Entries |
Document | Title | Date |
20080215994 | Virtual world avatar control, interactivity and communication interactive messaging - Methods and systems for rendering an interactive virtual environment for communication is provided. The interactive virtual environment is depicted from images to be displayed on a display and the interactive virtual environment is generated by a computer program that is executed on at least one computer of a computer network system. The interactive virtual environment includes one or more virtual user avatars controlled by real-world users. The method further includes controlling a virtual user avatar to move about a virtual space and generating an interface for composing a message to be displayed as a virtual message within the virtual space. The virtual message is posted to an interactive space within the virtual space. The method further includes associating permissions to the virtual message, such that the permissions define which of the one more virtual user avatars are able to view the virtual message that is posted to the interactive space. The virtual message is one of a plurality of virtual message posted to the interactive space, and the permissions prevent viewing of the virtual message by virtual user avatars that do not have permission to view the virtual message. The permissions may be based on one of buddy lists, game familiarity relative to other real-world users, skill level of other real-world users, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the avatars can be computer controlled bots, thus not requiring a real-world user to dictate control. | 09-04-2008 |
20080263458 | Methods and Systems to Facilitate Real Time Communications in Virtual Reality - Methods and systems for connecting people for real time communications via a virtual reality environment. One embodiment includes: receiving a call for a real time communication session at a virtual object presented in a virtual reality world; indicating to a plurality of residents of the virtual reality world that the virtual object is being called; and responsive to an input from one resident of the plurality of residents, connecting the call to the resident for a real time communication session. | 10-23-2008 |
20080263459 | Methods and Systems to Determine Availability for Real Time Communications via Virtual Reality - Methods and systems to determine availability of people for real time communications via a virtual reality environment. One embodiment includes: associating an avatar with an advertisement; determining a location of the avatar in a virtual reality world; and determining whether an advertiser of the advertisement is available for real time communications based at least in part on the location of the avatar in the virtual reality world. In one embodiment, the availability of the advertiser is determined for real time communications via the virtual reality world and for real time communications outside the virtual reality world based on an online presence status of the avatar, a schedule of the advertiser, and/or the location of the avatar in the virtual reality world. | 10-23-2008 |
20080263460 | Methods and Systems to Connect People for Virtual Meeting in Virtual Reality - Methods and systems for connecting people for real time communications in a virtual reality environment. One embodiment includes: a virtual reality server to host a virtual reality world; a web server to provide an advertisement to a customer, the advertisement including a reference to a meeting with an advertiser of the advertisement in the virtual reality world, a selection of the reference from the customer to cause the virtual reality server to teleport at least one avatar to a meeting location in the virtual reality world; a session border controller to interface with a packet switched network; and one or more telecommunication servers coupled to the session border controller to connect the customer to the advertiser of the advertisement for real time communications in response to the customer selecting the advertisement. In one embodiment, the advertiser of the advertisement is charged an advertisement fee per completion of the teleporting. | 10-23-2008 |
20080301568 | Method for Proposing the Meeting in the Regional Community Service System Based on Mobile Blog Through a Mobile Terminal - Disclosed is a method for proposing a meeting in a moblog-based regional community service through a mobile terminal. The method includes the steps of setting a plurality of main arenas by dividing a geographical area in a regional unit, setting and storing one or more virtual spatial locations, the one or more virtual spatial locations being a projection of real spatial public locations, as spots in one of the main arenas; selecting one of the spots belonging to the main arena from information on a location of the mobile terminal and entering into the selected spot; and registering a meeting proposal post in the selected spot. | 12-04-2008 |
20080307327 | THREE DIMENSIONAL DEFECT MAPPING - A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for a three dimensional presentation of defects in a system. In response to a request to present a set of defects using a three dimensional presentation, information is retrieved for the set of defects from a database, wherein the information includes an identification of a defect and a location of the defect in the system. A three dimensional model of the system is retrieved in which the defects are located. The defects are placed in the three dimensional model of the system to generate a modified three dimensional model. The modified three dimensional model is presented on a graphical user interface. | 12-11-2008 |
20090055754 | AVATAR AGGREGATION IN A VIRTUAL UNIVERSE - An approach that aggregates avatars that are online in a virtual universe into an aggregated avatar is described. In one embodiment, there is an avatar identification component configured to identify a plurality of avatars that are online in the virtual universe. An avatar aggregation component is configured to aggregate the plurality of avatars into an aggregated avatar representative of the plurality avatars. | 02-26-2009 |
20090077475 | System for providing virtual spaces with separate places and/or acoustic areas - A system configured to provide one or more virtual spaces that are accessible to users. A given virtual space may include a plurality of places. Individual places within the virtual space may have spatial boundaries. The places may be differentiated from each other in that a set of parameters and/or characteristics of a given one of the places may be different than the set(s) of parameters and/or characteristics that correspond to other places in the virtual space. The sonic characteristics of the virtual space may be determined according to a hierarchy of acoustic areas within the virtual space. | 03-19-2009 |
20090089684 | SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND MEDIA FOR TEMPORAL TELEPORT IN A VIRTUAL WORLD ENVIRONMENT - Generally speaking, systems, methods and media for providing temporal teleport capability in a virtual world environment are disclosed. Embodiments of a method for temporally teleporting an avatar in a virtual world environment (VWE) may include, at a first time in a VWE, receiving a request from a user associated with an avatar to temporally teleport the avatar to a temporal destination at an earlier, second time in the VWE. Embodiments of the method may also include creating for the avatar a recreated virtual world based on the temporal destination at the earlier, second time. Embodiments may also include receiving input from the user associated with interaction between the user's avatar and the recreated virtual world and allowing the user's avatar to interactively participate in the recreated virtual world during the temporal teleport. | 04-02-2009 |
20090089685 | System and Method of Communicating Between A Virtual World and Real World - A system allows for a real world person to make and receive a real world phone call using virtual world tools. The system runs software for rendering a virtual environment in which users at workstations in the real world are represented by avatars in the virtual world. The virtual world software of the present system is interconnected via a network to a private and public telephone network to allow a connection between a virtual and real world phone system. The virtual world embodiment of the communication between the virtual world and real world includes a plurality of states by which a conversation is visually and audibly indicated. | 04-02-2009 |
20090094535 | Suggested Actions Within a Virtual Environment - Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for suggesting actions to users of an immersive virtual environment based on previous user actions within the virtual environment. Generally, characteristics of actions performed by various users of the virtual environment may be stored in a searchable actions index. Subsequently, the actions index may be used to suggest actions based on similarity of the stored characteristics to those of a current user and/or actions. The suggested actions may be presented to the user as graphical indications visible within the user's view of the virtual environment. | 04-09-2009 |
20090100351 | Suggestion of User Actions in a Virtual Environment Based on Actions of Other Users - Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for suggesting actions to users of an immersive virtual environment based on previous user actions within the virtual environment. Generally, characteristics of actions performed by various users of the virtual environment may be stored in a searchable actions index. Subsequently, the actions index may be used to suggest actions based on similarity of the stored characteristics to those of a current user and/or actions. The suggested actions may be presented to the user as graphical indications visible within the user's view of the virtual environment. | 04-16-2009 |
20090100352 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BRIDGING REAL-WORLD WEB APPLICATIONS AND 3D VIRTUAL WORLDS - A computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer program product for automating information sharing and propagation of control commands and events between software objects created in Web applications and 3D virtual world objects created in virtual world applications. A relationship is created to link a Web object with one or more virtual world objects, or to link a virtual world object with one or more Web objects. A Web application may retrieve the meta-data of one or more virtual world objects or send commands or events to manipulate one or more virtual world objects to which a Web object within the Web application is linked. A virtual world system may retrieve the meta-data of one or more Web objects or send commands or events to manipulate one or more Web objects to which a virtual world object within the virtual world system is linked. | 04-16-2009 |
20090100353 | BREAKPOINT IDENTIFICATION AND PRESENTATION IN VIRTUAL WORLDS - One embodiment of the invention provides a method to allow a user to navigate through a virtual environment using breakpoints. Each breakpoint may store a context of a virtual location within the virtual world, recorded for the moment in time when the breakpoint was created. Further, in a persistent virtual world, the user's avatar may be restored to a given breakpoint location, as well as restoring elements of the virtual world, based on what was present within the virtual world when the breakpoint was created. | 04-16-2009 |
20090100354 | Third party control over virtual world characters - A method and system provides arrangements creating a relationship between a real-world entity and a virtual world environment. A participant or player can participate in various virtual world experiences including activities, settings, events, purchases, sales and diverse transactions to acquire virtual products, virtual services, and/or virtual items of value. Feedback may be provided and records kept regarding the virtual world participation. In some circumstances, multiple persons can participate as a group or participate as individuals in the virtual world environment. Some embodiments provide an oversight procedure that enables a supervisory entity to exercise direct or indirect control over certain virtual world aspects of a participant or player. In some implementations the oversight procedure is at least partially based on an attribute related to the participant or player. | 04-16-2009 |
20090100355 | Information processing system, service providing apparatus and method, information processing apparatus and method, recording medium, and program - Systems and methods are provided which can be used to control electrical household appliances connected to a home network by use of a GUI having an entertainment-oriented virtual space capability. A virtual space is arranged with a mascot dedicated to the user of an information processing apparatus. An icon can be clicked to control a real world device existing in the home of a user. A user can participate in a virtual space belonging to another user through sharing. | 04-16-2009 |
20090106669 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VIRTUAL WORLD BASED PRODUCT DESIGN - Systems and methods are provided for conducting the entire development process of new products, such as clothing or fashion designs, from conception through production in a virtual world. The virtual world is a multi-user three-dimensional persistent interactive graphical environment in which a plurality of avatars can interact as if interacting in the physical world to develop a new product. The avatars represent actual individuals that are contributors to the product development process. Each avatar can communicate with other avatars, can interact with and modify the graphical environment and can manipulate three-dimensional objects within the graphical environment for purposes of demonstration, explanation or review. Databases containing the necessary elements for product design are provided and are accessible by the avatars within the graphical environment. | 04-23-2009 |
20090106670 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING SERVICES IN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT - A network-accessible virtual environment includes objects that represent users of a service. The users are allowed to control their representative objects in the virtual environment to interact with other users represented in the virtual environment and also to become voice-enabled. Those users who are voice-enabled can speak with other voice-enabled users via phones. | 04-23-2009 |
20090106671 | DIGITAL MULTIMEDIA SHARING IN VIRTUAL WORLDS - A method for producing and presenting a virtual immersive multimedia presentation in a virtual world environment. The method includes obtaining access to a plurality of digital multimedia, obtaining access to a virtual world environment capable of displaying digital multimedia. Based on a designated criteria automatically selecting one or more of the following: a subset of the digital multimedia from the plurality of digital multimedia, an immersive virtual environment from the plurality of prefabricated environments, and an avatar configuration from the plurality of avatar configurations for creating the digital multimedia presentation for display in the virtual world environment. | 04-23-2009 |
20090106672 | VIRTUAL WORLD AVATAR ACTIVITY GOVERNED BY PERSON'S REAL LIFE ACTIVITY - A system generates a virtual world and generates a first avatar, which is associated with a person, in the virtual world. The system further receives data associated with the person's mobile wireless device, where the data includes a location of the mobile wireless device. The system determines the person's real world activities based on the data and causes the person's first avatar to engage in the same, similar, or analogous activities, as the determined real world activities, in the virtual world. | 04-23-2009 |
20090106673 | Third party control over virtual world characters - A method and system provides arrangements creating a relationship between a real-world entity and a virtual world environment. A participant or player can participate in various virtual world experiences including activities, settings, events, purchases, sales and diverse transactions to acquire virtual products, virtual services, and/or virtual items of value. Feedback may be provided and records kept regarding the virtual world participation. In some circumstances, multiple persons can participate as a group or participate as individuals in the virtual world environment. Some embodiments provide an oversight procedure that enables a supervisory entity to exercise direct or indirect control over certain virtual world aspects of a participant or player. In some implementations the oversight procedure is at least partially based on an attribute related to the participant or player. | 04-23-2009 |
20090113313 | DYNAMIC UPDATE OF CONTACT INFORMATION AND SPEED DIAL SETTINGS BASED ON A VIRTUAL WORLD INTERACTION - The present invention provides a method, system, and computer program product for updating contact information according to metadata associated with a virtual world. In response to an avatar of a first user interacting with an avatar of a second user in a virtual world, information comprising a name of the avatar of the second user and metadata associated with the avatar of the second user is sent to the first user. In response to receiving the information, contact information associated with the name of the avatar of the second user is determined. The contact information is organized based on the metadata to form organized contact information. The organized contact information is prioritized according to the metadata to form prioritized contact information. The prioritized contact information is stored. | 04-30-2009 |
20090113314 | LOCATION AND PLACEMENT OF AVATARS IN VIRTUAL WORLDS - Methods and arrangements of locating objects in virtual worlds are discussed. Embodiments include transformations, code, state machines or other logic to receive from a user a criterion for gathering information from sources external to a virtual world and automatically gathering information based upon the criterion. The information may include contact information of potential participants in the virtual world. The method may include aggregating data for determining a placement of an avatar of the user in the virtual world and transmitting the data. In some embodiments, the method may involve identifying an avatar of another participant in the virtual world on the basis of the contact information. In many embodiments, the method may involve determining a location for the location of the avatar of the user based upon the contact information. In several embodiments, the information gathering may be performed by a local software agent. | 04-30-2009 |
20090119604 | VIRTUAL OFFICE DEVICES - The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates communicating data utilizing holographic representations. An interface component can receive a portion of data related to a virtual meeting. A holographic component can generate at least one holographic image within a virtual meeting space, wherein the holographic image can virtually represent at least one of the portion of data related to the virtual meeting or a user associated with the virtual meeting. Moreover, a share component can employ a public view or a private view for the holographic image within the virtual meeting space. | 05-07-2009 |
20090119605 | ADMINISTRATION OF ACCESS CONTROL KEYS IN A VIRTUAL WORLD - A system and method for access control key administration in a virtual world that includes identifying an action to be performed on a key provided to a user controlling an avatar in a virtual world. The key provides the avatar access to a virtual space, a service, or an item in the virtual world. The action is applied to the key. The action is applied to the key to modify one or more access parameters on the key. The action applied to the key may be, for example, an update action, a revalidate action, or a remove action. | 05-07-2009 |
20090125819 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SPLITTING VIRTUAL UNIVERSES INTO DISTINCT ENTITIES - Systems and methods for allowing an administrator or program to select a region or set of avatars in a virtual universe grid for splitting into another, separate and distinct virtual universe grid. If a region is selected, all of the avatars and virtual universe resources associated with the region are locked, their data is retrieved, and another separate virtual universe grid is commanded to create and insert the avatars and resources in it. If avatars are selected, all of the resources, scripts, histories, and information regarding the selected avatars are retrieved, and the avatars are locked in the source universe. Then, another, separate virtual universe grid is commanded to create universe user identifiers for the avatars, and they are inserted into the separate VU grid. Cleanup includes deleting the region and/or avatars from the first (source) virtual universe grid. | 05-14-2009 |
20090138807 | METHOD FOR IMPROVING QUEUE EXPERIENCE IN A THREE-DIMENSIONAL VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT - A method improving a customers experience in a queue located in a three-dimensional virtual environment is provided. The method includes the creation of computer controlled pseudo avatars that are added and removed from queues to create the perception that the queues are moving. A conversational avatar is further provided to engage the customer avatars in conversation. | 05-28-2009 |
20090144638 | AUTOMATIC INCREASING OF CAPACITY OF A VIRTUAL SPACE IN A VIRTUAL WORLD - A system and method for automatically increasing a capacity of a virtual space in a virtual world. It is determined if an allowable number of avatars are currently in the virtual space, and a capacity of the virtual space is increased when the allowable number of avatars are currently in the virtual space. The capacity of the virtual space may be increased by spawning a replicate new virtual space. The capacity of the virtual space may also be increased by expanding a size of the virtual space. The virtual space may include any type of virtual space such as for example, a store, a business, an arena, a building, a land area, a room, etc. The allowable number of avatars may be a maximum avatar capacity for the virtual space, or may be an ideal avatar capacity for the virtual space. | 06-04-2009 |
20090144639 | Interactive Avatar for Social Network Services - An embodiment is an avatar or avatar environment to visualize data within an athletic performance system or service and/or a social network system or service, for example as part of the Internet. The avatar may further evolve or alter its appearance, animation, or other visual or audio characteristics in response to the data or other input. In particular, the avatar of an embodiment may respond to and provide visualization of athletic or sport performance data. According to one or more aspects, an avatar may be placed on other network sites and updated based on athletic performance data. The avatar may be awarded for goals achieved by a user. The awards or gifts may further include non-avatar related items such as apparel, gift cards and the like. | 06-04-2009 |
20090150801 | SYSTEM AND METHOD TO HANDLE VANDALISM IN A VIRTUAL WORLD - A method for operating a virtual world, the method including: selecting an action with respect to an object displayed in the virtual world wherein the action is for at least one of preventing and eliminating vandalism; and executing the action. | 06-11-2009 |
20090150802 | Rendering of Real World Objects and Interactions Into A Virtual Universe - Systems are disclosed herein that can capture image data reflecting real world objects and/or actions and convert this data into a format that, is usable in a virtual universe (VU). Thus, image data representing real world/actual objects and actions can be acquired, converted into virtual universe compatible data, sent to a VU server where the actions and objects can be associated with a virtual area or an avatar, and a recreation of the objects and actions can be displayed to a user in the VU. This allows a participant to customize activities and objects in the VU, and provide a unique “personality” for their avatar and their VU. Other embodiments are also disclosed. | 06-11-2009 |
20090158174 | Method and Apparatus for a Computer Simulated Environment - This invention relates to a computer simulated environment, such as a virtual world, and to the identification of a user entering the virtual world and user context in the virtual world model. An output of the virtual world model may be rendered using objects in the virtual world model. Previous versions of the rendered objects may then be located in associated user memory and specified differences between the rendered objects and the previous versions of the objects may be identified. A layer of the identified differences may then be rendered on the rendered output of the virtual world model. | 06-18-2009 |
20090158175 | COMMUNICATION SUPPORT METHOD, SYSTEM, AND SERVER DEVICE - A method for supporting communication among avatars representing users in a virtual world shared by a plurality of users' client terminals and a server connected with each other through a network. The method includes the steps of: accumulating statistical information, which includes (i) a combination of a component of a message transmitted by one or more avatars and avatar motion matching the component, and (ii) a degree of usage of the combination; generating a keyword group from the components of a message transmitted by the one or more avatars in response to the transmission of the message; searching through the statistical information; obtaining one or more avatar motion candidates; and presenting the candidates to the user of the avatar. A system for supporting communication among avatars and a communication support server device in a virtual world are also provided. | 06-18-2009 |
20090164917 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REMOTE DELIVERY OF HEALTHCARE AND TREATMENT SERVICES - Systems and methods for remote delivery of healthcare and treatment services including a virtual environment in which healthcare providers and patients may interact, wherein costs and inconvenience associated with in-person treatment may be reduced or avoided. | 06-25-2009 |
20090164918 | SYSTEM FOR MANAGING ENCOUNTERS IN A VIRTUAL WORLD ENVIRONMENT - Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for providing information for avoiding specific users of an immersive virtual environment. Generally, a primary user may specify other users to be avoided in a blacklist. The blacklisted users may be specified to be avoided at all times, or may be specified to be avoided in certain situations. In one embodiment, a user may be added to the blacklist during a specific situation, resulting in the characteristics of the situation being automatically stored in the blacklist. Subsequently, the blacklist may be used to determine the locations of the blacklisted users matching the current situation. The primary user may then avoid the locations having the greatest probability of encountering blacklisted users. | 06-25-2009 |
