Patents Assigned to Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd.
  • Patent number: 11978154
    Abstract: In at least one embodiment, an immersive content generation system may receive a first input from a user indicating a lighting value. The computing device may receive a second input indicating a region of an immersive virtual environment to which the lighting value is to be applied. The computing device may apply the lighting value to the region of the immersive virtual environment. The computing device may output one or more images of the immersive virtual environment, the one or more images based, in part, on the input lighting value. Numerous other aspects are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: LUCASFILM ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Michael Jutan, David Hirschfield, Jeff Webster, Scott Richards
  • Patent number: 11948260
    Abstract: An immersive content presentation system can capture the motion or position of a performer in a real-world environment. A game engine can be modified to receive the position or motion of the performer and identify predetermined gestures or positions that can be used to trigger actions in a 3-D virtual environment, such as generating a digital effect, transitioning virtual assets through an animation graph, adding new objects, and so forth. The use of the 3-D environment can be rendered and composited views can be generated. Information for constructing the composited views can be streamed to numerous display devices in many different physical locations using a customized communication protocol. Multiple real-world performers can interact with virtual objects through the game engine in a shared mixed-reality experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Roger Cordes, David Brickhill
  • Publication number: 20240096035
    Abstract: A method of content production may include receiving tracking information for a camera with a frustum configured to capture images of a subject in an immersive environment. a first image of a virtual environment corresponding to the frustum may be rendered using a first rendering process based on the tracking information to be perspective-correct when displayed on the displays and viewed through the camera. A second image of the virtual environment may also be rendered using a second rendering process for a specific display. The first image and the second image may be rendered in parallel. The second image and a portion of the first image may be composited together to generate a composite image, where the portion of the first image may correspond to a portion of the display captured by the frustum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Applicant: Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas Rasmussen, Lutz Latta
  • Publication number: 20240038256
    Abstract: Some implementations of the disclosure relate to a non-transitory computer-readable medium having executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause a system to perform operations comprising: obtaining a first energy-based target for audio; obtaining a first version of a sound mix including one or more audio components; computing, for each audio frame of multiple audio frames of each of the one or more audio components, a first audio feature measurement value; optimizing, based at least on the first energy-based target and the first audio feature measurement values, gain values of the audio frames; and after optimizing the gain values, applying the gain values to the first version of sound mix to obtain a second version of the sound mix.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2022
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Applicant: Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. LLC
    Inventors: NICOLAS TSINGOS, SCOTT LEVINE
  • Patent number: 11887251
    Abstract: A computing device in communication with an immersive content generation system can generate and present images of a virtual environment on one or more light-emitting diode (LED) displays at least partially surrounding a performance area. The device may capture a plurality of images of a performer or a physical object in the performance area along with at least some portion of the images of the virtual environment by a taking camera. The device may identify a color mismatch between a portion of the performer or the physical object and a virtual image of the performer or the physical object in the images of the virtual environment. The device may generate a patch for the images of the virtual environment to correct the color mismatch. The device may insert the patch into the images of the virtual environment. Also, the device may generate content based on the plurality of captured images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: LUCASFILM ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Michael Jutan, David Hirschfield, Alan Bucior
  • Publication number: 20230336679
    Abstract: A motion capture system comprising: a master clock configured to repeatedly generate and output, at a frame rate, a primary clock signal that conveys when a video frame starts; a first camera configured to capture light within a first set of wavelengths and operably coupled to receive the master clock signal and initiate an image capture sequence on a frame-by-frame basis in fixed phase relationship with the primary clock signal to generate a first set of images at the frame rate from light captured within the first set of wavelengths; a synchronization module operably coupled to receive the master clock signal from the master clock and configured to generate a synchronization signal offset in time from and in a fixed relationship with the primary clock signal; and a second camera configured to capture light within a second set of wavelengths, different than the first set of wavelengths, and operably coupled to receive the synchronization signal and initiate an image capture sequence on the frame-by-frame bas
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Applicant: Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. LLC
    Inventors: Robert Derry, Gary P. Martinez, Brian Hook
  • Publication number: 20230326142
