Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Aniket Handa

Vidya Srinivasan

Harold Anthony Martinez Molina

Colton Brett Marshall

Amy Lynn Scarfone

Andrew John Howe

Michael Lee Smith

Nathan Bradley Duke

Purnima M Rao

Carlos G Perez

Edward Boyle Averett

Justin Chung-Ting Lam

Spencer John Kopach

Amy Scarfone

Spencer J Kopach

Methods and systems for controlling a view of a virtual camera in a virtual world. A view of user viewing a virtual world may be controlled or changed while accounting for a user's head position. For example, a virtual camera may be wrapped in a container such that rotation of the container causes rotation of the virtual camera relative to a global coordinate system. Based on a position of a head-mounted display, an initial virtual camera rotation angle relative to a global coordinate system of the virtual world may be identified. An indication to change to view to particular direction may be received. A desired rotation angle relative to the global coordinate system for a view to correspond to the particular direction is then determined. The container is then rotated by a rotation value based at least on both the desired rotation angle and the initial virtual camera rotation angle.

Container-based virtual camera rotation

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

A method, system, and computer program, for providing the virtual object in the virtual or semi-virtual environment, based on a characteristic associated with the user. In one example embodiment, the system comprises at least one computer processor, and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one computer processor, perform a set of operations comprising determining the characteristic associated with the user in the virtual or semi-virtual environment with respect to a predetermined reference location in the environment, and providing a virtual object based on the characteristic.

Method and system for providing an object in virtual or semi-virtual space based on a user characteristic

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

Computing devices for content library projection 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 the content library 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, graphical representations of the 2D or 3D content items corresponding to the models in the selected content library along a circle having a center spaced apart from a default position of a viewer of the 3D environment by a preset distance.

Projection of content libraries in three-dimensional environment

Computing devices for authoring content in computer-based 3D environments are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a computing device is configured to provide, on a display, a user interface of a 3D authoring application having a 3D working area with a predefined shape and size. The computing device is also configured to, in response to receiving a user input selecting a 3D component, retrieve one or more files of the 3D component containing data that is pre-processed according to the predefined shape and size of the 3D working area. Based on the retrieved data of the 3D component, the computing device can produce (i) a graphical representation of one or more objects or (ii) a sound in the 3D working area without modifying, outside of the 3D authoring application, underlying data of the one or more objects or sound.

Authoring content in three-dimensional environment

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

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to three-dimensional (3D) environment authoring and generation. In an example, a 3D environment may be authored using one or more models, wherein two-dimensional (2D) representations of the models may be manipulated using an authoring application. Models may comprise anchor points, which may be used to stitch the models together when rendering the 3D environment. In another example, a model may comprise one or more content points, which may be used to position content within the 3D environment. An environment data file may be generated based on the one or more models and content associated with content points, thereby creating a file that may be distributed to other computing devices. A viewer application may be used to generate the 3D environment based on the environment data file. Accordingly, the viewer application may stitch the models and populate the 3D environment with content.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Aniket Handa