Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Andrew John Howe

Vidya Srinivasan

Harold Anthony Martinez Molina

Michael Lee Smith

Colton Brett Marshall

Amy Lynn Scarfone

Aniket Handa

Purnima M Rao

Nathan Bradley Duke

Edward Boyle Averett

Matthew Jay Kotler

Crystal L Hoyer

Karen K Wong

Brent Gilbert

Justin Chung-Ting Lam

Mikko T Mannisto

Spencer John Kopach

Amy Scarfone

Spencer J Kopach

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to contextual input in a three-dimensional (3D) environment. In an example, a 3D environment is authored using an authoring application, wherein the author selects and positions one or more content items within the 3D environment. The 3D environment has a set of possible environment events that are associated with user input events. As a result, an environment event is generated when a user input event is received from an input device. An author uses the authoring application to associate an environment event with an action of the content item. A user is able to use a variety of input devices to interact with the 3D environment. When an input event is received from an input device, an environment event is generated accordingly, and a content item action associated with the environment event is performed in response to the environment event.

Contextual input in a three-dimensional environment

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to structure switching in a 3D environment. In examples, an authoring application is used to select characteristics for the 3D environment and to insert content. For example, a structure is selected in which to present the content in the 3D environment. An asset container comprises assets associated with the selected structure, which are included in the 3D environment. In some examples, a common asset container comprises other assets that are included in the 3D environment. End users are able to view the 3D environment using a viewer application. If the author decides to change the selected structure, an asset container associated with the new structure is identified. Assets for the old structure are removed from the 3D environment and assets for the new structure are included instead. Thus, a set of asset containers is used generate the 3D environment and change characteristics therein.

Structure switching in a three-dimensional environment

Computing devices for automatic placement and arrangement of objects in computer-based 3D environments are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a computing device is configured to provide, on a display, a user interface containing a work area having a template of a 3D environment and a gallery containing models of two-dimensional (2D) or 3D content items. The computing device can then detect, via the user interface, a user input selecting one of the models from the gallery to be inserted as an object into the template of the 3D environment. In response to detecting the user input, the computing device can render and surface on the display, a graphical representation of the 2D or 3D content item corresponding to the selected model at a location along a circular arc spaced apart from the default viewer position of a viewer of the 3D environment by a preset radial distance.

Automatic placement and arrangement of content items in three-dimensional environment

Methods and systems for normalizing a 3D object with a 2D graphical user interface of an authoring application includes retrieving the 3D object, which has an existing offset center, removing the existing the offset center, defining a bounding box about the 3D object, calculating and assigning a new center of the 3D object, and adding the 3D object to the 3D environment including displaying the 3D object within the 3D environment within the 2D GUI according to the new bounding box and new center.

Normalization of objects for a 3D environment within an authoring application

Examples of the present disclosure describe systems and methods for rendering 3D text in a 3D environment. In aspects, a three dimensional (3D) object may be generated in a virtual reality, augmented reality, or mixed reality (MR) environment. A two dimensional (2D) graphical user interface (GUI) texture may be applied to a plane of the 3D object. A graphical control element, such as a text frame, and associated content may be rendered on the GUI texture. In some aspects, the graphical control element may be associated with editing controls that enable the dimensions and/or orientation of the graphical control element to be modified within the boundaries of the GUI texture and/or the 3D object.

Text editing system for 3D environment

Systems and methods of maintaining a focal point of a camera in a 3D environment of a 2D graphical user interface of an authoring application includes displaying a surface upon which one or more content items can be placed and a camera centrally positioned relative to the surface. Further, responsive to an indication to add a content, determining a first elevation of the camera, determining an angle of view of the camera at the first elevation and elevating the camera to a second elevation that is greater than the first elevation of the camera while maintaining a perceived angle of view of the camera. Systems and methods for translating a 3D object include preventing translation of the 3D object in one of three dimensions of the three-dimensional environment while enabling simultaneous translation of the 3D object in the two remaining dimensions of the three dimensions of the 3D environment.