20090164919 | GENERATING DATA FOR MANAGING ENCOUNTERS IN A VIRTUAL WORLD ENVIRONMENT - Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for providing information for avoiding specific users of an immersive virtual environment. Generally, a primary user may specify other users to be avoided in a blacklist. The blacklisted users may be specified to be avoided at all times, or may be specified to be avoided in certain situations. In one embodiment, a user may be added to the blacklist during a specific situation, resulting in the characteristics of the situation being automatically stored in the blacklist. Subsequently, the blacklist may be used to determine the locations of the blacklisted users matching the current situation. The primary user may then avoid the locations having the greatest probability of encountering blacklisted users. | 06-25-2009 |
20090177979 | Detecting patterns of abuse in a virtual environment - Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for detecting patterns of abuse in users of a virtual world. The patterns of abuse may be detected by examining records of inappropriate interactions between users. Subsequently, preventative actions may be taken to prevent further abuse. The preventative actions may include blocking access to all or part of the virtual world, blocking interactions with other users, warning other users, or notifying authorities of the behavior of the other user. | 07-09-2009 |
20090177980 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENABLING USERS TO INTERACT IN A VIRTUAL SPACE - The present invention provides a highly scalable architecture for a three-dimensional graphical, multi-user, interactive virtual world system. In a preferred embodiment a plurality of users interact in the three-dimensional, computer-generated graphical space where each user executes a client process to view a virtual world from the perspective of that user. The virtual world shows avatars representing the other users who are neighbors of the user viewing the virtual word. In order that the view can be updated to reflect the motion of the remote user's avatars, motion information is transmitted to a central server process which provides positions updates to client processes for neighbors of the user at that client process. The client process also uses an environment database to determine which background objects to render as well as to limit the movement of the user's avatar. | 07-09-2009 |
20090183089 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENABLING USERS TO INTERACT IN A VIRTUAL SPACE - The present invention provides a highly scalable architecture for a three-dimensional graphical, multi-user, interactive virtual world system. In a preferred embodiment a plurality of users interact in the three-dimensional, computer-generated graphical space where each user executes a client process to view a virtual world from the perspective of that user. The virtual world shows avatars representing the other users who are neighbors of the user viewing the virtual word. In order that the view can be updated to reflect the motion of the remote user's avatars, motion information is transmitted to a central server process which provides positions updates to client processes for neighbors of the user at that client process. The client process also uses an environment database to determine which background objects to render as well as to limit the movement of the user's avatar. | 07-16-2009 |
20090187832 | VIRTUAL WORLD INTEGRATION WITH A COLLABORATIVE APPLICATION - Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for virtual world integration with a collaborative computing application. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for virtual world and collaborative computing application integration can be provided. The method can include loading a virtual world, detecting a posting in a collaborative application, and creating an object with the posting in the virtual world. The method further can include detecting a creation of an object in the virtual world including content, and creating a posting in the collaborative application with the content from the object in the virtual world. In one aspect of the embodiment, creating an object with the posting in the virtual world can include determining a topic for the posting, identifying a place in the virtual world corresponding to the topic, and creating the object in the identified place. | 07-23-2009 |
20090187833 | DEPLOYING A VIRTUAL WORLD WITHIN A PRODUCTIVITY APPLICATION - Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to virtual world management and provide a method, system and computer program product for deploying a virtual world within a productivity application. In an embodiment of the invention, a productivity application can be provided to include each of a document editor, a virtual world client configured to provide a view to a virtual world, presence awareness producing a presence state for an end user of the editor, and an integrator configured to provide a presence state detected by the presence awareness to the virtual world viewed through the virtual world client. For example, the productivity application can be an IDE for source code development. | 07-23-2009 |
20090204907 | VIRTUAL OBJECT TAGGING FOR USE IN MARKETING - A solution for conducting a marketing activity is provided. Activities in a virtual environment are monitored and descriptions of a virtual object involved in the activities are collected. A tag may be assigned to the virtual object based on the characteristic of the activities and/or the descriptions of the virtual object. The tag may be used in marketing activities conducted in relation to the virtual environment. | 08-13-2009 |
20090204908 | FRIENDS LIST MANAGEMENT - A method and system of managing a user's friends in a virtual environment are presented. The method includes interacting a virtual character with a plurality of additional virtual characters in response to commands input from the user entered via the user computer. A subset of the additional users, the additional virtual characters, or a combination of the additional users and the additional virtual characters are designated as friends of the user in the virtual environment, and the friends are added to a list of friends associated with the user. The friends on the list displayed to the user can be ranked in an order based at least in part on the interacting of the virtual character controlled by the user with the plurality of additional virtual characters in the virtual environment. | 08-13-2009 |
20090204909 | INTERACTIVE 3D ANIMATED CHARACTER DELIVERY OVER A NETWORK - Fully-rendered three-dimensional characters are delivered to a client over a network. A logic file and brief pre-rendered video clips are downloaded from a server. The video clips are downloaded only once and then cached locally for subsequent use. A software application uses the logic file to piece the video clips together in a seamless fashion to display a life-like character. The character is responsive to various trigger events, including user actions, elapsed time, and semi-random occurrences as directed by the logic file. | 08-13-2009 |
20090210803 | AUTOMATICALLY MODIFYING COMMUNICATIONS IN A VIRTUAL UNIVERSE - Described herein are processes and systems that automatically modify communications in a virtual universe. One of the systems described is a virtual communication modifier system. The virtual communication modifier system detects a communication intended for use in the virtual universe. The virtual communication has characteristics, such as language, format, sound quality, and text properties that can be modified automatically. The virtual communication modifier system determines whether a characteristic of the communication is different from a characteristic indicated within a user preference. If the characteristic of the communication is different from the indicated characteristic, then the virtual communication modifier system automatically modifies the communication characteristic to comport with the indicated characteristic (e.g., automatically converts the language of the communication from English to Spanish). The virtual communication modifier system then presents the modified communication. | 08-20-2009 |
20090210804 | DIALOG SERVER FOR HANDLING CONVERSATION IN VIRTUAL SPACE METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR HAVING CONVERSATION IN VIRTUAL SPACE - A dialog server which provides dialogs made by at least one user through their respective avatars in a virtual space. A method and a computer readable article of manufacture tangibly embodying computer readable instructions for executing the steps of the method are also provided. The dialog server includes: a position storage unit which stores positional information on the avatars; an utterance receiver which receives at least one utterance of avatars and utterance strength representing an importance or attention level of the utterance; an interest level calculator which calculates interest levels between avatars based on their positional information; a message processor which generates a message based on the utterance in accordance with a value calculated from the interest levels and the utterance strength; and a message transmitter which transmits the message to the avatars. | 08-20-2009 |
20090222744 | Methods and Systems for Conducting a Meeting in a Virtual Environment - Systems and methods of conducting a meeting between a plurality of people in a virtual environment are provided. A display associated with each of the plurality of people outputs a virtual conference room that includes an avatar associated with each of the plurality of people, and a virtual display that displays a 3-D model of a manufacturing facility. A selection of an object of the 3-D model is received and the virtual display displays information associated with the selected object of the 3-D model. The display associated with each of the plurality of people outputs the virtual conference room and the virtual display with the information associated with the selected object of the 3-D model. | 09-03-2009 |
20090241036 | METHOD FOR LOCATING A TELEPORT TARGET STATION IN A VIRTUAL WORLD - The invention relates to a method for locating a teleport target station for teleporting between at least one teleport source station and at least one teleport target station in a virtual world, the method including: associating a specific teleport target station object with the at least one teleport target station; associating a current location with the object; and broadcasting the current location of the target station object into at least one communication channel in the virtual world. | 09-24-2009 |
20090241037 | Inclusion of Web Content in a Virtual Environment - A virtual environment server records and broadcasts a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), browser state information, and optionally clipping parameters, that are to be associated with a three dimensional (3D) surface in a virtual environment. When a user's Avatar encounters the 3D surface in the virtual environment, the client obtains the URL and browser state information, and obtains the web content using a standard web browser. The web content is stored into an off-screen buffer. The content from the off-screen buffer is then rendered locally as a texture map onto the 3D surface of the virtual environment. Whenever one of the users interacts with the web content, a new URL and new browser state information is used to obtain the updated web content in the same way. The new URL and new browser state information is also passed from the client to the server, so that the server may update the URL and new browser state information in each of the other clients associated with each of the other users. | 09-24-2009 |
20090241038 | COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM HAVING INFORMATION PROCESSING PROGRAM STORED THEREON AND INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS - An instruction target object which is located outside a predetermined area of a virtual space is detected at an interval of the unit time, and a substitute icon associated with the instruction target object is displayed in a screen. Next, after it is detected that a first operation has been performed on the substitute icon from the operation data, it is detected that a second operation has also been performed. Based on the pointed position in the screen when the second operation was detected, the instruction target object associated with the substitute icon processed by the first operation is caused to perform a predetermined motion. | 09-24-2009 |
20090241039 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AVATAR VIEWING - An aspect of the present invention enables users of social networks to view other users' avatars while imaging those users on their mobile device. The mobile may be able to detect faces in a current image. The device then connects to the social network via some internet interface and asks the social network to find the users being imaged. The mobile device should also be able to connect to other mobile devices to gain permission to share avatar information. | 09-24-2009 |
20090249226 | COLLABORATIVE TOOL USE IN VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT - A collaborative tool is integrated into a virtual collaborative environment. The collaborative tool allows use of the tool by one or more physically remote users while providing full functionality and features which may not be available in the virtual collaborative environment. A substantially seamless transition is had between using the tool in the virtual environment and the real world. | 10-01-2009 |
20090249227 | FACILITATING SEARCH FOR ITEMS IN 3D SIMULATIONS - A method for facilitating a search for an object in a three-dimensional simulation can be provided. The method can include receiving from a user at least one search parameter corresponding to an object and executing a search for the object based on the at least one search parameter. The method can further include generating a list of search results, wherein each search result corresponds to an object in the three-dimensional simulation and receiving from the user a selection corresponding to a first object in the list of search results. The method can further include transporting an avatar of the user to a location of the first object and displaying a visual indicator of a position of the first object in the three-dimensional simulation, wherein the visual indicator is distinct from the first object and wherein the visual indicator is not viewed by other users. | 10-01-2009 |
20090254842 | INTERFACING WITH A SPATIAL VIRTUAL COMMUNICATION ENVIRONMENT - A spatial layout of zones of a virtual area in a network communication environment is displayed. A user can have a respective presence in each of one or more of the zones. Navigation controls and interaction controls are presented. The navigation controls enable the user to specify where to establish a presence in the virtual area. The interaction controls enable the user to manage interactions with one or more other communicants in the network communication environment. A respective presence of the user is established in each of one or more of the zones on response to input received via the navigation controls. Respective graphical representations of the communicants are depicted in each of the zones where the communicants respectively have presence. | 10-08-2009 |
20090254843 | SHARED VIRTUAL AREA COMMUNICATION ENVIRONMENT BASED APPARATUS AND METHODS - Improved systems and methods for navigating and interacting in virtual communication environments. At least some of these systems and methods provide a framework that includes one or more virtual areas and supports realtime communications between the communicants. At least some of these systems and methods provide an interface that includes navigation controls that enable a user to navigate virtual areas and interaction controls that enable the user to interact with other communicants in the one or more virtual areas. | 10-08-2009 |
20090259948 | SURROGATE AVATAR CONTROL IN A VIRTUAL UNIVERSE - The present invention is directed to providing surrogate avatar control in a virtual universe. The invention enables one resident of the virtual universe to take over the avatar of a second resident. A method for controlling an avatar may include providing the avatar in the virtual universe, where the avatar is controlled by a first entity and then supplying a token that allows for permission for a second entity to control some aspect of the first entity's avatar. | 10-15-2009 |
20090265642 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING AVATAR ACTIONS USING MOBILE SENSORS - Increasingly people want to maintain a persistent personal presence in virtual spaces (usually via avatars). However, while mobile they tend to devote only short bursts of attention to their mobile device, making it difficult to control an avatar. The core contribution of this IP is to use implicitly sensed context from a mobile device to control avatars in a virtual space that does not directly correspond to the user's physical space. This work allows mobile users to have a presence in a virtual space that matches their environmental conditions without forcing them to configure and reconfigure their virtual presence manually. | 10-22-2009 |
20090271715 | COLLABORATIVE AUGMENTED VIRTUALITY SYSTEM - A system for use on a computer network | 10-29-2009 |
20090300521 | APPARATUS FOR NAVIGATION AND INTERACTION IN A VIRTUAL MEETING PLACE - An apparatus for providing for virtual communication and collaboration comprises a collaborative virtual environment (CVE) application executing within a distributed data processing system, and a navigation module implemented within the CVE application. The CVE application provides a virtual world represented as a grid of an interconnected set of locations each divided into a set of zones and each having an assigned context through a user interface provided to a plurality of users through one or more client systems. The CVE provides each user with a respective avatar representation for navigating and interacting within the locations of the virtual world. The navigation module provides a user interface element for each user to specify a respective set of navigation settings. The navigation module automatically directs the avatar representation for each user to traverse the set of zones of a respective subset of the set of locations of the virtual world in a particular order of locations and at a particular rate for each location according to the respective set of navigation settings specified by the user. | 12-03-2009 |
20090307611 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PROVIDING ACCESS TO VIRTUAL SPACES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH PHYSICAL ANALOGUES IN THE REAL WORLD - A system and method for associating virtual spaces with physical analogues in the real world. Associating virtual spaces with physical analogues may enable various aspects of the virtual spaces, such as the content of the virtual spaces, the manner in which the virtual spaces are accessed by users, and/or other aspects of the virtual spaces, to correspond to the real world. For example, upon initiation of a client that provides a view of one or more virtual spaces to a user, the user may automatically be provided with a view of a virtual space associated with one or more physical analogues that are proximate to the user in the real world. As another example, content within the virtual space may reflect ambient conditions at or near associated physical analogue(s), the presence and/or condition of objects at or near the associated physical analogue(s), the location and/or condition of the physical analogue(s), and/or other information related to the physical analogue in the real world. | 12-10-2009 |
20090313556 | REDISTRIBUTION OF LICENSED ITEMS IN A VIRTUAL UNIVERSE - An approach that redistributes licensed items in a virtual universe is described. In one embodiment, there is a marketplace facilitation tool for use in a virtual universe. A database is configured to store information relating to the virtual universe. A receiving component is configured to receive a request for an item within the virtual universe. An inventory search component is configured to search the database for other avatars within the virtual universe that may possess the requested item. A transfer component is configured to establish a transfer of the item between at least one avatar determined to have possession of the requested item and an avatar requesting the item after there has been a manifestation of an assent to transfer the item. An intellectual property enforcement component is configured to specify and enforce any intellectual property rights restrictions with the item to the transfer component for the transfer to the avatar requesting the item. | 12-17-2009 |
20100017728 | APPARATUS AND METHOD OF INTERWORKING BETWEEN VIRTUAL REALITY SERVICES - Provided are an apparatus and method of interworking between virtual reality services so as to provide a new model for providing interoperability and to conveniently use various virtual reality services through the new model. A virtual reality server for interworking between virtual reality services includes a login server which performs user authentication, an instant messenger (IM) server which manages messaging session information of a user, a space server which manages objects around a space according to the user's location, a data server which processes inquiries about database information such as user information, an inventory, log, and location information, a simulator server which analyzes and calculating a physical state according to a movement of the user, and a pre-processing module which performs conversion processing for sharing the virtual reality services with another virtual reality server or a virtual reality client device. | 01-21-2010 |
20100023878 | VIRTUAL NOTES IN A REALITY OVERLAY - Virtual notes are provided that enable virtual communications between users. A user is enabled to input content into a note using an electronic device. The user is enabled to associate a virtual representation of the note with an entity to generate a virtual note. The user is enabled to position the virtual representation of the virtual note in a virtual space superimposed on the entity. The user is enabled to configure at least one attribute associated with the virtual note. The generated virtual note is transmitted to a notes database. Subsequent users can view and otherwise interact with the virtual note by interacting with the entity associated with the virtual note. For example, the subsequent users can interact with the virtual note by approaching the entity, or by viewing the entity on a map displayed by an electronic device. | 01-28-2010 |
20100023879 | DISCERNING AND DISPLAYING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN AVATARS - The invention relates generally to virtual universe environments and, more particularly, to discerning and displaying information regarding relationships between two or more avatars in a virtual universe environment. In one embodiment, the invention includes determining whether a first avatar and a second avatar have at least one relationship with one or more common avatars in response to the first avatar initiating an interaction with the second avatar, and in the case that the first and second avatars have at least one relationship with at least one common avatar, displaying information regarding the relationship with the common avatar to at least one of the first and second avatar. | 01-28-2010 |
20100031165 | System and method for creating gateway between an analytical database and a virtual world - Provided is a system and method for facilitating or creating a gateway to integrate with 3D virtual worlds (e.g., Second Life and Sun Wonderland) and external applications (e.g., data visualization gateways, process modeling systems, artificial intelligences, social networks, and other virtual worlds) for three-dimensional visualization of data in a virtual world. The visualization tool may include, for example, a three-dimensional graph using various colors, dimensions, shapes, and other properties as desired, to represent different data and data values. The avatars in the virtual world, as controlled by the game's players or users in the real world, can point to or otherwise interact with elements in the three-dimensional graph whereupon the base data or other related informational data would be displayed with respect to that given cell or element of the graph. | 02-04-2010 |
20100037152 | Presenting and Filtering Objects in a Virtual World - Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for filtering and presenting elements of an immersive virtual environment. The elements may be filtered according to importance to the user, based on user-specified importance of each element, the number and type of past interactions with the elements, and the like. Further, the filtering may be performed on the basis of the user's preference for density of element presentation. The user may then be presented with a view of the virtual world in which elements having a higher degree of interest to the user are highlighted visually, and in which elements having a lesser degree of interest to the user are made partially transparent or invisible. | 02-11-2010 |
20100050094 | System and Method for Performing Multiple, Simultaneous, Independent Simulations in a Motion Capture Environment - A motion capture environment includes a plurality of sensor-trackers for tracking physical locations of a plurality of tracked objects relating to a first simulation within the motion capture environment and for tracking physical locations of a plurality of tracked objects relating to a second simulation, which is different from the first simulation, within the motion capture environment and one or more computers collectively operable to generate a first virtual reality environment corresponding to the first simulation and a second virtual reality environment corresponding to the second simulation. | 02-25-2010 |
20100070883 | VIRTUAL UNIVERSE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT ASSISTANCE - Methods, devices and systems are provided for enabling virtual universe users to find and engage subject matter experts within a virtual universe by defining a virtual universe subject matter expert conduit within the virtual universe. A virtual universe user avatar engages the conduit and a user indicates a subject matter expert search term. A data storage is searched for a tag relevant to the search term, and an expert-avatar is identified and located through the relevant tag. The user is enabled to directly communicate with the identified expert-avatar through a conduit communication medium entirely within the virtual universe, without requiring the user to engage a resource outside of the virtual universe or without requiring the user to engage an interface outside of the virtual universe. | 03-18-2010 |
