Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd.

Ian Wakelin

Darby Johnston

John Gaeta

Lutz Latta

Andrew Grant

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.

Navigating a virtual environment of a media content item

A system and method for controlling a view of a virtual reality (VR) environment via a computing device with a touch sensitive surface are disclosed. In some examples, a user may be enabled to augment the view of the VR environment by providing finger gestures to the touch sensitive surface. In one example, the user is enabled to call up a menu in the view of the VR environment. In one example, the user is enabled to switch the view of the VR environment displayed on a device associated with another user to a new location within the VR environment. In some examples, the user may be enabled to use the computing device to control a virtual camera within the VR environment and have various information regarding one or more aspects of the virtual camera displayed in the view of the VR environment presented to the user.

Facilitate user manipulation of a virtual reality environment view using a computing device with a touch sensitive surface

Facilitate user manipulation of a virtual reality environment view using a computing device with touch sensitive surface

Switching modes of a media content item

A system and method facilitating a user to manipulate a virtual reality (VR) environment are disclosed. The user may provide an input via a touch sensitive surface of a computing device associated with the user to bind a virtual object in the VR environment to the computing device. The user may then move and/or rotate the computing device to cause the bound virtual object to move and/or rotate in the VR environment accordingly. In some examples, the bound virtual object may cast a ray into the VR environment. The movement and/or rotation of the virtual object controlled by the computing device in those examples can change the direction of the ray. In some examples, the virtual object may include a virtual camera. In those examples, the user may move and/or rotate the virtual camera in the VR environment by moving and/or rotate the computing device.

Growing community of inventors

Berkeley, CA, United States of America

Ian Wakelin