METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TOPIC BASED VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS AND EXPERTISE DETECTION

• US 20120229446A1
• Filed: 03/07/2011
• Published: 09/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: HYNDMAN, Arn, SAURIOL, Nicholas
• Granted Patent: US 9,305,465 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied

Abstract

A method and system for creating a topic-based 3D virtual environment. The inventive method and system provides a 3D virtual environment that includes images, scenery, and content that relate to the topic of discussion in the virtual environment. If the virtual “meeting” should be adjourned or ended, the system saves the data, discussions that occurred during the meeting, and all the scenery and content related to the virtual meeting so that the meeting can be continued with all of the content and imagery in place. A virtual environment template containing this information is loaded and used for subsequent virtual meetings discussing the same topic.

Claims

1. A method for a topic-based virtual environment, the method comprising:

identifying at least one topic, the at least one topic being the subject of a virtual environment instance;

selecting a virtual environment template;

loading data from a database into the virtual environment template, the data being related to the at least one topic; and

rendering the virtual environment instance, the virtual environment including the virtual environment template.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the database to include at least some information presented during the virtual environment instance.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual environment instance includes at least one placeholder, the method further comprising displaying at least one item related to the at least one topic in the at least one placeholder.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the displayed at least one item related to the at least one topic is displayed during a subsequent virtual environment instance related to the at least one topic.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising compiling a record of activities occurring during the virtual environment instance and storing the record of activities in the database.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

analyzing the activities occurring during the virtual environment instance; and

identifying a person having a predetermined level of knowledge of the at least one topic.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein identifying a person having a predetermined level of knowledge of the at least one topic is based on contributions related to the at least one topic made by persons participating in the virtual environment instance.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising inviting the identified person to contribute to a subsequent virtual environment instance related to the at least one topic.

9. A system for constructing a topic-based virtual environment comprising:

a template selector, the template selector selecting a virtual environment template related to at least one topic, the at least one topic being the subject of a virtual environment instance;

a database, the database storing data related to the at least one topic; and

a processor, the processor loading the data related to the at least one topic from the database into the virtual environment template, the virtual environment template included in the virtual environment.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a topic engine, the topic engine updating the database to include at least some information presented during the virtual environment instance.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the virtual environment instance includes at least one placeholder, the template selector generating at least one item related to the at least one topic for display in the at least one placeholder.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the displayed at least one item related to the at least one topic remain displayed during a subsequent virtual environment instance related to the at least one topic.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the database stores a record of activities occurring during the virtual environment instance.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor analyzes the record of activities and identifies a person having a predetermined level of knowledge of the at least one topic.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor identifies a person having a predetermined level of knowledge of the at least topic based on contributions related to the at least one topic made by persons participating in the virtual environment instance.

16. A method of constructing a three-dimensional virtual environment template, the method comprising:

identifying a topic in an initial three-dimensional virtual environment instance;

obtaining data from a database, the obtained data related to the identified topic;

defining at least one three-dimensional placeholder within the initial three dimensional environment instance; and

loading the identified data into the placeholders.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising defining at least one three-dimensional object that may appear in the initial three-dimensional virtual environment instance.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising selecting the three-dimensional virtual environment template for use in a subsequent three-dimensional virtual environment instance related to the topic identified in the initial three-dimensional virtual environment instance.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the placeholders used for the initial three-dimensional virtual environment instance appear in the subsequent three-dimensional virtual environment instance.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising at least one of moving the placeholder, adding additional placeholders and deleting the placeholder within the three-dimensional virtual environment.