Virtual world avatar control, interactivity and communication interactive messaging

• US 20080215994A1
• Filed: 04/23/2007
• 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 Interactive Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Zalewski, Gary M., Harrison, Phil
• Application Number:
  US11/789,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20080215994A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/757
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8005 Athletics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. An interactive virtual environment for communication, the interactive virtual environment depicted from images displayed on a display and the interactive virtual environment being generated by a computer program that is executed in a computer network system, the virtual environment including one or more virtual user avatars controlled by real-world users, comprising:

controlling a virtual user avatar to move about a virtual space;

composing a message and generating a virtual message within the virtual space, the virtual message being applied to an interactive space within the virtual space; and

assigning permissions to the virtual message, the permissions defining which of the one more virtual user avatars are able to view the virtual message that is applied to an interactive space;

wherein the virtual message is one of a plurality of virtual message applied to the interactive space, the permissions preventing viewing of the virtual message by virtual user avatars that do not have permission to view the virtual message.

2. An interactive virtual environment for communication as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

graphically displaying the virtual message as a graphic image in a scene of the virtual space;

moving the graphic image of the virtual message through graphic control of a virtual user avatar, the virtual user avatar being controlled by a real-world user through a controller, the controller being connected to a computing console, the computing console being connected to the computer network system.

3. An interactive virtual environment for communication as recited in claim 2, wherein moving the graphic image of the virtual message enables applying of the virtual message to the interactive space.

4. An interactive virtual environment for communication as recited in claim 1, wherein the applying is one of a virtual posting of a message, writing of a message, drawing a message, pasting a message, or pinning a message.

5. An interactive virtual environment for communication as recited in claim 1, wherein the interactive space is in the interactive virtual environment, and the interactive space is graphically displayed as object.

6. An interactive virtual environment for communication as recited in claim 5, wherein the object is a bulletin board, a message board, a wall, a building, a paper, a shape, or a combination thereof.

7. An interactive virtual environment for communication as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

defining the permissions based on one of buddy lists, game familiarity relative to other real-world users, skill level of other real-world users, and combinations thereof.

8. An interactive virtual environment for communication as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

filtering virtual messages on the interactive space based on geographic location of a real-world user that is controlling its virtual user avatar, the geographic location defining message content most relevant to the real-world user viewing the interactive space from a view point of its virtual user avatar.

9. An interactive virtual environment for communication as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

filtering the virtual messages on the interactive space based on personal preferences.

10. An interactive virtual environment for communication as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

populating the personal preferences options based on geographic location of the real-world user that is controlling its virtual user avatar in the virtual space.

11. An interactive virtual environment for communication as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

providing virtual glasses to the virtual user avatars, the virtual glasses being assigned particular privileges to view selected ones of the virtual messages in a virtual space.

12. An interactive virtual environment for communication as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

enabling control of the virtual glasses through controlled avatar movement as dictated by a real-world user that controls its virtual user avatar;

enabling selection of virtual glasses;

enabling placement of the virtual glasses onto eyes of the virtual user avatar; and

providing clear view to message content of particular ones of the virtual messages not previously viewable without the virtual glasses.

13. An interactive virtual environment for communication as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

filtering virtual user avatars in a scene from a perspective of each virtual user avatar, such that the filtering highlights selected virtual user avatars that are part of a respective virtual user avatar'"'"'s buddy list, selected virtual user avatars having a common video game interest, selected virtual user avatars having a particular skill level, or a combination thereof.

