CREATING AND MANAGING VIRTUAL AREAS
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- creating a model of a virtual area based on a virtual area specification that defines one or more zones of the virtual area, specifies a message handling protocol for each of one or more message types, specifies validation rules for validating messages of respective message types in connection with respective ones of the one or more zones, and specifies follow-on rules for acting on messages of respective message types;
for each of multiple messages of respective ones of the message types received from respective network nodes in respective sessions associated with respective ones of the one or more zones of the virtual area,determining the message handling protocol specified in the virtual area specification for the respective message type of the message,handling the message according to the determined message handling protocol, wherein the handling comprises identifying any validation rules specified in the virtual area specification for validating messages of the respective message type of the message in connection with the respective zone, validating the message against each identified validation rule, and based on validation of the message against all the identified validation rules, identifying any follow-on rules specified in the virtual area specification for acting on messages of the respective message type of the message and acting on the message according each identified follow-on rule; and
managing communications of respective ones of the network nodes in connection with the virtual area based on the model of the virtual area and results of the handling.
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Abstract
Systems and methods of managing communications in a virtual area are described. Examples of the systems and methods provide services for creating highly customizable virtual area applications that support realtime virtual area communications. In some examples, these services manage communications between network nodes that are linked to a virtual area according to rules embodied in a virtual area application defining the virtual area. Examples of the systems and methods provide a generic framework for transforming a designer'"'"'s specification of a virtual area into instructions that dynamically configure service functionality for acting on messages that are received from network nodes in connection with the virtual area.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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creating a model of a virtual area based on a virtual area specification that defines one or more zones of the virtual area, specifies a message handling protocol for each of one or more message types, specifies validation rules for validating messages of respective message types in connection with respective ones of the one or more zones, and specifies follow-on rules for acting on messages of respective message types; for each of multiple messages of respective ones of the message types received from respective network nodes in respective sessions associated with respective ones of the one or more zones of the virtual area, determining the message handling protocol specified in the virtual area specification for the respective message type of the message, handling the message according to the determined message handling protocol, wherein the handling comprises identifying any validation rules specified in the virtual area specification for validating messages of the respective message type of the message in connection with the respective zone, validating the message against each identified validation rule, and based on validation of the message against all the identified validation rules, identifying any follow-on rules specified in the virtual area specification for acting on messages of the respective message type of the message and acting on the message according each identified follow-on rule; and managing communications of respective ones of the network nodes in connection with the virtual area based on the model of the virtual area and results of the handling. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. Apparatus, comprising a memory storing processor-readable instructions;
- and a processor coupled to the memory, operable to execute the instructions, and based at least in part on the execution of the instructions operable to perform operations comprising;
creating a model of a virtual area based on a virtual area specification that defines one or more zones of the virtual area, specifies a message handling protocol for each of one or more message types, specifies validation rules for validating messages of respective message types in connection with respective ones of the one or more zones, and specifies follow-on rules for acting on messages of respective message types; for each of multiple messages of respective ones of the message types received from respective network nodes in respective sessions associated with respective ones of the one or more zones of the virtual area, determining the message handling protocol specified in the virtual area specification for the respective message type of the message, handling the message according to the determined message handling protocol, wherein the handling comprises identifying any validation rules specified in the virtual area specification for validating messages of the respective message type of the message in connection with the respective zone, validating the message against each identified validation rule, and based on validation of the message against all the identified validation rules, identifying any follow-on rules specified in the virtual area specification for acting on messages of the respective message type of the message and acting on the message according each identified follow-on rule; and managing communications of respective ones of the network nodes in connection with the virtual area based on the model of the virtual area and results of the handling.
- and a processor coupled to the memory, operable to execute the instructions, and based at least in part on the execution of the instructions operable to perform operations comprising;
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24. At least one computer-readable medium having processor-readable program code embodied therein, the processor-readable program code adapted to be executed by a processor to perform operations comprising:
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creating a model of a virtual area based on a virtual area specification that defines one or more zones of the virtual area, specifies a message handling protocol for each of one or more message types, specifies validation rules for validating messages of respective message types in connection with respective ones of the one or more zones, and specifies follow-on rules for acting on messages of respective message types; for each of multiple messages of respective ones of the message types received from respective network nodes in respective sessions associated with respective ones of the one or more zones of the virtual area, determining the message handling protocol specified in the virtual area specification for the respective message type of the message, handling the message according to the determined message handling protocol, wherein the handling comprises identifying any validation rules specified in the virtual area specification for validating messages of the respective message type of the message in connection with the respective zone, validating the message against each identified validation rule, and based on validation of the message against all the identified validation rules, identifying any follow-on rules specified in the virtual area specification for acting on messages of the respective message type of the message and acting on the message according each identified follow-on rule; and managing communications of respective ones of the network nodes in connection with the virtual area based on the model of the virtual area and results of the handling.
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25-53. -53. (canceled)
Specification