Controlling a virtual camera

Number: 9781354
Published: 2017-10-03
Filed: 2016-04-12
Assignee: LUCASFILM ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LTD.
Inventors: Wooley; Kevin, Sanders; Michael, Sullivan; Steve, Reynolds; Spencer, Cantwell; Brian
CPC: G06F3/041; G06T15/205; G11B27/00; H04N5/2621; G06T7/70; G06F3/0362; G06F3/0346; G06T19/003; G06T15/20; H04N23/66; H04N5/2224; G06T13/20; G06F3/04886; H04N5/2628; G06F3/0202; H04N23/60; G06F3/04815
Verdict: Medium Notable software
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

The keeper's note

Controls a virtual camera and scene from a handheld device by receiving commands and generating a live output back to the device, for on-set virtual production.

Abstract

Among other aspects, on computer-implemented method includes: receiving at least one command in a computer system from a handheld device; positioning a virtual camera and controlling a virtual scene according to the command; and in response to the command, generatingan output to the handheld device for displaying a view of the virtual scene as controlledon a display of the handheld device, the view captured by the virtual camera as positioned.

Background

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS(1) FIG. 1 schematically shows a system with handheld devices and a virtual scene.(2) FIG. 2 shows examples of records that can be generated or used for a virtual scene.(3) FIG. 3 shows a handheld device with a touchscreen.(4) FIG. 4 shows operations that can be performed by a handheld device and a computer system, respectively.(5) FIG. 5 schematically shows another example of the system of FIG. 1.(6) FIGS. 6A-B schematically show examples of alignment between a motion-capture stage and a virtual space.(7) FIGS. 7A-C schematically show examples of alignment between the motion-capture stage of FIGS. 6A-B and another virtual space.(8) FIG. 8 shows an example of a graphical user interface that can be used for alignment between a motion-capture stage and a virtual space.(9) FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a computing system that can be used in connection with computer-implemented methods described in this document.(10) Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.DETAILED DESCRIPTION(11) In examples herein, it is described that a user such as amoviemaker can operate and interact with a virtual scene by inputting certain commands orvalues, and can view a visual presentation of the resulting visual scene.(12) FIG. 1 schematically shows a system 100 with handheld devices 102A and 102B and a virtual scene 104. The virtual scene 104 is generated by one or more application programs in a computer system 106. For example, the virtual scene c

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising: obtaining motion capture information of a handheld device in an environment; accessing a representation of a virtual scene comprising a virtual camera associated with the virtual scene; determining a position ofthe virtual camera based at least in part on the obtained motion capture information; modifying a virtual asset defined for the virtual scene in response to an input, received at the handheld device, wherein the modifying includes adding, relocating, removing or altering an appearance of the virtual asset defined for the virtual scene; generating an image of the virtual scene based at least in part on the modification to the virtual asset and the determined position of the virtual camera; and providing the image to the handheld device for display. 11. A system comprising: a computing device comprising: a processor; and a memory communicatively linked to the processor, wherein the memory is configured to store a representation of a virtual scene; wherein the memory comprises instructions that cause the computing device to: obtain motion capture information of a handheld device in an environment; access a representation of a virtual scene comprising a virtual camera associatedwith the virtual scene; determine a position of the virtual camera based at least in parton the obtained motion capture information; modify a virtual asset defined for the virtual scene in response to an input, received at the handheld device, wherein the modifying includes adding, relocating, removing or altering an appearance of the virtual asset definedfor the virtual scene; generate an image of the virtual scene based at least in part on the modification to the virtual asset and the determined position of the virtual camera; and provide the image to the handheld device for display. 17. A computer program product tangibly embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable medium and comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer system, cause the computer system to perform a method comprising: obtaining motion capture information of a handheld device in an environment; accessing a representation of a virtual scene comprising a virtual camera associated with the virtual scene; determining a position of the virtual camera based at least in part on the obtained motion capture information; modifying a virtual asset defined for the virtual scene in response to an input, received at the handheld device, wherein the modifying includesadding, relocating, removing or altering an appearance of the virtual asset defined for the virtual scene; generating an image of the virtual scene based at least in part on the modification to the virtual asset and the determined position of the virtual camera; and providing the image to the handheld device for display.