Generating data for managing encounters in a virtual world environment

• US 10,627,983 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2014
• Issued: 04/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Bates, Cary Lee, Chen, Jim Chun-Ta, Garbow, Zachary Adam, Young, Gregory Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parcher, Daniel W
• Application Number:
  US14/293,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20140344725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,150 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of managing avatar visual encounters in a virtual world, the method being implemented by a computer system that includes one or more physical processors executing one or more computer program instructions which, when executed, perform the method, the method comprising:

receiving, at the computer system, from a first user, an input related to an avatar of a second user in the virtual world;

determining, by the computer system, a first situational context that corresponds to a first situation of an avatar of the first user in the virtual world at a time of the receipt of the input, wherein the avatar of the first user has a travel plan that relates to traveling in the virtual world;

associating, by the computer system, the input with the first situational context in a data structure;

determining, by the computer system, a second situational context that corresponds to a second situation of the avatar of the first user in the virtual world;

determining, by the computer system, a location of the avatar of the second user in the virtual world, wherein determining the location of the avatar of the second user comprises predicting a future location of the avatar of the second user in the virtual world based, at least in part, on a movement history of the avatar of the second user, and wherein the location of the avatar of the second user comprises the predicted future location;

generating one or more indications related to the location of the avatar of the second user responsive to a determination that the second situational context corresponds to the first situational context, wherein the one or more indications are directed towards indicating whether the avatar of the first user will be in a line of sight of the avatar of the second user based on the predicted future location of the avatar of the second user; and

generating, by the computer system, based on the predicted future location of the avatar of the second user, at least one alternative travel plan to be recommended for the avatar of the first user in lieu of the travel plan, wherein the at least one alternative travel plan enables the avatar of the first user to avoid being in the line of sight of the avatar of the second user.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second situation of the avatar of the first user comprises a situation in the virtual world that occurs at a time different from the time of the receipt of the input.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the location of the avatar of the second user comprises a current location of the avatar of the second user in the virtual world.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first situational context relates to one or more of:

(i) a location of the avatar of the first user in the virtual world at the time of the receipt of the input;

(ii) a time frame associated with the receipt of the input;

(iii) an avatar that the avatar of the first user is interacting with in the virtual world at the time of the receipt of the input;

(iv) an activity of the avatar of the first user at the time of the receipt of the input;

(v) an intended activity of the avatar of the first user at the time of the receipt of the input;

(vi) a situational status of the avatar of the first user at the time of the receipt of the input;

or (vii) an amount of ambient light at the time of the receipt of the input.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the computer system, one or more other users based on the characteristics of the second user and the one or more other users'"'"' characteristics;

providing, by the computer system, a presentation of the one or more other users to the first user;

receiving, by the computer system, from the first user, one or more additional inputs related to the one or more other users responsive to the presentation of the one or more other users; and

associating, by the computer system, the one or more additional inputs with the first situational context in the data structure.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the computer system, from the first user, an indication of a degree of preference that the avatar of the first user avoids or encounters the avatar of the second user; and

associating, by the computer system, the received indication with the input and the first situational context in the data structure.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the received indication of the degree of preference indicates a desire to visually encounter the avatar of the second user in the virtual world.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the received indication of the degree of preference indicates a desire to avoid a visual encounter of the avatar of the second user in the virtual world.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving the input from the first user comprises:

receiving an indication of the first user tagging the avatar of the second user during a visual encounter between the avatar of the first user and the avatar of the second user in the virtual world.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein generating the one or more indications comprises:

generating the one or more indications responsive to a determination that a current situation of the avatar of the first user in the virtual world includes the second situation and that the second situational context corresponds to the first situational context.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the travel plan further comprises:

determining the travel plan based on one or more previous travels of the avatar of the first user in the virtual world.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the computer system, one or more potential views of the avatar of the second user at one or more future times associated with the travel plan of the avatar of the first user;

determining, by the computer system, a probability of the avatar of the first user visually encountering the avatar of the second user in the virtual world based on the one or more potential views; and

