Visual Indication of Audio Context in a Computer-Generated Virtual Environment

• US 20100169796A1
• Filed: 12/28/2008
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Hyndman, Arn, Lynk, John Chris
• Application Number:
  US12/344,569
• Publication Number:
  US 20100169796A1
• 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 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/306 for displaying a marker associated to an object or location in the game field
• 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 2300/6081 generating an output signal, e.g. under timing constraints, for spatialization
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing a visual indication of audio context in a computer-generated virtual environment is provided. In one embodiment, visual indicators of which other Avatars are within communication distance of an Avatar may be generated and provided to the user associated with the Avatar. The visual indication may be provided for Avatars within the viewing area regardless of whether the other Avatar is visible or not. The visual indication may be provided for Avatars outside of the viewing area as well. When Avatars are engaged in a communication session, an indication of which Avatars are involved as well as which Avatar is currently speaking may be provided. Context may be user specific and established for each user of the virtual environment based on the location of that user'"'"'s Avatar within the virtual environment and the relative location of other users'"'"' Avatars within the virtual environment.

Claims

1. A method of selectively enabling audio context to be provided to a user of a computer-generated virtual environment, the method comprising the steps of:

determining which Avatars are within listening distance of the user'"'"'s Avatar in the virtual environment;

marking Avatars that are within listening distance of the user'"'"'s Avatar different from Avatars that are not within listening distance of the user'"'"'s Avatar.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein Avatars that are within listening distance of the user'"'"'s Avatar are marked regardless of whether they are visible within a field of view of the user'"'"'s Avatar.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a name plate is provided for each Avatar that is not visible but contained within the field of view.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein if an Avatar is obscured by an obstacle within the field of view, the name plate is shown on the obstacle to show the user where the Avatar is located behind the obstacle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein Avatars that are within the field of view of the user'"'"'s Avatar and are within listening distance of the user'"'"'s Avatar are marked with a name plate, and Avatars that are within the field of view of the user'"'"'s Avatar and not within listening distance of the user'"'"'s Avatar are not marked with a name plate.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein all name plates are the same size regardless of how far away the associated Avatar is from the user'"'"'s Avatar in the virtual environment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one hearability icon is provided on an edge of the virtual environment to indicate a presence of Avatars that are outside the field of view and present in the virtual environment.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the hearability icon is displayed on the edge of the virtual environment in the direction of the Avatar that is outside the field of view of the user'"'"'s Avatar.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the hearability icon is highlighted whenever a new Avatars comes within listening distance.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a name of the user associated with the new Avatar is also provided whenever the new Avatar comes within listening distance.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein a total is provided to indicate a total number of other users that can hear the user.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising marking Avatars whenever a user associated with the Avatar speaks to indicate who is talking within the virtual environment.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of marking Avatars is implemented for Avatars that are within the field of view and for Avatars that are not within the field of view.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of marking Avatars that are speaking and not within the field of view comprises showing the name of the person who is speaking on the side of the screen where the Avatar is located within the virtual environment.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of highlighting any person invoking an ability to broadcast their voice to a region of the virtual environment.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of highlighting includes providing a name associated with the user invoking the ability and a location indication of the Avatar within the virtual environment.

17. A method of selectively enabling audio context to be provided to a user of a computer-generated virtual environment, the method comprising the steps of:

determining which other Avatars are visible to the first Avatar within the virtual environment;

determining which of the other visible Avatars are within communicating distance of the first Avatar;

for those Avatars that are visible and within communicating distance of the first Avatar, providing a visual indication associated with each such Avatar to indicate which of the other Avatars are within communicating distance of the first Avatar;

determining which other Avatars are not visible to the first Avatar and are within communicating distance of the first Avatar;

providing a visual indication to the user to alert the user to the presence of the other Avatars that are not visible to the first Avatar and are within communicating distance of the first Avatar.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein any users having an Avatar within communicating distance of the first Avatar are automatically included on a communication session with a user associated with the first Avatar.