Multiple avatar personalities

• US 8,250,144 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2009
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Blattner, Patrick D., Robinson, John D., Weaver, Andrew C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Haresh N
• Application Number:
  US12/644,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20100169801A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 709203-205, 709217-228
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• 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 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

Perception of multiple online personas is enabled in an instant messaging communications session. At least two identities within a communications environment to whom messages may be directed are identified. A first persona of a user is enabled to be projected to a first of the identities while a second persona of the same user is enabled to be concurrently projected to a second of the identities. The first and second personas each include an avatar capable of being animated, and the first persona and the second persona differ.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for enabling perception of multiple online personas in an instant messaging communications session, the method comprising:

identifying at least two identities within a communications environment to whom messages are directed;

associating, using at least one processor, a persona with a first of the identities and a different persona with a group of the identities with which the first of the identities is associated; and

enabling a first persona of a user to be projected to the first of the identities while enabling a second persona of the user to be concurrently projected to the second of the identities, wherein;

the persona associated with the first of the identities overrides the different persona associated with the group of the identities to the extent a conflict exists;

the first user persona comprises an amalgamation of the persona associated with the first of the identities and the different persona associated with the group of the identities;

the first and second user personas comprise animated avatars; and

the first user persona and the second user persona differ.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user persona differs from the second user persona such that first user persona invokes a different avatar than an avatar invoked by the second user persona.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first user persona invokes a first avatar;

the second user persona invokes a second avatar;

the first avatar and the second avatar are the same avatar; and

an animation associated with the first avatar is different from animations associated with the second avatar.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first user persona invokes a first avatar;

the second user persona invokes a second avatar;

the first avatar and the second avatar are the same avatar; and

an appearance associated with the first avatar is different from appearances associated with the second avatar.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the avatars comprises an avatar that is associated with multiple sounds.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the avatars comprises an avatar animated based on text of a message sent in the instant message communications session.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the avatars is animated to send an out-of-band communication.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured by the program to:

obtain an indicator of the out-of-band communication;

determine whether to modify the at least one avatar, based on the received indicator; and

modify a characteristic of the at least one avatar, based on the determination.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured by the program to:

receive information associated with an activity of the user; and

determine whether to modify the at least one avatar, based on the received information.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the characteristic comprises at least one of an appearance or a behavior of the at least one avatar.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the first user persona with a first group of identities so that the first user persona is projected in communications sessions with members of the first group of identities.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising associating the second user persona with a second group of identities so that the second user persona is projected in communications sessions with members of the second group of identities.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, perform a method for enabling perception of multiple online personas in an instant messaging communications session, the method comprising:

identifying at least two identities within a communications environment to whom messages are directed;

associating a persona with a first of the identities and a different persona with a group of the identities with which the first of the identities is associated; and

enabling a first persona of a user to be projected to the first of the identities while enabling a second persona of the user to be concurrently projected to the second of the identities, wherein;

the persona associated with the first of the identities overrides the different persona associated with the group of the identities to the extent a conflict exists;

the first user persona comprises an amalgamation of the persona associated with the first of the identities and the different persona associated with the group of the identities;

the first and second user personas comprise animated avatars; and

the first user persona and the second user persona differ.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the first user persona differs from the second user persona such that first user persona invokes a different avatar than an avatar invoked by the second user persona.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein:

the first user persona invokes a first avatar;

the user second persona invokes a second avatar;

the first avatar and the second avatar are the same avatar; and

an animation associated with the first avatar is different from animations associated with the second avatar.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein:

the first user persona invokes a first avatar;

the second user persona invokes a second avatar;

the first avatar and the second avatar are the same avatar; and

an appearance associated with the first avatar is different from appearances associated with the second avatar.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein at least one of the avatars comprises an avatar animated based on text of a message sent in the instant message communications session.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein at least one of the avatars is animated to send an out-of-band communication.

19. A system for enabling perception of multiple online personas in an instant messaging communications session, comprising:

a storage device; and

at least one processor coupled to the storage device, wherein the storage device stores a program for controlling the at least one processor, and wherein the at least one processor, being operative with the program, is configured to;

identify at least two identities within a communications environment to whom messages may be are directed;

associate a persona with a first of the identities and a different persona with a group of the identities with which the first of the identities is associated; and

enable a first persona of a user to be projected to the first of the identities while enabling a second persona of the user to be concurrently projected to the second of the identities, wherein;

the persona associated with the first of the identities overrides the different persona associated with the group of the identities to the extent a conflict exists;

the first user persona comprises an amalgamation of the persona associated with the first of the identities and the different persona associated with the group of the identities;

the first and second user personas comprise animated avatars; and

the first user persona and the second user persona differ.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first user persona differs from the second user persona such that first user persona invokes a different avatar than an avatar invoked by the second user persona.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein:

the first user persona invokes a first avatar;

the second user persona invokes a second avatar;

the first avatar and the second avatar are the same avatar; and

an animation associated with the first avatar is different from animations associated with the second avatar.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein:

at least one of the avatars is capable of being animated to send an out-of-band communication; and

the processor is further configured by the program to;

obtain an indicator of the out-of-band communication;

determine whether to modify the at least one avatar, based on the received indicator; and

modify a characteristic of the at least one avatar, based on the determination.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the processor is further configured by the program to:

receive information associated with an activity of the user; and

determine whether to modify the at least one avatar, based on the received information.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the characteristic comprises at least one of an appearance or a behavior of the at least one avatar.