generating, by the computer system, one or more other indications related to the one or more future times and the probability responsive to the determination that the second situational context corresponds to the first situational context.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising:

predicting, by the computer system, one or more objects between the avatar of the first user and the avatar of the second user at the one or more future times, wherein determining the one or more potential views of the avatar of the second user comprises determining the one or more potential views based on the predicted one or more objects.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the computer system, a future situational context that corresponds to a future situation of the avatar of the first user that is predicted to occur at a future time based on the travel plan;

predicting, by the computer system, one or more future locations of the avatar of the second user in the virtual world at the future time; and

generating, by the computer system, one or more other indications related to the one or more future locations responsive to a determination that the future situational context corresponds to the first situational context.

15. A system for managing avatar visual encounters in a virtual world, the system comprising:

one or more physical processors programmed with one or more computer program instructions which, when executed, cause the one or more physical processors to;

receive, from a first user, an input related to an avatar of a second user in the virtual world;

determine a first situational context that corresponds to a first situation of an avatar of the first user in the virtual world at a time of the receipt of the input;

associate the input with the first situational context in a data structure;

determine a second situational context that corresponds to a second situation of the avatar of the first user in the virtual world, wherein the avatar of the first user has a travel plan that relates to traveling in the virtual world;

determine a location of the avatar of the second user in the virtual world, wherein determining the location of the avatar of the second user comprises predicting a future location of the avatar of the second user in the virtual world based, at least in part, on a movement history of the avatar of the second user, and wherein the location of the avatar of the second user comprises the predicted future location;

generate one or more indications related to the location of the avatar of the second user responsive to a determination that the second situational context corresponds to the first situational context, wherein said one or more indications are directed towards indicating whether the avatar of the first user will be in a line of sight of the avatar of the second user based on the predicted future location of the avatar of the second user; and

generating, by the computer system, based on the predicted future location of the avatar of the second user, at least one alternative travel plan to be recommended for the avatar of the first user in lieu of the travel plan, wherein the at least one alternative travel plan enables the avatar of the first user to avoid being in the line of sight of the avatar of the second user.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more physical processors are further caused to:

receive, from the first user, an indication of a degree of preference that indicates a desire to visually encounter the avatar of the second user in the virtual world; and

associate the received indication with the input and the first situational context in the data structure.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more physical processors are further caused to:

receive, from the first user, an indication of a degree of preference that indicates a desire to avoid a visual encounter of the avatar of the second user in the virtual world; and

associate the received indication with the input and the first situational context in the data structure.

18. A computer-readable storage medium comprising executable code for managing avatar visual encounters in a virtual world, the computer executable code, when executed by one or more physical processors, causing the one or more physical processors to:

receive, from a first user, an input related to an avatar of a second user in the virtual world;

determine a first situational context that corresponds to a first situation of an avatar of the first user in the virtual world at a time of the receipt of the input;

associate the input with the first situational context in a data structure;

determine a second situational context that corresponds to a second situation of the avatar of the first user in the virtual world, wherein the avatar of the first user has a travel plan that relates to traveling in the virtual world;

determine a location of the avatar of the second user in the virtual world wherein determining the location of the avatar of the second user comprises predicting a future location of the avatar of the second user in the virtual world based, at least in part, on a movement history of the avatar of the second user, and wherein the location of the avatar of the second user comprises the predicted future location;

generate one or more indications related to the location of the avatar of the second user responsive to a determination that the second situational context corresponds to the first situational context, wherein said one or more indications are directed towards indicating whether the avatar of the first user will be in a line of sight of the avatar of the second user based on the predicted future location of the avatar of the second user; and

generating, by the computer system, based on the predicted future location of the avatar of the second user, at least one alternative travel plan to be recommended for the avatar of the first user in lieu of the travel plan, wherein the at least one alternative travel plan enables the avatar of the first user to avoid being in the line of sight of the avatar of the second user.