20100070884 | Dynamically Linking Avatar Profiles Within a Virtual Environment - Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for linking user profiles within an immersive virtual environment. In one embodiment, a group is dynamically formed based on one or more criteria, including interactions, movements, history, viewports, friends lists, and the like. Once the group is formed, a group profile may be generated by, e.g., aggregating the individual user profiles of the group members. The group profile may control the interaction of the group members with the virtual world, thus providing a uniform and consistent experience for all group members. | 03-18-2010 |
20100070885 | Linking Avatar Profiles Within a Virtual Environment - Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for linking user profiles within an immersive virtual environment. In one embodiment, a group is dynamically formed based on one or more criteria, including interactions, movements, history, viewports, friends lists, and the like. Once the group is formed, a group profile may be generated by, e.g., aggregating the individual user profiles of the group members. The group profile may control the interaction of the group members with the virtual world, thus providing a uniform and consistent experience for all group members. | 03-18-2010 |
20100083138 | VIRTUAL UNIVERSE SUPERVISORY PRESENCE - Methods, devices and systems are provided. A virtual universe resident avatar is monitored through an associated supervisory avatar. The engagement of a user avatar representing an agent account of a user within a virtual universe is monitored for an event occurrence. As a function of detecting an event occurrence a symbiont is associated with the user avatar. A symbiont type is selected from a plurality of symbiont types as a function of a user avatar characteristic and an objective of a virtual universe provider, each of the plurality of symbiont types comprising divergent agendas, and the symbiont is populated with the selected symbiont type. The populated symbiont also appears to the user as a supervising avatar. The populated symbiont processes an event occurrence and determines an action as a function of an agenda of a selected symbiont type. The populated symbiont takes an action, including the supervising avatar communicating directly with the user avatar through a communication medium appropriate to the selected symbiont type and to a norm of avatar engagement of the virtual universe. | 04-01-2010 |
20100083139 | VIRTUAL UNIVERSE AVATAR COMPANION - Methods, devices, program products and systems are disclosed for providing a virtual universe companion avatar for engagement with a virtual universe user avatar. In some methods a user of a virtual universe instigates a companion request. Profile data associated with the user is accessed from a data storage in response to the companion request, the profile data including a companion preference. A companion avatar is configured to engage a user avatar representing the user in the virtual universe, the configuring a function of processing the profile data, the engaging configured to meet the companion preference and an overriding user benefit agenda. The companion avatar is thus associated with the user avatar, wherein the companion avatar is configured to engage the user avatar by advancing the overriding user benefit agenda ahead of a virtual universe world provider benefit agenda. | 04-01-2010 |
20100083140 | METHOD, SYSTEM, AND PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR VARIABLE RENDERING OF VIRTUAL UNIVERSE AVATARS - Avatar appearance attributes for use in rendering a first avatar within a virtual universe are associated with keys, wherein the first avatar is rendered to a second user in a virtual universe graphic user interface display with the defined appearance attribute as a function of a second avatar of the second user possessing the key. The first avatar may be rendered simultaneously to other users with an appearance attribute distinct from the defined appearance attribute rendered to the second user as a function of the other user's avatars not possessing the key. A key may be recognized as a function of an identity characteristic, and appearance attributes selected manually or as a function of a preference. Pluralities of avatar appearance attributes may be broadcast by an avatar for selection by key possession, and keys may be assigned as a function of a unique identity, a trait and an inventory asset. | 04-01-2010 |
20100095225 | INTERACTIVE SYSTEM AND METHOD - A system and method to interactively connect real entities (object or person) to virtual entities or representation thereof and share information therebetween is provided. Moreover, the virtual entities are linked, via a network and/or via a wireless network-enabled device to their real life counterparts. Hence, the system allows, via the network and/or wireless network-enable devices, the gathering of information related to the real entities and the virtual representations thereof. In another aspect of the invention, the system and method allow interactions between the operator and/or sponsor of a real life or virtual event and real life and/or virtual participants therein. | 04-15-2010 |
20100100828 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISTRIBUTING AN AVATAR - A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a first computing device having a controller to present an avatar having characteristics that correlate to a user profile and that conform to operating characteristics of the first computing device, and transmit to a second computing device operational information associated with the avatar for reproducing at least in part the avatar at said second computing device. Other embodiments are disclosed. | 04-22-2010 |
20100115425 | COLLABORATIVE VIRTUAL BUSINESS OBJECTS SOCIAL SHARING IN A VIRTUAL WORLD - Collaborative virtual business object (VBO) social sharing that may include generating a VBO responsive to an avatar performing a transaction, and providing access to the VBO to other avatars desiring access. Access to the VBO may be provided by registering information regarding accessing the VBO in an inventory of the avatar, registering information regarding accessing the VBO in a centralized registry, allowing some portions of the VBO to be searchable, or uploading a modified copy of the VBO to a centralized VBO data upload facility. Portions of the VBO may be identified as private or public and access provided to only the public portions. An apparatus for collaborative virtual business object (VBO) social sharing may include an interface configured to access virtual world and a processor configured to generate a VBO responsive to a transaction in the virtual world and provide access to the VBO. | 05-06-2010 |
20100115426 | AVATAR ENVIRONMENTS - Embodiments are directed towards providing dynamic and interactive avatars of social networking members for use in visually displaying interactions and activities within a messaging context. A user interface is provided that enables relationships toy be displayed within a messaging context through automatic and/or dynamic grouping and/or re-arranging of avatars representing the member and a messaging user. Similar to, albeit it different from, an actual social event/party the dynamic displaying of members' avatars reflects how groups of people may interact. Thus, the disclosed embodiments provide a dynamic visual interface illustrating social congregation and interactions between members of a messaging social network. | 05-06-2010 |
20100115427 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SHARING AVATARS - A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an avatar engine having a controller to present a user an avatar correlated to a profile of the user, detect a communication exchange between the user and the avatar, identify from the communication exchange a directive from the user to share the avatar with an other user, and submit to an other avatar engine associated with the other user a shared avatar comprising a usage policy and at least one of a replica in whole or in part of the avatar engine or in whole or in part of characteristics of the avatar. Other embodiments are disclosed. | 05-06-2010 |
20100125799 | PHYSICAL-VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT INTERFACE - Apparatus, methods, and computer-program products are disclosed for automatically interfacing a first physical environment and a second physical environment to a virtual world model where some avatar controller piloting commands are automatically issued by a virtual world client to a virtual world server responsive to the focus of the avatar controller. | 05-20-2010 |
20100125800 | System and Method for Bridging Communication Services Between Virtual Worlds and the Real World - A system includes a gateway operative to couple the system to a user. The system further includes a first infolet coupled to the gateway, and operative to couple the system to a first virtual world application, a second infolet coupled to the gateway and to the first infolet, and operative to couple the system to a real world application. The system is operable to obtain first information requested by the user from the second infolet and send the first information to the virtual world application through the first infolet. | 05-20-2010 |
20100131864 | AVATAR PROFILE CREATION AND LINKING IN A VIRTUAL WORLD - A method for creating and linking a profile in a virtual world may include presenting an interface for creating a grouping profile for application to a user's avatar in response to the user's avatar to be transported to one of a particular virtual world location, event or activity. The grouping profile may include at least one attribute. The method may also include allowing assignment of the at least one attribute to the grouping profile and allowing definition of an application criteria. The method may further include associating the application criteria with the grouping profile, wherein the application criteria is usable to determine if the grouping profile is applicable to the user's avatar based on the one of the particular virtual world location, event and activity to which the user's avatar is to be transported. | 05-27-2010 |
20100131865 | Method and system for providing a multi-mode interactive experience - Disclosed are methods and systems for providing a multi-mode interactive experience. In one embodiment, a method comprises hosting a virtual environment corresponding to a real-life simulation environment, on a multi-mode interactive experience server, and networking the server and a venue management system configured to control events occurring in the real-life simulation environment. The networking enables a user to interact with the multi-mode interactive experience in a real-life simulation mode or in a virtual mode. The method further comprises associating a personalized version of the multi-mode interactive experience with an identification code assigned to the user, updating the personalized version of the multi-mode interactive experience according to events occurring in the real-life simulation mode and events occurring in the virtual mode of the multi-mode interactive experience, and providing the updated personalized version of the multi-mode interactive experience in one of the real-life simulation mode or the virtual mode. | 05-27-2010 |
20100138755 | USE OF A VIRTUAL WORLD TO MANAGE A SECURED ENVIRONMENT - The present invention provides for using a virtual universe (VU) to validate user access and manage activities within a secured environment. The secured environment is associated with a security system. The VU and the security system are generated by a VU simulation engine by inserting an abstraction layer between the VU simulation engine. A plurality of application programming interfaces (APIs) are provided between the VU simulation engine and elements of the security system. | 06-03-2010 |
20100146406 | ASYNCHRONOUS IMMERSIVE COMMUNICATIONS IN A VIRTUAL UNIVERSE - The present invention provides asynchronous immersive communication in a virtual universe. In one embodiment, there is a method for transmitting an asynchronous immersive communication in a virtual universe. The method includes receiving an asynchronous immersive communication created by a resident of a virtual universe, transmitting the asynchronous immersive communication to a recipient and enabling the recipient to access the asynchronous immersive communication. | 06-10-2010 |
20100146407 | AUTOMATED AVATAR MOOD EFFECTS IN A VIRTUAL WORLD - A method for automated avatar mood effects in a virtual world may include detecting occurrence of a mood changing condition relatable to a user's avatar. The method may also include determining an avatar mood effect from a plurality of predefined avatar mood effects to be applied to the user's avatar in the virtual world based on the detected mood changing condition. The method may further include automatically applying the avatar mood effect to the user's avatar in the virtual world in response to detecting occurrence of the mood changing condition and determining an applicable avatar mood effect based on the detected mood changing condition and presenting the automatically applied avatar mood effect in association with the user's avatar in the virtual world. | 06-10-2010 |
20100146408 | SYSTEM AND METHOD TO MODIFY AUDIO COMPONENTS IN AN ONLINE ENVIRONMENT - A system and method to modify audio components in an online environment based on avatar characteristics and/or inventory items. The system includes a component to allow one or more audio modification algorithms to be selected. The system also includes a component to identify one or more avatar characteristics and a component to identify one or more avatar inventory items. The system further comprises a component to modify an audio communication in a virtual universe based on at least one of the one or more audio modification algorithms, the one or more avatar characteristics, and the one or more avatar inventory items. | 06-10-2010 |
20100146409 | Virtual Space Management System - A virtual space management system includes a space management server for managing a virtual space, and a communication control server. The space management server stores a plurality of event information items, relating to the virtual space and to be transmitted to a user terminal, in a temporary buffer in a manner that specifies a transmission order of each event information item, reads out and outputs the plurality of event information items stored in the temporary buffer in order to the communication control server, and changes information stored in the temporary buffer. The communication control server transmits the event information output by the space management server to the user terminal in order. The space management server varies an amount of data to be output per unit time to the communication control server according to an amount of data transmittable per unit time by the communication control server to the user terminal. | 06-10-2010 |
20100153858 | Uniform virtual environments - A methodology is disclosed for creating a uniform virtual environment across disparate devices utilizing a plurality of delivery services. A communication system including at least two graphical display devices and a communication service platform for providing communication, a method of providing communications services comprising the steps of: receiving at the first user device a message sent by the communications service, the message including an avatar of the second user; displaying the avatar of the second user on the display of the first user; receiving at the second user device a message sent by the communication service, an avatar of a first user; and displaying the avatar of the first user on the display of the second user. | 06-17-2010 |
20100153859 | USE OF INFORMATION CHANNELS TO PROVIDE COMMUNICATIONS IN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT - The invention generally relates to virtual environments, and more particularly to systems and methods for communicating in virtual environments. A method of providing communication in a virtual universe (VU) includes instantiating and assigning an information channel to a first client of the VU, associating at least one additional client of the VU to the information channel, and conveying data placed on the information channel to the first client and the at least one additional client. | 06-17-2010 |
20100153860 | DYNAMIC LOCATION GENERATION WITHIN A VIRTUAL WORLD - An approach is provided for dynamic loading and rendering of avatar's initial login environment. The approach consists of a method and a system for dynamically rendering locations from a preference list of locations most likely to be visited by an avatar. In one embodiment the method consists of creating a preference list of locations most likely to be visited by the avatar, rendering a dynamically built continuous environment populated from such preference list of locations most likely to be visited by the avatar, and caching and thereafter rendering at least one of the locations from the preference list of locations most likely to be visited by said avatar. | 06-17-2010 |
20100162136 | DEGRADING AVATAR APPEARANCES IN A VIRTUAL UNIVERSE - An invention that degrades avatar appearances in a virtual universe is provided. In one embodiment, there is a degradation tool, including a visual obstruction component configured to: identify an object in the virtual universe as an object of interest, and determine whether a set of avatars within the virtual universe is likely to cause a visual obstruction of the object of interest to an avatar. The degradation tool further comprises a modification component configured to degrade an appearance of at least one of the set of avatars within the virtual universe if the set of avatars within the virtual universe is likely to cause a visual obstruction of the object of interest to the avatar. | 06-24-2010 |
20100162137 | ITEM CUSTOMIZATION AND WEBSITE CUSTOMIZATION - Customized item that is usable on both a website as an item in a virtual world, and outside the website as a tangible item in the real world is provided and described. One single customization is used to create both items. The item can be the same in the virtual world as it is in the virtual world, or can be different in the virtual world. | 06-24-2010 |
20100169795 | Method and Apparatus for Interrelating Virtual Environment and Web Content - Interaction with web content in a web browser can control actions in an embedded virtual environment, and events in the virtual environment can be used to update content and applications running in the web browser. In one embodiment, particular events in the virtual environment are passed to a mapping component that listens for triggers and issues commands in the web browser. A JavaScript mapping component may be used to listen for the triggers, capture parameters associated with the trigger, lookup the trigger type in a mapping table, and call a mapped JavaScript function with the trigger parameters. In the reverse direction, if a JavaScript function call is entered in the web browser, the JavaScript function invokes a function exposed by a virtual environment plugin. The plug-in invokes an event within the virtual environment so that interaction with the web content can control actions in the virtual environment. | 07-01-2010 |
20100169796 | Visual Indication of Audio Context in a Computer-Generated Virtual Environment - A method and apparatus for providing a visual indication of audio context in a computer-generated virtual environment is provided. In one embodiment, visual indicators of which other Avatars are within communication distance of an Avatar may be generated and provided to the user associated with the Avatar. The visual indication may be provided for Avatars within the viewing area regardless of whether the other Avatar is visible or not. The visual indication may be provided for Avatars outside of the viewing area as well. When Avatars are engaged in a communication session, an indication of which Avatars are involved as well as which Avatar is currently speaking may be provided. Context may be user specific and established for each user of the virtual environment based on the location of that user's Avatar within the virtual environment and the relative location of other users' Avatars within the virtual environment. | 07-01-2010 |
20100169797 | User Interface for Orienting New Users to a Three Dimensional Computer-Generated Virtual Environment - When new users are first introduced to virtual environments, the new users may be confused and uncertain as to how to interact with the virtual environment. Several new user orientation features have been added to the virtual environment user interface to help orient new users to the three dimensional computer-generated virtual environment and to prevent the new users from making common mistakes. Example beginning user orientation features include clearly distinguishing when the user is interacting with the virtual environment and when the user is interacting with virtual environment application controls, limiting the vertical field of view of the new user's Avatar to prevent the user from becoming stuck looking straight up or straight down, providing the user with visual feedback when switching between first and third person points of view, and providing the user with clear instructions as to how to control their Avatar and how to reenter the virtual environment. | 07-01-2010 |
20100169798 | Visual Indication of User Interests in a Computer-Generated Virtual Environment - Users create profiles containing their interests, professional qualifications, and/or personal information. When users encounter each other in the virtual environment, the information contained in the personal profiles is used to provide visual indications of the profile information so that other users know some modicum of information about the user associated with the Avatar. The user associated with the personal profile may control what information is provided publicly and what information is provided privately. Information in other users' profiles may be filtered to enable relevant information to be presented to the user. Filtering may be explicit and based on user-defined criteria. Filtering may be inherent as well and implemented to select visual indications based on similarities between the user's profile information and the other users' profile information. Inherent matching of attributes may be exact, based on pre-defined similarities or groups, or based on learned similarities between types of attributes, or based on previous interactions of the user with other users in the virtual environment. | 07-01-2010 |
20100169799 | Method and Apparatus for Enabling Presentations to Large Numbers of Users in a Virtual Environment - A method and apparatus for enabling interaction with a large number of participants in a three dimensional computer-generated virtual environment is provided. In one embodiment, a participant in a three dimensional computer-generated virtual environment is able to simultaneously exist in multiple areas of a sliced virtual environment or in multiple instances of an instanced virtual environment. In this embodiment, the user's Avatar is replicated across the multiple regions/instances to simultaneously appear to users supported by multiple servers. Since users on multiple servers are able to see and hear the replicated Avatar, the virtual environment may be used to present information to a larger number of users than would be able to see the presenter's Avatar in the virtual environment hosted by a single virtual environment server. | 07-01-2010 |
20100169800 | CONTROLLING ATTRIBUTE EXPRESSION WITHIN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT - A computer-implemented method of controlling attribute expression for an avatar within a virtual environment can include defining a rule that determines expression of an attribute of a first avatar conditioned upon an attribute of at least one other avatar within a virtual environment and, responsive to the first avatar contacting a second avatar within the virtual environment, determining an attribute of the second avatar. The method can include determining whether to express the attribute of the first avatar according to the attribute of the second avatar as determined by the rule and outputting a state of the first avatar specifying each attribute selected for expression. | 07-01-2010 |
20100175002 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR RATING EXCHANGEABLE GESTURES VIA COMMUNICATIONS IN VIRTUAL WORLD APPLICATIONS - A method, system and computer-readable medium are disclosed for rating exchangeable gestures in a virtual world application. The method includes making a gesture owned by a first user of the virtual world application available to a second user of the virtual world application; in response to the second user providing a rating of the gesture, storing the rating in a repository of the first user, determining a rating metric of the gesture using at least the rating received from the second user, and communicating the rating metric to a third user of the virtual world application. | 07-08-2010 |
20100180214 | Predatory Behavior Detection and Alert in Virtual Worlds Based on Spatial and Temporal Criteria - Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for protecting a user from being followed by an avatar within an immersive virtual environment. To detect a following avatar, any avatars within a specified range of the user may be identified. Historical data may then be examined to determine if any of the identified avatars has been in the same recent virtual locations as the user. In order to rule out coincidental movements, the likelihood of both avatars being in the same places at the same time may be evaluated. Further, the following avatar may be tested by transporting the user to another location, and then monitoring to determine whether the following avatar also transports to the same location. Upon confirming that the following avatar is actually following the user, avoidance actions may be performed in order to avoid the following avatar. | 07-15-2010 |
20100180215 | Detecting Avatar Following in a Virtual Environment - Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for protecting a user from being followed by an avatar within an immersive virtual environment. To detect a following avatar, any avatars within a specified range of the user may be identified. Historical data may then be examined to determine if any of the identified avatars has been in the same recent virtual locations as the user. In order to rule out coincidental movements, the likelihood of both avatars being in the same places at the same time may be evaluated. Further, the following avatar may be tested by transporting the user to another location, and then monitoring to determine whether the following avatar also transports to the same location. Upon confirming that the following avatar is actually following the user, avoidance actions may be performed in order to avoid the following avatar. | 07-15-2010 |
