Replicating Changes Between Corresponding Objects

• US 20120038667A1
• Filed: 08/11/2010
• Published: 02/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roblox Corp.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Branson, Michael J., Hintermeister, Gregory R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,564,621 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/632
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/12 Synchronisation between the display unit and other units, e.g. other display units, video-disc players
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention generally relate to replicating changes between corresponding real objects and virtual objects in a virtual world. Embodiments of the invention may include receiving a request to generate a virtual item in a virtual world based on a real-world object, generating the virtual item, synchronizing the virtual item and real-world object, and sharing the virtual item with a second avatar in the virtual world.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of communicating content, comprising:

creating a virtual object in a virtual world, based on a real-world object existing outside the virtual world;

synchronizing, by operation of one or more computer processors, the virtual object with the real-world object such that changes to one of the objects are reflected in the other object; and

associating the virtual object with a first avatar in the virtual world.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transferring possession of the virtual object in the virtual world from the first avatar to a second avatar in the virtual world.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

disabling use of the real-world object until the first avatar regains possession of the virtual object.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a request to restore possession of the virtual object to the first avatar; and

responsive to the request, transferring possession of the virtual object in the virtual world from the second avatar to the first avatar.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein synchronizing the virtual object with the real-world object further comprises:

detecting a state change for the virtual object in the virtual world; and

updating a state of the real-world object based on an updated state of the virtual object in the virtual world.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein synchronizing the virtual object with the real-world object further comprises:

detecting a state change for the real-world object existing outside the virtual world; and

updating a state of the virtual object in the virtual world based on an updated state of the real-world object.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

making at least a portion of the virtual object viewable by a second user associated with a second avatar in the virtual world, wherein the at least a portion of the virtual object is viewable by the second user only for a predetermined period of time.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

requesting permission from the first avatar to share the virtual object with a second avatar; and

upon receiving the permission, making at least a portion of the virtual object viewable by the second avatar.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein requesting permission from the first avatar further comprises:

determining whether an identifier associated with the second avatar is included on a list of pre-approved avatars; and

upon determining the identifier is on the list, granting permission to the second avatar.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein synchronizing the virtual object with the real-world object further comprises:

receiving a request from a first user associated with the first avatar to view a current viewing position in the virtual item of the second avatar; and

in response to receiving the request, updating a state of the real-world object based on a current state of the virtual object in the virtual world.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a first user associated with the first avatar has possession of the real-world object; and

upon determining the first user has possession, making at least a portion of the virtual object viewable by a second user associated with a second avatar in the virtual world.

12. A system, comprising:

a computer processor; and

a memory containing a program that, when executed on the computer processor, performs an operation for communicating content, comprising;

creating a virtual object in a virtual world, based on a real-world object existing outside the virtual world;

synchronizing the virtual object with the real-world object such that changes to one of the objects are reflected in the other object; and

associating the virtual object with a first avatar in the virtual world.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

transferring possession of the virtual object in the virtual world from the first avatar to a second avatar in the virtual world.

14. The system of claim 13, the operation further comprising:

disabling use of the real-world object until the first avatar regains possession of the virtual object.

15. The system of claim 13, the operation further comprising:

receiving a request to restore possession of the virtual object to the first avatar; and

responsive to the request, transferring possession of the virtual object in the virtual world from the second avatar to the first avatar.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein synchronizing the virtual object with the real-world object further comprises:

detecting a state change for the virtual object in the virtual world; and

updating a state of the real-world object based on an updated state of the virtual object in the virtual world.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein synchronizing the virtual object with the real-world object further comprises:

detecting a state change for the real-world object existing outside the virtual world; and

updating a state of the virtual object in the virtual world based on an updated state of the real-world object.

18. The system of claim 12, the operation further comprising:

making at least a portion of the virtual object viewable by a second user associated with a second avatar in the virtual world, wherein the at least a portion of the virtual object is viewable by the second user only for a predetermined period of time.

19. A computer program product for communicating content, comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium having a computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code to create a virtual object in the virtual world, based on a real-world object existing outside the virtual world;

computer readable program code to synchronize the virtual object with the real-world object such that changes to one of the objects are reflected in the other object; and

computer readable program code to associate the virtual object with a first avatar in the virtual world.

20. The computer readable program product of claim 19, further comprising:

computer readable program code to request permission from the first avatar to share the virtual object with a second avatar; and

computer readable program code to make at least a portion of the virtual object viewable by the second avatar.