REMOTE TELEPRESENCE SERVER

• US 20140240442A1
• Filed: 05/05/2014
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pfaqutruma Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Gary S. Shuster
• Inventors: Shuster, Gary Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 9,843,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.05
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/28 responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light controlling the output signals based on the game progress A63F13/50
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/525 Changing parameters of virtual cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/53 involving additional visual information provided to the game scene, e.g. by overlay to simulate a head-up display [HUD] or displaying a laser sight in a shooting game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/157 defining a virtual conference space and using avatars or agents computer conference optimisation or adaptation H04L12/1827

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling a live avatar include features for directing the live avatar gaze to be consistent with a remote operator'"'"'s view of the live avatar'"'"'s surroundings. Indication of gaze direction may be continuously provided to the live avatar using movable optics, for example a heads-up display, or a movable optical prism or lens. Gaze direction or operator commands may be communicated using a haptic device. Video and control streams from multiple live avatars may be aggregated through a host server and allocated via an online interface to multiple prospective remote operators.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving video streams at a first server, the video streams originating from separate video cameras carried at contemporaneous times by different live avatars, and each associated with a respective identifier for ones of the different live avatars;

serving an interface, the interface indicating identifiers for the different live avatars and enabling each of multiple clients to select at least any one of the video streams associated with the different live avatars;

receiving selection signals from the multiple clients; and

initiating connections between the multiple clients and the live avatars for controlling respective ones of the live avatars.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the interface to include only selected ones of the video streams from live avatars that are not being controlled by any one of multiple clients.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the interface to indicate whether respective ones of the live avatars are being controlled by any one of multiple clients.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein serving the interface further comprises serving a network interface document configured for initiating and managing connections between the clients and the avatars.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising hosting a back-end database storing recordings of live avatar audio-video feeds.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein serving the interface comprises indicating service information pertinent to use of the live avatars via the connections.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the service information comprises information selected from:

a description of a live event where one or more of the live avatars is present, hourly rates for each of the live avatars, and technical features of avatar apparatus in use by each of the live avatars.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein serving the interface further comprises providing an interface for forming user contracts for renting the connections between the multiple clients and the live avatars for controlling respective ones of the live avatars to specified users for specified periods of time.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising collecting, via the interface, a fee prior to initiating each of the connections.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising tracking a duration of each of the connections and debiting associated user accounts accordingly.

11. A server apparatus comprising at least one processor coupled to a memory, the memory holding instructions that when executed by the at least one processor cause the server apparatus to perform:

receiving video streams originating from separate video cameras carried at contemporaneous times by different live avatars, and each associated with a respective identifier for ones of the different live avatars;

serving an interface indicating identifiers for the different live avatars and enabling each of multiple clients to select at least any one of the video streams associated with the different live avatars;

receiving selection signals from the multiple clients; and

initiating connections between the multiple clients and the live avatars for controlling respective ones of the live avatars.

12. The server apparatus of claim 11, wherein the memory holds further instructions for configuring the interface to include only selected ones of the video streams from live avatars that are not being controlled by any one of multiple clients.

13. The server apparatus of claim 11, wherein the memory holds further instructions for configuring the interface to indicate whether respective ones of the live avatars are being controlled by any one of multiple clients.

14. The server apparatus of claim 11, wherein the memory holds further instructions for serving the interface at least in part by serving a network interface document configured for initiating and managing connections between the clients and the avatars.

15. The server apparatus of claim 11, wherein the memory holds further instructions for hosting a back-end database storing recordings of live avatar audio-video feeds.

16. The server apparatus of claim 11, wherein the memory holds further instructions for serving the interface including indicating service information pertinent to use of the live avatars via the connections.

17. The server apparatus of claim 16, wherein the service information comprises information selected from:

a description of a live event where one or more of the live avatars is present, hourly rates for each of the live avatars, and technical features of avatar apparatus in use by each of the live avatars.

18. The server apparatus of claim 11, wherein the memory holds further instructions for serving the interface including providing an interface for forming user contracts for renting the connections between the multiple clients and the live avatars for controlling respective ones of the live avatars to specified users for specified periods of time.

19. The server apparatus of claim 18, wherein the memory holds further instructions for collecting, via the interface, a fee prior to initiating each of the connections.

20. The server apparatus of claim 18, wherein the memory holds further instructions for tracking a duration of each of the connections and debiting associated user accounts accordingly.