20100180216 | MANAGING INTERACTIONS IN A VIRTUAL WORLD ENVIRONMENT - Methods and apparatus associate a computed trust level to avatars that interact with one another in a simulated environment. The avatars may represent legitimate users of the virtual world or spammers. System monitoring of each avatar provides ability to recognize potential spammers and create an alternate indication of the spammers. A user index may be used to store data describing attributes of each avatar for analysis using programs stored in memory. | 07-15-2010 |
20100185959 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DIVIDING THREE DIMENSIONAL SPACE INTO LOCATION BASED VIRTUAL PACKETS - The invention provides a method and system for three-dimensional virtual world pattern positioning. The method includes creating a three-dimensional pattern for a virtual world environment, sub-dividing the pattern into a plurality of sub-divisions each having a vector relative to a center of the pattern, creating a transform including a description of the pattern and shape information for each sub-division, creating a portion of a virtual world environment by positioning the pattern and sub-divisions, and storing the transform for reusing the pattern and sub-divisions in another virtual world environment. | 07-22-2010 |
20100199193 | CLIENT-SIDE SIMULATED VIRTUAL UNIVERSE ENVIRONMENT - An invention that provides a client-side simulated virtual universe environment is provided. In one embodiment, there is a simulation tool, including an analysis component configured to identify whether a server-side virtual universe is available; and a construction component configured to provide a client-side simulated virtual universe environment in the case that the server-side virtual universe is unavailable. | 08-05-2010 |
20100211890 | DYNAMIC VIRTUAL DASHBOARD - Techniques are disclosed for helping users of virtual worlds and social networking applications to control personal identity data that other users have access to and to determine the type of identity data that users know about each other. Generally, identity awareness records may be used to store the personal identity data that a user has revealed to other users. When the user sends information to another user, personal identity data is mapped to appropriate aliases, depending upon which user is receiving the information. When the user is in the presence of other users, a visual dashboard indicates the types of personal identity information that the user knows about each other user, as well as the types of personal identity information that each other user knows about the user. The visual dashboard may also indicate the types of personal identity information that the other users know about each other. | 08-19-2010 |
20100211891 | Widgetized avatar and a method and system of creating and using same including storefronts - An avatar is disclosed. The avatar includes computing code that provides for addition of the avatar as non-static content to at least two unique at least partially static web pages, and secondary computing code resident within the computing code, wherein the secondary computing code provides for association with at least one other portion of the computing code of: ones selected from a plurality of physical characteristics, ones selected from a plurality of clothes, ones selected from a plurality of accessories, a plurality of personal information, a plurality of preferences, and a plurality of recommendations. | 08-19-2010 |
20100211892 | Widgetized avatar and a method and system of creating and using same - An avatar is disclosed. The avatar includes computing code that provides for addition of the avatar as non-static content to at least two unique at least partially static web pages, and secondary computing code resident within the computing code, wherein the secondary computing code provides for association with at least one other portion of the computing code of: ones selected from a plurality of physical characteristics, ones selected from a plurality of clothes, ones selected from a plurality of accessories, a plurality of personal information, a plurality of preferences, and a plurality of recommendations. | 08-19-2010 |
20100218121 | VIRTUAL SPACE PROVISION SYSTEM, VIRTUAL SPACE PROVISION SERVER, VIRTUAL SPACE PROVISION METHOD, AND VIRTUAL SPACE PROVISION PROGRAM - A virtual space is provided in which users interested in any one of various Web pages can meet each other in real time through the Web page that interests them. | 08-26-2010 |
20100229106 | SYNTHETIC ENVIRONMENT CHARACTER DATA SHARING - Synthetic environment character data sharing is described, including retrieving data from a plurality of sources configured to store the data, the data being generated from an interaction between a character and a synthetic environment, generating a feed comprising dynamic content associated with the character and the synthetic environment, the feed being configured to present the data to one or more clients associated with the synthetic environment in substantially real time, transmitting the feed to the one or more clients, extracting the data from the feed and presenting the data on the one or more clients after being extracted from the feed. | 09-09-2010 |
20100229107 | CROSS-INTERFACE COMMUNICATION - Cross-interface communication is described, including generating data associated with a synthetic environment, the synthetic environment comprising one or more communication protocols, converting the data using one of the one or more communication protocols to generate converted data, wherein the converted data is interpreted using another of the one or more communication protocols, and transmitting the data over a communication path between two or more endpoints using one or more communication interfaces, wherein the data, after being interpreted by the another of the one or more communication protocols, is used to present information associated with the synthetic environment on at least one of the two or more endpoints. | 09-09-2010 |
20100229108 | Computational Delivery System for Avatar and Background Game Content - Data defining an avatar is received, over a network. The data defining the avatar is stored to a computer readable medium. A sprite sheet comprising a plurality of sprites is created, using at least one computing device, using the data defining the avatar. Each sprite comprises a partial rendering of the respective avatar and at least one run-time parameter comprising a sprite attribute. A plurality of requests are received, over the network, for the avatar from a plurality of user applications. The data defining the avatar and the sprite sheet are transmitted, over the network, to each of the requesting games, whereby each respective user application is enabled to display the sprites in the sprite sheet. The user application is enabled to set the run-time parameter associated with each of the sprites in the sprite sheet such that each respective sprite is thereby customized to the application. | 09-09-2010 |
20100269053 | METHOD FOR SECURITY AND MARKET SURVEILLANCE OF A VIRTUAL WORLD ASSET THROUGH INTERACTIONS WITH A REAL WORLD MONITORING CENTER - An embodiment of the invention provides a method for security and market surveillance of a virtual world asset through interactions with a real world monitoring center. The method monitors at least one virtual world object in a virtual world, including detecting at least one virtual world event associated with the virtual world object. A notification of the virtual world event is received by a real world operations center. In response to the receiving of the notification, the real world operations center automatically sends the real world response to an end user and/or the virtual world response to the virtual world. The real world response includes a telephone call, a text message, an email, an audible alert, and/or a silent alert. | 10-21-2010 |
20100269054 | SYSTEM FOR COLLABORATIVELY INTERACTING WITH CONTENT - Embodiments of a system, a method, and a computer-program product (e.g., software) that facilitates collaborative interaction with content by multiple users are described. In this system, users of a distributed group of dedicated electronic devices provide signals that indicate their current actions as they view the content. Using these signals, the system provides additional signals for display on the group of electronic devices. These additional signals provide an environment that includes the content and the current user actions, which allows the users to collaboratively interact with the content and with each other. Moreover, the multiple users may be dynamically aggregated based on their actions, which allows a social network to be established and dynamically maintained based on user activities and interests. | 10-21-2010 |
20100269055 | Method and Apparatus for Creating a Virtual Workout Community - A method for creating a virtual online gym for providing members with a shared workout experience and decreasing the feeling of isolation when members are not all working out at the same physical location. The method including the steps of receiving a request for access to the virtual online gym and receiving a selection for a first exercise program from a plurality of available exercise programs from the first member. The method also includes the steps of determining a program length based on the selection of the first exercise program; presenting updated status information during a length of the program length; and, providing a notification when the program length has been reached. An apparatus and system for implementing the method are also disclosed. | 10-21-2010 |
20100275136 | POSITION TRACKING IN A VIRTUAL WORLD - Positions of avatars in a virtual world may be communicated to clients using multiple bitcode resolutions to minimize required communication bandwidth between a virtual world server and virtual world clients, thereby allowing transmission of all avatars' positions to every other player. Lower resolution bitcodes may be based on a lower resolution grid overlaid on the virtual world, whereas higher resolution bitcodes may be based on a higher resolution grid overlaid on the virtual world. In one example, a virtual world server may determine the bitcode resolution to use based on a distance between an avatar to which the position information is to be sent and other avatars in the virtual world. Resolution may include spatial resolution, where nearer avatars' locations are provided with higher resolution bitcodes, or temporal resolution, where the transmission frequency of position information is greater for nearer avatars. Position information in a transmission stream may further be condensed by using run length encoding. | 10-28-2010 |
20100299618 | METHOD OF MANAGING A SET OF VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT CONTROL ENTITIES, DEVICE, AND CORRESPONDING COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT - A method is provided for managing a set of entities, each controlling a virtual environment in which user representations evolve. The method includes the following steps: monitoring at least one characteristic of each of the entities and/or at least one characteristic of a corresponding virtual environment; proposing to transfer and/or transferring at least one of the user representations from a first virtual environment to a second virtual environment, as a function of the characteristic or characteristics monitored. | 11-25-2010 |
20100306675 | PEER-TO-PEER BASED CONTENT DELIVERY IN A VIRTUAL UNIVERSE - The present invention permits performance adjustment in a virtual universe. In particular, the invention proposes a mixed server-based/peer-to-peer approach, in which transmission responsibilities are shifted towards peer-to-peer computing as the number of avatars within a region increases. The invention may foster fluid business transactions (e.g., sales) during times of high avatar load. | 12-02-2010 |
20100313145 | CONTEXTUAL DATA CENTER MANAGEMENT UTILIZING A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT - Contextual data center management utilizing a virtual environment is described. In one embodiment, there is a data center management tool for managing a physical data center from a representation of the physical data center operating in a virtual universe. The data center management tool includes a data center contextual object component configured to obtain a data center contextual object that describes operational information of the physical data center in the virtual universe. An operational change component is configured to implement at least one operational change to the representation of the physical data center in the virtual universe. The at least one operational change is implemented as a function of the data center contextual object. A management component is configured to manage the physical data center pursuant to a result obtained from implementing the at least one operational change. | 12-09-2010 |
20100313146 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS RELATING TO AN AUGMENTED VIRTUALITY ENVIRONMENT - Systems and methods relating to an augmented virtuality system are disclosed. A method of operating an augmented virtuality system may comprise displaying imagery of a real-world environment in an operating picture. The method may further include displaying a plurality of virtual icons in the operating picture representing at least some assets of a plurality of assets positioned in the real-world environment. Additionally, the method may include displaying at least one virtual item in the operating picture representing data sensed by one or more of the assets of the plurality of assets and remotely controlling at least one asset of the plurality of assets by interacting with a virtual icon associated with the at least one asset. | 12-09-2010 |
20100325563 | AUGMENTING A FIELD OF VIEW - The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture that can enhance an experience associated with indicia related to a local environment. In particular, the architecture can receive an image that depicts a view of the local environment including a set of entities represented in the image. One or more of the entities can be matched or correlated to modeled entities included in a geospatial model of the environment, potentially based upon location and direction, in order to scope or frame the view depicted in the image to a modeled view. In addition, the architecture can select additional content that can be presented. The additional content typically relates to services or data associated with modeled entities included in the geospatial model or associated with modeled entities included in an image-based data store. | 12-23-2010 |
20100325564 | CHARTS IN VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS - The application of chart data to a virtual space. The chart data is accessed and a virtual space is formulated. The virtual space is a computerized representation of a plurality of spatially interrelated visual items. The chart data is merged with the virtual space. As an example, the chart data might represent spatially significant information. For instance, one data item in the chart data might represent information about a first point or region in the virtual space, another data item in the chart data might represent information about a second point or region in the virtual space, and so forth. Merging of the chart data might involve changing property(s) of corresponding regions of space depending on value(s) of the associated chart data. | 12-23-2010 |
20100332997 | RULE-BASED CONTENT FILTERING IN A VIRTUAL UNIVERSE - A system that enables individuals or companies to allow an avatar's transits and communications within a virtual universe. The system enables the selection of regions and/or content. Additionally, companies can use this system to prevent accidental communication of proprietary material. Also provided are a method and a computer readable medium containing a program product including the method to enable individuals or companies to allow an avatar's transits and communications within a virtual universe. | 12-30-2010 |
20100332998 | COLLABORATIVE DOCUMENT ENVIRONMENTS IN THREE-DIMENSIONAL VIRTUAL WORLDS - Embodiments described herein are directed to a collaborative document environment for reviewing a collection of documents stored in a repository of a document management system. A shared collaborative document area in a virtual world is associated with a corresponding collection of documents in a document management system. The shared collaborative document area is customized based on a semantic context of the documents in the collection of documents. | 12-30-2010 |
20110016410 | Aging and Elimination of Avatars and Associated Objects from Computer Simulated Displayed Virtual Universes - Aging of avatars and objects toward eventual removal or removal from the displayed virtual universe through enabling the setting of defined parameters for the aging of said avatars and objects toward eventual removal of said avatars and objects from said virtual universe space; and predetermining a set of events, the occurrence of any one of which events would modify the aging of selected avatars and objects. | 01-20-2011 |
20110022970 | Apparatus and Method for a Virtual Environment Center and Venues Thereof - Various aspects of the invention include the creation of a virtual environment. A peer network is constructed with respect to the virtual business environment enables the interaction between peers as well as customization of portions of the virtual environment by authorized peers for the purpose of enabling virtual events. In addition, one aspect of the invention enables the creation of peer-to-peer networks enabling the development of cooperative businesses between a subset of peers on the network, thereby increasing collaboration between independent firms as well as automatic generation of leads. | 01-27-2011 |
20110029897 | Virtual World Building Operations Center - Methods and systems are described that allow coordinated users to employ avatars to observe and control a plurality of buildings—their building support systems and functions from a virtual world environment. Embodiments coordinate building supervisory personnel (specialists), building monitoring and control equipment, and repair (worker) personnel in a virtual world that is controlled by specialist avatars. Operations personnel perform building operation decisions in response to current situations in a virtual world using their specialist avatars. | 02-03-2011 |
20110035686 | SIMULATION OF A MEDIA RECORDING WITH ENTIRELY INDEPENDENT ARTISTIC AUTHORSHIP - A method and system for generating a simulation of a media recording with entirely independent artistic authorship is disclosed. One embodiment accesses a plurality of parameters from a media recording to generate a parametric field. In addition, a virtual 3-D environment including an original source point or pluralities of points of the media recording is generated. Then, at least one new and different capture point is selected by the operating artist from within the virtual 3-D environment. The operating artist then creates the performance desired by adjusting a plurality of parameters of the parametric field within the virtual 3-D environment based on the new and different source point staging and voicings to virtually record an entirely original independent audio and/or video work of authorship. | 02-10-2011 |
20110047486 | System and method for enhancing socialization in virtual worlds - There is provided a system and method for inducing a reply from a first client connected to a virtual world to facilitate a social interaction using a second client connected to the virtual world. There is provided a method for inducing a reply from a first client connected to a virtual world to facilitate a social interaction using a second client connected to the virtual world, the method comprising locating, in the virtual world, an avatar of the second client in a proximity of an avatar of the first client, executing a social action using the avatar of the second client such that the social action is observable by the first client but not observable by the second client, receiving the reply from the first client in response to the social action, and rendering the reply from first client using the avatar of the first client. | 02-24-2011 |
20110055732 | Creation and Prioritization of Multiple Virtual Universe Teleports In Response to an Event - Useful work or services can be automated or otherwise facilitated or solutions to real world events developed by emulation of a real-world environment (which can contain objects representing virtual objects) with a virtual environment and generating a prioritized sequence of locations and associated tasks in accordance with resources related to the event in a virtual universe. Performance of the prioritized tasks at the prioritized locations is facilitated in the virtual universe by locally generating teleportation invitations corresponding to locations in the ordered sequence of locations. | 03-03-2011 |
20110055733 | System and Method for Locating Missing Items in a Virtual Universe - The present invention provides a system and method for tagging Virtual Universe items as owned by a particular user and to use such tags to enable users and/or system administrators to locate lost or stolen items in a Virtual Universe. When items identified are located, the user/owners may be notified of the location or missing items; alternatively, the items may be automatically returned to the user/owners' inventories. By enabling differentiation between items that may be lost, stolen, or left intentionally in a Virtual Universe, the present invention addresses difficulties that may arise in managing the various items that populate a Virtual Universe, especially as a Virtual Universe expands or as Multiple Virtual Universes expand and partner with additional Virtual Universes. | 03-03-2011 |
20110055734 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LIMITING THE NUMBER OF CHARACTERS DISPLAYED IN A COMMON AREA - A system providing a graphical chat room and/or virtual world on a website in which users can control avatars or other characters to participate in activities and interact with other users' avatars/characters. The chat room or virtual world has a large common location where a large number of users might participate with their characters/avatars, but where because display of all of the participants and/or all of the area becomes impractical or otherwise unwieldy, the system determines an appropriate portion of the area and a limited number of avatars/characters to display based on some criteria. | 03-03-2011 |
20110072366 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MULTIMEDIA MULTIPOINT REAL-TIME CONFERENCING - A system is disclosed for multimedia multipoint real-time conferencing that includes a communication module to receive via a transport protocol, from a client embedded in a host website (such as a social networking website, a blog, or a dating website), a request to share media content in a real-time group conference associated with users of a virtual room. The content may include an audio, a video, a text, or a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) code referencing a third-party resource. The request may be associated with routing requirements and transport characteristics. The system may further include a content encoder at the host website to create a data packet encapsulating the transport characteristics and the routing requirements. The system may further include a multipoint router to share the content via the transport protocol in the real-time group conference associated with the users of the virtual room. The shared content may include implicit and explicit recommendations. | 03-24-2011 |
20110072367 | THREE DIMENSIONAL DIGITALLY RENDERED ENVIRONMENTS - A virtual environment program, method and system are provided that allow avatars representing users to interact in different ways within the virtual environment. A medical consultation environment is provided. A simulated environment with different virtual rooms, and different interactive functionality associated with different rooms is provided. Additionally, verbal communications between participants are determined based on physical separation of avatars and other location information. | 03-24-2011 |
20110078592 | PERFORMING INTERACTIVE COLLABORATION WITHIN A VIRTUAL WORLD - The present invention provides a system and method for building collaboration work environments within the virtual world through computer generated (and possibly controlled) avatars and other three dimensional (3D) objects. It provides a solution to a problem where computer generated avatars and objects visually represent the execution, progress and output of a collaboration project. It provides the system and method for quickly visualizing collaboration activities and outputs to allow people to quickly and easily track progress of said activities. Visually representing collaboration activities allows observers to identify the number and different types of collaboration activities which are currently occurring, the progress of each collaboration activity, the system or component that the collaboration activity is creating or any problems or issues identified during activities supporting the collaboration work effort. | 03-31-2011 |
20110107239 | DEVICE, SYSTEM AND METHOD OF INTERACTIVE GAME - Device, system, and method of interactive game. For example, a system includes: a server to host a virtual hub associated with a plurality of spokes, wherein each spoke leads users to a plurality of virtual worlds having a common characteristic, wherein the virtual hub and the spokes comprise a virtual worlds network, wherein the server comprises a single sign-on module able to receive from a user a first set of sign-on data items, and able to sign-on the user to a first virtual world and to a second virtual world. | 05-05-2011 |
20110113351 | CONTEXT RESTORATION VIA SAVED HISTORY WHEN REJOINING A MULTI-USER ENVIRONMENT - Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for context restoration via saved history when rejoining a meeting in a multi-user environment. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for context restoration via saved history when rejoining a meeting in a multi-user environment can include displaying a contemporary view of a meeting in a multi-user environment hosted in memory of a computer, detecting an inactive participant to the meeting, subsequently detecting a rejoining of the inactive participant to the meeting, and additionally displaying concurrently with the contemporary view, a playback view of a portion of the meeting computed when the participant had been inactive. | 05-12-2011 |