    Abstract: An immersive content presentation system and techniques that can detect and correct lighting artifacts caused by movements of one or more taking camera in a performance area consisting of multiple displays (e.g., LED or LCD displays). The techniques include capturing, with a camera, a plurality of images of a performer performing in a performance area at least partially surrounded by one or more displays presenting images of a virtual environment. Where the images of the virtual environment within a frustum of the camera are updated on the one or more displays based on movement of the camera, and images of the virtual environment outside of the frustum of the camera are not updated based on movement of the camera. The techniques further include generating content based on the plurality of captured images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicant: LUCASFILM ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LTD. LLC
    Inventors: Roger CORDES, Nicholas RASMUSSEN, Kevin WOOLEY, Rachel ROSE
  • Patent number: 11783493
    Abstract: Some implementations of the disclosure are directed to techniques for facial reconstruction from a sparse set of facial markers. In one implementation, a method comprises: obtaining data comprising a captured facial performance of a subject with a plurality of facial markers; determining a three-dimensional (3D) bundle corresponding to each of the plurality of facial markers of the captured facial performance; using at least the determined 3D bundles to retrieve, from a facial dataset comprising a plurality of facial shapes of the subject, a local geometric shape corresponding to each of the plurality of the facial markers; and merging the retrieved local geometric shapes to create a facial reconstruction of the subject for the captured facial performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Cong, Ronald Fedkiw, Lana Lan
  • Publication number: 20230316587
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method of changing a face within an output image or video frame that includes: receiving an input image that includes a face presenting a facial expression in a pose; processing the image with a neural network encoder to generate a latent space point that is an encoded representation of the image; decoding the latent space point to generate an initial output image in accordance with a desired facial identity but with the facial expression and pose of the face in the input image; identifying a feature of the facial expression in the initial output image to edit; applying an adjustment vector to a latent space point corresponding to the initial output image to generate an adjusted latent space point; and decoding the adjusted latent space point to generate an adjusted output image in accordance with the desired facial identity but with the facial expression and pose of the face in the input image altered in accordance with the adjustment vector
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Applicants: LUCASFILM ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LTD. LLC, DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC
    Inventors: Sirak Ghebremusse, Stéphane Grabli, Jacek Krzysztof Naruniec, Romann Matthew Weber, Christopher Richard Schroers
  • Patent number: 11762481
    Abstract: In some implementations, an apparatus may include a housing enclosing a circuitry may include a processor and a memory, the housing forming a handgrip. In addition, the apparatus may include a plurality of light sensors arranged in a particular configuration, each of the plurality of light sensors coupled to an exterior the housing via a sensor arm. Also, the apparatus may include one or more controls mounted on the exterior of the housing and electrically coupled to the circuitry. The apparatus can include one or more antenna mounted on an exterior of the housing; and a transmitter connected to the circuitry and electrically connected to the one or more antenna to send data from the apparatus via a wireless protocol. The apparatus can include an electronic device for mounting an electronic device to the housing, the electronic device configured to execute an application for an immersive content generation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: LUCASFILM ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Michael Jutan, David Hirschfield, Robert Derry, Gary Martinez
  • Patent number: 11756279
    Abstract: An immersive content generation system can capture a plurality of images of an object in the performance area using a camera. The object is at least partially surrounded by one or more displays presenting images of a virtual environment. The system can determine attributes of a lens of the taking camera, a first distance from the taking camera to the physical object, and a second distance between a LED display presenting a virtual image of the physical object and the taking camera. The system can determine the depth of field blur for the virtual objects based on the attributes of the taking camera and the virtual depth of each of the virtual objects. The system can apply the depth of field blur to the virtual objects and generate content based on the plurality of captured images and the determined amount of depth of field blur to the virtual objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: LUCASFILM ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Roger Cordes, Lutz Latta
  • Patent number: 11758243
    Abstract: A system includes a computing platform including processing hardware and a memory storing software code, a trained machine learning (ML) model, and a content thumbnail generator. The processing hardware executes the software code to receive interaction data describing interactions by a user with content thumbnails, identify, using the interaction data, an affinity by the user for at least one content thumbnail feature, and determine, using the interaction data, a predetermined business rule, or both, content for promotion to the user. The software code further provides a prediction, using the trained ML model and based on the affinity by the user, of the desirability of each of multiple candidate thumbnails for the content to the user, generates, using the content thumbnail generator and based on the prediction, a thumbnail having features of one or more of the candidate thumbnails, and displays the thumbnail to promote the content to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignees: Disney Enterprises, Inc., LucasFilm Entertainment Company Ltd. LLC.