14. A method for rendering an interactive virtual environment for communication, the interactive virtual environment depicted from images to be displayed on a display and the interactive virtual environment being generated by a computer program that is executed on at least one computer of a computer network system, the interactive virtual environment including one or more virtual user avatars controlled by real-world users, comprising:

controlling a virtual user avatar to move about a virtual space;

generating an interface for composing a message to be displayed as a virtual message within the virtual space, the virtual message posted to an interactive space within the virtual space; and

associating permissions to the virtual message, the permissions defining which of the one more virtual user avatars are able to view the virtual message that is posted to the interactive space;

wherein the virtual message is one of a plurality of virtual message posted to the interactive space, the permissions preventing viewing of the virtual message by virtual user avatars that do not have permission to view the virtual message, and the permissions based on one of buddy lists, game familiarity relative to other real-world users, skill level of other real-world users, and combinations thereof.

15. A method for rendering an interactive virtual environment as recited in claim 14, further comprising:

filtering the virtual messages on the interactive space based on personal preferences.

16. A method for rendering an interactive virtual environment as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

populating the personal preferences options based on geographic location of the real-world user that is controlling its virtual user avatar in the virtual space.

17. A method for rendering an interactive virtual environment as recited in claim 14, further comprising:

filtering virtual user avatars in a scene from a perspective of each virtual user avatar, such that the filtering highlights selected virtual user avatars that are part of a respective virtual user avatar'"'"'s buddy list, selected virtual user avatars having a common video game interest, selected virtual user avatars having a particular skill level, or a combination thereof.

18. A method for rendering an interactive virtual environment as recited in claim 14, wherein the posted message is one of a virtual posting of a message in the virtual space, writing of a message in the virtual space, drawing a message in the virtual space, spray painting in the virtual space, pasting a message in the virtual space, or pinning a message in the virtual space.

19. A method for rendering an interactive virtual environment for communication, the interactive virtual environment depicted from images to be displayed on a display and the interactive virtual environment being generated by a computer program that is executed on at least one computer of a computer network system, the interactive virtual environment including one or more virtual user avatars controlled by real-world users, comprising:

controlling a virtual user avatar to move about a virtual space;

generating an interface for composing a message to be displayed as a virtual message within the virtual space, the virtual message posted to an interactive space within the virtual space; and

associating permissions to the virtual message, the permissions defining which of the one more virtual user avatars are able to view the virtual message that is posted to the interactive space;

graphically displaying the virtual message as a graphic image in a scene of the virtual space; and

moving the graphic image of the virtual message through graphic control of a virtual user avatar, the virtual user avatar being controlled by a real-world user through a controller.

20. A method for rendering an interactive virtual environment for communication as recited in claim 19, wherein the controller is connected to a computing console, the computing console being connected to the computer network system.

21. A method for rendering an interactive virtual environment for communication as recited in claim 19, wherein moving the graphic image of the virtual message enables applying of the virtual message to the interactive space.

22. A method for rendering an interactive virtual environment for communication as recited in claim 19, wherein the virtual message is one of a plurality of virtual message posted to the interactive space, the permissions preventing viewing of the virtual message by virtual user avatars that do not have permission to view the virtual message, and the permissions based on one of buddy lists, game familiarity relative to other real-world users, skill level of other real-world users, and combinations thereof.

23. An interactive virtual environment for communication, the interactive virtual environment depicted from images displayed on a display and the interactive virtual environment being generated by a computer program that is executed in a computer network system, the virtual environment including one or more virtual user avatars controlled by real-world users or computer programs, comprising:

controlling a virtual user avatar to move about a virtual space;

posting a message within the virtual space, the virtual message being applied to an interactive space within the virtual space; and

assigning permissions to the message, the permissions defining which of the one more virtual user avatars are able to view the message that is applied to the interactive space;

wherein the message is one of a plurality of messages applied to the interactive space, the permissions preventing viewing of the message by virtual user avatars that do not have permission to view the message.

24. An interactive virtual environment for communication as recited in claim 23, wherein the message having communication data or advertising data.

25. An interactive virtual environment for communication as recited in claim 23, wherein the posting is done by the virtual user avatar that is controlled by the real-world user.

26. An interactive virtual environment for communication as recited in claim 23, wherein the posting is done by the virtual user avatar that is computer controlled.