Controlling communications with proximate avatars in virtual world environment

• US 8,026,918 B1
• Filed: 11/21/2007
• Issued: 09/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Murphy, Stephen Vaughan
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHU K
• Application Number:
  US11/944,365
• Time in Patent Office: 1,406 Days
• Field of Search: 345/473, 345/474, 345/475, 709/206, 709/230, 715/741, 715/753, 715/758
• US Class Current: 345/473
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5566 by matching opponents or finding partners to build a team, e.g. by skill level, geographical area, background, play style
• 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: G06N 3/006 based on simulated virtual individual or collective life forms, e.g. social simulations or particle swarm optimisation [PSO]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/30 Profiles

Abstract

A first user'"'"'s avatar in a virtual world environment may be controlled by using a virtual world application enabling access to a virtual world environment within which the first user has an avatar associated with the first user. A virtual world location corresponding to the first avatar is identified. At least one second avatar proximate to the virtual world location is identified. Filtering information is accessed. Profile information related to the second avatar is accessed. Filtering information is compared to the accessed profile information. Based on the comparison results, a metric related to the second avatar is determined. The metric is related to a threshold. It is determined whether relating the metric to the threshold supports enabling communications between the first and second avatars, and if so, communications to be exchanged between the first and second avatars are enabled.

Claims

1. A method, performed by at least one processor, of controlling a first avatar in a virtual world environment, the method comprising:

using a virtual world application enabling access to a virtual world environment within which the first user has an avatar associated with the first user;

identifying, from within the virtual world environment, a virtual world location corresponding to the first avatar;

identifying at least one second avatar proximate to the virtual world location;

accessing filtering information;

accessing profile information related to the second avatar;

comparing the filtering information to the accessed profile information;

determining, based on the comparison results, a metric related to the second avatar;

relating the metric to a threshold;

determining whether relating the metric to the threshold supports enabling communications between the first and second avatars; and

if so, enabling communications to be exchanged between the first and second avatars.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein filtering information is based at least in part on the proximity of the second avatar to the first avatar in the virtual world environment.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein filtering information is based at least in part on characteristics of a profile of a user associated with the second avatar.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein filtering information is based at least in part on characteristics of a profile associated with the second avatar.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein filtering information is based at least in part on information specified by the first user.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein profile information at least one of the second user type, one or more interests of the second user, and a social interest of the second user.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising rendering a participant list perceivable to the first user.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein rendering the participant list includes:

identifying avatars;

organizing identified avatars into categories based on proximity or user characteristics; and

displaying information for identified avatars.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein identifying avatars includes accessing privacy settings for the avatars being identified.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein enabling communications includes enabling text communications.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein enabling communications includes enabling voice/video communications.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising recording conversations between other avatars in the same group while communications are exchanged between the first and second avatars.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising replaying recorded communications after communications between the first and second avatars finish.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the metric is an aggregate metric comprising

at least one sub-category with an assigned weight.

15. A system for controlling a first avatar in a virtual world environment, the system comprising:

at least one processor;

means for using a virtual world application enabling access to a virtual world environment within which the first user has an avatar associated with the first user;

means for identifying, from within the virtual world environment, a virtual world location corresponding to the first avatar;

means for identifying at least one second avatar proximate to the virtual world location;

means for accessing filtering information;

means for accessing profile information related to the second avatar;

means for comparing the filtering information to the accessed profile

means for determining, based on the comparison results, a metric related to the second avatar;

means for relating the metric to a threshold;

means for determining whether relating the metric to the threshold supports enabling communications between the first and second avatars; and

means for enabling communications to be exchanged between the first and second avatars if it is determined that relating the metric to the threshold supports enabling communications between the first and second avatars.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein filtering information is based at least in part on the proximity of the second avatar to the first avatar in the virtual world environment.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein filtering information is based at least in part on characteristics of a profile of a user associated with the second avatar.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein filtering information is based at least in part on characteristics of a profile associated with the second avatar.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein filtering information is based at least in part on information specified by the first user.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein profile information at least one of the second user type, one or more interests of the second user, and a social interest of the second user.

21. The system of claim 15 further comprising means for rendering a participant list perceivable to the first user.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein means for rendering the participant list include means for:

identifying avatars;

organizing identified avatars into categories based on proximity or user characteristics; and

displaying information for identified avatars.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein means for identifying avatars include means for accessing privacy settings for the avatars being identified.

24. The system of claim 15 wherein means for enabling communications include means for enabling text communications.

25. The system of claim 15 wherein means for enabling communications include means for enabling voice/video communications.

26. The system of claim 15 further comprising means for recording conversations between other avatars in the same group while communications are exchanged between the first and second avatars.

27. The system of claim 26 further comprising means for replaying recorded communications after communications between the first and second avatars finish.

28. The system of claim 15 wherein the metric is an aggregate metric comprising at least one sub-category with an assigned weight.

29. A computer program stored in a computer non-transitory storage medium, the computer program comprising instructions that when executed on at least one processor cause the program to:

use a virtual world application enabling access to a virtual world environment Within which the first user has an avatar associated with the first user;

identify, from within the virtual world environment, a virtual world location corresponding to the first avatar;

identify at least one second avatar proximate to the virtual world location;

access filtering information;

access profile information related to the second avatar;

compare the filtering information to the accessed profile information;

determine, based on the comparison results, a metric related to the second avatar;

relating the metric to a threshold;

determining whether relating the metric to the threshold supports enabling communications between the first and second avatars; and

if so, enabling communications to be exchanged between the first and second avatars.

30. The computer program of claim 29 wherein filtering information is based at least in part on the proximity of the second avatar to the first avatar in the virtual world environment.

31. The computer program of claim 29 wherein filtering information is based at least in part on characteristics of a profile of a user associated with the second avatar.

32. The computer program of claim 29 wherein filtering information is based at least in part on characteristics of a profile associated with the second avatar.

33. The computer program of claim 29 wherein filtering information is based at least in part on information specified by the first user.

34. The computer program of claim 29 wherein profile information at least one of the second user type, one or more interests of the second user, and asocial interest of the second user.

35. The computer program of claim 29 further comprising instructions for causing the program to render a participant list perceivable to the first user.

36. The computer program of claim 35 wherein instructions for causing the program to render the participant list include instructions for causing the program to:

identify avatars;

organize identified avatars into categories based on proximity or user characteristics; and

display information for identified avatars.

37. The computer program of claim 36 wherein instructions for causing the program to identify avatars include instructions for causing the program to access privacy settings for the avatars being identified.

38. The computer program of claim 29 wherein enabling communications includes enabling text communications.

39. The computer program of claim 29 wherein instructions for causing the program to enable communications include instructions for causing the program to enable voice/video communications.

40. The computer program of claim 29 further comprising instructions for causing the program to record conversations between other avatars in the same group while communications are exchanged between the first and second avatars.

41. The computer program of claim 40 further comprising instructions for causing the program to replay recorded communications after communications between the first and second avatars finish.

42. The computer program of claim 29 wherein the metric is an aggregate metric comprising at least one sub-category with an assigned weight.