Switching modes of a media content item

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10602200-B2
Application number	US-201615087459-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2016
Priority date	May 28, 2014
Publication date	Mar 24, 2020
Grant date	Mar 24, 2020

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

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 i

Assignees

• Lucasfilm Entertainment Co Ltd

Inventors

• Grant Andrew
• Latta Lutz Markus
• Wakelin Ian
• Johnston Darby
• Gaeta John

Classifications

• G06T19/003

  Navigation within 3D models or images · CPC title

• H04L67/10

  in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network (software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46) · CPC title

• G06T19/006

  Mixed reality (object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00) · CPC title

• G06F3/0346

  with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a three-dimensional [3D] space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors · CPC title

• G06F16/9577

  Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents · CPC title