20110126131 | SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR MANAGING DISTRIBUTED PHYSICS SIMULATION OF OBJECTS IN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT - A computerized server managing a Virtual Environment (VE) has a network port for communicating with remote computerized appliances, a plurality of virtually-defined rigid objects in the VE, including one or more avatars representing persons in the VE, a physics simulation engine executing from a machine-readable medium, for calculating object states and properties, including motion of virtually-defined rigid objects, and a mechanism for assigning and tracking identification of remote computerized appliances connected via the network port, each remote appliance capable of physics simulation. The server responds to signals from the remote computerized appliances to assign individual ones of the virtually-defined rigid objects to individual ones of the remote computerized appliances for physics simulation, and the server simulates all virtually-defined objects in the VE that are not assigned to at least one of the remote computerized appliances. | 05-26-2011 |
20110131508 | INFORMING USERS OF A VIRTUAL UNIVERSE OF REAL WORLD EVENTS - The present invention provides various approaches for disseminating emergency broadcasting messages or other messages of importance (hereinafter “alerts”) within virtual world environments such that interested virtual world residents can be made aware of matters of importance based on their physical world locations (e.g., without respect to the locale of their current virtual world presence). | 06-02-2011 |
20110131509 | CUSTOMIZED RULE APPLICATION AS FUNCTION OF AVATAR DATA - Methods, services, articles of manufacture comprising computer readable programs, systems, articles and programmable devices are provided for customizing an avatar behavior rule within a virtual universe environment as a function of individual avatar data. It is determined whether the activity of an avatar is relevant to a behavior rule for a virtual universe. If the activity is determined to be relevant to the rule, the rule is customized for the avatar as a function of individual avatar data associated with the avatar, and it is determined whether the activity exceeds a violation threshold of the customized rule. If the activity is determined to exceed the customized rule violation threshold, an appropriate action is taken as specified by the customized rule. | 06-02-2011 |
20110131510 | SPLITTING AVATARS IN A VIRTUAL WORLD - Systems, methods and articles of manufacture are disclosed for splitting an avatar a split point in a virtual world. In one embodiment, a location in the virtual world may be designated as the split point. It may be determined that a first avatar has encountered the split point. The user may be prompted to specify whether to split the first avatar in a virtual world. Responsive to a request to split the first avatar, a second avatar may be created from the first avatar. The first avatar and the second avatar may be controlled independently in the virtual world and in response to user input. A user may also request to merge the first avatar and the second avatar. A third avatar may be created from the first avatar and the second avatar, responsive to the request to merge. The third avatar may include assets of both the first avatar and the second avatar. | 06-02-2011 |
20110161837 | VIRTUAL WORLD PRESENTATION COMPOSITION AND MANAGEMENT - Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for composing and managing a presentation in a virtual world. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for composing and managing a presentation in a virtual world can include arranging a set of slides in a presentation, selecting a location in a portion of a virtual world for displaying the slides and also for attendee avatars viewing the slides, composing movements and gestures of a presenter avatar in coordination with a display of slide content of the slides, and presenting the presentation in the location of the virtual world at the location selected for displaying the slides for the attendee avatars placed the selected location for the attendee avatars while applying the composed movements and gestures of the presenter avatar coordinated with a display of slide content of the slides. | 06-30-2011 |
20110161838 | VIRTUAL SPACE PROVIDING APPARATUS AND METHOD - Provided is an apparatus and method for providing a virtual space associated with a user. The apparatus may include a storage to store context information of the user of the virtual space, and a controller to provide, to another user, the virtual space transformed based on the context information of the user when the other user visits the virtual space of the user. The context information may include at least one of a connection time when the user connects to the virtual space, a location of the user during the connection time, a current emotion of the user as determined by the user, and a current status of the user as determined by the user. | 06-30-2011 |
20110173550 | DATA DRIVEN USER INTERFACE ANIMATION - A data driven method of animating a user interface includes managing a virtual variable with a cloud computing device. The method further includes, in response to receiving user input at the cloud computing device, using a physics engine of the cloud computing device to update a value of the virtual variable. The method further includes receiving UI data at the cloud computing device from one or more remote content providers, wherein the UI data defines one or more user interface objects and how the one or more user interface objects are to be displayed by the cloud computing device as a function of the virtual variable. The method further includes outputting display instructions for displaying the one or more user interface objects in accordance with the UI data and the value of the virtual variable as the value of the virtual variable is updated by the physics engine. | 07-14-2011 |
20110214072 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING AND BROADCASTING INTERACTIVE PANORAMIC WALK-THROUGH APPLICATIONS - The system and method provides for creating, storing and broadcasting interactive panoramic walk-through applications. The combination of images is determined by the array of possibilities for the user to choose the direction of displacement at each intersection point and from each point or geographical coordinate, to have a complete view from a first person's point of view. The system uses geo-streaming methods to optimize broadcast and real-time construction of panoramic applications. The system provides a visual perspective which approaches that of human vision. | 09-01-2011 |
20110219318 | Character expression in a geo-spatial environment - A method, apparatus and system of character expression in a geo-spatial environment are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes generating a community network of user profiles, each user profile associated with a specific geographic location, associating a first user with a first user profile, providing a first character expression associated with the first user profile, generating a first display view to include a three-dimensional map view embodied by the community network, the first character expression, and the first user profile represented at a location in the three-dimensional map view associated with the specific geographic location of the first user profile, and simultaneously representing other user profiles adjacent to the first user profile in the three-dimensional map view. The method may also include providing elements as a part of a commerce transaction and enabling the commerce transaction via a user profile. | 09-08-2011 |
20110225514 | VISUALIZING COMMUNICATIONS WITHIN A SOCIAL SETTING - A method is provided for visualizing communications in a social setting. A graphical virtual social venue is provided. Users of one or more social networks are invited to enter the venue and to participate in and share a social experience. Users are graphically represented within the virtual social venue and are able to communicate with each other. When users communicate with each other, the communications are tracked and visually represented in the virtual social venue with visual overlays. The visual overlays signify communicatively active parts of the social venue while keeping private the contents of the communication. | 09-15-2011 |
20110225515 | SHARING EMOTIONAL REACTIONS TO SOCIAL MEDIA - A method is provided for sharing emotional reactions to social media. A virtual social venue is provided for sharing streaming media content with a plurality of users. Users are provided with a tool or tools to express emotional reactions, such as clapping, laughing, cheering, whistling, expressions of surprise, and booing, to the media content. The users' emotional reactions are stored in time association with the streaming media content. If and when other users subsequently view and/or listen to the shared media content, the stored emotional reactions of previous viewers and/or listeners are presented along and in time correlation with the shared media content. | 09-15-2011 |
20110225516 | INSTANTIATING BROWSER MEDIA INTO A VIRTUAL SOCIAL VENUE - A method and social media platform is provided for instantiating browser media into a social setting, thereby transforming the browser media into social media. A virtual social venue is provided for sharing a streaming media experience with multiple users invited to participate in the virtual social venue. A browser plug-in is provided on the toolbar of the web browser. The plug-in enables a user with host privileges to instantiate streaming media content from an existing web portal of a third party streaming media content provider into the virtual social venue. In response to selection of the browser plug-in, the streaming media content is streamed—either immediately, or after being added to a queue—to multiple users participating in the virtual social venue. | 09-15-2011 |
20110225517 | POINTER TOOLS FOR A VIRTUAL SOCIAL VENUE - A method and social media platform are provided for sharing information and attracting attention within a social setting. A virtual social venue is provided for sharing a social experience. Users admitted to the virtual social venue are graphically represented within the virtual social venue. A selection tool—for example, a virtual laser pointer—is provided to enable admitted users to call the attention of other users to a particular portion of the social venue. A linear beam of light originating from the user's avatar and terminating at a selected point within the virtual social venue is superimposed on the virtual social venue and made visible to the other users. | 09-15-2011 |
20110225518 | FRIENDS TOOLBAR FOR A VIRTUAL SOCIAL VENUE - A social media platform for sharing streaming media with a user's social network friends includes a user interface, a data interface to the user's social network, and a friends toolbar. The user interface includes a window displaying a virtual social venue comprising a virtual three-dimensional structure accommodating an audience of people. The friends toolbar is populated with selectable profile images of friends extracted from the social network. Selection of a profile image enables the data interface of the social media platform to send an invitation, through a messaging service of the social network, to the corresponding friend to join the virtual social venue. | 09-15-2011 |
20110225519 | SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM FOR SIMULATING A LIVE EXPERIENCE - A social media platform is provided for sharing entertainment in an environment that simulates a live experience. The social media platform comprises a virtual social venue populated by an audience of animated avatars who express positive and negative responses (such as cheering, jeering, and gesturing) to the entertainment presented to them. The virtual social venue comprises a virtual three-dimensional representation of a gathering place (such as a theater, stadium, or arena) for presenting entertainment. The audience includes live avatars, ghost avatars, and/or programmed avatars. Live avatars represent users who control their avatars' expressions in real time. Ghost avatars represent past users who previously controlled their avatars' expressions in response to the same entertainment and whose expressions were recorded in time association with the entertainment. Programmed avatars are directed by artificial intelligence in a manner that is responsive both to the entertainment presented and the expressions of the live avatars. | 09-15-2011 |
20110231781 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VIRTUAL OBJECT SHARING AND MANAGEMENT IN VIRTUAL WORLDS - A system, method, and program storage device for sharing and exchanging virtual objects from different virtual worlds are disclosed. Virtual objects are centrally managed by an inventory service. The inventory service performs data transmission related to virtual objects and data translation related to virtual objects. The inventory service has a repository for storing virtual objects and applies cache policy(s) to local cache memories in virtual worlds to maintain data consistency across the virtual worlds. Based on a publish/subscribe mechanism, each virtual world publishes and subscribes topic notifications related shared virtual objects. The system, method and program storage device are also used for a separate state management of a shared/exchanged virtual object within identical virtual world(s). | 09-22-2011 |
20110239136 | INSTANTIATING WIDGETS INTO A VIRTUAL SOCIAL VENUE - A method and social media platform are provided for hosting social media. A virtual social venue is provided comprising a virtual three-dimensional representation of a structure and a virtual representation of a screen, billboard, window, or other viewing surface within the structure. The viewing surface is operable to host, run and display a widget previously operating within an internet browser. | 09-29-2011 |
20110239137 | Mood-Based Organization and Display of Instant Messenger Buddy Lists - A mood state may be modeled using mood information for a content selection (e.g., a digitally-encoded song) and/or by using mood information determined by how a user is interacting with a media player. For example, a playlist engine on a host may determine that a particular song is associated with an uplifting mood, thus determining that a user who has selected that particular song currently is in an uplifting mood, and correspondingly may select additional songs and advertisements consistent with, or responsive to, the uplifting mood. Mood information also may be used to present a mood state of users (e.g., co-users) in a network for display in a graphical user interface (GUI). For example, a user's screen name appearing in an America Online (AOL) Instant Messenger's Buddy List may indicate a determined user's mood, such as “happy”, “sad”, “silly”, or “angry.” | 09-29-2011 |
20110252341 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENABLING USERS TO INTERACT IN A VIRTUAL SPACE - The present invention provides a highly scalable architecture for a three-dimensional graphical, multi-user, interactive virtual world system. In a preferred embodiment a plurality of users interact in the three-dimensional, computer-generated graphical space where each user executes a client process to view a virtual world from the perspective of that user. The virtual world shows avatars representing the other users who are neighbors of the user viewing the virtual word. In order that the view can be updated to reflect the motion of the remote user's avatars, motion information is transmitted to a central server process which provides positions updates to client processes for neighbors of the user at that client process. The client process also uses an environment database to determine which background objects to render as well as to limit the movement of the user's avatar. | 10-13-2011 |
20110265018 | EMOTION AND MOOD CONTROL OF VIRTUAL CHARACTERS IN A VIRTUAL WORLD - A virtual world in which users can be represented by avatars that can communicate with both other avatars and with non-player characters (NPC's). During the communication, entering of an emotional text language causes the avatar itself to be animated to show emotion. | 10-27-2011 |
20110265019 | SOCIAL GROUPS SYSTEM AND METHOD - A system and method for the creation of a virtual world on top of an online community are provided. The system for the creation of a virtual world on top of an online community may be known as SROUPS. SROUPS creates or provides a tool for online community users to create virtual worlds on top of any online community. | 10-27-2011 |
20110276902 | VIRTUAL CONVERSATION METHOD - A virtual conversation method for use with an electronic device is provided. The method includes displaying a virtual environment view, wherein the virtual environment view includes a plurality of images. The plurality of images includes at least a participant image, wherein the plurality of images is disposed in the virtual environment view in a customary manner. The spatial arrangements of the plurality of images in the virtual environment view are associated with each other, wherein the participant image is generated according to a participant data that corresponds to a participant. A conversation voice signal generated according to a participant voice signal sent by the participant is broadcasted. | 11-10-2011 |
20110296318 | Virtual Reality Space Provision System, Virtual Reality Space Provision Method and Program - A main processing unit in a virtual reality space provision system builds a virtual reality space online. An action evaluation unit evaluates an action of a user participating in the virtual reality space by use of an avatar. A point allocation unit allocates a point to the user to be used in the virtual reality space in accordance with the evaluation. For example, the action evaluation unit evaluates participation by a user in an event held in the virtual reality space, the behavior of the user in the event, or whether the user wins or loses a game in the event. | 12-01-2011 |
20110296319 | GRAPHICAL INTERACTIVE INTERFACE FOR IMMERSIVE ONLINE COMMUNITIES - The present invention discloses a computer system within a computer network having multiple computers connected together using telecommunications mechanisms for graphically interacting within immersive online communities. A user selects a set of desired characteristics associated with a personality for creation of a first intelligent virtual object. The first intelligent virtual object interacts with other intelligent virtual objects within the immersive online community utilizing predetermined interface tools such that said other intelligent virtual objects receive real-time responses to stimuli initiated by said other intelligent virtual objects. The first intelligent virtual object interactively passes user generated content between said other intelligent virtual objects and said user under administrative controls. | 12-01-2011 |
20110320965 | DYNAMICALLY RESPONSIVE VIRTUAL CHARACTERS - Methods for conducting a virtual simulation are provided. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a request to generate a virtual simulation between a user and a virtual character, generating the virtual simulation for the user that includes the virtual character, and determining a desired outcome from the user within the virtual simulation. The method also includes selecting a strategy, from among a plurality of strategies, for achieving the desired outcome from the user, selecting an enactment for the selected strategy, from among a plurality of enactments, for the virtual character to execute to achieve the desired outcome from the user in the virtual simulation, and controlling the virtual character to execute the selected enactment for the selected strategy to achieve the desired outcome from the user in the virtual simulation. Systems, graphical user interfaces, and machine-readable media are also provided. | 12-29-2011 |
20110320966 | NETWORKED COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR COMMUNICATING AND OPERATING IN A VIRTUAL REALITY ENVIRONMENT - The present invention relates to interactive virtual reality networked computer systems and methods that facilitate communication and operation in a virtual reality environment. The virtual reality networked computer system has an infrastructure that includes a number of users, hosts and servers. The interconnected hosts and servers allow users to effectively locate, activate, access and interact within virtual reality environments in a variety of different ways. For example, users can establish user groups such that interaction within the virtual reality environment occurs between hosts (accessed by users) without the need of a central or dedicated server. | 12-29-2011 |
20120110476 | My online 3D E library - My online 3D E library is invented. Visitor goes to the library online; check what the materials in each section in a 3D environment. They can borrow, read, listen, watch the materials in the study room or reading room and renew. They also can buy the materials. Business can create and upload the contents by themselves using our pre-designed procedures and tools or get help and support from our technical engineers. The e-commerce web application will be developed by java. Java is an application development language. It contains logic rules, packages, procedures, and triggers. Business and visitor will go through different stages to finish designing and creating contents on the website. The stages will include providing information, creating account, picking service category, picking title category, creating cover page, uploading contents and verifying etc. Business follows the developed procedures and presents their materials in the library on the shelves. Visitor can create contents using the online free tools too. | 05-03-2012 |
20120110477 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ENABLING VIRTUAL SOCIAL INTERACTIONS - A system and methods that enables virtual social interactions for digital representations through the use of virtual objects. A digital representation may be a three-dimensional avatar or a two-dimensional image, and may be animated or static. A power item is received via a network, the power item being a virtual object that is associated with one or more predetermined virtual actions. The power item is stored in a memory medium that is accessible to a computing device. The power item is associated with a first digital representation which is displayed on a screen, the first digital representation being a representation of a first user in a network service. The power item is then triggered, and a second digital representation is transformed based upon the power item, the second digital representation being a representation of a second user in a network service. | 05-03-2012 |
20120110478 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SUPPORTING SOFTWARE - Provided are a software service supporting system and method to a plurality of clients using a software virtualization technology in a server-based computing environment. The present invention is configured to allow a server to execute software selected by a request of a client by using a resource of a client in a virtual environment, extract a GUI, a 3D graphic-intensive work, etc., as results according to software execution, and transmit the extracted result values to the client. Since the virtualization is implemented according to the driving of the software, the present invention can accommodate a larger number of clients at higher speed than the existing server-based computing and save the service introduction costs. | 05-03-2012 |
20120117490 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROVIDING ACCESS, FROM WITHIN A VIRTUAL WORLD, TO AN EXTERNAL RESOURCE - In a method for providing access to resources, a virtual world application executing on a first server transmits, to a client, data representative of at least one virtual world object. The virtual world application receives, from the client, a request to access a resource executed on a second server. The virtual world application requests access to the requested resource and, in response, receives output data generated by the resource. The virtual world application transmits, to the client, the received output data and data representative of a second virtual world object. In some aspects, the virtual world application receives a request to render, on a virtual world object, output data generated by a resource executed on the client. An agent intercepts the output data generated by the resource executed on the client. A virtual world client applies the intercepted output data as a texture to a virtual world object. | 05-10-2012 |
20120131478 | METHOD OF CONTROLLING AVATARS - A method of controlling the position and orientation of user controlled computer generated avatars in computer generated virtual world in a manner that tends to bias the user controlled avatar positions and orientations in a way that sends useful non-verbal social cues to outside observers. These non-verbal cues can include cues such as “this conversation is open to outside participants” and “this conversation is private”. The methods can also convey “stage presence” to that can somewhat bias the position and orientation of the user controlled avatars in a manner that takes the viewpoint of an outside observer into account. These effects can be modulated up or down as desired, and may be further modulated by the degree of social connections or past history of virtual world interactions between various users. | 05-24-2012 |
20120137232 | Methods and Systems for Operating a Virtual World - A virtual world is operated by an automated system, in which choices available to be made by avatars are assigned point values. As an avatar makes a choice, a corresponding point values is tabulated by the automated system in a record specific to that avatar, and an updated points total for the avatar is processed against predetermined definitions defined in quantitative terms for underlying qualitative concepts such as unhealthiness, non-renewable energy usage, wastefulness, etc. The automated system performs steps as a function of the avatar's points total, such as changing the avatar's appearance such as body weight representation, causing the avatar to have a heart attack, etc. | 05-31-2012 |
20120179983 | THREE-DIMENSIONAL VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT WEBSITE - There is described a method and system for generating a 3D website. The 3D website is made up of three components, namely a 3D environment, a sound environment, and website content. The 3D environment is composed of 2D images that are positioned in a 3D space and navigable interactively. The website content is overlaid on top of the 2D images and may be global to the set of images, i.e. the website content appears on top of all images, or associated with only some of the images. The sound environment corresponds to sound zones which are linked to the website content and/or the 3D environment. Sound zones may be associated with parts of images, sets of images, user actions during navigation from one image to another, user actions during navigation within an image, website content, and/or user actions while navigating the website content. | 07-12-2012 |