Content assistance in a three-dimensional environment

Methods and systems for displaying a content indicator in a 3D environment of a 2D graphical user interface of an authoring application includes receiving an indication to load the object into the 3D environment, displaying the content indicator, which indicates a loading status of the object, based on receipt of the indication and scaling the content indicator. The scaling includes determining a forward direction of the camera, determining a difference in position between the forward direction of the camera and the content indicator, determining a scalar value based on the difference in position and applying the scalar value to the content indicator.

Content indicators in a 3D environment authoring application

Techniques configured to enable multiple users to dynamically and concurrently edit a scene that is viewable in a three-dimensional immersive environment are described herein. The techniques use region locking so that content being edited by one user viewing and editing the scene in a three-dimensional immersive environment cannot be edited by another user concurrently viewing and editing the same scene in the three-dimensional immersive environment. Accordingly, a scene can be divided into multiple regions that can be locked to provide an element of protection against user interference that can result when two users are editing, or attempting to edit, the same content.

Multiple users dynamically editing a scene in a three-dimensional immersive environment

The techniques described herein convert platform-specific scene files produced by multiple different design platforms into platform-agnostic scene files configured in an intermediate format. The intermediate format comprises a human-readable format that provides written descriptions of content in a three-dimensional scene template. The platform-agnostic scene files can be provided to any one of multiple different consumption platforms so the data in the intermediate format can be interpreted and a three-dimensional scene template can be rebuilt. Once rebuilt, the three-dimensional scene template provides a starting point for a user to create a three-dimensional scene for an experience (e.g., the user can continue to add content to create and customize a scene for a particular purpose).

Generating and providing platform agnostic scene files in an intermediate format

The disclosed techniques enable virtual content displayed in an experience to be restricted and/or tailored based on a user identification. User information (e.g., login name, authentication credentials such as a password or biometric data, etc.) can be used to determine and/or authenticate an identification of a user that enters and/or consumes an experience via a head-mounted display device or another computing device connected to a head-mounted display device. The user identification can be used to determine which virtual content is displayed to the user as part of an experience. Consequently, different users that enter the same experience can be presented with different virtual content. This enables a creator of the experience to restrict the viewing of confidential and/or sensitive information. This also enables the creator of the experience to tailor or customize the virtual content that is displayed to each user that enters and/or consumes the experience.

Authentication-based presentation of virtual content

A platform configured to operate in different modes so that users can seamlessly switch between an authoring view and a consumption view while creating a three-dimensional scene is described herein. A first mode includes an authoring mode in which an authoring user can add and/or edit content displayed in a three-dimensional scene via a computing device. The second mode includes a consumption mode in which the authoring user can preview and/or share the content displayed in the three-dimensional scene via a head-mounted display device that is in some way connected to and/or in communication with the computing device. Consequently, the same platform (e.g., application) enables the authoring user to toggle between the two different modes while creating a three-dimensional scene that is part of an experience.

Seamless switching between an authoring view and a consumption view of a three-dimensional scene

The disclosed techniques immediately download, to a head-mounted display device or to a device connected to a head-mounted display device, data used to render each of multiple three-dimensional scenes that are part of an experience. An experience includes related and/or linked content that can be accessed and/or displayed for a particular purpose. In various examples, the experience can initially be accessed using a computing device (e.g., a laptop, a smartphone, etc.). The immediate download can be implemented in response to a user switching consumption of the experience from a display of the computing device to a display of the head-mounted display device so three-dimensional scenes can be consumed in a three-dimensional immersive environment (e.g., a three-dimensional coordinate space displayed via the head-mounted display device). Data for individual ones of the three-dimensional scenes is instantiated (e.g., rendered and displayed) asynchronously based on user navigation to a next three-dimensional scene.

Downloading of three-dimensional scene data for asynchronous navigation

When using graphical diagrams, cutting and pasting operations may take advantage of predefined relationships to intelligently insert and remove items from the diagram. A text data model may be interpreted sequentially or hierarchically to construct various diagrams. Pasting operations will bring new data into the diagram and data model while conforming the new data to the diagram definition. Cutting operations may cause the data model and diagram to be healed to conform to the diagram definition.

Growing community of inventors

Sammamish, WA, United States of America

Andrew John Howe