COORDINATING MULTIPLE VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS

• US 20170021273A1
• Filed: 07/23/2015
• Published: 01/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: RIOS, ROQUE
• Granted Patent: US 10,799,792 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00

Abstract

Examples for managing the participation of users in multiple virtual environments are described. An example method includes a processor receiving from a first user device a virtual object that is created by a user and at least one trigger condition for presenting the virtual object, obtaining a physical location of the first user device, and receiving a selection of a first virtual environment for the virtual object from among a plurality of virtual environments associated with the first user device. The method may further include the processor associating the virtual object with the physical location and with the first virtual environment that is selected, and presenting the virtual object to a second user device associated with the first virtual environment when the at least one trigger condition is encountered, where the at least one trigger condition includes a condition that the second user device is proximate to the physical location.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving from a first user device, by a processor, a virtual object that is created by a user and at least one trigger condition for presenting the virtual object;

obtaining, by the processor, a physical location of the first user device;

receiving, by the processor, a selection of a first virtual environment for the virtual object, wherein the first virtual environment is selected from among a plurality of virtual environments associated with the first user device;

associating, by the processor, the virtual object with the physical location and with the first virtual environment that is selected; and

presenting, by the processor, the virtual object to a second user device associated with the first virtual environment when the at least one the trigger condition is encountered, wherein the at least one trigger condition comprises a condition that the second user device is proximate to the physical location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a parameter from the first user device for interacting with the virtual object, wherein the parameter is associated with a transformation of the virtual object in response to the parameter being satisfied.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving an input from the second user device proximate the physical location;

determining that the input from the second user device satisfies the parameter; and

transforming the virtual object in accordance with the input.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the virtual object in a storage device;

detecting that a third user device associated with the virtual environment is proximate the physical location;

retrieving the virtual object from the storage device; and

presenting the virtual object to the third user device when it is detected that the third user device is proximate the physical location.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

detecting an end condition associated with the virtual object; and

removing the virtual object from the storage device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from an originating user device, a request to create the first virtual environment; and

receiving, from the originating user device, conditions to determine a community of users to be associated with the first virtual environment.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving data from a user device of a user in the community of users regarding an additional physical location;

generating a plurality of virtual objects for the first virtual environment; and

associating the plurality of virtual objects with the additional physical location.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of virtual objects that is generated is selected based upon a theme of the first virtual environment, wherein the theme of the first virtual environment is selected via the request that is received from the originating user device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the presenting the virtual object to the second user device comprises transmitting the virtual object to the second user device for presentation via a display of the second user device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining the physical location of the first user device comprises:

receiving coordinate information from the first user device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user device and the second user device comprise augmented reality devices.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the processor comprises a processor of a server, wherein the server manages the plurality of virtual environments.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving from a first user device a virtual object that is created by a user and a trigger condition for presenting the virtual object;

obtaining a physical location of the first user device;

receiving a selection of a first virtual environment for the virtual object, wherein the first virtual environment is selected from among a plurality of virtual environments associated with the first user device;

associating the virtual object with the physical location and with the first virtual environment that is selected; and

presenting the virtual object to at least a second user device associated with the first virtual environment when the second user device is proximate the physical location when the trigger condition is encountered.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor of a user device, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving a selection of priorities between a first virtual environment associated with a user of the user device and a second virtual environment associated with the user;

detecting a physical location of the user device;

providing the physical location to a server;

receiving virtual objects associated with the physical location, wherein a first virtual object of the virtual objects is associated with the first virtual environment and wherein a second virtual object of the virtual objects is associated with the second virtual environment; and

displaying at least the first virtual object based upon the selection of priorities.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium claim 14, wherein the selection of priorities specifies that the first virtual object associated with the first virtual environment is to be displayed when the user device is at the physical location and the second virtual object associated with the second virtual environment is not to be displayed.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the selection of priorities specifies that when the user device is at the physical location, the first virtual object associated with the first virtual environment is to be displayed and the second virtual object associated with the second virtual environment is to be displayed with one of:

a greater transparency as compared to the first virtual object;

or

a lesser brightness as compared to the first virtual object.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprising:

receiving a change in the selection of priorities; and

displaying at least the second virtual object based upon the change in the selection of priorities.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the change in the selection of priorities specifies that the second virtual object associated with the second virtual environment is to be displayed when the user device is at the physical location and the first virtual object associated with the first virtual environment is not to be displayed.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the virtual objects associated with the physical location are received from the server.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the server manages a plurality of virtual environments that includes the first virtual environment and the second virtual environment.