System and method for enabling users to interact in a virtual space

• US 7,181,690 B1
• Filed: 08/03/2000
• Issued: 02/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Worlds Online Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Worlds Online Incorporated
• Inventors: Leahy, Dave, Challinger, Judith, Adler, B. Thomas, Ardron, S. J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao (Kevin)
• Application Number:
  US09/632,154
• Time in Patent Office: 2,392 Days
• Field of Search: 345/761, 345/762, 345/765, 345/751, 345/753, 345/976, 345/419, 345/427, 345/853, 345/854, 345/706, 345/734, 345/736, 345/738
• US Class Current: 715/706
• 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 13/358 Adapting the game course according to the network or server load, e.g. for reducing latency due to different connection speeds between clients
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/513 server hierarchy, e.g. local, regional, national or dedicated for different tasks, e.g. authenticating, billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/00 Digital computers in general details G06F1/00 – G06F13/00; Data processing equipment in general
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• 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: G06N 3/006 based on simulated virtual individual or collective life forms, e.g. social simulations or particle swarm optimisation [PSO]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• 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 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10015 Access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. using brokers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 : Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 : User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 : specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

The present invention provides a highly scalable architecture for a three-dimensional graphical, multi-user, interactive virtual world system. In a preferred embodiment a plurality of users interact in the three-dimensional, computer-generated graphical space where each user executes a client process to view a virtual world from the perspective of that user. The virtual world shows avatars representing the other users who are neighbors of the user viewing the virtual word. In order that the view can be updated to reflect the motion of the remote user'"'"'s avatars, motion, information is transmitted to a central server process which provides positions updates to client processes for neighbors of the user at that client process. The client process also uses an environment database to determine which background objects to render as well as to limit the movement of the user'"'"'s avatar.

Claims

1. A method for enabling a first user to interact with other users in a virtual space, wherein the first user and the other users each have an avatar and a client process associated therewith, and wherein each client process is in communication with a server process, wherein the method comprises:

(a) receiving a position of less than all of the other users'"'"' avatars from the server process; and

(b) determining, from the received positions, a set of the other users'"'"' avatars that are to be displayed to the first user,

wherein steps (a) and (b) are performed by the client process associated with the first user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of

(c) monitoring an orientation of the first user'"'"'s avatar;

and

(d) displaying the set of the other users'"'"' avatars from based on the orientation of the first user'"'"'s avatar as monitored is step (c),

wherein steps (c) and (d) are performed by the client process associated with the first user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises

(a)(1) receiving an orientation of less than all of the other users'"'"' avatars from the server process.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (1b) comprises

(b)(1) determining from the received positions an actual number of the other users'"'"' avatars;

(b)(2) determining a maximum number of the other users'"'"' avatars to be displayed; and

(b)(3) comparing the actual number to the maximum number to determine which of the other users'"'"' avatars are to be displayed wherein steps (b)(1)–

(b)(3) are performed by the client process associated with the first user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises determining, from the received positions, the set of the other users'"'"' avatars that are to be displayed to the first user, wherein the number in the set is less than the number of avatars corresponding to the received positions.

6. A method for enabling a plurality of users to interact in a virtual space, wherein each user has a computer associated therewith, wherein each computer has a client process associated therewith, wherein each client process has an avatar associated therewith, and wherein each client process is in communication with a server process, comprising:

(a) monitoring, by each client process, a position of the avatar associated with the client process;

(b) transmitting, by each client process to the server process, the position of the avatar associated with the client process;

(c) transmitting, by the server process to each client process, the positions of less than all of the avatars that are not associated with the client process; and

(d) determining from the positions transmitted in step (c), by each client process, a set of the avatars that are to be displayed.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step (c) comprises the step of automatically transmitting, by the server process to each client process, the positions of the less than all of the avatars that are not associated with the client process.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein step (d) comprises

(d)(1) determining an actual number of avatars that are not associated with the client process based on the positions transmitted by the server process;

(d)(2) determining a maximum number of avatars that can be displayed; and

(d)(3) comparing the actual number to the maximum number to determine which of the avatars are to be displayed.

