Virtual reality space sharing system having self modifying avatars (symbols) in accordance to a category that the symbol belongs

• US 6,009,460 A
• Filed: 12/19/1996
• Issued: 12/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Matsui, Kazuki, Ohno, Takashi, Iwakawa, Akinori, Kawaguchi, Naohisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Hieu C.
• Application Number:
  US08/770,638
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• Field of Search: 395/183.14, 395/200.37, 395/200.47, 395/672, 395/200.34, 395/680, 395/12, 395/53, 395/60, 395/62, 395/92, 348/13, 348/468, 348/327, 348/552, 705/27, 705/10, 711/6
• US Class Current: 709/204
• 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: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/157 defining a virtual conference space and using avatars or agents computer conference optimisation or adaptation H04L12/1827

Abstract

There is provided a communication apparatus, adapted to be used as a user terminal, connected to a message communication system in which a plurality of user terminals are interconnected, the plurality of user terminals sharing virtual worlds and avatars (symbols) of users each operating an associated one of the user terminals, and messages are exchanged among the plurality of user terminals while creating an atmosphere such that as if one'"'"'s own self enters the virtual world and has conversations. In the communication apparatus, the users (symbols) are classified into a plurality of categories, and action contents of the symbols are controlled in accordance with the categories. According to the communication apparatus, a symbol with a great deal of individuality is produced, so that a virtual world full of variety may be implemented.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus, adapted to be used as a user terminal, connected to a message communication system in which a plurality of user terminals are interconnected, the plurality of user terminals sharing virtual spaces and symbols each defined for an associated one of the user terminals and acting in the virtual space in accordance with an instruction from the associated user terminal, and messages are exchanged among the plurality of user terminals while an image representative cf a virtual world, in which the symbols are arranged in the virtual space, is displayed in the respective user terminals, said communication apparatus comprising:

possible action determining means for determining a possible action content of one'"'"'s own symbol in accordance with a category to which one'"'"'s own symbol defined on one'"'"'s own communication apparatus belongs, among a plurality of categories each defining a possible action content permitted as an action of the symbol in the virtual world;

action determining means for determining an action of said one'"'"'s own symbol within a limit of the possible action content determined by said possible action determining means;

action execution means for causing said one'"'"'s own symbol to execute the action determined by said action determining means;

symbol expression determining means for determining an expression of said one'"'"'s own symbol executed by the action of said action execution means, the expression of said one'"'"'s own symbol being caused by the executed action; and

expression means for expressing as an image the symbol having the expression determined by said symbol expression determining means, wherein

said symbol expression determining means alters the expression of said one'"'"'s own symbol in accordance with a category to which said one'"'"'s own symbol belongs.

2. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising category alteration means for altering a category of said one'"'"'s own symbol in accordance with a behavior of said one'"'"'s own symbol in the virtual world.

3. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said one'"'"'s own symbol is permitted to possess a predetermined possession defining a category of said one'"'"'s own symbol in the virtual world, and said possible action determining means determines a possible action content of said one'"'"'s own symbol in accordance with the predetermined possession which said one'"'"'s own symbol possesses.

4. A communication apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising possession transfer means for transferring one'"'"'s own possession defining a category of said one'"'"'s own symbol to another symbol.

5. A communication apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising possession transfer means for transferring one'"'"'s own possession defining a category of said one'"'"'s own symbol to another symbol, upon copying and holding the same as one'"'"'s own possession.

6. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising automatic input means for automatically inputting an action of said one'"'"'s own symbol in accordance with a predetermined program.

7. A communication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said symbol expression determining means alters the expression of said one'"'"'s own symbol, when an action of said one'"'"'s own symbol is automatically inputted by said automatic input means, to an expression for action automatic input.

8. A communication apparatus, adapted to be used as a user terminal, connected to a message communication system in which a plurality of user terminals are interconnected, the plurality of user terminals sharing virtual spaces and symbols each defined for an associated one of the user terminals and acting in the virtual space in accordance with an instruction from the associated user terminal, and messages are exchanged among the plurality of user terminals while an image representative of a virtual world, in which the symbols are arranged in the virtual space, is displayed in the respective user terminals, said communication apparatus comprising:

possible action determining means for determining a possible action content of one'"'"'s own symbol in accordance with a category to which one'"'"'s own symbol defined on one'"'"'s own communication apparatus belongs, among a plurality of categories each defining a possible action content permitted as an action of the symbol in the virtual world;

action determining means for determining an action of said one'"'"'s own symbol within a limit of the possible action content determined by said possible action determining means;

action execution means for causing said one'"'"'s own symbol to execute the action determined by said action determining means;

symbol expression determining means for determining an expression of said one'"'"'s own symbol executed by the action of said action execution means, the expression of said one'"'"'s own symbol being caused by the executed action;

expression means for expressing as an image the symbol having the expression determined by said symbol expression determining means; and

possession transfer means for transferring one'"'"'s own possession defining a category of said one'"'"'s own symbol to another symbol.

9. A communication apparatus, adapted to be used as a user terminal, connected to a message communication system in which a plurality of user terminals are interconnected, the plurality of user terminals sharing virtual spaces and symbols each defined for an associated one of the user terminals and acting in the virtual space in accordance with an instruction from the associated user terminal, and messages are exchanged among the plurality of user terminals while an image representative of a virtual world, in which the symbols are arranged in the virtual space, is displayed in the respective user terminals, said communication apparatus comprising:

possible action determining means for determining a possible action content of one'"'"'s own symbol in accordance with a category to which one'"'"'s own symbol defined on one'"'"'s own communication apparatus belongs, among a plurality of categories each defining a possible action content permitted as an action of the symbol in the virtual world;

action determining means for determining an action of said one'"'"'s own symbol within a limit of the possible action content determined by said possible action determining means;

action execution means for causing said one'"'"'s own symbol to execute the action determined by said action determining means;

symbol expression determining means for determining an expression of said one'"'"'s own symbol executed by the action of said action execution means, the expression of said one'"'"'s own symbol being caused by the executed action;

expression means for expressing as an image the symbol having the expression determined by said symbol expression determining means; and

possession transfer means for transferring one'"'"'s own possession defining a category of said one'"'"'s own symbol to another symbol, upon copying and holding the same as one'"'"'s own possession.

10. A communication method, comprising the steps of:

determining a possible action content of one'"'"'s own symbol in accordance with a category to which one'"'"'s own symbol defined on ones'"'"' own communication apparatus belongs, among a plurality of categories each defining a possible action content permitted as an action of the symbol in a virtual world;

determining an action of said one'"'"'s own symbol within a limit of the possible action content;

causing said one'"'"'s own symbol to execute the action;

determining an expression of said one'"'"'s own symbol executed by the expression of said one'"'"'s own symbol being caused by the executed action;

expressing as an image the symbol having the expression previously determined; and

altering the expression of said one'"'"'s own symbol in accordance with the category to which said one'"'"'s own symbol belongs.