User interface for multi-sensory emoticons in a communication system

• US 7,647,560 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2004
• Issued: 01/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Arthur, Erik John, Macauley, James David
• Primary Examiner(s): Neurauter, Jr.; George C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fearer; Mark D
• Application Number:
  US10/886,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20060025220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,013 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/206, 715/758, 715/753, 715/701, 715/702
• US Class Current: 715/758
• 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 13/218 using pressure sensors, e.g. generating a signal proportional to the pressure applied by the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• 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 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1056 involving pressure sensitive buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/302 specially adapted for receiving control signals not targeted to a display device or game input means, e.g. vibrating driver's seat, scent dispenser
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• 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

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing dynamic emoticons during chat sessions across game consoles are disclosed. A dynamic emoticon may include haptic, visual, and/or auditory components. Each component may have an associated intensity level, e.g., based on a pressure with which a user of the game console presses a controller button or actuates a control input. The emoticon'"'"'s auditory component may include or identify a sound effects filter or a known audio file; the emoticon'"'"'s visual component may include or identify a visual effects filter or a known video or graphic file; the emoticon'"'"'s haptic component may cause vibration of or force feedback on the controller. Emoticons may be sent from one voice chat participant'"'"'s game console to another voice chat participant'"'"'s game console across a network such as the Internet.

Claims

1. A user interface generated on a display by instructions stored on a computer-readable medium and executable on a computer, said user interface comprising:

a list of participants in a voice chat session conducted over a communications network;

a menu comprising a list of emoticons selectable by a user, each emoticon in the list having corresponding emoticon data, the corresponding emoticon data being sent from the user to a selected one of the participants from the list of participants over the network upon the user selecting the emoticon from the list, the sent corresponding emoticon data comprising a non-vocal and non-textual conveyance of emotion or action from the user to the selected participant in connection with the voice chat session,

the selected emoticon having a haptic component to be received by and rendered to the selected one of the participants, the haptic component to be rendered by way of a force-feedback sensory stimulator device of a computing device of the selected one of the participants, the force-feedback device rendering the haptic component as movement felt by the selected one of the participants when the selected one of the participants touches the force-feedback device,

the selected emoticon also having a system component to be received by and rendered to the selected one of the participants, the system component to be rendered by way of one or more physical light elements and an ejectable drive tray of the computing device of the selected one of the participants, the one or more physical light elements rendering the system component by flashing to signify winking and the ejectable drive tray rendering the system component by ejecting to signify sticking one'"'"'s tongue out.

2. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the list of emoticons comprises an emoticon having an audio component.

3. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the list of emoticons comprises an emoticon capable of having an intensity level.

4. The user interface of claim 3, wherein the intensity level is based on a button pressure input by the user in selecting the emoticon.

5. The user interface of claim 2, wherein the auditory component identifies a prerecorded file.

6. The user interface of claim 2, wherein the auditory component identifies a sound effects filter.

7. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the list of emoticons comprises an emoticon having a visual component.

8. The user interface of claim 7, wherein the visual component identifies a prerecorded file.

9. The user interface of claim 7, wherein the visual component identifies a visual effects filter for modifying existing content displayed on a display device.

10. The user interface of claim 7, wherein the visual component comprises a graphic file for display on a receiving game console, without permanently saving the graphic file on the receiving game console.

11. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the list of emoticons comprises an emoticon based on an emoticon script.

12. The user interface of claim 11, wherein the emoticon script defines script elements and element actions.

13. The user interface of claim 12, wherein the script elements comprise haptic, auditory and visual elements.

14. The user interface of claim 2, wherein the auditory component comprises an audio file for playback on a receiving game console, without permanently saving the audio file on the receiving game console.

