Method and System for Distributed Collaborative Communications

• US 20080141147A1
• Filed: 12/12/2006
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Danielsen, Carl M., Mohamed, Magdi A., Buhrke, Eric R., Tarlton, Mark A., Li, Renxiang
• Granted Patent: US 8,683,353 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/757
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A method and system for collaborative communications is described. In one embodiment, a central virtual reality communications environment is created. A plurality of client communication devices are connected to the central virtual reality communications environment. Each one of the connected plurality of client communication devices are represented as an avatar present in the central virtual reality communications environment. An uploaded data object is received from any one of the connected plurality of client communication devices. Finally, the data object is displayed in the central virtual reality communications environment to the connected plurality of client communication devices.

Claims

1. A method of distributed collaborative communications, comprising:

connecting a plurality of client communication devices to a central virtual reality communications environment;

representing each one of the connected plurality of client communication devices as an avatar present in the central virtual reality communications environment;

receiving an uploaded data object from at least one of the connected plurality of client communication devices; and

displaying the data object in the central virtual reality communications environment to the connected plurality of client communication devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual reality communications environment is a virtual reality room.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allowing each one of said plurality of client communication devices to customize the central virtual reality communications environment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the avatar comprises at least one of:

a fully animated avatar, a video avatar or an audio avatar.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

replicating expressions of a respective user of the connected plurality of client communication devices via a respective avatar.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to manipulate the data object in the central virtual reality communications environment from at least one of the connected plurality of client communication devices;

manipulating the data object in the central virtual reality communications environment in response to the request; and

presenting the manipulated object to the connected plurality of client communication devices in accordance with each client communication device'"'"'s perspective.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a unique perspective for each one of the connected plurality of client communication devices with respect to the displayed data object in the central virtual reality communications environment.

8. A system for distributed collaborative communications comprising:

means for connecting a plurality of client communication devices to a central virtual reality communications environment;

means for representing each one of the connected plurality of client communication devices as an avatar present in the central virtual reality communications environment;

means for receiving an uploaded data object from at least one of the connected plurality of client communication devices; and

means for displaying the data object in the central virtual reality communications environment to the connected plurality of client communication devices.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the virtual reality communications environment is a virtual reality room.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

means for allowing each of one said plurality of client communication devices to customize the central virtual reality communications environment.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the avatar comprises at least one of:

a fully animated avatar, a video avatar or an audio avatar.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

means for replicating expressions of a respective user of the connected plurality of client communication devices via the respective avatar.

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

means for receiving a request to manipulate the data object in the central virtual reality communications environment from at least one of the connected plurality of client communication devices;

means for manipulating the data object in the central virtual reality communications environment in response to the request; and

means for presenting the manipulated object to the connected plurality of client communication devices in accordance with each client communication device'"'"'s perspective.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

means for creating a unique perspective for each one of the connected plurality of client communication devices with respect to the displayed data object in the central virtual reality communications environment.

15. A computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform a method of distributed collaborative communications comprising:

connecting a plurality of client communication devices to a central virtual reality communications environment;

representing each one of the connected plurality of client communication devices as an avatar present in the central virtual reality communications environment;

receiving an uploaded data object from any one of the connected plurality of client communication devices; and

displaying the data object in the central virtual reality communications environment to the connected plurality of client communication devices.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

allowing each one of said plurality of client communication devices to customize the central virtual reality communications environment.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the avatar comprises at least one of:

a fully animated avatar, a video avatar or an audio avatar.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

replicating expressions of a respective user of the connected plurality of client communication devices via the respective avatar.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a request to manipulate the data object in the central virtual reality communications environment from at least one of the connected plurality of clients;

manipulating the data object in the central virtual reality communications environment in response to the request; and

presenting the manipulated object to the connected plurality of client communication devices in accordance with each client communication device'"'"'s perspective.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

creating a unique perspective for each one of the connected plurality of client communication devices with respect to the displayed data object in the central virtual reality communications environment.