System and method for enabling users to interact in a virtual space

• US 8,082,501 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2009
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Worlds Online Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Worlds Online Incorporated
• Inventors: Leahy, Dave, Challinger, Judith, Adler, B. Thomas, Ardon, S. Mitra
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CAO H
• Application Number:
  US12/406,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20090183089A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 715704-706, 715853-855, 715751-753, 715/756, 715/736, 715/762
• US Class Current: 715/706
• 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 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/358 Adapting the game course according to the network or server load, e.g. for reducing latency due to different connection speeds between clients
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/513 server hierarchy, e.g. local, regional, national or dedicated for different tasks, e.g. authenticating, billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• 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: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/00 Digital computers in general details G06F1/00 – G06F13/00; Data processing equipment in general
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• 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: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10015 Access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. using brokers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 : Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 : User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 : specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

The present invention provides a highly scalable architecture for a three-dimensional graphical, multi-user, interactive virtual world system. In a preferred embodiment a plurality of users interact in the three-dimensional, computer-generated graphical space where each user executes a client process to view a virtual world from the perspective of that user. The virtual world shows avatars representing the other users who are neighbors of the user viewing the virtual word. In order that the view can be updated to reflect the motion of the remote user'"'"'s avatars, motion information is transmitted to a central server process which provides positions updates to client processes for neighbors of the user at that client process. The client process also uses an environment database to determine which background objects to render as well as to limit the movement of the user'"'"'s avatar.

Claims

1. A method for enabling a first user to interact with other users in a virtual space, each user of the first user and the other users being associated with a three dimensional avatar representing said each user in the virtual space, the method comprising the steps of:

customizing, using a processor of a client device, an avatar in response to input by the first user;

receiving, by the client device, position information associated with fewer than all of the other user avatars in an interaction room of the virtual space, from a server process, wherein the client device does not receive position information of at least some avatars that fail to satisfy a participant condition imposed on avatars displayable on a client device display of the client device;

determining, by the client device, a displayable set of the other user avatars associated with the client device display; and

displaying, on the client device display, the displayable set of the other user avatars associated with the client device display.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

monitoring an orientation of the first user avatar;

wherein the step of determining comprises filtering the other user avatars based on the monitored orientation of the first user avatar.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of customizing comprises accessing a first database containing custom avatar images.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the step of customizing further comprises selecting from the first database information that is used to render the avatars in the displayable set.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving by the client device orientation information associated with fewer than all of the other user avatars, wherein the client device does not receive orientation information of at least some avatars of the other user avatars in the virtual space.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising storing an entry including a pointer to an image associated with the other user avatars for which position information has been received.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the virtual space further comprises two or more virtual rooms and the method further comprises an avatar teleporting from a first virtual room to a second virtual room.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

monitoring an orientation of the first user avatar;

wherein the step of determining comprises filtering the other user avatars based on at least one variable other than (1) positions of the other user avatars, and (2) orientation of the first user avatar.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining comprises filtering the other user avatars based on identifiers (IDs) of the other user avatars.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining comprises filtering the other user avatars based on a limit of the other user avatars that may be displayed on the client device display, the limit being set at the client device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the participant condition is based on avatar identifiers (IDs).

12. A client device for enabling a first user to interact with other users in a virtual space, each user being associated with a three dimensional avatar representing the user in the virtual space, the device comprising:

a memory storing instructions; and

a processor programmed using the instructions to;

create a custom avatar in response to input by the first user;

receive position information associated with fewer than all of the other user avatars in an interaction room of the virtual space, wherein the processor does not receive position information of at least some avatars of the other user avatars in the virtual space that fail to satisfy a participant condition imposed on avatars displayable on a display of the client device; and

determine a set of the other users'"'"' avatars displayable on a screen associated with the client device.

13. The client device of claim 12, wherein the participant condition is based on avatar identifiers (IDs).

14. An article of manufacture comprising at least one memory storing computer code for enabling a first user to interact with other users in a virtual space, each user of the first user and the other users being associated with a three dimensional avatar representing said each user in the virtual space, the computer code comprising instructions for:

customizing, using a processor of a client device, an avatar in response to input by the first user;

receiving, by the client device, position information associated with fewer than all of the other user avatars in an interaction room of the virtual space, from a server process, wherein the client device does not receive position information of at least some avatars that fail to satisfy a participant condition imposed on avatars displayable on a client device display of the client device;

determining, by the client device, a displayable set of the other user avatars associated with the client device display; and

displaying, on the client device display, the displayable set of the other user avatars associated with the client device display.

15. The article of manufacture according to claim 14, wherein the computer code further comprises instructions for receiving by the client device orientation information associated with fewer than all of the other user avatars, wherein the client device does not receive orientation information of at least some avatars of the other user avatars in the virtual space.

16. The article of manufacture according to claim 14, wherein the virtual space comprises a first virtual room and a second virtual room, and the method further comprises teleporting an avatar from the first virtual room to the second virtual room.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 14, wherein the participant condition is based on avatar identifiers (IDs).