SYSTEM AND METHOD TO MODIFY AUDIO COMPONENTS IN AN ONLINE ENVIRONMENT

• US 20100146408A1
• Filed: 12/10/2008
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: AMSTERDAM, Jeffrey D., Hamilton, Rick A. II, O'Connell, Brian M., Walker, Keith R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,529,423 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/757
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00

Abstract

A system and method to modify audio components in an online environment based on avatar characteristics and/or inventory items. The system includes a component to allow one or more audio modification algorithms to be selected. The system also includes a component to identify one or more avatar characteristics and a component to identify one or more avatar inventory items. The system further comprises a component to modify an audio communication in a virtual universe based on at least one of the one or more audio modification algorithms, the one or more avatar characteristics, and the one or more avatar inventory items.

Claims

1. An audio modification system comprising hardware and software, the system comprising:

a component configured to allow one or more audio modification algorithms to be selected;

a component configured to identify at least one of one or more avatar characteristics and one or more avatar inventory items; and

a component configured to modify an audio communication in a virtual universe based on at least one of the one or more audio modification algorithms, the one or more avatar characteristics, and the one or more avatar inventory items.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more avatar characteristics are characteristics of a speaking avatar or a receiving avatar.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more avatar inventory items are inventory items of a speaking avatar or a receiving avatar.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more audio modifications are selected by a user, an administrator, or the virtual universe.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least a component to notify a receiving avatar that the audio communication has been modified, a component to alter the audio communication based on a direction a speaking avatar is facing, or a component to automatically modify an audio object based on one or more previous modifications.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein a modified audio component is transmitted on a first audio channel and an unmodified audio component is transmitted on a second audio channel.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is at least one of supported, deployed, maintained, and created by a service provider.

8. A method for modifying audio implemented on a computer infrastructure and embodied on a computer readable storage medium comprising:

modifying an audio communication based on one or more of a sound modification algorithm, an inventory item, a characteristic, a user direction, and an object location;

transmitting the audio communication to a receiver in a virtual universe; and

notifying the receiver that a modification has been applied.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the characteristic and the inventory item are related to at least one avatar.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the modifying is permanent or ad hoc.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the audio communication originates from at least one avatar or an object within the virtual universe.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the method is at least one of supported, deployed, maintained, and created by a service provider.

13. The method of claim 8, comprising:

identifying the audio communication originating from at least one avatar or an object within the virtual universe;

identifying one or more audio modifications, which include the sound modification algorithm, the inventory item, the characteristic, the user direction, and the object location;

determining whether at least one of the one or more audio modifications are applicable to the audio communication;

applying at least one of the one or more audio modifications to the audio communication;

transmitting the audio communication, wherein the transmitted audio communication is one of modified or unmodified; and

notifying the receiver about at least one of the one or more audio modifications visually or audibly.

14. A computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having readable program code embodied in the storage medium, the computer program product includes at least one component operable to:

identify at least one of a sound modification algorithm, an inventory item, a characteristic, a user direction, and an object location; and

modify an audio communication within a virtual universe based on at least one of the sound modification algorithm, the inventory item, the characteristic, the user direction, and the object location.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the audio communication is modified by altering at least one of pitch, loudness, duration, spectral morphing, or warping.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein audio communication is modified before or after transmission.

17. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the characteristic and the inventory item are related to at least one avatar.

18. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer program product is at least one of supported, deployed, maintained, and created by a service provider.

19. The computer program product of claim 14, comprising at least one component to:

identify the audio communication originating from at least one avatar or an object within the virtual universe;

identify one or more audio modifications, which include the sound modification algorithm, the inventory item, the characteristic, the user direction, and the object location;

determine whether at least one of the one or more audio modifications are applicable to the audio communication;

apply at least one of the one or more audio modifications to the audio communication;

transmit the audio communication, wherein the transmitted audio communication is modified or unmodified; and

notify the receiver about at least one of the one or more audio modifications visually or audibly.

20. A method for deploying an application for modifying audio communications, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;

modify an audio communication in a virtual universe based on a sound modification algorithm, an inventory item, a characteristic, a user direction, and an object location; and

transmit the audio communication.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the sound modification algorithm is selected by a user.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the computer infrastructure is further operable to identify one or more modifications to the audio communication and notify a third party of the one or more modifications.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the characteristic and the inventory item are related to at least one avatar.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the one or more modifications are related to an avatar age, gender, health, or species.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the computer infrastructure is at least one of supported, deployed, maintained, and created by a service provider.