation command indicates a change from a first perspective to a second perspective in the virtual environment, and wherein the sensor input is received from at least one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a depth sensor, or a global positioning system sensor of the computing device; instructions that cause the one or more processors to determine initial positioning information based on the sensor input, wherein the initial positioning information is associated with the second perspective in the virtual environment; instructions that cause the one or more processors to associate the initial positioning information with a position indicator; instructions that cause the one or more processors to store the initial positioning information in association with the position indicator in a storage device; instructions that cause the one or more processors to transmit a signal corresponding to the navigation command to the cloud server, the signal including the initial positioning information and the position indicator; instructions that cause the one or more processors to receive image data from the cloud server, the image data including the position indicator and an image rendered by the cloud server based upon the initial positioning information, wherein the image is from the second perspective in the virtual environment; instructions that cause the one or more processors to determine updated positioning information for the computing device, wherein the updated positioning information is associated with a third perspective in the virtual environment; instructions that cause the one or more processors to retrieve the initial positioning information from the storage device based on the position indicator; instructions that cause the one or more processors to modify the received image rendered by the cloud server based on the retrieved initial positioning information and the updated positioning information to generate an additional image corresponding to the updated positioning information, wherein modifying the received image changes the received image from the second perspective to the third perspective to correct for a change in perspective that occurred after the initial positioning information used to render the received image was determine; and instructions that cause the one or more processors to presenting the additional image corresponding to the third perspective.