15. A method of generating a user interface, comprising:

a game console detecting participants in a voice chat session of which a user of the game console is participating, the voice chat session being conducted over a communications network;

displaying on a display connected to the game console the list of participants in the voice chat session for user selection of an emoticon recipient; and

displaying a list of emoticons selectable by the user to send to the emoticon recipient, each emoticon in the list having corresponding emoticon data, the corresponding emoticon data being sent from the user to the emoticon recipient over the network upon the user selecting the emoticon from the list, the sent corresponding emoticon data comprising a non-vocal and non-textual conveyance of emotion or action from the user to the emoticon recipient in connection with the voice chat session,

the selected emoticon having a haptic component to be received by and rendered to the selected one of the participants, the haptic component to be rendered by way of a force-feedback sensory stimulator device of a computing device of the selected one of the participants, the force-feedback device rendering the haptic component as movement felt by the selected one of the participants when the selected one of the participants touches the force-feedback device,

the selected emoticon also having a system component to be received by and rendered to the selected one of the participants, the system component to be rendered by way of one or more physical light elements and an ejectable drive tray of the computing device of the selected one of the participants, the one or more physical light elements rendering the system component by flashing to signify winking and the ejectable drive tray rendering the system component by ejecting to signify sticking one'"'"'s tongue out.

16. The method of generating a user interface of claim 15, wherein the list of emoticons comprises an emoticon having an audio component.

17. The method of generating a user interface of claim 15, wherein the list of emoticons comprises an emoticon capable of having an intensity level.

18. In a user interface of a game console, said user interface displayed on a display device connected to the game console, a method of sending an emoticon to a voice chat participant, comprising steps of:

rendering a graphic list of participants in a voice chat session in which a user of the game console is participating, the voice chat session being conducted over a communications network;

receiving input from the user selecting one of the voice chat participants;

receiving input from the user selecting an emoticon to send to the selected voice chat participant, the selected emoticon having corresponding emoticon data, the corresponding emoticon data being sent from the user to the selected participant over the network, the corresponding emoticon data comprising a non-vocal and non-textual conveyance of emotion or action from the user to the selected participant in connection with the voice chat session,

the selected emoticon having a haptic component to be received by and rendered to the selected one of the participants, the haptic component to be rendered by way of a force-feedback sensory stimulator device of a computing device of the selected one of the participants, the force-feedback device rendering the haptic component as movement felt by the selected one of the participants when the selected one of the participants touches the force-feedback device,

the selected emoticon also having a system component to be received by and rendered to the selected one of the participants, the system component to be rendered by way of one or more physical light elements and an ejectable drive tray of the computing device of the selected one of the participants, the one or more physical light elements rendering the system component by flashing to signify winking and the ejectable drive tray rendering the system component by ejecting to signify sticking one'"'"'s tongue out.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of rendering a graphic list of emoticons from which the user can choose.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising sending an emoticon message to a game console corresponding to the selected voice chat participant, said emoticon message conveying information regarding the selected emoticon.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the emoticon message comprises an auditory component.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the emoticon message comprises an intensity level.

23. A system for sending an emoticon from a first participant in a voice chat session to a second participant in the voice chat session, the voice chat session being conducted over a communications network, said system comprising for each of the first and second participants:

a display device for outputting video content from a game console to which the display device is connected; and

a force-feedback controller connected to the game console;

said force-feedback controller comprising a plurality of inputs for inputting information to the game console, and comprising a force-feedback capability for providing haptic output to a user of the system;

the game console of the first participant further comprising a memory storing executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of the game console of such first participant, cause the game console to perform steps comprising;

rendering on the display device of the first participant a list of participants in the voice chat session;

receiving a selection of the second participant as input from the first participant via the controller of the first participant;

receiving a haptic emoticon command as input from the first participant via the controller of the first participant; and

sending over the network a haptic emoticon message corresponding to the received haptic emoticon command to the game console corresponding to the second participant, the sent haptic emoticon message comprising a non-vocal and non-textual conveyance of emotion or action from the first participant to the second participant in connection with the voice chat session, and further comprising a sensory conveyance to be expressed to the second participant by way of the force-feedback controller of the game console of the second participant,

the sent haptic emoticon message to be received by and rendered to the second participant, the message to be rendered by way of the force-feedback controller of the game console of the second participant, the force-feedback controller rendering the haptic component as movement felt by the second participant when the second participant touches the force-feedback device,

the sent haptic emoticon message also to be rendered by way of one or more physical light elements and an ejectable drive tray of the computing device of the selected one of the participants, the one or more physical light elements rendering the system component by flashing to signify winking and the ejectable drive tray rendering the system component by ejecting to signify sticking one'"'"'s tongue out.