Method for Scripting Inter-scene Transitions

• US 20080143727A1
• Filed: 11/08/2007
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smarter Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: EveryScape Incorporated
• Inventors: Chang, Sidney, Oh, Byong Mok, Schoonmaker, James
• Granted Patent: US 9,196,072 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/474
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/50 Controlling the output signals based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/00 Animation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/20 3D [Three Dimensional] animation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/40 of characters, e.g. humans, animals or virtual beings
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/80 2D [Two Dimensional] animation, e.g. using sprites
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/04 Texture mapping
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/205 Image-based rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/20 Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/04 involving 3D image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2215/16 Using real world measurements to influence rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/004 Annotating, labelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/016 Exploded view

Abstract

A method for authoring and displaying a virtual tour of a three-dimensional space which employs transitional effects simulating motion. An authoring tool is provided for interactively defining a series of locations in the space for which two-dimensional images, e.g., panoramas, photographs, etc., are available. A user identifies one or more view directions for a first-person perspective viewer for each location. For pairs of locations in the series, transitional effects are identified to simulate smooth motion between the pair of locations. The authoring tool stores data corresponding to the locations, view directions and transitional effects for playback on a display. When the stored data is accessed, a virtual tour of the space is created that includes transitional effects simulating motion between locations. The virtual tour created can allow a viewer to experience the three-dimensional space in a realistic manner.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of creating a motion picture experience of a realm based on a series of digitally stored 2-D images of the realm, the method comprising:

a. providing a first graphical input, using a map view of the realm, for receiving a user'"'"'s definition of a series of locations in the realm;

b. providing a second graphical input, for receiving a user'"'"'s definition of a view direction, for each location in the series of locations, the input using a first person view thereof linked to the map view thereof;

c. providing a third graphical input, for receiving a user'"'"'s definition of transitional effect data for at least a pair of locations in the series of locations; and

d. storing, for subsequent playback on a display, (i) data describing the series of locations and, for each of the locations, the view direction corresponding thereto; and

(ii) the transitional effect data.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein storing further includes storing at least one of data describing text, an image, video, and audio associated with a specified location in the series of location.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein, for at least one location in the series of locations, receiving a user'"'"'s definition of a view direction includes receiving a definition with a plurality of view directions with an associated sequence for playback.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein receiving a user'"'"'s definition of transitional effect data includes receiving a definition of transitional effect data that depends on the direction of motion between the pair of locations.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the 2-D images of the realm include a panorama.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

e. using a first person view of a specified location in the series of locations to define an object linked to the specified location,

wherein storing data includes storing a pointer to the object.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the object linked to the specified location is at least one of an audio track, a text annotation, a hyperlink, and a navigational icon.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

e. displaying the motion picture experience on a display using the stored data.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

e. editing the stored data.

10. A method of providing a motion picture experience of a realm based on a series of digitally stored 2-D images of the realm, the method comprising:

a. accessing digitally stored data, the data including 2-D images for a series of locations in the realm with corresponding view directions for a first-person viewer and transitional effect information between at least one pair of locations in the series of locations;

b. obtaining video from the data which when displayed provides the motion picture experience, wherein the video is derived in part by using transitional effect information to provide transitions between the at least one pair of locations in the series of locations, such that there is simulated motion between the pair of locations; and

c. displaying the motion picture experience.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein displaying includes displaying at least one of text, an image, video, and audio associated with a specified location in the series of locations.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein displaying includes displaying a sequence of view directions for a first-person viewer for a specified location.

13. A method according to claim 10, wherein the 2-D images of the realm include a panorama.

14. A method according to claim 10, wherein the data are accessed through a communications network.

15. A method according to claim 10, wherein the data are accessed from a computer-readable medium.

16. A method according to claim 10, wherein displaying the motion picture experience includes randomly selecting locations from the series of locations for display.

17. A method according to claim 10, wherein the accessed data includes a sequence for the series of locations and displaying includes displaying locations with a discontinuity in the sequence.

18. A method according to claim 10, wherein displaying the experience includes:

displaying a predetermined sequence of locations from the series of location;

displaying a choice of additional locations to display;

receiving an input identifying a further location; and

displaying the experience for the further location.