Switching modes of a media content item

• US 10,602,200 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2016
• Issued: 03/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lucasfilm Limited (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Lucasfilm Limited (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Grant, Andrew, Latta, Lutz Markus, Wakelin, Ian, Johnston, Darby, Gaeta, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Chae, Kyu
• Application Number:
  US15/087,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20160227262A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,454 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/003 Navigation within 3D models or images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21805 enabling multiple viewpoints, e.g. using a plurality of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44029 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47205 for manipulating displayed content, e.g. interacting with MPEG-4 objects, editing locally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8541 involving branching, e.g. to different story endings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8545 for generating interactive applications

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.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

presenting, by a computing device, a first set of images of a primary story thread of a media content item in a cinematic mode, the first set of images including at least one image of a virtual environment taken from at least one predefined virtual position of a virtual camera associated with the virtual environment, wherein user control of the virtual camera is not enabled;

receiving, by the computing device, input corresponding to a user command to switch from a cinematic mode to an interactive mode of the media content item that allows user interaction with the virtual environment of the media content item using the virtual camera, wherein user control of the virtual camera is enabled;

pausing at a first time of a timeline of the primary story thread of the media content item when the computing device switches from the cinematic mode to the interactive mode;

enabling, by the computing device, user control of the virtual camera;

receiving input corresponding to selection of a geographic location bookmark, the geographic location bookmark corresponding to a geographic location within the virtual environment of the media content item;

transmitting a signal corresponding to the geographic location bookmark to a rendering system;

receiving a second set of images of the media content item from the rendering system, the second set of images including a perspective of the virtual camera at the geographic location within the virtual environment based on the geographic location bookmark, wherein the rendering system is configured to generate images of the virtual environment based on virtual positions of the virtual camera;

presenting the second set of images of the media content item;

receiving, by the computing device, input corresponding to a navigation command for changing a virtual position of the virtual camera;

transmitting, by the computing device, the navigation command to the rendering system;

receiving, by the computing device, a third set of images of the media content item, the third set of images comprising images of the virtual environment taken from one or more subsequent virtual positions of the virtual camera, wherein the one or more subsequent virtual positions are based on at least the transmitted navigation command; and

presenting, by the computing device, the third set of images.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the media content item includes the primary story thread and one or more non-primary story threads, wherein the primary story thread is presented when the computing device is in the cinematic mode, and wherein the one or more non-primary story threads are processed simultaneously over a timeline of the media content item as the primary story thread is presented.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more non-primary story threads are viewable when the computing device is in the interactive mode and are non-viewable when the computing device is in the cinematic mode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive mode allows control of a timeline of the media content item.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising switching from the interactive mode to the cinematic mode, wherein the virtual camera returns to a predefined cinematic perspective from a user controlled perspective when the computing device is switched from the interactive mode to the cinematic mode.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the media content item is automatically paused at a first time of a timeline associated with the media content item when the computing device switches from the cinematic mode to the interactive mode.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving input corresponding to selection of an object within the virtual environment;

transmitting a signal corresponding to the selection of the object to the rendering system;

receiving one or more images of the media content item from the rendering system, the one or more images including a perspective of the virtual camera from a point of view of the object; and

unpausing the media content item to present the one or more images of the media content item.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein selection of the object includes moving the virtual camera a threshold distance from the object.

9. A computing device, comprising:

a memory storing a plurality of instructions; and

one or more processors configurable to;

present a first set of images of a primary story thread of a media content item in a cinematic mode, the first set of images including at least one image of a virtual environment taken from at least one predefined virtual position of a virtual camera associated with the virtual environment, wherein user control of the virtual camera is not enabled;

receive input corresponding to a user command to switch from a cinematic mode to an interactive mode of the media content item that allows user interaction with the virtual environment of the media content item using the virtual camera, wherein user control of the virtual camera is enabled;

pausing at a first time of a timeline of the primary story thread of the media content item when the computing device switches from the cinematic mode to the interactive mode;

enable user control of the virtual camera;

receive input corresponding to selection of a geographic location bookmark, the geographic location bookmark corresponding to a geographic location within the virtual environment of the media content item;

transmit a signal corresponding to the geographic location bookmark to a rendering system;

receive a second set of images of the media content item from the rendering system, the second set of images including a perspective of the virtual camera at the geographic location within the virtual environment based on the geographic location bookmark, wherein the rendering system is configured to generate images of the virtual environment based on virtual positions of the virtual camera;

present the second set of images of the media content item;

receive input corresponding to a navigation command for changing a virtual position of the virtual camera;

transmit the navigation command to the rendering system;

receive a third set of images of the media content item, the third set of images comprising images of the virtual environment taken from one or more subsequent virtual positions of the virtual camera, wherein the one or more subsequent virtual positions are based on at least the transmitted navigation command; and

present the third set of images.

10. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the media content item includes the primary story thread and one or more non-primary story threads, wherein the primary story thread is presented when the computing device is in the cinematic mode, and wherein the one or more non-primary story threads are processed simultaneously over a timeline of the media content item as the primary story thread is presented.

11. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the one or more non-primary story threads are viewable when the computing device is in the interactive mode and are non-viewable when the computing device is in the cinematic mode.

12. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the interactive mode allows control of a timeline of the media content item.

13. A 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 present a first set of images of a primary story thread of a media content item in a cinematic mode, the first set of images including at least one image of a virtual environment taken from at least one predefined virtual position of a virtual camera associated with the virtual environment, wherein user control of the virtual camera is not enabled;

instructions that cause the one or more processors to receive input corresponding to a user command to switch from a cinematic mode to an interactive mode of the media content item that allows user interaction with the virtual environment of the media content item using the virtual camera, wherein user control of the virtual camera is enabled;

instructions that cause the one or more processors to pausing at a first time of a timeline of the primary story thread of the media content item when the computing device switches from the cinematic mode to the interactive mode;

instructions that cause the one or more processors to enable user control of the virtual camera;

instructions that cause the one or more processors to receive input corresponding to selection of a geographic location bookmark, the geographic location bookmark corresponding to a geographic location within the virtual environment of the media content item;

instructions that cause the one or more processors to transmit a signal corresponding to the geographic location bookmark to a rendering system;

instructions that cause the one or more processors to receive a second set of images of the media content item from the rendering system, the second set of images including a perspective of the virtual camera at the geographic location within the virtual environment based on the geographic location bookmark, wherein the rendering system is configured to generate images of the virtual environment based on virtual positions of the virtual camera;

instructions that cause the one or more processors to present the second set of images of the media content item;

instructions that cause the one or more processors to receive input corresponding to a navigation command for changing a virtual position of the virtual camera;

instructions that cause the one or more processors to transmit the navigation command to the rendering system;

instructions that cause the one or more processors to receive a third set of images of the media content item, the third set of images comprising images of the virtual environment taken from one or more subsequent virtual positions of the virtual camera, wherein the one or more subsequent virtual positions are based on at least the transmitted navigation command; and

instructions that cause the one or more processors to present the third set of images.

14. The computer-readable memory of claim 13, wherein the media content item includes the primary story thread and one or more non-primary story threads, wherein the primary story thread is presented when the computing device is in the cinematic mode, and wherein the one or more non-primary story threads are processed simultaneously over a timeline of the media content item as the primary story thread is presented.

15. The computer-readable memory of claim 14, wherein the one or more non-primary story threads are viewable when the computing device is in the interactive mode and are non-viewable when the computing device is in the cinematic mode.

16. The computer-readable memory of claim 13, wherein the interactive mode allows control of a timeline of the media content item.