AUDIO-VISUAL NAVIGATION AND COMMUNICATION

• US 20090083670A1
• Filed: 09/26/2008
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AQ Media, Inc.
• Original Assignee: AQ Media, Inc.
• Inventors: Roos, Jan Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,756,531 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/850
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/20 3D [Three Dimensional] animation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/003 Navigation within 3D models or images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

Communicating information through a user platform by representing, on a user platform visual display, spatial publishing objects as entities static locations within a three-dimensional spatial publishing object space. Each spatial publishing object associated with information, and each presenting a subset of the associated information. Establishing a user presence at a location within the spatial publishing object space. The user presence, in conjunction with a user point-of-view, being navigable by the user in at least a two-dimensional sub-space of the spatial publishing object space.

Claims

1. A method of communicating information through a user platform, the method comprising:

representing, on a user platform visual display, each of a plurality of spatial publishing objects as an entity at a static location within a first three-dimensional spatial publishing object space, each of the represented spatial publishing objects associated with information, and each representation presenting a subset of the associated information;

establishing a user presence at a location within the first spatial publishing object space, the user presence, in conjunction with a user point-of-view, being navigable by the user in at least a two-dimensional sub-space of the first spatial publishing object space.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising

presenting a subset of the information based at least in part on the proximity of the user presence to each of the spatial publishing objects in the first spatial publishing object space.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the spatial publishing objects are arranged in the first spatial publishing object space at least in part by a distance from an origin of the first spatial publishing object space related at least in part to the responsiveness of each spatial publishing object in the first spatial publishing object space to a query that populated the first spatial publishing object space.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user presence in a spatial publishing object space is separable from a user point-of-view in the spatial publishing object space.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the spatial publishing object is associated with at least one spatial publishing object two-way communication channel adapted for connection with a two-way communication channel of a user spatial publishing object.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the spatial publishing object comprises further spatial publishing objects, and each further spatial publishing object is represented;

in a second three-dimensional spatial publishing object space apart from the first spatial publishing object space, and

as an entity at a static location within the second spatial publishing object space, and

each of the represented spatial publishing objects associated with information, and each representation presenting a subset of the associated information;

establishing a user presence at a location within the second spatial publishing object space, the user presence, in conjunction with a user point-of-view, being navigable by the user in at least a two-dimensional sub-space of the second spatial publishing object space.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the spatial publishing object comprises at least one communications space.

8. A computer program product for communicating information on a user platform, the computer program product comprising:

a physical computer readable medium;

a display module;

residing on the medium, and

operable when executed by a computing device to;

display, on a user platform visual display, a plurality of spatial publishing objects, wherein each spatial publishing object is represented as an entity at a static location within a first three-dimensional spatial publishing object space, each of the represented spatial publishing objects associated with information, and each representation presenting a subset of the associated information; and

establish a user presence at a location within the first spatial publishing object space, the user presence, in conjunction with a user point-of-view, being navigable by the user in at least a two-dimensional sub-space of the first spatial publishing object space.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the display module is further operable when executed by a computing device to:

present a subset of the information based at least in part on the proximity of the user presence to each of the spatial publishing objects in the first spatial publishing object space.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the display module is further operable when executed by a computing device to:

arrange spatial publishing objects in the first spatial publishing object space at least in part by a distance from an origin of the first spatial publishing object space related at least in part to the responsiveness of each spatial publishing object in the first spatial publishing object space to a query that populated the first spatial publishing object space.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the user presence in a spatial publishing object space is separable from a user point-of-view in the spatial publishing object space.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the display module is further operable when executed by a computing device to:

associate at least one spatial publishing object with at least one spatial publishing object two-way communication channel adapted for connection with a two-way communication channel of a user spatial publishing object.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein:

the spatial publishing object comprises further spatial publishing objects, and each further spatial publishing object is represented;

in a second three-dimensional spatial publishing object space apart from the first spatial publishing object space, and

as an entity at a static location within the second spatial publishing object space, and

each of the represented spatial publishing objects associated with information, and each representation presenting a subset of the associated information;

establishing a user presence at a location within the second spatial publishing object space, the user presence, in conjunction with a user point-of-view, being navigable by the user in at least a two-dimensional sub-space of the second spatial publishing object space.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the spatial publishing object comprises at least one communications space.