    Inventors: Alexander Niedt, Mara Idai Lucien, Juli Logemann, Miquel Angel Farre Guiu, Monica Alfaro Vendrell, Marc Junyent Martin
  • Patent number: 11748406
    Abstract: Some implementations of the disclosure relate to a method, comprising: obtaining, at a computing device, first video clip data including multiple sequential video frames, the multiple sequential video frames including at least a first video frame and a second video frame that occurs after the first video frame; inputting, at the computing device, the first video clip data into at least one trained model that automatically predicts, based on at least features of the first video frame and features of the second video frame, sound effect data corresponding to the second video frame; and determining, at the computing device, based on the sound effect data predicted for the second video frame, a first sound effect file corresponding to the second video frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. LLC
    Inventors: Nicolas Tsingos, Scott Levine, Stephen Morris
  • Patent number: 11727644
    Abstract: An immersive content presentation system and techniques that can detect and correct lighting artifacts caused by movements of one or more taking camera in a performance area consisting of multiple displays (e.g., LED or LCD displays). The techniques include capturing, with a camera, a plurality of images of a performer performing in a performance area at least partially surrounded by one or more displays presenting images of a virtual environment. Where the images of the virtual environment within a frustum of the camera are updated on the one or more displays based on movement of the camera, and images of the virtual environment outside of the frustum of the camera are not updated based on movement of the camera. The techniques further include generating content based on the plurality of captured images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: LUCASFILM ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LTD. LLC
    Inventors: Roger Cordes, Nicholas Rasmussen, Kevin Wooley, Rachel Rose
  • Patent number: 11726581
    Abstract: In some implementations, an apparatus may include a housing enclosing a circuitry may include a processor and a memory, the housing forming a handgrip. In addition, the apparatus may include a plurality of light sensors arranged in a particular configuration, each of the plurality of light sensors coupled to an exterior the housing via a sensor arm. Also, the apparatus may include one or more controls mounted on the exterior of the housing and electrically coupled to the circuitry. The apparatus can include one or more antenna mounted on an exterior of the housing; and a transmitter connected to the circuitry and electrically connected to the one or more antenna to send data from the apparatus via a wireless protocol. The apparatus can include an electronic device for mounting an electronic device to the housing, the electronic device configured to execute an application for an immersive content generation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: LUCASFILM ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Michael Jutan, David Hirschfield, Robert Derry, Gary Martinez
  • Patent number: 11671717
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide systems and methods for motion capture to generate content (e.g., motion pictures, television programming, videos, etc.). An actor or other performing being can have multiple markers on his or her face that are essentially invisible to the human eye, but that can be clearly captured by camera systems of the present disclosure. Embodiments can capture the performance using two different camera systems, each of which can observe the same performance but capture different images of that performance. For instance, a first camera system can capture the performance within a first light wavelength spectrum (e.g., visible light spectrum), and a second camera system can simultaneously capture the performance in a second light wavelength spectrum different from the first spectrum (e.g., invisible light spectrum such as the IR light spectrum). The images captured by the first and second camera systems can be combined to generate content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: LUCASFILM ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: John Knoll, Leandro Estebecorena, Stephane Grabli, Per Karefelt, Pablo Helman, John M. Levin
  • Publication number: 20230136632
    Abstract: Some implementations of the disclosure relate to a method, comprising: obtaining, at a computing device, first video clip data including multiple sequential video frames, the multiple sequential video frames including at least a first video frame and a second video frame that occurs after the first video frame; inputting, at the computing device, the first video clip data into at least one trained model that automatically predicts, based on at least features of the first video frame and features of the second video frame, sound effect data corresponding to the second video frame; and determining, at the computing device, based on the sound effect data predicted for the second video frame, a first sound effect file corresponding to the second video frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Applicant: Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. LLC
    Inventors: Nicolas Tsingos, Scott Levine, Stephen Morris
  • Patent number: 11580616
    Abstract: A method of content production includes generating a survey of a performance area that includes a point cloud representing a first physical object, in a survey graph hierarchy, constraining the point cloud and a taking camera coordinate system as child nodes of an origin of a survey coordinate system, obtaining virtual content including a first virtual object that corresponds to the first physical object, applying a transformation to the origin of the survey coordinate system so that at least a portion of the point cloud that represents the first physical object is substantially aligned with a portion of the virtual content that represents the first virtual object, displaying the first virtual object on one or more displays from a perspective of the taking camera, capturing, using the taking camera, one or more images of the performance area, and generating content based on the one or more images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: LUCASFILM ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Douglas G. Watkins, Paige M. Warner, Dacklin R. Young
  • Patent number: 11581970
    Abstract: Some implementations of the disclosure relate to using a model trained on mixing console data of sound mixes to automate the process of sound mix creation. In one implementation, a non-transitory computer-readable medium has executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising: obtaining a first version of a sound mix; extracting first audio features from the first version of the sound mix obtaining mixing metadata; automatically calculating with a trained model, using at least the mixing metadata and the first audio features, mixing console features; and deriving a second version of the sound mix using at least the mixing console features calculated by the trained model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Morris, Scott Levine, Nicolas Tsingos
  • Patent number: D976992
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: LUCASFILM ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LTD.
    Inventor: Paige Warner