# US 9,196,072 B2 · Method for scripting inter-scene transitions > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,196,072 B2 - Document ID: US9196072B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/936,990 - Filed: 2007-11-08 - Published: 2008-06-19 - Granted: 2015-11-24 - Earliest claimed: 2006-11-13 - Assignees: EveryScape, Inc. - Applicants: Byong Mok Oh; James Schoonmaker; Sidney Chang - Inventors: Byong Mok Oh; James Schoonmaker; Sidney Chang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9196072B2 ## CPC - G06T 13/20: Three-dimensional [3D] animation - G06T 13/40: of characters, e.g. humans, animals or virtual beings - G06T 13/80: Two-dimensional [2D] animation, e.g. using sprites - G06T 15/04: Texture mapping - G06T 15/205: {Image-based rendering} - G06T 19/006: {Mixed reality (object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00)} - G06T 19/20: Editing of three-dimensional [3D] images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts - A63F 13/50: Controlling the output signals based on the game progress - A63F 13/52: involving aspects of the displayed game scene - G06T 13/00: Animation - G06T 2200/04: involving 3D image data - G06T 2215/16: Using real world measurements to influence rendering - G06T 2219/004: Annotating, labelling - G06T 2219/016: Exploded view - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## 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 ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method of creating a motion picture experience of a realm based on a series of digitally stored 2-D panoramic images of the realm, the method comprising: a. receiving, via a first graphical input associated with a map view of the realm, a user's definition of a series of locations in the realm, the series of locations comprising at least a first location and a second location that immediately succeeds the first location in the series of locations, wherein the first location is associated with a first location panoramic image and the second location is associated with a second location panoramic image; b. receiving, via a second graphical input associated with a first person view linked to the map view of the realm, a user's definition of a view direction for each location in the series of locations; c. receiving, via a third graphical input, a user's selection of at least one virtual image, each of the at least one virtual images representing a virtual camera view of the realm from a distinct point in a three-dimensional space between the first location and the second location, and each of the at least one virtual images comprising at least one transitional object, the transitional object comprising a portion of the first location panoramic image and a portion of the second location panoramic image projected in a 3D geometry with texture mapping; and d. storing, in a tangible non-transitory computer readable medium, 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 at least one virtual image, such that playback of the first location panoramic image, the at least one virtual image, and the second location panoramic image simulates motion in three-dimensional space from the first location to the second location as the at least one transitional object appears to pass by a viewer of the display. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A method according to claim 5, 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. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 , further comprising: e. displaying the motion picture experience on a display using the stored data. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, further comprising: e. editing the stored data. ### Claim 9 A method of providing a motion picture experience of a realm based on a series of digitally stored 2-D panoramic images of the realm, the method comprising: a. accessing digitally stored data, the data including 2-D panoramic images for a first location and a second location, wherein the first location is associated with a first location panoramic image and the second location is associated with a second location panoramic image in the realm, each of the first location panoramic image and the second location panoramic image having a corresponding view direction for a first-person viewer; b. accessing at least one virtual image, each of the at least one virtual images representing a virtual camera view of the realm from a distinct point in a three-dimensional space between the first location and the second location, and each of the at least one virtual images comprising at least one transitional object, the at least one transitional object comprising a portion of the first location panoramic image and a portion of the second location panoramic image projected in a 3D geometry with texture mapping; and c. obtaining video from the data which when displayed provides the motion picture experience by sequentially displaying the first location panoramic image, the at least one virtual image, and the second location panoramic image, such that there is simulated motion between the pair of locations. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A method according to claim 9, wherein displaying includes displaying at least one of text, an image, video, and audio associated with a specified location in the series of locations. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) A method according to claim 9, wherein displaying includes displaying a sequence of view directions for a first-person viewer for a specified location. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) A method according to claim 9, wherein the data are accessed through a communications network. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) A method according to claim 9, wherein the data are accessed from a non-transitory computer-readable medium. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) A method according to claim 9, wherein displaying the motion picture experience includes randomly selecting locations from the series of locations for display. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) A method according to claim 9, wherein the accessed data includes a sequence for the series of locations and displaying includes displaying locations with a discontinuity in the sequence. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) A method according to claim 9, 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.