Modifications of audio communications in an online environment

• US 8,315,409 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2008
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Globalfoundries US Incorporated (GlobalFoundries, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Amsterdam, Jeffrey D., Hamilton, Rick A. II, O'Connell, Brian M., Pickover, Clifford A., Walker, Keith R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rizkallah, Kimberly
• Assistant Examiner(s): Laurenzi, Mark A
• Application Number:
  US12/211,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20100067718A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,526 Days
• Field of Search: 381/107, 381/61, 381/98, 381101-104
• US Class Current: 381/107
• 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 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6081 generating an output signal, e.g. under timing constraints, for spatialization
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/64 for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/00 Speech or voice signal processing techniques to produce another audible or non-audible signal, e.g. visual or tactile, in order to modify its quality or its intelligibility G10L19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/756 adapting media to device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

A system and method to modify audio communications in an online environment and, in particular, to modifying audio communications using one or more parameters. The system includes a module configured to detect one or more parameters applicable to an incoming audio communication and a weighing engine configured to weigh the one or more parameters and obtain a weighted volume. The system further includes a module configured to transmit the weighted volume to a user participating in a virtual universe. The method determines whether one or more parameters apply to an incoming communication, weighs the incoming communication based on the one or more parameters to determine a weighted volume of the incoming communication, and transmits the incoming communication to a user at the weighted volume.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a module configured to detect one or more parameters applicable to an incoming audio communication;

a weighing engine configured to weigh the one or more parameters and obtain a weighted volume; and

a module configured to provide the weighted volume such that a user participating in a virtual universe can be provided with an audio at a certain volume.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more parameters include at least one of:

a user identification parameter, a group identification parameter, an inventory item possession parameter, a display parameter, a user declaration parameter, a timing parameter, a listening device channel setting parameter, and a proximity parameter.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the proximity parameter applies a volume multiplier to the incoming communication, the volume multiplier configured to change relative to a distance between a source of an incoming communication and a recipient of the incoming communication.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the user declaration parameter includes at least one of pressing a designated key, typing a command, and sounding an alert and/or warning.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the listening device channel setting parameter is configured to designate a channel on which to transmit the incoming communication.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the timing parameter is configured to determine whether the incoming communication is interrupting an existing communication.

7. The system of claim 2, further comprising an acoustic module configured to provide additional parameters.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the weighing engine is configured to assign weights to at least one of the one or more parameters as a function of at least one of:

a user, the virtual universe, a source of the incoming communication, a group member, a group, a virtual universe administrator, a service provider, and a location owner.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the weighted volume is an average of the one or more parameters.

10. A method for deploying an application for modifying audio communications, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;

determine an initial volume of an incoming communication;

determine a final volume of the incoming communication by adjusting the initial volume according to one or more factors, which are configured to be customized by at least one of;

a virtual universe and a user; and

transmit the final volume to the user.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more weighted factors include at least one of:

a user identification parameter, a group identification parameter, an inventory item possession parameter, a display parameter, a user declaration parameter, a timing parameter, a listening device channel setting parameter, and a proximity parameter.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the computer infrastructure is at least one of:

supported, deployed, maintained, and created by a service provider.