Method and a device for use in a virtual environment

• US 6,397,080 B1
• Filed: 06/03/1999
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Viktorsson, Per, Borg, Kjell
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gantt, Alan T.
• Application Number:
  US09/324,846
• Time in Patent Office: 1,090 Days
• Field of Search: 455/558,557,556
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/00 3D [Three Dimensional] image rendering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display

Abstract

Information about avatar characteristics for a user are stored in a removable memory card (115), for example in a SIM card for the GSM system. The information regarding the avatar can then be moved from one access terminal to another. A virtual world, which the avatar is designed to enter, can then be accessed from many different access terminals by means of inserting the SIM card and entering a personal identity number (PIN) code. Thus by adding such a memory function to a removable memory card (e.g. a SIM card or a Smart card), besides of making it possible to access a virtual world from different access terminals, also makes it possible to use avatars in new applications, such as in a GSM phone or another mobile phone or terminal.

Claims

1. A removable memory card used in a telecommunication access terminal, the access terminal for connecting to a virtual world and communicating with other telecommunication access terminals over a network providing a service of virtual reality, the removable memory card comprising a memory for storing avatar characteristics information, and

wherein the stored avatar characteristics information can be read at the terminal and transmitted to the network providing the service of virtual reality when the card is used for accessing the virtual world.

2. The card of claim 1, wherein the card further stores telecommunications information.

3. The card of claim 1, wherein the card is a SIM card.

4. A mobile terminal for use in cellular telecommunications, the mobile terminal comprising:

means for communicating in a wireless manner with other terminals via at least one base station of a cellular telecommunications system;

means for receiving and reading a removable memory card including stored avatar characteristics information; and

means for accessing a virtual world by transmitting the stored avatar characteristics information to a network providing a service of virtual reality.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the mobile terminal comprises a cell phone.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the card further stores telecommunications information.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the card is a SIM card.

8. A method of using a mobile terminal which communicates with other mobile terminals via base stations of a cellular telecommunications network, the method comprising:

inserting a memory card into the mobile terminal, the memory card having stored thereon avatar characteristics relating to a user;

the mobile terminal communicating with a base station in order to access the cellular telecommunications network;

the mobile terminal retrieving the avatar characteristics from the memory card and transmitting the avatar characteristics to a network providing a service of virtual reality.

9. A method of accessing a network providing a service of virtual reality, the method comprising:

inserting a memory card into a telecommunications terminal, the memory card having stored thereon avatar characteristics relating to a user;

the telecommunications terminal retrieving the avatar characteristics from the memory card and transmitting the avatar characteristics to the network providing the service of virtual reality; and

wherein the terminal is capable of communicating with other telecommunications terminals.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the card is a SIM card.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the terminal comprises a mobile phone.