Presenting Media Data Associated with Chat Content in Multi-Dimensional Virtual Environments

• US 20090125481A1
• Filed: 11/09/2007
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Wang, Niniane, Mendes da Costa, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US11/938,169
• Publication Number:
  US 20090125481A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/50 of still image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A computer-implemented method enables communication between a first client and a second client mutually participating in a communication session including a multi-dimensional virtual environment is claimed. The method includes determining one or more concepts based on the one or more communications in the multi-dimensional virtual environment between the first client and second client. The method includes searching a media database based on the one or more concepts to produce a search result and transmitting the search result to the first and second clients for presentation.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

at a server system;

enabling participation by a first client and a second client in a communication session in a multi-dimensional virtual environment, including;

determining, based on one or more communications in the communication session between the first client and second client, one or more concepts based on content of the communications between the first client and second client in the communication session;

searching a media database based on the one or more concepts to produce a search result; and

transmitting the search result to the first and second clients for presentation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the searching the media database comprises searching an image database for images matching the one or more concepts.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more concepts are distinct from the content of the communications between the first client and second client in the communication session.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the image database comprises an index mapping concepts to images.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the media database is dynamically updated.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the media database comprises an image database, and further including dynamically updating the image database so as to include images associated with news events.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the presented search result is associated with an object in the multi-dimensional virtual environment.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the search result is presented in a pre-defined region in proximity to the object in the multi-dimensional virtual environment to which it is associated.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the search result is displayed as a thought associated with the object in the multi-dimensional virtual environment to which it is associated.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

searching the media database based on one or more further communications between the first client and second client in the communication session to produce an updated search result; and

transmitting the updated search result to the first and second clients for presentation.

11. A method comprising:

at a server system;

enabling participation by a first client and a second client in a communication session in a multi-dimensional virtual environment, including;

searching a media database based on one or more communications between the first client and second client in the communication session to produce a search result; and

transmitting the search result to the first and second clients for presentation, wherein the media database is dynamically updated.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the searching of the media database comprises searching an image database for images matching one or more concepts, the one or more concepts based on content of the communications between the first client and second client in the communication session.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more concepts are distinct from the content of the communications between the first client and second client in the communication session.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the image database comprises an index mapping concepts to images.

15. The method of claim 12, including updating the image database so as to include images associated with news events.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the search result is transmitted to the first and second clients for presentation in a pre-defined region in proximity to the object in the multi-dimensional virtual environment to which it is associated.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

searching the media database based on one or more further communications between the first client and second client in the communication session to produce an updated search result; and

transmitting the updated search result to the first and second clients for presentation.

18. A server system, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory;

one or more programs in the memory to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising instructions for;

enabling participation by a first client and a second client in a communication session in a multi-dimensional virtual environment, including;

determining, based on the one or more communications between the first client and second client, one or more concepts based on content of the communications between the first client and second client in the communication session;

searching a media database based on the one or more concepts to produce a search result; and

transmitting the search result to the first and second clients for presentation.

19. A server system, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory;

one or more programs in the memory to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising instructions for;

enabling participation by a first client and a second client in a communication session in a multi-dimensional virtual environment, including;

searching a media database based on one or more communications between the first client and second client in the communication session to produce a search result; and

transmitting the search result to the first and second clients for presentation wherein the media database is dynamically updated.

20. A method comprising:

at a first client;

participating in a communication session with a second client in a multi-dimensional virtual environment;

receiving media data based on one or more concepts in the one or more communications between the first client and second client in the communication session; and

presenting the received media data.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the one or more concepts are distinct from text of the communications.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the media data comprises one or more images, and further comprising:

displaying the one or more images in a pre-defined region in proximity to an object in the multi-dimensional virtual environment with which the one or more images are associated.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving additional media data based on one or more concepts in the one or more further communications between the first client and second client in the communication session; and

presenting the additional received media data.

24. A client system, comprising a first client, the client system comprising:

one or more processors;

memory;

one or more programs in the memory to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising instructions for;

participating in a communication session with a second client in a multi-dimensional virtual environment;

receiving media data based on one or more concepts in the one or more communications between the first client and second client in the communication session; and

presenting the received media data.

25. A computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs to be executed by a computer system comprising a first client, the one or more computer programs comprising instructions for:

participating in a communication session with a second client in a multi-dimensional virtual environment;

receiving media data based on one or more concepts in the one or more communications between the first client and second client in the communication session; and

presenting the received media data.