15. A system for communicating information, the system comprising:

a user platform comprising processing resources and a display,

a computer program product residing on the user platform, and comprising;

a computer readable medium; and

a display module;

residing on the medium, and

operable when executed by a processing resources to;

display, on a display of the user platform, each of a plurality of spatial publishing objects as an entity in a three-dimensional spatial publishing object space, each of the displayed spatial publishing objects associated with information available to be presented; and

establish a user presence in the spatial publishing object space, the user presence movable in at least a two-dimensional sub-space of the spatial publishing object space.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the display module is further operable when executed by a computing device to:

present a subset of the information based at least in part on the proximity of the user presence to each of the spatial publishing objects in the first spatial publishing object space.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the display module is further operable when executed by a computing device to:

arrange spatial publishing objects in the first spatial publishing object space at least in part by a distance from an origin of the first spatial publishing object space related at least in part to the responsiveness of each spatial publishing object in the first spatial publishing object space to a query that populated the first spatial publishing object space.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the user presence in a spatial publishing object space is separable from a user point-of-view in the spatial publishing object space.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the display module is further operable when executed by a computing device to:

associate at least one spatial publishing object with at least one spatial publishing object two-way communication channel adapted for connection with a two-way communication channel of a user spatial publishing object.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the spatial publishing object comprises further spatial publishing objects, and

each further spatial publishing object is represented;

in a second three-dimensional spatial publishing object space apart from the first spatial publishing object space, and

as an entity at a static location within the second spatial publishing object space, and

each of the represented spatial publishing objects associated with information, and each representation presenting a subset of the associated information;

establishing a user presence at a location within the second spatial publishing object space, the user presence, in conjunction with a user point-of-view, being navigable by the user in at least a two-dimensional sub-space of the second spatial publishing object space.

21. A computer-implemented method for establishing communication between a subject entity and at least one of a plurality of object entities, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the subject entity with a display of the object entities, the object entities comprising spatial publishing objects, wherein the spatial publishing objects are represented on the display in response to a selection of the user and the display represents the spatial publishing objects in an arrangement comprising at least three dimensions, and wherein the subject entity comprises a user;

providing the user with a presence with respect to the display having auditory and visual fields for receipt of audio and visual information from the spatial publishing objects, the user presence optionally capable of being represented in the display relative to the spatial publishing objects;

accepting navigation input from the user with respect to the arrangement of the spatial publishing objects; and

based on the navigation input from the user, re-arranging the positions of the spatial publishing objects in the at least three dimensions with respect to the presence of the user in the display.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising the steps of

computing measures of proximity of the user with respect to at least a subset of the spatial publishing objects.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the selection of the user comprises the conduct of a search.

24. The method according to claim 22, further comprising the step of:

presenting audio information from a plurality of the subset of spatial publishing objects to the user, the presentation and at least one of the characteristics of the presentation based at least in part on a respective measure of proximity of each of the plurality of spatial publishing objects relative to the user, wherein the user is presented with one or more audio fields that fade in as they become closer to the user and fade out as they become further from the user.

25. A computer program product, disposed on a computer-readable medium, the producing including instructions for causing a processor to perform at least the following:

providing the subject entity with a display of the object entities, the object entities comprising spatial publishing objects, wherein the spatial publishing objects are represented on the display in response to a selection of the user and the display represents the spatial publishing objects in an arrangement comprising at least three dimensions, and wherein the subject entity comprises a user;

providing the user with a presence with respect to the display having auditory and visual fields for receipt of audio and visual information from the spatial publishing objects, the user presence optionally capable of being represented in the display relative to the spatial publishing objects;

accepting navigation input from the user with respect to the arrangement of the spatial publishing objects; and

based on the navigation input from the user, re-arranging the positions of the spatial publishing objects in the at least three dimensions with respect to the presence of the user in the display.

26. The computer program product according to claim 25, further comprising the steps of:

computing measures of proximity of the user with respect to at least a subset of the spatial publishing objects.

27. The method according to claim 25, wherein the selection of the selection of the user comprises the conduct of a search.

28. The method according to claim 26, further comprising the step of presenting audio information, from a plurality of the subset of spatial publishing objects, to the user, the presentation and at least one of the characteristics of the presentation based at least in part on a respective measure of proximity of each of the plurality of spatial publishing objects relative to the user, wherein the user is presented with one or more audio fields that fade in as they become closer to the user and fade out as they become further from the user.