20120185782 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR COLLECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF REMOTE OBSERVATIONAL DATA FOR BUSINESS - Wholesalers, manufacturers, retailers and other entities can use a network gateway as a common point of access to information regarding the presentation of their products to consumers. Such a gateway could be used by representatives for uploading information gathered at retail locations using specially designed mobile applications which would include functionality for facilitating later search and retrieval of the information, such as by tagging. | 07-19-2012 |
20120192088 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PHYSICAL MAPPING IN A VIRTUAL WORLD - A method and system for capturing user actions in the real world and mapping the users, their actions, and their avatars into a three dimensional virtual environment. Data representing real world users are captured, collected and sent to a virtual proxy bridge, which transforms the data into control signal for avatars, which are then mapped to the virtual environment. The real world avatars move around in parallel with the users in the real world via the use of data capture devices such as radio frequency identification (“RFID”) readers, triangulation or global positioning satellite (“GPS”) systems, and cameras. Real world users can therefore be represented as virtual users, thus removing the distinction between real world users and virtual environment users. | 07-26-2012 |
20120204120 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONDUCTING AND REPLAYING VIRTUAL MEETINGS - Systems and methods for conducting a virtual meeting cause a display screen to present meeting participants with a depiction of a virtual meeting room populated with avatars representing the participants. Audio links between the participants allow some or all of the participants to hear what is being said by each of the other participants. Each participant can cause his respective avatar to make gestures that provide non-verbal communications to the other participants. In addition, one or more participants may be able to cause text, images, videos or other presentation materials to be displayed to the other participants on a virtual display screen present in the virtual conference room. Likewise, participants may be able to draw or write on a virtual whiteboard present in the virtual conference room. Participants may also be able to share or send notes to each other, or conduct private instant messaging sessions, audio sessions or video sessions with one or more of the other participants. Actual movements made by participants could be sensed and interpreted by touch, video and inertial sensors. An interpretation of those movements could be used to change how the virtual meeting room appears, to animate the avatars, or to cause certain functions to be performed. | 08-09-2012 |
20120210254 | INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION SHARING METHOD, PROGRAM, AND TERMINAL DEVICE - An apparatus for sharing virtual objects may include a communication unit and a sharing control unit. The communication unit may be configured to receive position data indicating a position of a virtual object relative to a real space. The sharing control unit may be configured to compare the position of the virtual object to a sharing area that is defined relative to the real space. The sharing control unit may also be configured to selectively permit display of the virtual object by a display device, based on a result of the comparison. | 08-16-2012 |
20120216131 | PERSISTENT NETWORK RESOURCE AND VIRTUAL AREA ASSOCIATIONS FOR REALTIME COLLABORATION - Apparatus and methods relating to persistent network resource and virtual area associations for realtime collaboration include managing and displaying an object associated with a virtual area that supports establishment of respective presences of communicants operating respective client network nodes. Examples of the object include an object that has one or more user-modifiable property fields and an object that is associated with screen sharing functionality of the client network node. | 08-23-2012 |
20120246583 | TEMPORAL CONTROL OF A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT - Temporal control of a virtual environment may be provided. Content may be provided for presentation to a user. The content may be provided in a forward sequence. The content may include views of the virtual environment. A signal may be received from a user input device responsive to a manipulation of the user input device by the user. The signal may include manipulation information related to the manipulation of the user input device by the user. A determination may be made as to whether the manipulation of the user input device satisfies a condition based on the manipulation information. The content may be provided for presentation to the user in a reverse sequence starting with the most recently provided content responsive to a determination that the manipulation of the user input device satisfies the condition. | 09-27-2012 |
20120266087 | NETWORKED COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR COMMUNICATING AND OPERATING IN A VIRTUAL REALITY ENVIRONMENT - The present invention relates to interactive virtual reality networked computer systems and methods that facilitate communication and operation in a virtual reality environment. The virtual reality networked computer system has an infrastructure that includes a number of users, hosts and servers. The interconnected hosts and servers allow users to effectively locate, activate, access and interact within virtual reality environments in a variety of different ways. For example, users can establish user groups such that interaction within the virtual reality environment occurs between hosts (accessed by users) without the need of a central or dedicated server. | 10-18-2012 |
20120266088 | CONTEXTUAL TEMPLATES FOR MODIFYING OBJECTS IN A VIRTUAL UNIVERSE - A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for modifying object styles in a virtual universe. An object is rendered in accordance with a first contextual style template from a plurality of contextual style templates. The first contextual style template comprises first geometric and texture data to display the object with a first style. In response to detecting a set of contextual changes associated with the object, a second contextual style template is identified from the plurality of contextual style templates. The set of contextual changes triggers implementation of the second contextual style template to change the first style of the object to a second style. The object is rendered in accordance with second geometric and texture data in the second contextual style template to form a modified object, wherein the modified object is displayed with the second style. | 10-18-2012 |
20120278739 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF TRIGGERING PERIODIC EVENTS WITHIN AN INSTANCE OF A VIRTUAL SPACE - A virtual space is provided to users via client computing devices. In order to execute an instance of the virtual space, periodic events within the instance of the virtual space may be triggered with the appropriate periodicities. The periodic triggering may be implemented without the need to remove and/or re-enter an event after each trigger. | 11-01-2012 |
20120278740 | LINKING USERS INTO LIVE SOCIAL NETWORKING INTERACTIONS BASED ON THE USERS' ACTIONS RELATIVE TO SIMILAR CONTENT - A system and method that uses interne content and/or content metadata as a means to establish social networks. Examples include linking internet users, searchers, viewers and/or listeners of the same and/or similar internet content to each other via a platform that enables any of the following in n-dimensional environments: social networking, communications, sharing, e-commerce, advertising, search, hosting and registry services, push and pull applications, anonymous communications, and rich presence. | 11-01-2012 |
20120311463 | PROVIDING A SINGLE INSTANCE OF A VIRTUAL SPACE REPRESENTED IN EITHER TWO DIMENSIONS OR THREE DIMENSIONS VIA SEPARATE CLIENT COMPUTING DEVICES - A single instance of a virtual space may be provided that can be simultaneously represented in at least two dimensions or three dimensions on separate client computing devices. Virtual space information used to facilitate presentation of the virtual space may be agnostic as to whether the virtual space will be represented in two or three dimensions. That is, the same virtual space information may be sent to one or more client computing platforms regardless of the dimensionality of virtual space representations presented by any given client computing platform. A determination may be made at individual client computing platforms as to whether to present the virtual space representation in two dimensions or three dimensions based on one or more metrics associated with the individual client computing platforms. Such metrics may include a computing power of the one or more processors, a communication bandwidth, a screen size, and/or other metrics. | 12-06-2012 |
20120311464 | System and Method for Virtual Environment Preservation Based on Automated Item Reduction - A method implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code, includes detecting one of an absence of a virtual universe (VU) occurrence in a VU within a predetermined time period, a special event in the VU and a change of real world status from a previous real world status. Additionally, the method includes determining a VU asset of a VU resident relevant to the VU occurrence, the special event or the previous real world status. Further, the method includes performing an automated asset reduction of the VU asset based on the determining. | 12-06-2012 |
20120331403 | CUSTOMIZED RULE APPLICATION AS FUNCTION OF AVATAR DATA - An avatar behavior rule is customized within a virtual universe environment as a function of individual avatar data. It is determined whether the activity of an avatar is relevant to a behavior rule for a virtual universe. If the activity is determined to be relevant to the rule, the rule is customized for the avatar as a function of individual avatar data associated with the avatar, and it is determined whether the activity exceeds a violation threshold of the customized rule. If the activity is determined to exceed the customized rule violation threshold, an appropriate action is taken as specified by the customized rule. | 12-27-2012 |
20120331404 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MULTI-MODEL, CONTEXT-AWARE VISUALIZATION, NOTIFICATION, AGGREGATION AND FORMATION - Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for context-aware visualization, notification, aggregation, and formation in a multi-model collaboration space. The system first finds contextually related content from a multi-model collaboration space, wherein the multi-model collaboration space includes disjoint collaboration tools. The system then generates a unified content view of the multi-model collaboration space, wherein the unified content view presents the contextually related content from the multi-model collaboration space. | 12-27-2012 |
20130007636 | Security Enhancements for Immersive Environments - In some example embodiments, a method includes defining a tracking area for a first avatar in an online immersive environment, wherein the tracking area encompasses the first avatar and some defined area beyond the first avatar. The first avatar represents a first person who is a guardian of a second person in the real world and external to the online immersive environment. A second avatar represents the second person in the online immersive environment. The method includes tracking a path through the online immersive environment of the tracking area for the first avatar. The method includes marking a region in the online immersive environment as a safe zone for the second avatar, after the path of the tracking area for the first avatar has traversed the region. The method includes authorizing access to the region marked as the safe zone for the second avatar in the online immersive environment. | 01-03-2013 |
20130007637 | Electronic Space And Method For Providing Resources To Facilitate Ideation - A method and system are provided for organizing and assembling information and resources for display as part of an electronic space supported on a network. The electronic space preferably resembles a room. The room is decorated with selected images that may be iconic representations that activate links to specific resources such as databases, technical information, word processing applications, etc., that are user selected to support idea conception and evaluation to promote creativity, innovation and improved problem solving. The electronic space enables a user to customize an on-line workplace with decorations as well as active links to selected resources which may include human resources such as colleagues, co-workers or expert. | 01-03-2013 |
20130007638 | System and Method for Creating and Manipulating Synthetic Environments - Disclosed herein are systems, computer-implemented methods, and tangible computer-readable media for synthesizing a virtual window. The method includes receiving an environment feed, selecting video elements of the environment feed, displaying the selected video elements on a virtual window in a window casing, selecting non-video elements of the environment feed, and outputting the selected non-video elements coordinated with the displayed video elements. Environment feeds can include synthetic and natural elements. The method can further toggle the virtual window between displaying the selected elements and being transparent. The method can track user motion and adapt the displayed selected elements on the virtual window based on the tracked user motion. The method can further detect a user in close proximity to the virtual window, receive an interaction from the detected user, and adapt the displayed selected elements on the virtual window based on the received interaction. | 01-03-2013 |
20130014032 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ENHANCED COLLABORATION THROUGH TELEPORTATION - Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a system and method enhanced collaboration through teleportation. In one or more embodiments, there is provided a system for moderating an enhanced collaboration environment for at least a set of participants, comprising a server for facilitating a 2-D federated collaboration environment for the at least one set of participants; a server for facilitating a 3-D virtual collaboration environment for the at least one set of participants; and a gateway server for facilitating teleportation of at least two participants of the at least one set of participants from the 2-D federated collaboration environment to form a teleported collaboration group in the 3-D virtual collaboration environment. | 01-10-2013 |
20130014033 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FACILITATING USER INTERACTION BETWEEN MULTIPLE VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS - An interaction system for facilitating user interaction between users using different virtual environments may generate a user interaction interface for the first user. The user interaction interface may present status information regarding a second user currently participating in a second virtual environment to the first user, while the first user may be participating in a first environment that is different from the second environment. The user interaction interface may facilitate real time or near real time interaction between the first user and the second user. | 01-10-2013 |
20130014034 | MANAGING MULTIPLE VIRTUAL WORLD ACCOUNTS FROM A SINGLE VIRTUAL LOBBY INTERFACE - A virtual lobby client automatically interfaces with multiple virtual world instances, each provided by a separate virtual world provider from among multiple virtual world providers, each interfaced with to access a separate virtual world account, to retrieve a separate selection of inventory items from each virtual world account. The virtual lobby client renders an inventory directory index of each separate selection of inventory items within a single lobby interface with at least one selectable option for managing each of the items in the inventory directory from the single lobby interface. The virtual lobby client renders, within the single lobby interface, a separate graphical portal for each virtual account, wherein entry of each of the separate graphical portals triggers the virtual lobby client to automatically open a virtual world specific interface window into a particular virtual world instance provided under the particular virtual world account associated with the entered graphical portal. | 01-10-2013 |
20130036371 | Virtual World Overlays, Related Software, Methods of Use and Production Thereof - Multi-dimensional enhanced world view experiences are described herein that include: a) at least one software-enabled device, network device, portable device or combination thereof; b) at least one interactive application that provides at least one virtual world overlay, virtual object or combination thereof; and c) at least one physical view, wherein the at least one virtual world overlay, virtual object or combination thereof is aligned or overlaid with the at least one physical view to produce an enhanced world view that is displayed on the at least one software-enabled device, network device, portable device or a combination thereof. Corresponding methods of producing multi-dimensional enhanced world view experiences also include: a) providing at least one software-enabled device, network device, portable device or combination thereof; b) providing at least one interactive application that provides at least one virtual world overlay, virtual object or combination thereof; and c) providing at least one physical view, wherein the at least one virtual world overlay, virtual object or combination thereof is aligned or overlaid with the at least one physical view to produce an enhanced world view that is displayed on the at least one software-enabled device, network device, portable device or a combination thereof. | 02-07-2013 |
20130036372 | ZONE-BASED POSITIONING FOR VIRTUAL WORLDS - Techniques are described for displaying avatars within a virtual environment in a way that avoids an appearance of offensive content. Embodiments of the invention receive a request specifying a first location within the virtual environment to move a first user-controlled virtual object to. A zone encompassing the specified location is then identified and a second location within the identified zone is determined. Embodiments then output the virtual environment for display in a manner that shows the first user-controlled virtual object positioned at the determined second location within the virtual environment. | 02-07-2013 |
20130036373 | Systems and Methods for Providing a Virtual Currency Exchange - A virtual world management system may access multiple virtual world programs. The virtual world management system is configured to transfer points between the system and at least one of the virtual world programs. A virtual world program may be any online game with membership accounts. The virtual world management system, in one embodiment, accesses the virtual world program with various limitations, allowing the virtual world management system to control, access, or edit only parts of the virtual world programs. For example, the access may be limited to viewing the information related to the membership accounts. Specifically, the virtual world management system may be limited to viewing individual account balances of the virtual world accounts. Furthermore, the limited access may allow transfer of points and/or limiting access of the user playing the online game. The points may be at least one of currency, membership points, reward points, or loyalty points. | 02-07-2013 |
20130047098 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF VIRTUAL WORLD INTERACTION - Systems and methods of virtual world interaction, operation, implementation, instantiation, creation, and other functions related to virtual worlds (note that where the term “virtual world” is used herein, it is to be understood as referring to virtual world systems, virtual environments reflecting real, simulated, fantasy, or other structures, and includes information systems that utilize interaction within a 3D environment). Various embodiments facilitate interoperation between and within virtual worlds, and may provide consistent structures for operating virtual worlds. The disclosed embodiments may further enable individuals to build new virtual worlds within a framework, and allow third party users to better interact with those worlds. | 02-21-2013 |
20130061157 | UPDATING ASSETS RENDERED IN A VIRTUAL WORLD ENVIRONMENT BASED ON DETECTED USER INTERACTIONS IN ANOTHER WORLD - A controller receives an identifier of a detected interaction by a user within another world, separate from a virtual world environment accessible by the user, from a device that detects and reports user interactions within the other world. The controller identifies at least one trigger tag name assigned to the identifier of the detected interaction from among separate detectable user interactions in a trigger tag database. The controller identifies at least one asset class from among asset classes specified with the trigger tag name within a particular trigger asset coupling in a trigger asset coupling database. The controller accesses at least one asset assigned to the at least one asset class in an asset class database. The controller renders the at least one asset within the virtual world environment in a virtual location within the virtual world triggered by the particular trigger asset coupling. | 03-07-2013 |
20130061158 | INTERFACING WITH A SPATIAL VIRTUAL COMMUNICATION ENVIRONMENT - A spatial layout of zones of a virtual area in a network communication environment is displayed. A user can have a respective presence in each of one or more of the zones. Navigation controls and interaction controls are presented. The navigation controls enable the user to specify where to establish a presence in the virtual area. The interaction controls enable the user to manage interactions with one or more other communicants in the network communication environment. A respective presence of the user is established in each of one or more of the zones on response to input received via the navigation controls. Respective graphical representations of the communicants are depicted in each of the zones where the communicants respectively have presence. | 03-07-2013 |
20130104057 | INTERFACING WITH A SPATIAL VIRTUAL COMMUNICATION ENVIRONMENT - A spatial layout of zones of a virtual area in a network communication environment is displayed. A user can have a respective presence in each of one or more of the zones. Navigation controls and interaction controls are presented. The navigation controls enable the user to specify where to establish a presence in the virtual area. The interaction controls enable the user to manage interactions with one or more other communicants in the network communication environment. A respective presence of the user is established in each of one or more of the zones on response to input received via the navigation controls. Respective graphical representations of the communicants are depicted in each of the zones where the communicants respectively have presence. | 04-25-2013 |
20130104058 | SUGGESTION OF USER ACTIONS IN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT BASED ON ACTIONS OF OTHER USERS - Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for suggesting actions to users of an immersive virtual environment based on previous user actions within the virtual environment. Generally, characteristics of actions performed by various users of the virtual environment may be stored in a searchable actions index. Subsequently, the actions index may be used to suggest actions based on similarity of the stored characteristics to those of a current user and/or actions. The suggested actions may be presented to the user as graphical indications visible within the user's view of the virtual environment. | 04-25-2013 |
20130111366 | FRIENDS LISTS WITH DYNAMIC ORDERING AND DYNAMIC AVATAR APPEARANCE | 05-02-2013 |
20130111367 | VIRTUAL WORLD-BASED VIRTUAL OBJECT IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM SUPPORTING METHOD AND SYSTEM SUPPORTING THE SAME | 05-02-2013 |
20130125026 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ENABLING PERSONALITY FACETS HAVING VIRTUAL SOCIAL PROFILES - A computing system and methods that enable a Facet-based virtual layer to the social graph of an online service for network users. Virtual Personality Facets are provided so that users may role play, experiment with different personalities, or disguise their identity. Facets of personality may be represented by multiple virtual digital representations, such as avatars, of users in an online service having a social graph that allows a virtual representation. Facets may be designated as untraceable or traceable. A user may have multiple Facets, and may activate a Facet to be displayed to the other network users. Information about the user may be withheld if the Facet is designated to be untraceable. | 05-16-2013 |
20130125027 | MASSIVE SIMULTANEOUS REMOTE DIGITAL PRESENCE WORLD - Various methods and apparatus are described herein for enabling one or more users to interface with virtual or augmented reality environments. An example system includes a computing network having computer servers interconnected through high bandwidth interfaces to gateways for processing data and/or for enabling communication of data between the servers and one or more local user interface devices. The servers include memory, processing circuitry, and software for designing and/or controlling virtual worlds, as well as for storing and processing user data and data provided by other components of the system. One or more virtual worlds may be presented to a user through a user device for the user to experience and interact. A large number of users may each use a device to simultaneously interface with one or more digital worlds by using the device to observe and interact with each other and with objects produced within the digital worlds. | 05-16-2013 |
