SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING VIRTUAL WORLD CONTENT FROM A SERVER SYSTEM TO A CLIENT COMPUTER OVER A DATA NETWORK

• US 20140129434A1
• Filed: 01/14/2014
• Published: 05/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Konrad V. Sherinian
• Original Assignee: Konrad V. Sherinian
• Inventors: Sherinian, Konrad V.
• Application Number:
  US14/154,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20140129434A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/355 Performing operations on behalf of clients with restricted processing capabilities, e.g. servers transform changing game scene into an encoded video stream for transmitting to a mobile phone or a thin client
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/525 Changing parameters of virtual cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/538 for performing operations on behalf of the game client, e.g. rendering
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6661 for changing the position of the virtual camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

Virtual world content is transmitted from at least one server to at least one client computer by defining a camera position on the client computer and projecting a geometrical shape from the camera position in the direction of a viewing vector. This geometrical shape defines a subsection of the virtual world content, which is then transmitted to the particular client, where it is maintained within a content cache.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting virtual world content from a server to a client computer over a data network comprising the steps of:

i) transmitting information from said client computer to said server over said data network;

ii) predicting content required by said client computer based on said transmitted information; and

iii) transmitting said predicted content from said server to said client computer over said data network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said client computer comprises at least one avatar and wherein said transmitted information comprises past and present behavior information associated with said avatar.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one user is associated with said client computer, and further comprising the steps of:

iv) defining a plurality of subscription levels, of which a particular subscription level is associated with said user; and

v) querying said user for authorization to bill for content not associated with said particular subscription level.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one user is associated with said client computer, and further comprising the steps of:

vi) defining a plurality of content areas associated with said user, and other content areas not associated with said user; and

vii) querying said user for authorization to bill for content associated with said user.

5-18. -18. (canceled)

19. A system for transmitting virtual world content comprising:

viii) a server coupled to a data network, said server adapted to maintain a virtual world comprising a collection of virtual world content;

ix) a client computer coupled to said data network;

x) a first software component adapted to operate said client computer and adapted to transmit information from said client computer to said server over said data network;

xi) a second software component adapted to operate on said server and adapted to;

(1) predict virtual world content required by said client computer based on said transmitted information; and

(2) transmit said predicted content from said server to said client computer over said data network.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said client computer comprises at least one avatar and wherein said transmitted information comprises past and present behavior information associated with said avatar.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein at least one user is associated with said client computer, and said second software component is further adapted to:

xii) define a plurality of subscription levels, of which a particular subscription level is associated with said user; and

;

xiii) query said user for authorization to bill for content not associated with said particular subscription level.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein at least one user is associated with said client computer, and said second software component is further adapted to:

xiv) define a plurality of content areas associated with said user, and other content areas not associated with said user; and

;

xv) query said user for authorization to bill for content associated with said user.