Collapsing areas of a region in a virtual universe to conserve computing resources

• US 8,214,750 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hamilton, Rick A. II, Moskowitz, Paul A., O'Connell, Brian M., Pickover, Clifford A., Seaman, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): ABDUL-ALI, OMAR R
• Application Number:
  US11/931,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20090113338A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,707 Days
• Field of Search: 715/757, 715/706, 715/848, 715/850
• US Class Current: 715/757
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/535 for monitoring, e.g. of user parameters, terminal parameters, application parameters, network parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5533 using program state or machine event data, e.g. server keeps track of the state of multiple players on in a multiple player game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5593 involving scheduling aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/4557 Distribution of virtual machine instances; Migration and load balancing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/20 Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/04 involving 3D image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/36 Level of detail
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/20 in augmented reality scenes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2405 Monitoring of the internal components or processes of the server, e.g. server load allocation of resources in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/50; performance measurement of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

Described herein are processes and devices that collapse areas in a region of a virtual universe to conserve computing resources. One of the devices described is a virtual resource conserver. The virtual resource conserver determines a first area of a region in a virtual universe. The first area has objects or avatars. A first computing resource processes data for presenting and controlling the objects or avatars in the first area. The virtual resource conserver determines a second area of the region that is similar in topology to the first area. The virtual resource conserver moves the objects or avatars from the first area to the second area and transfers data for presenting and controlling the avatars or objects from the first computing resource to a second computing resource. Finally, the virtual resource conserver reduces usage of the first computing resource, thus conserving resources in the virtual universe.

Claims

1. A method for coalescing and collapsing a first area of a virtual universe into a second area of the virtual universe, the method comprising the steps of:

a computer determining an indication to reduce usage of a computing resource in the virtual universe;

the computer determining the first area of the virtual universe for coalescing and collapsing into the second area of the virtual universe responsive to said computer detecting the indication to reduce usage of the computing resource in the virtual universe, wherein the first area comprises a plurality of virtual universe objects;

the computer selecting a first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects for moving from the first area into the second area, wherein said step of the computer selecting the first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects comprises the computer identifying those of the plurality of virtual universe objects that are interactive virtual universe objects;

the computer analyzing whether an avatar is likely to interact with one or more of those of the plurality of virtual universe objects that are interactive virtual universe objects;

the computer selecting the one or more of those of the plurality of virtual universe objects that are interactive virtual universe objects in the first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects;

the computer coalescing the first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects into the second area from the first area; and

the computer collapsing the first area of the virtual universe in response to the coalescing of the first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects into the second area from the first area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of the computer collapsing the first area comprises one of clearing the first area of remaining ones of the plurality of virtual universe objects, significantly reducing display quality of the remaining ones of the plurality of virtual universe objects, and cropping out the first area from the virtual universe, wherein the remaining ones of the plurality of virtual universe objects consist of the plurality of virtual universe objects other than the first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

the computer analyzing activity in the first area and the second area; and

the computer determining whether collapsing the first area would reduce the usage of the computing resource based on the step of the computer analyzing the activity in the first area and the second area.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the computer reducing usage of the computing resource, wherein said step of the computer reducing the usage of the computing resource comprises one or more of the computer turning off the computing resource, the computer reducing a rate of computer processor cycles on the computing resource, the computer reducing a rate of data transfer by the computing resource, and the computer reducing a rate of memory access on the computing resource.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of the computer coalescing the first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects into the second area from the first area comprises the computer moving the first set of the plurality of objects from the first area into the second area.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of the computer analyzing the activity comprises the step of the computer analyzing an amount of movement of avatars in and out of the first area and the second area.

7. A network computer system for coalescing and collapsing a first area of a virtual universe into a second area of the virtual universe, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more machine-readable memories and one or more machine-readable tangible storage devices;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to detect an indication to reduce usage of a computing resource in the virtual universe;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to determine the first area of the virtual universe for coalescing and collapsing into the second area responsive to detecting the indication to reduce usage of the computing resource in the virtual universe, wherein the first area comprises a plurality of virtual universe objects;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to select a first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects to move from the first area into the second area, wherein the program instructions to select the first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects identify those of the plurality of virtual universe objects that are interactive objects, analyze whether an avatar is likely to interact with one or more of those of the plurality of virtual universe objects that are interactive virtual universe objects, and select the one or more of those of the plurality of virtual universe objects that are interactive virtual universe objects as at least a portion of the first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to coalesce the first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects into the second area from the first area; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to collapse the first area of the virtual universe responsive to coalescing the first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects into the second area from the first area.