20130125028 | Hazardous Device Detection Training System - Systems and methods involve the extension of the well known technique of virtual reality to encompass the use of virtual or real sensors as a means of detecting virtual threats including mines and improvised explosive devices in complex threat environments and to allow fully immersive computer based basic training, pre-deployment training or mission specific training. The disclosed systems and methods also allow the development of techniques, tactics and procedures in a representative environment to improve the effectiveness of operations and to explore a range of scenarios which might be experienced in real life by an individual or a group of personnel using sensors including both handheld sensors and sensors mounted on machines including robotic platforms to detect the presence of threats. | 05-16-2013 |
20130151992 | ENHANCED PERCEPTION OF MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DATA - A system for analyzing multi-dimensional data maps the multi-dimensional data to visual attributes and aural attributes. It displays a subset of the multidimensional data set on a display unit. The system further displays an avatar on the display unit. The avatar can select a field of view of the displayed subset. The system receives input from a user, wherein the user input relates to an additional dimension subset of the multidimensional data set that is not currently displayed. Visual attributes and/or aural attributes relating to the additional dimension subset are generated as a function of the input from a user. The visual and/or aural attribute convey information relating to the additional dimension subset on the display unit. | 06-13-2013 |
20130174059 | COMMUNICATING BETWEEN A VIRTUAL AREA AND A PHYSICAL SPACE - Examples of systems and methods of communicating between a virtual area and a physical space bridge the virtual area into the physical space and bridge the physical space into the virtual area through physical apparatus located in the physical space. A virtual area may include a zone that defines a respective persistent context for realtime communications between network nodes of respective communicants who are present in the zone. A respective presence in the zone typically is established for each of a physical apparatus and a communicant associated with a network node. An object represents the physical apparatus in the virtual area and an avatar represents the communicant in the virtual area. The object typically is associated with an interface for interacting with the physical apparatus. At least one data stream connection typically is provisioned between the physical apparatus and the network node. | 07-04-2013 |
20130219302 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING CONSISTENCY BETWEEN A VIRTUAL REPRESENTATION AND CORRESPONDING PHYSICAL SPACES - An exemplary method of providing a virtual representation includes determining a plurality of position constraints that correspond to physical positions of individuals relative to each other. A plurality of determined viewing constraints each correspond to a position of one of the individuals relative to a display used by that individual for viewing the virtual representation. Relative positions of virtual representations of the individuals in the virtual representation are determined to correspond to the determined position and viewing constraints. | 08-22-2013 |
20130227437 | VIRTUAL AREA COMMUNICATIONS - A virtual area has a spatial visualization and includes zones that are associated with respective geometric boundaries located in relation to the spatial visualization. Realtime data stream connections between sources and sinks of network nodes in the zones of the virtual area are administered to provide a wide variety of virtual area applications, including virtual area applications that implement spatial rules for one or more synchronous conferencing services (e.g., instant messaging, such as text chat, audio conferencing, video conferencing, application sharing, and file sharing). | 08-29-2013 |
20130227438 | Position Tracking in a Virtual World - Positions of avatars in a virtual world may be communicated to clients using multiple bitcode resolutions to minimize required communication bandwidth between a virtual world server and virtual world clients, thereby allowing transmission of all avatars' positions to every other player. Lower resolution bitcodes may be based on a lower resolution grid overlaid on the virtual world, whereas higher resolution bitcodes may be based on a higher resolution grid overlaid on the virtual world. In one example, a virtual world server may determine the bitcode resolution to use based on a distance between an avatar to which the position information is to be sent and other avatars in the virtual world. Resolution may include spatial resolution, where nearer avatars' locations are provided with higher resolution bitcodes, or temporal resolution, where the transmission frequency of position information is greater for nearer avatars. Position information in a transmission stream may further be condensed by using run length encoding. | 08-29-2013 |
20130246942 | SOCIAL PLATFORM - Techniques are disclosed for providing a social platform for a user. In one embodiment, activity of the user is monitored in a virtual environment. A profile is generated for the user, based on the monitored activity. A social element of the virtual environment is modified for the user, based on the generated profile. | 09-19-2013 |
20130254684 | PERSPECTIVE BASED TAGGING AND VISUALIZATION OF AVATARS IN A VIRTUAL WORLD - A system for perspective based tagging and visualization of avatars in a virtual world may include determining if another avatar has moved within a predetermined proximity range of a user's avatar in a virtual world. The system may also include allowing the user to tag the other avatar with information in response to the other avatar being within the predetermined proximity range of the user's avatar. | 09-26-2013 |
20130268870 | Deferred Teleportation or Relocation in Virtual Worlds - A user of a virtual universe system is provided with the option of deferring a response to an invitation for an avatar to be relocated (including relocation by performing a teleportation operation) by providing for selective storage of received invitations in a queue with a priority determined based on one or more rules which can preferably be developed by conversion from an invitation. Status of issuers of invitations can be monitored or the issuers polled and the current status can be displayed to a user to determine actions to be taken in manipulating priority in the queue. The user is also provided with the capability of editing priority of stored invitations including the ability to accept, reject or forward the invitation or convert the invitation to a landmark. Invitations having similarities may be grouped in accordance with any desired metadata contained in the invitation. Rules can also be set from the virtual universe system independently of a user in regard to priority and thus provides a new form of advertising. | 10-10-2013 |
20130275886 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRANSPORTING A VIRTUAL AVATAR WITHIN MULTIPLE VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS - A virtual venue application for displaying information is provided, where the virtual venue application is implemented as part of an apparatus, or a system. The virtual venue application allows one or more users to generate and display a virtual avatar that represents a user of the virtual venue application. The virtual venue application also displays a virtual venue, where the display of the virtual venue is based on a position of the virtual avatar within the virtual venue. The virtual venue application also transports a virtual avatar from a first location to a second location. | 10-17-2013 |
20130275887 | MANAGING INFORMATION ABOUT AVATARS ACROSS VIRTUAL WORLDS - Systems, methods and articles of manufacture are disclosed for managing relationship information across virtual worlds. In one embodiment, information about avatars in virtual worlds may be received. A correlation may be derived between two avatars based on the received information. The derived correlation between the two avatars may be stored. Applications may query for derived correlations. | 10-17-2013 |
20130283191 | GEOMETRIC AND TEXTURE MODIFICATIONS OF OBJECTS IN A VIRTUAL UNIVERSE BASED ON REAL WORLD USER CHARACTERISTICS - A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program product modify objects in a virtual universe. The virtual universe includes a viewable field, a detection area that is adjacent to the viewable field, and an outside area that is outside the viewable field and the detection area. Each avatar in a set of avatars is incapable of viewing the objects while the avatar is within either the detection area or the outside area. In response to an entrance of a first particular avatar of the set of avatars into the detection area, one of the objects is prepared for display to the first particular avatar of the set of avatars, without displaying, by buffering content associated with the one of the objects. If a particular one of the objects is determined to be adjacent to an obstructing one of the objects, a focal point of the viewable field is set at a location that is a different location than a location of the particular one of the objects. | 10-24-2013 |
20130305169 | Methods and Systems for Providing Feedback in Interactive, Interest Centric Communications Environment - A method for providing feedback in an interest centric, interactive communications environment includes providing one or more electronic devices configured to communicate over a communications network. The method includes providing one or more servers configured to provide interactive data to the electronic devices over the communications network and to control the interactive data and to coordinate participant activities via the electronic devices over the communications network. The method includes monitoring a condition of at least one of the participants via a capture device on the electronic device and generating a condition signal responsive to the monitored condition and transmitting the condition signal to one of the servers. The method includes analyzing by the server the condition signal to determine an emotional state of the participant and providing feedback to the participant based upon the determined emotional state. | 11-14-2013 |
20130346883 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF MANAGING VIRTUAL WORLD AVATARS - Systems and methods of virtual world interaction, operation, implementation, instantiation, creation, and other functions related to virtual worlds (note that where the term “virtual world” is used herein, it is to be understood as referring to virtual world systems, virtual environments reflecting real, simulated, fantasy, or other structures, and includes information systems that utilize interaction within a 3D environment). Various embodiments facilitate interoperation between and within virtual worlds, and may provide consistent structures for operating virtual worlds. The disclosed embodiments may further enable individuals to build new virtual worlds within a framework, and allow third party users to better interact with those worlds. | 12-26-2013 |
20130346884 | RENDERING OF ARTIFACTS IN A VIRTUAL UNIVERSE ENVIRONMENT IN RESPONSE TO USER TAGS - An artifact tag includes rendering data and a protocol for applying the tag to an artifact of the virtual universe domain, the protocol including a compliance prerequisite for rendering the tag information to user of the virtual universe domain environment. A user requesting application of the tag to an artifact item within the virtual universe domain causes a setting or updating of a protocol compliance value. An avatar of a user engaging the artifact item causes a virtual universe client of the engaging user avatar to render the item to the engaging user in compliance with the tag rendering data if a set or updated compliance value meets a compliance prerequisite. | 12-26-2013 |
20140026076 | REAL-TIME INTERACTIVE COLLABORATION SYSTEM - A system and method for real-time interactive collaboration between remote users communicating via one or more input devices adapted to provide alter documents, imagery and the like projected within a multidimensional virtual interactive space. | 01-23-2014 |
20140026077 | VIRTUAL WORLD TELEPORTATION - The present invention is directed to teleporting avatars between disparate virtual worlds. A system is disclosed that includes a facility for creating a persona profile for an avatar in a first virtual world when the avatar wants to be teleported out of the first virtual world; a facility for transferring persona profiles to and from a disparate virtual world; and a facility for instantiating an inbound avatar based on a received persona profile. Persona profiles may include, e.g., rendering information, trait information, and inventory information. | 01-23-2014 |
20140026078 | VIRTUAL WORLD TELEPORTATION - The present invention is directed to teleporting avatars between disparate virtual worlds. A system is disclosed that includes a facility for creating a persona profile for an avatar in a first virtual world when the avatar wants to be teleported out of the first virtual world; a facility for transferring persona profiles to and from a disparate virtual world; and a facility for instantiating an inbound avatar based on a received persona profile. Persona profiles may include, e.g., rendering information, trait information, and inventory information. | 01-23-2014 |
20140033078 | INSTANTIATING MEDIA INTO A VIRTUAL SOCIAL VENUE TO SHARE WITH FRIENDS - A method and system are provided for instantiating videos and webpages into a 3D virtual social venue to share with friends. A platform connects the 3D virtual social venue, comprising a virtual three-dimensional gathering space, with a user's social network. The social network provides a social graph with a list of the user's friends. The platform leverages the social graph to enable the user to invite friends to participate in a media-viewing experience within the virtual three-dimensional space. A browser plug-in enables a user to instantiate a web page or streaming media content within the web page onto a virtual viewing surface within the 3D virtual social venue. | 01-30-2014 |
20140040782 | VIRTUAL UNIVERSE DESKTOP EXPLORATION FOR RESOURCE ACQUISITION - The present invention is directed to a system, method and program product that allows a user to acquire resources from a local computer during a session with a virtual universe. Disclosed is a system that allows a user to: invocate a local operating system session that displays an operating system interface onto a client computer during a virtual universe session; navigate the operating system interface using an avatar; and acquire resources from the client computer via the operating system interface using the avatar. | 02-06-2014 |
20140040783 | VIRTUAL SOCIAL SUPERVENUE FOR SHARING MULTIPLE VIDEO STREAMS - A social media platform is provided for interacting in a three-dimensional platform. The platform leverages a social graph from a user's social network to enable the user to invite social networking friends to interact within a three-dimensional virtual social venue. The platform also enables users to select multiple videos to display simultaneously within the virtual social venue. User selection of a clickable advertisement within the virtual social venue causes a web browser to launch with a point-of-sale opportunity related to the advertisement. | 02-06-2014 |
20140059453 | DYNAMIC SERVING OF MULTIDIMENSIONAL CONTENT - Systems and methods of virtual world interaction, operation, implementation, instantiation, creation, and other functions related to virtual worlds (note that where the term “virtual world” is used herein, it is to be understood as referring to virtual world systems, virtual environments reflecting real, simulated, fantasy, or other structures, and includes information systems that utilize interaction within a 3D environment). Various embodiments facilitate interoperation between and within virtual worlds, and may provide consistent structures for operating virtual worlds. The disclosed embodiments may further enable individuals to build new virtual worlds within a framework, and allow third party users to better interact with those worlds. | 02-27-2014 |
20140082526 | METAVERSE CLIENT TERMINAL AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING METAVERSE SPACE CAPABLE OF ENABLING INTERACTION BETWEEN USERS - Disclosed herein are a metaverse client terminal and method for providing a metaverse space capable of enabling interaction between users. The metaverse client terminal includes a sensing data collection unit, a motion state determination unit, a server interface unit, and a metaverse space provision unit. The sensing data collection unit collects sensing data regarding a motion of a first user. The motion state determination unit determines a motion state of the first user, and generates state information data of the first user. The server interface unit transmits the state information data of the first user to a metaverse server, and receives metaverse information data and state information data of a second user. The metaverse space provision unit generates a metaverse space, generates a first avatar and a second avatar, incorporates the first and second avatars into the metaverse space, and provides the metaverse to the first user. | 03-20-2014 |
20140089820 | SYSTEM AND A METHOD IN A COMPUTER-ENABLED ENVIRONMENT FOR ESTABLISHING AND MANAGING SEPARATE REPUTATIONS FOR A USER AND HIS AVATAR - A system and a method in a computer-enabled environment are provided. The method includes the following steps: determining a user reputation of a user designator in response to a user rank of the user designator and an avatar rank of each of at least one avatar designator which is associated with the user designator; and determining an avatar reputation of that avatar designator in response to the avatar rank of that avatar designator and the user rank of the user designator, wherein the user designator corresponds to a real world user, the avatar designator corresponds to a user function in a visualized world of the computer-enabled environment, and each of the at least one avatar designator is manipulatable by the real world user. | 03-27-2014 |
20140108967 | SYSTEM FOR VIEWING AND INTERACTING WITH A VIRTUAL 3-D SCENE - A system is described for enabling one or more user devices to view and interact with a three-dimensional (3-D) scene. The system comprises a data server | 04-17-2014 |
20140115501 | PLATFORM FOR ARRANGING SERVICES BETWEEN GOODS MANUFACTURERS AND CONTENT OR SERVICE PROVIDERS AND USERS OF VIRTUAL LOCAL COMMUNITY VIA AUTHORIZED AGENTS - A social networking platform having users grouped into multiple groups of residents based on users' geographical areas, each group representing a virtual local community representing the corresponding geographical area. Each resident is identified by a resident identifier having a common local community identifier that uniquely identifies the corresponding geographical area in which the residents actually reside. Each resident is provided a three-dimensional (3D) homepage having items resembling items owned by the resident in an actual resident home. Some of the items decorated in the 3D homepage can be activate to invoke an authorized agent which will access a goods/service provider on behalf of the resident for purchasing further items. An authorized agent can be installed and available to a virtual community only if the residents allow. Based on the purchase, a resident is rewarded with credits for future purchases and ownership shares of the authorized agent. | 04-24-2014 |
20140115502 | BRIDGING PHYSICAL AND VIRTUAL SPACES - Examples of systems and methods for bridging virtual and physical spaces are described. In some of these examples, a particular communicant's real world state drives changes in one or more of the communications connections, virtual state, and communications interface of the particular communicant or another communicant. | 04-24-2014 |
20140137002 | Unified Location & Presence, Communication Across Real and Virtual Worlds - A method and system for providing unified location and presence information of and intercommunication among a plurality of networked users is disclosed, where the users may be real world people or virtual world personae. Generally, after receiving data representative of both a first and second user's presence or location in the real or a virtual world over a communications network, the users are permitted to view each other's presence in a virtual network. The users are identified by endpoint addresses, and may intercommunicate using various types of media via the communications network. | 05-15-2014 |
20140143687 | Computer Peripheral Display and Communication Device Providing an Adjunct 3d User Interface - A system for providing a visual user environment includes a processing unit, a memory, a primary display device for providing a primary visual interface, and an adjunct communication device for providing an adjunct visual interface. In an embodiment, the adjunct display device is configured to present quasi-3D or 3D images. A process can include detecting an adjunct content event corresponding to adjunct visual content associated with an aspect of an application program; and selectively transferring one of an adjunct content notification and adjunct visual content to the adjunct communication device, wherein the adjunct content event corresponds to one of an application program installation sequence, an application program event, an indication of user proficiency in interacting with the application program, a communication session with a remote system, and a predefined visual sequence that is automatically selected for presentation to the user during one of application program installation and application program execution. | 05-22-2014 |
20140157152 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISTRIBUTING AN AVATAR - A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a first computing device having a controller to present an avatar having characteristics that correlate to a user profile and that conform to operating characteristics of the first computing device, and transmit to a second computing device operational information associated with the avatar for reproducing at least in part the avatar at said second computing device. Other embodiments are disclosed. | 06-05-2014 |
20140173465 | Virtual memorial park with plots and memorials - By locating the traditional memorial park within a virtual world, it allows for the placement and access by visitors of virtual memorial plots and virtual memorials, from any country, and at any time, independent of weather conditions and outside the realm of physical decay. The virtual memorial park can be subdivided into categories of virtual memorial parks, which allows for improved special interest group affiliations re the virtual memorial plots and virtual memorials. The location of virtual memorial parks and virtual memorials within three dimensional graphic and two dimensional graphic virtual terrains, allows for the visitor to have a ‘real life’ simulation, as to the virtual terrain, without the need to consume additional valuable land and space. | 06-19-2014 |
20140189542 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF VIRTUAL WORLD INTERACTION - Systems and methods of virtual world interaction, operation, implementation, instantiation, creation, and other functions related to virtual worlds (note that where the term “virtual world” is used herein, it is to be understood as referring to virtual world systems, virtual environments reflecting real, simulated, fantasy, or other structures, and includes information systems that utilize interaction within a 3D environment). Various embodiments facilitate interoperation between and within virtual worlds, and may provide consistent structures for operating virtual worlds. The disclosed embodiments may further enable individuals to build new virtual worlds within a framework, and allow third party users to better interact with those worlds. | 07-03-2014 |
20140189543 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF VIRTUAL WORLDS ACCESS - Systems and methods of virtual world interaction, operation, implementation, instantiation, creation, and other functions related to virtual worlds (note that where the term “virtual world” is used herein, it is to be understood as referring to virtual world systems, virtual environments reflecting real, simulated, fantasy, or other structures, and includes information systems that utilize interaction within a 3D environment). Various embodiments facilitate interoperation between and within virtual worlds, and may provide consistent structures for operating virtual worlds. The disclosed embodiments may further enable individuals to build new virtual worlds within a framework, and allow third party users to better interact with those worlds. | 07-03-2014 |
20140195932 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DYNAMIC MULTI-CONTENT CARDS - A method and system is provided for creation and distribution of dynamic multi-content cards in a virtual universe. More specifically, the method creates a card containing contact information for viewing in a virtual universe (VU) and distribute the card in the VU. Additionally, the system includes a card selection tool configured to create a card containing contact information for viewing in a virtual universe (VU) and distribute the card to another resident in the VU. | 07-10-2014 |
20140208238 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENABLING USERS TO INTERACT IN A VIRTUAL SPACE - The present invention provides a highly scalable architecture for a three-dimensional graphical, multi-user, interactive virtual world system. In a preferred embodiment a plurality of users interact in the three-dimensional, computer-generated graphical space where each user executes a client process to view a virtual world from the perspective of that user. The virtual world shows avatars representing the other users who are neighbors of the user viewing the virtual word. In order that the view can be updated to reflect the motion of the remote user's avatars, motion information is transmitted to a central server process which provides positions updates to client processes for neighbors of the user at that client process. The client process also uses an environment database to determine which background objects to render as well as to limit the movement of the user's avatar. | 07-24-2014 |
20140208239 | GRAPHICAL AGGREGATION OF VIRTUALIZED NETWORK COMMUNICATION - Techniques are described for aggregating information from multiple network-accessible service providers (such as multiple social networking service providers) using virtual objects to represent information, media and services in a plurality of rendered virtual environments, each of which may be associated with one or more users of the multiple service providers. A virtual environment associated with one or more particular users may be presented as any of a variety of internal or external spaces. Users may be represented in the room by virtual avatars, which may move or otherwise operate within one or more of the provided virtual environments. Virtual environments, virtual objects and avatars may be displayed as two- or three-dimensional. | 07-24-2014 |