9. A method for operating a server to enable a plurality of users to interact in a virtual space, wherein each user has a computer associated therewith, wherein each computer has a client process associated therewith, wherein each client process has an avatar associated therewith, wherein the server has a process associated therewith, and wherein each client process is in communication with the server process, comprising:

(a) receiving, from each client process by the server process, data indicating a position of the avatar associated with the client process; and

(b) synchronously disseminating less than all of the positions of the avatars not associated with a particular client process to each of the other client processes so that the particular client process can determine from the positions a set of avatars that are to be displayed.

10. A system for enabling a first user to interact with other users in a virtual space, wherein the first user and the other users each have an avatar associated therewith, and wherein the system comprises a first process associated with the first user, other client processes associated with the other users, and a server process in communication with the first client process and the other client processes, wherein

(a) each of the other client processes is operable tomonitor a position of the avatar associated with the other user;

2. transmit the position of the avatar to the server process;

(b) the server process is operable to

1. receive the positions of the avatars associated with the other users;

2. transmit the positions of the avatars associated with less than all of the other users to the first client process; and

(c) the first client process is operable to

1. receive the positions of the avatars associated with less than all of the other users; and

2. determine from the received positions a set of the other users'"'"' avatars that are to be displayed.

11. A software program recorded on a machine-readable medium for enabling a first user interact with other users in a virtual space, wherein the first user and the other users each have an avatar a client process associated therewith, and wherein each client process is in communication with a server process,

wherein the software program comprises instructions for causing the client process associated with the first user to perform the following steps:

(a) receiving a position of at less than all of the other users'"'"' avatar from the server process; and

(b) determining, from the received positions, a set of the other users'"'"' avatars that are to be displayed to the first user.

12. The software program of claim 11, wherein the software program further comprises instructions for causing the client process associated with the first user to perform the following steps:

(c) monitoring an orientation of the first user'"'"'s avatar; and

(d) displaying the set of the other users'"'"' avatars from based on the orientation of the first user'"'"'s avatar as monitored is step (c).

13. The software program of claim 11, wherein step (b) comprises instructions for

(b)(1) determining from the received positions an actual number of the other users'"'"' avatars;

(b)(2) determining a maximum number of the other users'"'"' avatars to be displayed; and

(b)(3) comparing the actual number to the maximum number to determine which of the other users'"'"' avatars are to be displayed.

14. The software program of claim 11, wherein the instruction for step (b) comprises determining, from the received positions, the set of the other users'"'"' avatars that are to be displayed to the first user, wherein the number in the set is less than the number of avatars corresponding to the received positions.

19. A computer readable medium including the software program of claim 11.

15. A software program recorded on a machine-readable medium for enabling a plurality of users to interact in a virtual space, wherein each user has a computer associated therewith, wherein each computer has a client process associated therewith, wherein each client process has an avatar associated therewith, and wherein each client process is in communication with a server process, wherein the software program includes instructions for:

(a) monitoring, by each client process, a position of the avatar associated with the client process;

(b) transmitting, by each client process to the server process, the position of the avatar associated with the client process;

(d) transmitting, by the server process to each client process, the positions of less than all of the avatars that are not associated with the client process; and

(d) determining from the positions transmitted in step (c), by each client process, a set of the avatars that are to be displayed.

16. The software program of claim 15, wherein step (d) comprises

(d)(1) determining an actual number of avatars that are not associated with the client process based on the positions transmitted by the server process;

(d)(2) determining a maximum number of avatars that can be displayed; and

(d)(3) comparing the actual number to the maximum number to determine which of the avatars are to be displayed.

17. A computer readable medium including the software program of claim 15.

18. A software program recorded on a machine-readable medium for operating a server to enable a plurality of users to interact in a virtual space, wherein each user has a computer associated therewith, wherein each computer has a client process associated therewith, wherein each client process has an avatar associated therewith, wherein the server has a process associated therewith, and wherein each client process is in communication with the server process, wherein the software program comprises instructions for:

(a) receiving from each client process by the server process, data indicating a position of the avatar associated with the client process; and

(b) synchronously disseminating the positions of less than all of the avatars not associated with a particular client process to each of the other client processes so that the particular client process can determine from the positions a set of avatars that are to be displayed.

20. A computer readable medium including the software program of claim 18.