Method and computer program product for implementing automatic avatar status indicators

• US 8,006,182 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2008
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bates, Cary Lee, Garbow, Zachary A.
• Primary Examiner(s): HAILU, TADESSE
• Application Number:
  US12/050,312
• Publication Number:
  US 20090241049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,253 Days
• Field of Search: 715704-713, 715/771
• US Class Current: 715/706
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

The exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a means for the simulating of real world activities within a virtual environment. Information retrieved from locally executing applications (e.g., such as a screen saver, voice over IP phone system, etc.) or sensor information is utilized to deliver messages from a client application to the virtual environment in order to put an avatar in a state that visually indicates that a system user is busy.

Claims

1. A method for the configuration and display of a status indicating avatar, the method comprising:

receiving user activity input information at a virtual world (VW) interface component comprised within a client VW application, wherein the user activity input information comprises information received singularly or in combination from at least one locally executing application or at least one input sensor the user activity input information indicative of user activity in the real world;

determining a user activity that is associated with the user activity input information, the user activity being based upon hierarchical activity characteristics as specified by a user and activity characteristics that are based upon community protocols that are implemented at a target VW application;

mapping the determined user activity to an activity that is associated with the target VW application, wherein mapping the determined activity to a target VW application activity comprises;

determining the origin of the received activity input information;

prioritizing a set of response actions based upon a comparison of the activity input information to the activity characteristics that are based upon the target VW applications community protocols;

retrieving current avatar environment information, the current avatar environment information including attributes of the VW associated with the avatar;

determining between the user activity input information and a best available correlation activity chosen from a VW avatar activity information listing; and

transmitting a command to the target VW application in order to display an avatar in accordance with the mapped to VW activity.

2. A computer program product that includes a non-transitory computer readable medium useable by a processor, the medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to deliver a command for the configuration and display of a status indicating avatar from a client application to a target application, by:

receiving user activity input information at a virtual world (VW) interface component comprised within a client VW application, wherein the user activity input information comprises information received singularly or in combination from at least one locally executing application or at least one input sensor the user activity input information indicative of user activity in the real world;

determining a user activity that is associated with the user activity input information, the user activity being based upon hierarchical activity characteristics as specified by a user and activity characteristics that are based upon community protocols that are implemented at a target VW application;

mapping the determined user activity to an activity that is associated with the target VW application, wherein mapping the determined activity to a target VW application activity comprises;

determining the origin of the received activity input information;

prioritizing a set of response actions based upon a comparison of the activity input information to the activity characteristics that are based upon the target VW applications community protocols;

retrieving current avatar environment information, the current avatar environment information including attributes of the VW associated with the avatar;

determining between the user activity input information and a best available correlation activity chosen from a VW avatar activity information listing; and

transmitting a command to the target VW application in order to display an avatar in accordance with the mapped to VW activity.