System and method for reviewing a virtual 3-D environment

• US 20040051745A1
• Filed: 09/18/2002
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Gargi, Ullas
• Application Number:
  US10/247,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20040051745A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/850
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics

Abstract

A method for reviewing a virtual 3-D environment is disclosed. In one embodiment, a persistent virtual 3-D environment is generated. Additionally, all virtual activity taking place in the persistent virtual 3-D environment is recorded. The recording of the virtual activity is then stored in a central location. In so doing, the virtual activity in the persistent virtual 3-D environment may then be replayed, wherein the replaying may be performed by remote access.

Claims

1. A method for reviewing a virtual 3-D environment comprising:

generating a persistent virtual 3-D environment;

recording virtual activity taking place in said persistent virtual 3-D environment, including content selected from the group consisting essentially of JPEG, MPEG, slide, video, picture, photograph, 2-D model of an external object, and 3-D model of an external object, introduced by an outside source;

storing said recording of said virtual activity in a central location; and

replaying said virtual activity in said persistent virtual 3-D environment, wherein said replaying may be performed by remote access.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

deleting periods of said recording of virtual activity in which no activity is taking place.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

indexing said virtual activity taking place in said persistent virtual 3-D environment; and

adding a time stamp to said recording, wherein said time stamp simplifies a search for a desired recording.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said virtual activity being recorded includes an avatar representing a participant in said persistent virtual 3-D environment.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 further comprising:

time-stamping said avatar; and

indexing said avatar for identification purposes.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

indexing said content for identification purposes.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

interfacing two or more recordings of said virtual activity such that both said recordings are replayed in conjunction.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

generating a prompt to alert a user to access another virtual world in real time.

9. A computer system comprising:

a bus;

a memory unit coupled with said bus; and

a processor coupled with said bus, said processor for reviewing a virtual 3-D environment comprising;

creating a persistent virtual 3-D environment;

recording virtual activity taking place in said persistent virtual 3-D environment, wherein said virtual activity being recorded includes an avatar representing a participant;

archiving said recording of said virtual activity in a central location, wherein periods of said recording of virtual activity in which no activity is taking place are not archived; and

reviewing said virtual activity in said persistent virtual 3-D environment, wherein said reviewing may be performed by remote access.

10. The computer system of claim 9 further comprising:

indexing said virtual activity taking place in said persistent virtual 3-D environment; and

adding a time stamp to said recording, wherein said time stamp simplifies a search for a desired recording.

11. The computer system of claim 9 wherein said virtual activity taking place in said persistent virtual 3-D environment is an audio interaction involving said avatar.

12. The computer system of claim 9 wherein said virtual activity taking place in said persistent virtual 3-D environment is a physical gesture of said avatar.

13. The computer system of claim 9 wherein said virtual activity being recorded includes content introduced by an outside source.

14. The computer system of claim 13 wherein said content is selected from the group consisting essentially of JPEG, MPEG, slide, video, picture, photograph, 2-D model of an external object, and 3-D model of an external object.

15. The computer system of claim 13 further comprising:

indexing said content for identification purposes; and

time-stamping said content.

16. The computer system of claim 9 further comprising:

interfacing two or more recordings of said virtual activity such that both said recordings are replayed in conjunction.

17. The computer system of claim 9 further comprising:

generating a prompt to alert a user to access another virtual world in real time.

18. A computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer system to perform a method for reviewing a virtual 3-D environment comprising:

building a persistent virtual 3-D environment;

recording virtual activity taking place in said persistent virtual 3-D environment, wherein said virtual activity being recorded includes an avatar representing a participant;

indexing said recording of said virtual activity;

adding a time stamp to said recording;

cataloging said recording of said virtual activity in a central location, wherein periods of said recording of virtual activity in which no activity is taking place are not cataloged;

reenacting said virtual activity in said persistent virtual 3-D environment, wherein said reenacting may be performed by remote access;

interfacing two or more recordings of said virtual activity such that both said recordings are replayed in conjunction; and

generating a prompt to alert a user to access another virtual world.

19. The computer-usable medium of claim 18 wherein said virtual activity taking place in said persistent virtual 3-D environment is an audio interaction involving said avatar.

20. The computer-usable medium of claim 18 wherein said virtual activity taking place in said persistent virtual 3-D environment is a physical gesture of said avatar.

21. The computer-usable medium of claim 18 wherein said virtual activity being recorded includes content introduced by an outside source.

22. The computer-usable medium of claim 21 wherein said content is selected from the group consisting essentially of JPEG, MPEG, slide, video, picture, photograph, 2-D model of an external object, and 3-D model of an external object.

23. The computer-usable medium of claim 21 further comprising:

indexing said content for identification purposes; and

time-stamping said content.

24. The computer-usable medium of claim 18 wherein said generating of said prompt alerts a user to access another recording of a virtual world.

25. The computer-usable medium of claim 18 wherein said generating of said prompt alerts a user to access another virtual world in real time.