20140208240 | UPDATING ASSETS RENDERED IN A VIRTUAL WORLD ENVIRONMENT BASED ON DETECTED USER INTERACTIONS IN ANOTHER WORLD - A virtual world controller receives an identifier of a detected interaction by a user within another world, separate from a particular virtual world environment accessible by the user, from a device that detects and reports user interactions within the other world. The virtual world controller identifies at least one particular trigger tag name assigned to the identifier of the detected interaction from among a plurality of separate detectable user interactions in a trigger tag database. The virtual world controller identifies at least one particular asset class from among a plurality of asset classes specified with the particular trigger tag name within a particular trigger asset coupling from among at least one trigger asset coupling in a trigger asset coupling database. The virtual world controller accesses at least one particular asset assigned to the at least one particular asset class in an asset class database. The virtual world controller renders the at least one particular asset within the particular virtual world environment in a virtual location within the particular virtual world triggered by the particular trigger asset coupling. | 07-24-2014 |
20140237392 | INITIATE EVENTS THROUGH HIDDEN INTERACTIONS - System, method, and computer program product to trigger events in a virtual environment, by monitoring a communication in the virtual environment between at least a first user represented by a first avatar and a second user represented by a second avatar, the communication having an explicit meaning to the first and second users, determining whether the communication is predefined as a trigger associated with a corresponding event based on the communication having a secondary meaning not discernible from the explicit meaning, and upon determining that the communication is predefined as the trigger, triggering the corresponding event in the virtual environment. | 08-21-2014 |
20140237393 | SHARED VIRTUAL AREA COMMUNICATION ENVIRONMENT BASED APPARATUS AND METHODS - Improved systems and methods for navigating and interacting in virtual communication environments are described. At least some of these systems and methods provide a framework that includes one or more virtual areas and supports realtime communications between the communicants. At least some of these systems and methods provide an interface that includes navigation controls that enable a user to navigate virtual areas and interaction controls that enable the user to interact with other communicants in the one or more virtual areas. | 08-21-2014 |
20140245192 | PORTABLE AND CONTEXT SENSITIVE AVATAR METHODS AND SYSTEMS - Methods and systems for providing avatars in a virtual reality environment (VRE) are provided. More particularly, different avatars can be defined for application to different VREs. A particular avatar can be selected or modified for application to a VRE in view of the context of the VRE, including but not limited to the avatar format required by the VRE, the topic of a meeting hosted by the VRE, the identity or other characteristics of other meeting participants, presence information, or the like. | 08-28-2014 |
20140282112 | FACILITATING GROUP ACTIVITIES IN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT - Techniques are disclosed to facilitate group activities in a virtual environment. An indication is conveyed of a region surrounding a first avatar as being a group activity region, upon detecting that the first avatar is leading a first group activity in the virtual environment. The region is defined by proximity to the first avatar. A second avatar is allowed to participate in the first group activity with the first avatar in the region, only when the second avatar is within the region surrounding the first avatar in the virtual environment. | 09-18-2014 |
20140282113 | PERSONAL DIGITAL ASSISTANCE AND VIRTUAL REALITY - A virtual reality network provides access to a number of virtual reality representations, each virtual reality representation representing a location in a virtual universe and defined by VR data stored on the network. The VR data can be in a simplified data format and include data from an intelligent personal assistant and knowledge navigator (IPAKN). A database stores the network address and the location in the universe of each virtual reality representation. A database server provides access to the database. The database server generates a list of locations in response to a location query from a visitor, and provides the network address of the virtual reality representation of a selected location. A visitor connects to the database server with a client host to visit the locations in the virtual universe. | 09-18-2014 |
20140289648 | DYNAMIC MODIFICATION OF NAVIGATION MAPS - Objects in a virtual space may be non-traversable such that traversal by characters of the virtual space through such objects is not permitted by the physics of the virtual space. Objects may be relocated during interactive gameplay. A navigation map of the virtual space is updated interactively, e.g. after an object has been relocated, by determining which regions are traversable or non-traversable, the boundaries of these regions, and which boundaries separate adjacent traversable regions. The updated navigation map may be queried on behalf of a non-player character in the virtual space, e.g. to determine where to go and/or how to get there. | 09-25-2014 |
20140289649 | Cooperative 3D Work Station - A display apparatus for depicting a three-dimensional scenario includes a first and a second projection device, and a holographic display device having a first and a second holographic unit. A depiction apparatus includes a number of the display apparatuses for the depiction and cooperative processing of a three-dimensional scenario by a number of users that each observe the three-dimensional scenario from an individually determinable perspective. | 09-25-2014 |
20140298209 | SYSTEMS, DEVICES AND METHODS FOR AN INTERACTIVE ART MARKETPLACE IN A NETWORKED ENVIRONMENT - Information related to art is provided in networked computing environments wherein users can participate in public or private online interactive video conferences, chat rooms and other online sessions led by art galleries or art gallery affiliates. User's may switch between public sessions and private sessions when ready to make a transaction related to an art object or artist presented in a public session. In private online sessions, potential consumers may also electronically provide the art gallery pictures, diagrams and photographs of an area in which they are interested in placing certain art objects. An image of the art object is shown within the picture to scale with other objects such as a wall, and angle of view. Users may also see the art objects to scale next to other stock images of familiar reference objects during the online session. | 10-02-2014 |
20140304624 | EFFECTUATING MODIFICATIONS WITHIN AN INSTANCE OF A VIRTUAL SPACE PRESENTED VIA MULTIPLE DISPARATE CLIENT COMPUTING PLATFORMS RESPONSIVE TO DETECTION OF A TOKEN ASSOCIATED WITH A SINGLE CLIENT COMPUTING PLATFORM - Exemplary implementations may facilitate effectuating modifications within an instance of a virtual space presented via multiple disparate client computing platforms responsive to detection of a token associated with a single client computing platform. In some implementations, tokens may be detected based on signals received from token readers associated with individual ones of the multiple client computing platforms. A given token may be a standalone physical object. The given token may be detectable based on a signal conveying information associated with the given token. The information associated with the given token conveyed by the signal may be devoid of virtual space content. | 10-09-2014 |
20140331149 | COMMUNICATIONS INTERFACE AND A COMMUNICATIONS METHOD, A CORRESPONDING COMPUTER PROGRAM, AND A CORRESPONDING REGISTRATION MEDIUM - The invention provides a communications interface for communications between participants, said interface including a virtual space ( | 11-06-2014 |
20140344725 | GENERATING DATA FOR MANAGING ENCOUNTERS IN A VIRTUAL WORLD ENVIRONMENT - Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for providing information for avoiding specific users of an immersive virtual environment. Generally, a primary user may specify other users to be avoided in a blacklist. The blacklisted users may be specified to be avoided at all times, or may be specified to be avoided in certain situations. In one embodiment, a user may be added to the blacklist during a specific situation, resulting in the characteristics of the situation being automatically stored in the blacklist. Subsequently, the blacklist may be used to determine the locations of the blacklisted users matching the current situation. The primary user may then avoid the locations having the greatest probability of encountering blacklisted users. | 11-20-2014 |
20140372912 | Multi-Dimensional Enhanced World View Experiences, Related Systems and Software, Methods of Use and Production Thereof - Multi-dimensional enhanced world view experiences are described herein that include: a) at least one software-enabled device, network device, portable device or combination thereof; b) at least one interactive application that provides at least one virtual world overlay, virtual object or combination thereof; and c) at least one physical view, wherein the at least one virtual world overlay, virtual object or combination thereof is aligned or overlaid with the at least one physical view to produce an enhanced world view that is displayed on the at least one software-enabled device, network device, portable device or a combination thereof. Corresponding methods of producing multi-dimensional enhanced world view experiences also include: a) providing at least one software-enabled device, network device, portable device or combination thereof; b) providing at least one interactive application that provides at least one virtual world overlay, virtual object or combination thereof; and c) providing at least one physical view, wherein the at least one virtual world overlay, virtual object or combination thereof is aligned or overlaid with the at least one physical view to produce an enhanced world view that is displayed on the at least one software-enabled device, network device, portable device or a combination thereof. | 12-18-2014 |
20140380196 | Creation and Prioritization of Multiple Virtual Universe Teleports in Response to an Event - Useful work or services can be automated or otherwise facilitated or solutions to real world events developed by emulation of a real-world environment (which can contain objects representing virtual objects) with a virtual environment and generating a prioritized sequence of locations and associated tasks in accordance with resources related to the event in a virtual universe. Performance of the prioritized tasks at the prioritized locations is facilitated in the virtual universe by locally generating teleportation invitations corresponding to locations in the ordered sequence of locations. | 12-25-2014 |
20140380197 | System and Methods for Managing Distributed Physics Simulation of Objects in a Virtual Environment - A computerized server managing a Virtual Environment (VE) has a network port for communicating with remote computerized appliances, a plurality of virtually-defined rigid objects in the VE, including one or more avatars representing persons in the VE, a physics simulation engine executing from a machine-readable medium, for calculating object states and properties, including motion of virtually-defined rigid objects, and a mechanism for assigning and tracking identification of remote computerized appliances connected via the network port, each remote appliance capable of physics simulation. The server responds to signals from the remote computerized appliances to assign individual ones of the virtually-defined rigid objects to individual ones of the remote computerized appliances for physics simulation, and the server simulates all virtually-defined objects in the VE that are not assigned to at least one of the remote computerized appliances. | 12-25-2014 |
20150033154 | EFFECTUATING MODIFICATIONS WITHIN AN INSTANCE OF A VIRTUAL SPACE PRESENTED VIA MULTIPLE DISPARATE CLIENT COMPUTING PLATFORMS RESPONSIVE TO DETECTION OF A TOKEN ASSOCIATED WITH A SINGLE CLIENT COMPUTING PLATFORM - Exemplary implementations may facilitate effectuating modifications within an instance of a virtual space presented via multiple disparate client computing platforms responsive to detection of a token associated with a single client computing platform. In some implementations, tokens may be detected based on signals received from token readers associated with individual ones of the multiple client computing platforms. A given token may be a standalone physical object. The given token may be detectable based on a signal conveying information associated with the given token. The information associated with the given token conveyed by the signal may be devoid of virtual space content. | 01-29-2015 |
20150040036 | DYNAMIC PLAYER ACTIVITY ENVIRONMENT RESPONSE - Systems, methods, and computer program products to provide responses to emergent group activities in an interactive environment, by monitoring actions of one or more avatars in the interactive environment, the one or more avatars being controlled by a respective user, detecting a first action matching a first action property in a first group activity template for a first group activity, of a plurality of group activity templates, determining that the first group activity is occurring in the interactive environment, and issuing to one or more components of the interactive environment, an indication to perform a respective predefined operation. | 02-05-2015 |
20150046847 | INTERACTIVE AVATAR FOR SOCIAL NETWORK SERVICES - An embodiment is an avatar or avatar environment to visualize data within an athletic performance system or service and/or a social network system or service, for example as part of the Internet. The avatar may further evolve or alter its appearance, animation, or other visual or audio characteristics in response to the data or other input. In particular, the avatar of an embodiment may respond to and provide visualization of athletic or sport performance data. According to one or more aspects, an avatar may be placed on other network sites and updated based on athletic performance data. The avatar may be awarded for goals achieved by a user. The awards or gifts may further include non-avatar related items such as apparel, gift cards and the like. | 02-12-2015 |
20150052458 | CROSS PLATFORM SHARING OF USER-GENERATED CONTENT - Systems and methods for cross platform sharing of user-generated content. The system may comprise a first user device of a first platform type including one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules. A space module may be configured to effectuate display of a virtual space on the first user device and facilitate interaction of a user of the first user device with the virtual space. A content creation module may be configured to configure user-generated virtual space content in the virtual space to be experienced by the user in the virtual space on the first user device. A share module may be configured to convert the user-generated virtual space content to sharable virtual space content. A communications module may be configured to transmit the sharable virtual space content from the first user device to a remote server. | 02-19-2015 |
20150058756 | System For The Presentation, Creation, Organization, Analysis, And Curation Of Information Through The Use Of A Dynamic, Living, Online Ecosystem Which Can Mutually Interact With The Real World - A social network computer system is provided. The computer system includes a social media server with a computer processor, memory connected to the computer processor for storing information associated with a social media network, for providing said information to the computer processor, and for storing information regarding system users associated with a social network. The social network computer system also includes a social network module programmed to display, to an observer, a representation of a plurality of system users in a node graph wherein each system user is represented by an object in the node graph, and wherein a distance between objects in the node graph indicates strength of relationship between said objects. | 02-26-2015 |
20150082205 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING A PERSISTENT VIRTUAL AVATAR WITH MIGRATIONAL ABILITY - Systems and methods for managing a virtual avatar with migrational ability, and brokering information, are provided. The persistent avatar exists in a plurality of virtual environments and includes attributes generated by an attribute generator, an enabler for enabling virtual environments to access the stored attribute data, and a migrator for allowing the avatar to migrate from one virtual environment to another while the attributes of the persistent avatar remain substantially constant. The enabler utilizes at least one client based on protocol suite. Stored attribute data is modifiable by experiences in any virtual environment. User of the persistent avatar is notified when events occur in any virtual environment, or within real life, by monitoring for events with a monitor, assessing importance of the event with an assessor, and notifying the owner with an informer of the event if it exceeds a threshold of importance. | 03-19-2015 |
20150135099 | System and Method for Virtual Environment Preservation Based on Automated Item Reduction - A method implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code, includes detecting one of an absence of a virtual universe (VU) occurrence in a VU within a predetermined time period, a special event in the VU and a change of real world status from a previous real world status. Additionally, the method includes determining a VU asset of a VU resident relevant to the VU occurrence, the special event or the previous real world status. Further, the method includes performing an automated asset reduction of the VU asset based on the determining. | 05-14-2015 |
20150301716 | GENERATING A VIRTUAL-ROOM OF A VIRTUAL ROOM-BASED USER INTERFACE - In one embodiment, a virtual room-based user interface includes one or more virtual rooms. Each virtual room is rendered from one or more images captured of a corresponding physical room of a structure, and includes depictions of one or more light fixtures within the physical room, one or more furnishings within the physical room and one or more boundaries of the physical room. A user selects a particular depiction of a particular light fixture within a particular virtual room. In response, a state of the particular light fixture within the corresponding physical room is changed. Also, appearance of the particular virtual room is updated such that the depiction of the particular light fixture shows the particular light fixture with the changed state and the depictions of the one or more boundaries or the one or more furnishings show lighting effects resulting from the changed state. | 10-22-2015 |
20150304454 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING VIRTUAL SPACES FOR ACCESS BY USERS VIA THE WEB - A system configured to provide one or more virtual spaces that are accessible to users. The virtual spaces may be provided such that an enhanced level of interactivity between the virtual spaces and the Web, including resources that communicate with the system via the Internet (e.g., via users, websites, webpages, other web resources, etc.) and/or other networks. To provide this enhanced level of interactivity, the system may enable interactions between an instance of a virtual space and the Web (e.g., queries, commands, communication, administrative controls, etc.) via a standard web protocol, such as a HyperText Transfer Protocol (e.g., http, https, etc.) and/or other standard web protocols. Since interactions take place between the instance of the virtual space and the Web via a standard web protocol, the instance of the virtual space may interact directly with Web resources such as web servers, web browsers, websites, webpages, and/or other Web resources. | 10-22-2015 |
20150309696 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENABLING USERS TO INTERACT IN A VIRTUAL SPACE - The present invention provides a highly scalable architecture for a three-dimensional graphical, multi-user, interactive virtual world system. In a preferred embodiment a plurality of users interact in the three-dimensional, computer-generated graphical space where each user executes a client process to view a virtual world from the perspective of that user. The virtual world shows avatars representing the other users who are neighbors of the user viewing the virtual word. In order that the view can be updated to reflect the motion of the remote user's avatars, motion information is transmitted to a central server process which provides positions updates to client processes for neighbors of the user at that client process. The client process also uses an environment database to determine which background objects to render as well as to limit the movement of the user's avatar. | 10-29-2015 |
20150312290 | SYSTEM AND METHOD TO VISUALIZE ACTIVITIES THROUGH THE USE OF AVATARS - A system and method to visualize activities through the use of avatars. The system includes a display engine configured to display at least one automated activity as an avatar. The system also includes a management system configured to monitor the progress of the at least one automated activity and alter at least one of an appearance and a movement of the avatar in relation to the progress of the at least one automated activity. | 10-29-2015 |
20150317057 | NAVIGATION APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING SOCIAL NETWORK SERVICE (SNS) SERVICE BASED ON AUGMENTED REALITY, METADATA PROCESSOR, AND METADATA PROCESSING METHOD IN AUGMENTED REALITY NAVIGATION SYSTEM - A navigation apparatus for providing a Social Network Service (SNS) information based on augmented reality, a metadata processor, and a metadata processing method. The navigation apparatus includes an image acquirer configured to acquire a real world image in real time, a controller configured to generate a virtual map on a back ground of the real world image and map augmented SNS information to a point of interest (POI) on the virtual map, and an output component configured to display the SNS information mapped to the virtual map on the real world image. | 11-05-2015 |
20150324103 | Social network system for sharing fashions - A system comprising a software application which can be installed on communications devices to create a social network to share the appearances of an exclusive social group as represented by avatars dressed in virtual clothing and exchanging social commentary on same. Avatars, virtual clothing, and social commentary, as well as various combinations thereof are stored in a virtual closet. Personal looks are created in a virtual dressing room and a determination made as to how clothes fit using fitting algorithms. Infrastructure for a social network is provided wherein comments, opinions, advice, recommendations, and other such information related to personal looks can be exchanged in real time or by messages and data files to be read at a later time. Also included are means to ensure the privacy of an avatar. Also included are a means to estimate physical characteristics of clothing and from a virtual clothing representation. | 11-12-2015 |
20150365449 | INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, SYSTEM, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND PROGRAM - Provided is an information processing apparatus including: a first information acquisition unit configured to acquire first information indicating behavior of at least one user; a second information acquisition unit configured to acquire second information on the at least one user, the second information being different from the first information; and a display control unit configured to display, in a display unit, a user object which is configured based on the first information and represents the corresponding at least one user and a virtual space which is configured based on the second information and in which the user object are arranged. | 12-17-2015 |
20160018886 | MULTIPARTY OBJECT RECOGNITION - Multiparty object recognition systems and methods are disclosed. A method of interactively manipulating virtual object data, wherein an object database is configured to store first party object data that corresponds to a first real-world object and is further configured to store second party object data that corresponds to a second real-world object, includes obtaining the first party object data and the second party object data for storage within the object database. Access to the object database is controlled such that the first party object data and the second party object data is accessible to the first party and the second party. Modification of the first party object data by the second party is facilitated to generate modified first party object data that is in accordance with at least one context parameter of the second party object data, and the modified first party object data is communicated to the first party. | 01-21-2016 |
20160148412 | TIME-DEPENDENT CLIENT INACTIVITY INDICIA IN A MULTI-USER ANIMATION ENVIRONMENT - A method for managing a multi-user animation platform is disclosed. A three-dimensional space within a computer memory is modeled. An avatar of a client is located within the three-dimensional space, the avatar being graphically represented by a three-dimensional figure within the three-dimensional space. The avatar is responsive to client input commands, and the three-dimensional figure includes a graphical representation of client activity. The client input commands are monitored to determine client activity. The graphical representation of client activity is then altered according to an inactivity scheme when client input commands are not detected. Following a predetermined period of client inactivity, the inactivity scheme varies non-repetitively with time. | 05-26-2016 |
20160175715 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING OBJECT | 06-23-2016 |
20170235947 | IDENTIFYING SPAM AVATARS IN A VIRTUAL UNIVERSE BASED UPON TURING TESTS | 08-17-2017 |
20170235948 | SYSTEM AND METHOD IN A VIRTUAL UNIVERSE FOR IDENTIFYING SPAM AVATARS BASED UPON AVATAR MULTIMEDIA CHARACTERISTICS | 08-17-2017 |