Networked computer system for communicating and operating in a virtual reality environment

• US 8,429,245 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2011
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xdyne, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Xdyne, Inc.
• Inventors: Edecker, Ada Mae, Siyanko, Alex, Syomik, Anatoly P.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHINGLES, KRISTIE D
• Application Number:
  US13/228,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20110320567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/238, 709/203, 709/201, 709/217
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/50 Address allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/148 Migration or transfer of sessions

Abstract

The present invention relates to interactive virtual reality networked computer systems and methods that facilitate communication and operation in a virtual reality environment. The virtual reality networked computer system has an infrastructure that includes a number of users, hosts and servers. The interconnected hosts and servers allow users to effectively locate, activate, access and interact within virtual reality environments in a variety of different ways. For example, users can establish user groups such that interaction within the virtual reality environment occurs between hosts (accessed by users) without the need of a central or dedicated server.

Claims

1. A method of locating a host within a virtual reality networked computer system, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a first level server, a location request from a first host, the location request including a host name of a second host to locate and an identification of a user to locate;

causing the first level server to transmit the location request to at least one second level server;

causing the at least one second level server to transmit the location request to a plurality of other first level servers, each such transmission causing the recipient first level server to determine whether the host name of the second host or the identification of the user to locate is associated with any of the hosts of that recipient first level server while operating in a visit user home mode; and

upon the determination that the host name of the second host to locate or the identification of the user is associated with one of the one or more first level servers;

(a) facilitating the establishment of a network communication between said first host and said second host,

(b) determining a location of the user to locate, and

(c) enabling the user to communicate with at least one user of the first host via the established network communication.

2. The method of claim 1, which includes causing the at least one second level server to transmit the location request to the plurality of other first level servers based, at least in part, on proximity information about the plurality of other first level servers.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the proximity information indicates an estimated proximity of at least one first level server to at least one second level server.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the proximity information indicates an estimated proximity of the first host to the second host.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the location request from the first host includes the proximity information.

6. The method of claim 1, which includes, while operating in a visit user home mode, determining a default host of the user.

7. A host location system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one network interface device; and

at least one memory device that stores a plurality of instructions, which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one network interface device to;

(a) receive, at a first level server, a location request from a first host, the location request including a host name of a second host to locate and an identification of a user to locate;

(b) cause the first level server to transmit the location request to at least one second level server;

(c) cause the at least one second level server to transmit the location request to a plurality of other first level servers, each such transmission causing the recipient first level server to determine whether the host name of the second host to locate or the identification of the user to locate is associated with any of the hosts of that recipient first level server while operating in a visit user home mode; and

(d) upon determination that the host name of the second host to locate or the identification of the user to locate is associated with one of the one or more first level servers;

(1) facilitate the establishment of a network communication between said first host and said second host,

(2) determine a location of the user to locate, and

(3) enable the user to communicate with at least one user of the first host via the established network communication.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one network interface device to cause the at least one second level server to transmit the location request to the plurality of other first level servers based, at least in part, on proximity information about the plurality of other first level servers.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the proximity information indicates an estimated proximity of at least one first level server to at least one second level server.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the proximity information indicates an estimated proximity of the first host to the second host.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the location request from the first host includes the proximity information.

12. A method of locating a host within a virtual reality networked computer system, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a first level server, a location request from a first host, the location request including a host name of a second host to locate;

causing the first level server to transmit the location request to at least one second level server;

causing the at least one second level server to transmit the location request to a plurality of other first level servers, each such transmission causing the recipient first level server to determine whether the host name of the second host is associated with any of the hosts of that recipient first level server; and

upon the determination that the host name of the second host to locate is associated with one of the one or more first level servers, said determination indicating that the second host to locate has been located in a visit user home mode;

(a) facilitating the establishment of a network communication between said first host and said second host, and

(b) enabling the user to communicate with at least one user of the first host via the established network communication.

13. A method of locating a host within a virtual reality networked computer system, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a first level server, a location request from a first host, the location request including an identification of a user to locate;

causing the first level server to transmit the location request to at least one second level server;

causing the at least one second level server to transmit the location request to a plurality of other first level servers, each such transmission causing the recipient first level server to determine whether the user to locate is currently accessing that recipient first level server based on the location request; and

upon the determining that the user to locate is currently accessing that recipient first level server, said determination indicating that the user to locate has been located in a follow user mode;

(a) facilitating the establishment of a network communication between said first host and said second host, and

(b) enabling the user to communicate with at least one user of the first host via the established network communication.

14. A method of locating a host within a virtual reality networked computer system, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a first level server, a location request from a first host, the location request including a host name of a second host to locate and an identification of a user to locate;

causing the first level server to transmit the location request to at least one second level server;

causing the at least one second level server to transmit the location request to a plurality of other first level servers, each such transmission causing the recipient first level server to determine whether the host name of the second host or the identification of the user to locate is associated with any of the hosts of that recipient first level server while operating in a follow user mode; and

upon the determination that the host name of the second host to locate or the identification of the user is associated with one of the one or more first level servers;

(a) facilitating the establishment of a network communication between said first host and said second host,

(b) determining a location of the user to locate, and

(c) enabling the user to communicate with at least one user of the first host via the established network communication.

15. The method of claim 14, which includes causing the at least one second level server to transmit the location request to the plurality of other first level servers based, at least in part, on proximity information about the plurality of other first level servers.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the proximity information indicates an estimated proximity of at least one first level server to at least one second level server.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the proximity information indicates an estimated proximity of the first host to the second host.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the location request from the first host includes the proximity information.

19. The method of claim 14, which includes, while operating in the follow user mode, determining that the user is connected to a host different from a default host of the user.

20. A host location system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one network interface device; and

at least one memory device that stores a plurality of instructions, which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one network interface device to;

(a) receive, at a first level server, a location request from a first host, the location request including a host name of a second host to locate and an identification of a user to locate;

(b) cause the first level server to transmit the location request to at least one second level server;

(c) cause the at least one second level server to transmit the location request to a plurality of other first level servers, each such transmission causing the recipient first level server to determine whether the host name of the second host to locate or the identification of the user to locate is associated with any of the hosts of that recipient first level server while operating in a follow user mode; and

(d) upon determination that the host name of the second host to locate or the identification of the user to locate is associated with one of the one or more first level servers;

(1) facilitate the establishment of a network communication between said first host and said second host,

(2) determine a location of the user to locate, and

(3) enable the user to communicate with at least one user of the first host via the established network communication.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one network interface device to cause the at least one second level server to transmit the location request to the plurality of other first level servers based, at least in part, on proximity information about the plurality of other first level servers.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the proximity information indicates an estimated proximity of at least one first level server to at least one second level server.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the proximity information indicates an estimated proximity of the first host to the second host.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the location request from the first host includes the proximity information.