REPRESENTATIONS OF COMMUNICATIONS SESSIONS IN VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS
First Claim
1. A method of representing a communications session in a virtual environment implemented in a server computer system, comprising the steps of:
- a) said server computer system providing access to said virtual environment to a user employing a user computer system whereby an observation point into said virtual environment at a current location is provided to said user computer system;
b) receiving at said server computer system a notification of a request for a communications session with said user;
c) said server computer system generating a presentation entity, said presentation entity being visible and/or audible within said virtual environment and having the ability to present to said user information regarding said request for said communications session;
d) providing said presentation entity at a location within said virtual environment where the presentation entity is visible and/or audible to said user'"'"'s observation point; and
e) controlling the presentation entity to present to said user information regarding said request for said communications session.
21 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of representing communications sessions in a virtual environment employs a presentation entity which is provided at a location in the environment where it will be visible and/or audible from the observation point of a user with whom a communications session has been requested. The presentation entity, which can represent a character or an object in the environment, for example, presents information to the user from within the environment. Also disclosed is an automated inhabitant which can operated to interact with other inhabitants of such an environment, obtaining information which is passed to and used by a contact center to queue contacts between such other inhabitants and contact center agents.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of representing a communications session in a virtual environment implemented in a server computer system, comprising the steps of:
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a) said server computer system providing access to said virtual environment to a user employing a user computer system whereby an observation point into said virtual environment at a current location is provided to said user computer system; b) receiving at said server computer system a notification of a request for a communications session with said user; c) said server computer system generating a presentation entity, said presentation entity being visible and/or audible within said virtual environment and having the ability to present to said user information regarding said request for said communications session; d) providing said presentation entity at a location within said virtual environment where the presentation entity is visible and/or audible to said user'"'"'s observation point; and e) controlling the presentation entity to present to said user information regarding said request for said communications session. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A computer program product comprising a data carrier having encoded thereon machine readable instructions which when executed in a server computer system are effective to cause said server computer system to:
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a) provide access to a virtual environment to a user employing a user computer system whereby an observation point into said virtual environment at a current location is provided to said user computer system; b) upon receiving a notification of a request for a communications session with said user, generate a presentation entity, said presentation entity being visible and/or audible within said virtual environment and having the ability to present to said user information regarding said request for said communications session; c) provide said presentation entity at a location within said virtual environment where the presentation entity is visible and/or audible to said user'"'"'s observation point; and d) control the presentation entity to present to said user information regarding said request for said communications session.
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8. A server computer system operating a computer program thereon which causes said server computer system to:
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a) provide access to a virtual environment to a user employing a user computer system whereby an observation point into said virtual environment at a current location is provided to said user computer system; b) upon receiving a notification of a request for a communications session with said user, generate a presentation entity, said presentation entity being visible and/or audible within said virtual environment and having the ability to present to said user information regarding said request for said communications session; c) provide said presentation entity at a location within said virtual environment where the presentation entity is visible and/or audible to said user'"'"'s observation point; and d) control the presentation entity to present to said user information regarding said request for said communications session.
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9. A method of operating a system comprising a virtual environment implemented in a computerized system and a contact center having an interface with said virtual environment, comprising the steps of:
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a) generating within said virtual environment an automated inhabitant associated with said contact center; b) controlling said automated inhabitant with an automated program causing the automated inhabitant to operate at least part of the time in a contact mode of operation; wherein said contact mode of operation comprises; (i) controlling said automated inhabitant to interact with another inhabitant of the virtual environment, (ii) capturing information from said interaction; and (iii) forwarding said captured information to said contact center; whereby said contact center may direct a contact relating to said interaction to a resource of said contact center based at least in part on said captured information. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A computer program product comprising a data carrier having encoded thereon machine readable instructions which, when executed in a computerized system comprising a virtual environment and a contact center having an interface with said virtual environment, cause said computerized system to:
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a) generate within said virtual environment an automated inhabitant associated with said contact center; b) control said automated inhabitant with an automated program causing the automated inhabitant to operate at least part of the time in a contact mode of operation; wherein said contact mode of operation comprises; (i) controlling said automated inhabitant to interact with another inhabitant of the virtual environment, (ii) capturing information from said interaction; and (iii) forwarding said captured information to said contact center; whereby said contact center may direct a contact relating to said interaction to a resource of said contact center based at least in part on said captured information.
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23. A computerized system controlling a virtual environment and including a contact center having an interface with said virtual environment, said computerized system operating a computer program thereon which causes said server computer system to:
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a) generate within said virtual environment an automated inhabitant associated with said contact center; b) control said automated inhabitant with an automated program causing the automated inhabitant to operate at least part of the time in a contact mode of operation; wherein said contact mode of operation comprises; (i) controlling said automated inhabitant to interact with another inhabitant of the virtual environment, (ii) capturing information from said interaction; and (iii) forwarding said captured information to said contact center; whereby said contact center may direct a contact relating to said interaction to a resource of said contact center based at least in part on said captured information.
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Specification