SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COMMUNICATING WITH AN AVATAR

• US 20080215971A1
• Filed: 03/05/2007
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Vass, Attila, Goodwin, Mitchell, Zalewski, Gary, Waugaman, Scott, Gillo, Tomas
• Application Number:
  US11/682,287
• Publication Number:
  US 20080215971A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/706
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5375 for graphically or textually suggesting an action, e.g. by displaying an arrow indicating a turn in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/75 Enforcing rules, e.g. detecting foul play or generating lists of cheating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/408 Peer to peer connection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality

Abstract

A system and method for communicating with a virtual world are disclosed. The virtual world may comprise a simulated public space configured to facilitate interaction among a plurality of users and one or more private spaces. Each private space may be associated with a particular user of the plurality of users. A particular user'"'"'s interactions with the virtual world may be represented by one or more corresponding actions of an avatar. Communication may take place between the virtual world and a real communication device. The real communication device may be configured to communicate with other real communication devices via one or more communication channels that are independent of the virtual world.

Claims

1. A method for communicating with a virtual world, wherein the virtual world comprises a simulated public space configured to facilitate interaction among a plurality of users and one or more private spaces, wherein each private space is associated with a particular user of the plurality of users, the method comprising:

associating an avatar with a particular user of the virtual world and representing the particular user'"'"'s interactions with the virtual world by one or more corresponding actions of the avatar; and

communicating between the virtual world and a real communication device, wherein the real communication device is configured to communicate with other real communication devices via one or more communication channels that are independent of the virtual world.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein communicating between the real world and the virtual world comprises changing one or more properties associated with the avatar, public space or private space via the real device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein communicating between the virtual world and a real communication device comprises communicating between the real communication device and a simulated communication device in the virtual world.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein communicating between the real communication device and the simulated communication device comprises sending one or more text messages between the real communication device and the simulated communication device.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein communicating between the virtual world and the real communication device comprises establishing voice communication between the simulated communication device and the real communication device.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein establishing voice communication between the simulated and real communication devices comprises making a telephone call between a simulated telephone and a real telephone.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the real telephone is configured to produce a distinctive ringtone when receiving a telephone call from the simulated communication device, wherein the distinctive ringtone is different from an ordinary ringtone that the real telephone makes when receiving telephone calls from elsewhere.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein the simulated communication device is a simulated video recorder.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein communicating between the real communication device and the simulated communication device comprises using the real communication device as an interface between the simulated video recorder and a user.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein using the real communication device as an interface comprises setting the simulated video recorder to record a real or simulated video event using the real communication device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the real communication device is a phone, cell phone, portable game player, personal digital assistant or portable email device.

12. The method of claim 3 wherein communicating between the real and simulated communication devices comprises video communication.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein video communication comprises displaying an image of the avatar with the real communication device during the video communication.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising lip-synching the avatar to real or synthesized speech generated by the particular user associated with the avatar.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising mapping emotion expressed by the user to emotion exhibited by the avatar.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein mapping emotion expressed by the user comprises capturing one or more visual images of the user and analyzing one or more facial features of the user.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein capturing one or more visual images of the user during the video communication and analyzing one or more facial features of the user comprises the use of a 3D camera.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein mapping emotion expressed by the user comprises analyzing a voice stress of the user.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein mapping emotion expressed by the user comprises analyzing biometric data indicative of the user'"'"'s emotional state during a user portion of the video communication.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the biometric data comprises electrocardiographic (EKG), electroencephalographic (EEG), galvanic skin response, or thermal imaging data.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein mapping emotion expressed by the user comprises tracking an emotional state of the user in real time during a user portion of the video communication.

22. A system for communicating with a virtual world, comprising:

one or more processors configured to generate a virtual world, wherein the virtual world comprises a simulated public space configured to facilitate interaction among a plurality of users and one or more private spaces, wherein each private space is associated with a particular user of the plurality of users, the one or more processors being further configured to;

associate an avatar with a particular user of the virtual world and represent the particular user'"'"'s interactions with the virtual world by one or more corresponding actions of the avatar; and

communicate between the virtual world and a real communication device, wherein the real communication device is configured to communicate with other real communication devices via one or more communication channels that are independent of the one or more processors that generate virtual world.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the one or more processors are configured to change one or more properties associated with the avatar, public space or private space in response to signals generated by the real device.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the one or more processors are configured to facilitate communication between the real communication device and a simulated communication device in the virtual world.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the one or more processors are configured to facilitate communication between the real communication device and the simulated communication by way of one or more text messages.

26. The system of claim 24 wherein the one or more processors are configured to facilitate communication between the real communication device and the simulated communication by way of voice communication between the simulated communication device and the real communication device.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the voice communication between the simulated and real communication devices comprises a telephone call between a simulated telephone and a real telephone.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the real telephone is configured to produce a distinctive ringtone when receiving a telephone call from the simulated communication device, wherein the distinctive ringtone is different from an ordinary ringtone that the real telephone makes when receiving telephone calls from elsewhere.

29. The method of claim 24 wherein the simulated communication device is a simulated video recorder.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the one or more processors are configured such that the real communication device may be used as an interface between the simulated video recorder and a user.

31. The system of claim 29 wherein the one or more processors are configured such that the real communication device may be used to set the simulated video recorder to record a real or simulated video event.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein the real communication device is a telephone, cellular phone, personal digital assistant, camera, voice recorder, portable email device, portable internet access device, portable game device or personal computer.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein communicating between the real and virtual communication devices comprises video communication.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein video communication comprises displaying an image of the avatar with the real device during the video communication.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the one or more processors are configured to lip-synch the avatar to real or synthesized speech generated by the particular user.

36. The system of claim 35, further comprising means for mapping emotion expressed by the user to emotion exhibited by the avatar.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein the means for mapping emotion expressed by the user comprises means for capturing one or more visual images of the user and means for analyzing one or more facial features of the user.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the means for capturing one or more visual images of the user during the video communication comprises a 3D camera.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein mapping emotion expressed by the user comprises analyzing a voice stress of the user.

40. The system of claim 38 wherein the means for mapping emotion expressed by the user comprises means for analyzing biometric data indicative of the user'"'"'s emotional state during a user portion of the video communication.

41. The system of claim 40 wherein the biometric data comprises electrocardiographic (EKG), electroencephalographic (EEG), galvanic skin response, or thermal imaging data.

42. The system of claim 36 wherein the means for mapping emotion expressed by the user comprises means for tracking an emotional state of the user in real time during a user portion of the video communication.

43. The system of claim 22 wherein the one or more processors are configured such that the real communication can access virtual communication device content.

44. The system of claim 22 wherein the virtual world is a three-dimensional virtual world.

45. The system of claim 22 wherein the one or more processors are configured such that the real communication device can be used as an interface between the simulated communication device and a user.

46. The system of claim 22 wherein the one or more processors comprises a cell processor.

47. The system of claim 22 wherein the real communication device is a telephone, cellular phone, personal digital assistant, camera, voice recorder, portable email device, portable internet access device, portable game device or personal computer.

48. The system of claim 22, further comprising a user interface coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the user interface is configured to facilitate interaction between the user and the virtual world.