8. The computer system of claim 7 wherein:

the program instructions to collapse the first area are adapted to one of;

clear the first area of remaining ones of the plurality of virtual universe objects, significantly reduce display quality of the remaining ones of the plurality of virtual universe objects, and crop out the first area from the virtual universe;

wherein the remaining ones of the plurality of virtual universe objects consist of the plurality of virtual universe objects other than the first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects.

9. The computer system of claim 7 wherein:

the program instructions to coalesce the first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects into the second area from the first area move the first set of the plurality of objects from the first area into the second area.

10. The computer system of claim 7 further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to analyze activity in the first area and the second area; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to determine whether collapsing the first area would reduce usage of the computing resource based on analyzing the activity.

11. A computer program product for coalescing and collapsing a first area of a virtual universe into a second area of the virtual universe, the computer program product comprising:

one or more machine-readable tangible storage devices;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to detect an indication to reduce usage of a computing resource in the virtual universe;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to determine the first area of the virtual universe for coalescing and collapsing into the second area of the virtual universe responsive to detecting the indication to reduce usage of the computing resource in the virtual universe, wherein the first area comprises a plurality of virtual universe objects;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to select a first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects for moving from the first area into the second area, wherein the program instructions to select the first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects identify those of the plurality of virtual universe objects that are interactive objects, analyze whether an avatar is likely to interact with one or more of those of the plurality of virtual universe objects that are interactive virtual universe objects, and select the one or more of those of the plurality of virtual universe objects that are interactive virtual universe objects as at least a portion of the first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to coalesce the first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects into the second area from the first area; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to collapse the first area of the virtual universe responsive to coalescing the first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects into the second area from the first area.

12. The computer program product machine readable media of claim 11, wherein the program instructions to collapse the first area of the virtual universe are adapted to one of:

clear the first area of remaining ones of the plurality of virtual objects, significantly reduce display quality of the remaining ones of the plurality of virtual universe objects, and reducing usage operation comprises cropping out a display of the first area from the virtual universe;

wherein the remaining ones of the plurality of virtual universe objects consist of the plurality of virtual universe objects other than the first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects.

13. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the program instructions to coalesce the first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects into the second area move the first set of the plurality of objects from the first area into the second area.

14. The computer program product of claim 11 comprising program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to

analyze activity in the first area and the second area, and

determine whether collapsing the first area would reduce the usage of the computing resource based on analyzing the activity.

15. A method for collapsing a first area of a virtual universe, the method comprising the steps of:

a computer detecting an indication to reduce usage of a computing resource that supports a virtual universe;

the computer determining the first area of the virtual universe for collapsing responsive to said computer detecting the indication to reduce usage of the computing resource, wherein the first area comprises a plurality of virtual universe objects, and wherein the plurality of virtual universe objects comprises one or more avatars and one or more interactive virtual universe objects,

the computer analyzing activity of the one or more avatars in the first area of the virtual universe;

the computer determining that at least one of the one or more avatars is likely to interact with at least one of the one or more interactive virtual universe objects based on said step of the computer analyzing the activity of the one or more avatars;

the computer selecting a first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects for moving from the first area into a second area of the virtual universe, wherein said step of the computer selecting the first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects comprises selecting the at least one of the one or more avatars and the at least one of the one or more interactive virtual universe objects responsive to said step of the computer determining that the at least one of the one or more avatars is likely to interact with the at least one of the one or more interactive virtual universe objects;

the computer moving the first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects from the first area into the second area in response to said step of the computer selecting the first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects;

and

the computer collapsing the first area of the virtual universe in response to said step of the computer moving the first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects from the first area into the second area.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of the computer collapsing the first area comprises one of clearing the first area of remaining ones of the plurality of virtual universe objects, significantly reducing display quality of the remaining ones of the plurality of virtual universe objects, and cropping out the first area from the virtual universe;

wherein the remaining ones of the plurality of virtual universe objects consist of the plurality of virtual universe objects other than the first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects.