System and method for routing communications among real and virtual communication devices

• US 7,979,574 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2007
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Waugaman, Scott, Gillo, Tomas, Vass, Attila, Goodwin, Mitchell, Zalewski, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Jean; Frantz B
• Application Number:
  US11/682,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20080215679A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,590 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709238-242, 715/706, 715/757, 463/1, 463/5, 463/40, 463/42, 701/209
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5375 for graphically or textually suggesting an action, e.g. by displaying an arrow indicating a turn in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/75 Enforcing rules, e.g. detecting foul play or generating lists of cheating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/408 Peer to peer connection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality

Abstract

A system and method for routing communications among real and virtual communication devices are disclosed. The system includes one or more processors configured to generate a virtual world. The one or more processors may be configured to generate a virtual communication device and implement a configurable router adapted to facilitate routing of a communication among one or more real communication devices and the virtual communication device. A user of the virtual world may be associated with a virtual communication device and one or more real communication devices. A routing preference for reception of communications targeted to the user is implemented among the virtual communication device and the one or more real communication devices.

Claims

1. A method for routing communications among real and virtual communication devices, the method comprising:

associating a user of the virtual world with a virtual communication device and one or more real communication devices; and

implementing a routing preference for reception of communications targeted to the user among the virtual communication device and the one or more real communication devices, wherein the routing preference determines an order in which a router component of a client device of a user receiving the communication will attempt to contact the user at each of the virtual communication device and the one or more real communication devices to direct an incoming communication to the user, wherein the routing preference is determined by the router component of the client device receiving the incoming communication.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the user implements the routing preference.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a source of the communication implements the routing preference.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the routing preference is based on the user'"'"'s preferences.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the routing preference is based on the user'"'"'s activities.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the routing preference depends on an identity of a source of the communication.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the routing preference depends on an identity of a target of the communication.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the routing preference is based on one or more STATE CONTROLS that only route the communication to the real or virtual communication device in predetermined circumstances.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising routing a communication targeting the user according to the routing preference.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein routing the communication comprises determining whether the user is “

online”

in the virtual world and routing the communication to the virtual communication device if the user is online.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein routing the communication comprises determining whether the user is “

online”

in the virtual world and routing the communication to one or more of the real communication devices if the user is not online.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein routing the communication comprises determining whether the user is “

online”

in the virtual world and routing a text message to either the virtual communication device or an avatar associated with the user if the user is online.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the communication targeting the user originates from within the virtual world.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein communicating between the simulated communication device and a real communication device comprises transmitting a communication from a source to a target, wherein an avatar is associated with the source, the method further comprising, displaying the avatar in the virtual world to the target during the communication.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the communication originates at a real communication device.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising presenting speech from the source to the target during the communication.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising presenting text from the source to the target during the communication.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein presenting text from the source comprises translating spoken speech from the source to text and presenting the resulting text to the target.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein presenting the resulting text avatar comprises displaying the resulting text in one or more text bubbles proximate the avatar.

20. A system for routing communications among real and virtual communication devices, comprising:

one or more processors configured to generate a virtual world, wherein the one or more processors are configured to generate a virtual communication device and implement a configurable router component of a client device belonging to a user receiving a communication adapted to facilitate routing of a communication among one or more real communication devices and the virtual communication device, wherein the router is configured to implement a routing preference that determines an order in which the router will attempt to contact a user at the each of the virtual communication device and the one or more real communication devices to direct an incoming communication to the user, wherein the routing preference is determined by the router component of the client device of the user receiving the incoming communication.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the router is accessible from the virtual communication device or one or more real communication devices.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the one or more real communication devices comprise one or more network web pages.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein the router is configured to route communications based on a user associated with the virtual communication device.

24. The system of claim 20 wherein the router is configured to route communications based on a source of the communication.

25. The system of claim 20 wherein the router is configured to route communications based on one or more preferences of a user associated with the virtual communication device.

26. The system of claim 20 wherein the router is configured to route communications based on one or more activities of a user associated with the virtual communication device.

27. The system of claim 20 wherein the router is configured to route communications based on an identity of a source of the communication.

28. The system of claim 20 wherein the router is configured to route communications based on an identity of a target of the communication.

29. The system of claim 20 wherein the router is configured to route communications based on one or more STATE CONTROLS that only route the communication to the real or virtual communication device in predetermined circumstances.

30. The system of claim 20, wherein the router is configured to determine whether the user is “

online”

in the virtual world and route the communication to the virtual communication device if the user is online.

31. The system of claim 20, wherein the router is configured to determine whether the user is “

online”

in the virtual world and route the communication to one or more of the real communication devices if the user is not online.

32. The system of claim 20, wherein the router is configured to determine whether the user is “

online”

in the virtual world and route a text message to either the virtual communication device or an avatar associated with the user if the user is online.

33. The system of claim 20, wherein the router is configured to transmit a communication from a source to a target, and display the avatar in the virtual world to the target during the communication, wherein the avatar is associated with the source.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the one or more processors are configured to present speech from the source to the target during the communication.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the one or more processors are configured to present text from the source to the target during the communication.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the one or more processors are configured to translate spoken speech from the source to text and presenting the resulting text to the target.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein presenting the resulting text avatar comprises displaying the resulting text in one or more text bubbles proximate the avatar.