Generating a user-specific search index of content within a virtual environment

• US 8,055,656 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2007
• Issued: 11/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cradick, Ryan Kirk, Garbow, Zachary Adam, Pendergast, Ryan Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): LeRoux, Etienne
• Assistant Examiner(s): PYO, MONICA M
• Application Number:
  US11/869,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20090100035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,490 Days
• Field of Search: 707/736, 707/739, 707/743, 707/709, 707/710, 707999002-999005
• US Class Current: 707/736
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/907 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for searching for virtual objects of an immersive virtual environment based on user interactions within the virtual environment. Generally, embodiments provide an attribute index storing data describing attributes of virtual objects, and an interaction index storing data describing user interactions with virtual objects. Search queries may be evaluated using both the attribute index and interactions index. Thus, virtual objects may be searched in terms of object attributes as well as user interactions with the virtual objects.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

identifying a plurality of non-avatar virtual objects present in a virtual environment;

generating an index based on the plurality of virtual objects;

monitoring one or more actions of a user-controlled avatar interacting with a virtual object of the plurality of virtual objects within the virtual environment;

by operation of one or more computer processors, modifying the index to include a record of the interaction between the avatar and the virtual object, such that the index is searchable to;

retrieve an indication of the virtual object based on the interaction, responsive to a user request that specifies the interaction, wherein the indication of the virtual object comprises at least one of a location of the virtual object in the virtual world and a visual appearance of the virtual object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the interaction comprises the avatar viewing the virtual object in the virtual environment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the interaction comprises the avatar manipulating the virtual object within the virtual environment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the request comprises a search query, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving the search query, wherein the search query includes at least one interaction condition describing a first interaction between the avatar and the virtual object of the virtual environment;

searching the index to identify the virtual object associated with the described first interaction;

returning an indication of the identified virtual object.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the indication of the identified virtual object includes an indication of the location of the identified virtual object within the virtual environment.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the indication of the identified virtual object includes a visual display of the identified virtual object.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the search query includes one or more attributes of the virtual object, and searching the index to identify the virtual object includes evaluating the one or more attributes.

8. A computer-readable storage medium including a program, which when executed on a processor performs an operation comprising:

identifying a plurality of non-avatar virtual objects present in a virtual environment;

generating an index based on the plurality of virtual objects;

monitoring one or more actions of a user-controlled avatar interacting with a virtual object of the plurality of virtual objects within the virtual environment;

modifying the index to include a record of the interaction between the avatar and the virtual object, such that the index is searchable to;

retrieve an indication of the virtual object based on the interaction, responsive to a user request that specifies the interaction, wherein the indication of the virtual object comprises at least one of a location of virtual object in the virtual world and a visual appearance of the virtual object.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the interaction comprises the avatar viewing the virtual object in the virtual environment.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the interaction comprises the avatar manipulating the virtual object within the virtual environment.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the request comprises a search query, and wherein the operation further comprises:

receiving the search query, wherein the search query includes at least one interaction condition describing a first interaction between the avatar and the virtual object of the virtual environment;

searching the index to identify the virtual object associated with the described first interaction;

returning an indication of the identified virtual object.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the indication of the identified virtual object includes an indication of the location of the identified virtual object within the virtual environment.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the indication of the identified virtual object includes a visual display of the identified virtual object.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the search query includes one or more attributes of the virtual object, and wherein searching the index to identify the virtual object includes evaluating the one or more attributes.

15. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory containing a program, which when executed by the processor is configured to perform the steps of;

identifying a plurality of non-avatar virtual objects present in a virtual environment;

generating an index based on the plurality of virtual objects;

monitoring one or more actions of a user-controlled avatar interacting with a virtual object of the plurality of virtual objects within the virtual environment;

modifying the index to include a record of the interaction between the avatar and the virtual object, such that the index is searchable to;

retrieve an indication of the virtual object based on the interaction, responsive to a user request that specifies the interaction, wherein the indication of the virtual object comprises at least one of a location of virtual object in the virtual world and a visual appearance of the virtual object.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the interaction comprises the avatar viewing the virtual object in the virtual environment.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the interaction comprises the avatar manipulating the virtual object within the virtual environment.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving the search query, wherein the search query includes at least one interaction condition describing a first interaction between the avatar and the virtual object of the virtual environment;

searching the index to identify the virtual object associated with the described first interaction;

returning an indication of the identified virtual object.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the indication of the identified virtual object includes an indication of the location of the identified virtual object within the virtual environment.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the indication of the identified virtual object includes a visual display of the identified virtual object.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the search query includes one or more attributes of the virtual object, and wherein searching the index to identify the virtual object includes evaluating the one or more attributes.