Color modification of objects in a virtual universe

• US 8,466,931 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2008
• Issued: 06/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Finn, Peter George, Hamilton, Rick Allen II, O'Connell, Brian Marshall, Pickover, Clifford Alan, Walker, Keith Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): McDowell, Jr., Maurice L
• Application Number:
  US12/109,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20090267960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,881 Days
• Field of Search: 345/593, 345/589
• US Class Current: 345/593
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/355 Performing operations on behalf of clients with restricted processing capabilities, e.g. servers transform changing game scene into an encoded video stream for transmitting to a mobile phone or a thin client
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• 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 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar

Abstract

A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for modifying an object. In one embodiment, the process obtains avatar tracking data that identifies a location of an avatar in relation to a range of an object. The range includes a viewable field. The process then calculates modified pixel color values to form a modified color in response to detecting a condition for triggering modification of the object. Thereafter, the process modifies a color of the object to form the modified color when the location of the set of avatars is within the range of the object.

Claims

1. A method for modifying an object located in a virtual universe, the method comprising the steps of:

a computer obtaining tracking data that identifies a location of a set of avatars in relation to a range of the object located in the virtual universe, wherein the range comprises;

a first zone in which the set of avatars is able to see the object, the first zone having a first radial distance from a location of the object; and

a second zone outside of the first zone and in which the set of avatars is not able to see the object, the second zone having a second radial distance from the location of the object;

the computer, responsive to the set of avatars being within the second zone, and without user input, generating a clone of the object, located within the same virtual universe as the set of avatars, for each avatar in the set of avatars;

the computer, responsive to detecting a condition for triggering a modification of a color of a particular clone of the object associated with a particular avatar in the set of avatars, calculating modified pixel color values for the particular clone of the object associated with the particular avatar in the set of avatars when the set of avatars is in the second zone to form a modified color;

the computer brightening only the color of the particular clone of the object associated with the particular avatar in the set of avatars compared to an unmodified visual environment surrounding the particular clone of the object to increase visibility of the particular clone of the object to the modified color when the location of an avatar in the set of avatars is within the first zone, wherein the color of the particular clone of the object associated with the particular avatar in the set of avatars is modified according to conditions in the virtual universe associated with the particular avatar; and

the computer applying the modified color to the particular clone of the object for a predetermined amount of time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of the computer obtaining the tracking data comprises the computer obtaining the tracking data from at least one of a computer program that manages information describing a location of an avatar in a virtual universe in relation to an object and a data structure storing one or more universally unique identifiers for objects and avatars within the first zone or a selected zone associated with the object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition is delta red, green, blue values exceeding predefined threshold red, green, blue values;

and wherein the method further comprises the computer determining delta red, green, blue values of the object from original pixel color values of the object and comparing the original pixel color values with the modified pixel color values of the object.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of the computer calculating the modified pixel color values further comprises:

the computer calculating modified red, green, blue values using a set of pixel color constraints that specify maximum red, green, blue values and minimum red, green, blue values for pixels of the object.

5. A computer program product for modifying an object located in a virtual universe, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer readable tangible storage devices;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable tangible storage devices, to obtain tracking data that identifies a location of a set of avatars in relation to a range of the object located in the virtual universe, wherein the range comprises;

a first zone in which the set of avatars is able to see the object, the first zone having a first radial distance from a location of the object; and

a second zone outside of the first zone and in which the set of avatars is not able to see the object, the second zone having a second radial distance from the location of the object;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable tangible storage devices, to, without user input, generate a clone of the object, located within the same virtual universe as the set of avatar, for each avatar in the set of avatars in response to the set of avatars being within the second zone;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable tangible storage devices, to calculate modified pixel color values when the set of avatars is in the second zone to form a modified color in response to detecting a condition for triggering a modification of a color of a particular clone of the object associated with a particular avatar in the set of avatars;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable tangible storage devices, to brighten only the color of the particular clone of the object associated with the particular avatar in the set of avatars compared to an unmodified visual environment surrounding the clone of the object to increase visibility of the particular clone of the object to the modified color when the location of an avatar in the set of avatars is within the first zone, wherein the color of the particular clone of the object associated with the particular avatar in the set of avatars is modified according to conditions in the virtual universe associated with the particular avatar; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable tangible storage devices, to apply the modified color to the particular clone of the object for a predetermined amount of time.

6. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein the program instructions to obtain the tracking data obtain the tracking data from at least one of a computer program that manages information describing a location of an avatar in a virtual universe in relation to an object and a data structure storing one or more universally unique identifiers for objects and avatars within the first zone or a selected zone associated with the object.

7. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein the condition is delta red, green, blue values exceeding predefined threshold red, green, blue values, and wherein the computer program product further comprises:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable tangible storage devices, to determine delta red, green, blue values of the object from original pixel color values of the object; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable tangible storage devices, to compare the original pixel color values with the modified pixel color values of the object.

8. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein the program instructions to calculate the modified pixel values-calculate modified red, green, blue values using a set of pixel color constraints that specify maximum red, green, blue values and minimum red, green, blue values for pixels of the object.

9. A computer system for modifying an object located in a virtual universe, the computer system comprising:

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

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer readable memories, to obtain tracking data that identifies a location of a set of avatars in relation to a range of the object located in the virtual universe, wherein the range comprises;

a first zone in which the set of avatars is able to see the object, the first zone having a first radial distance from a location of the object; and

a second zone outside of the first zone and in which the set of avatars is not able to see the object, the second zone having a second radial distance from the location of the object;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer readable memories, to, without user input, generate a clone of the object, located within the same virtual universe as the set of avatars, for each avatar in the set of avatars in response to the set of avatars being within the second zone;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer readable memories, to calculate modified pixel color values when the set of avatars is in the second zone to form a modified color in response to detecting a condition for triggering a modification of a color of a particular clone of the object associated with a particular avatar in the set of avatars;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer readable memories, to brighten only the color of the particular clone of the object associated with the particular avatar in the set of avatars compared to an unmodified visual environment surrounding the clone of the object to increase visibility of the particular clone of the object to the modified color when the location of an avatar in the set of avatars is within the first zone, wherein the color of the particular clone of the object associated with the particular avatar in the set of avatars is modified according to conditions in the virtual universe associated with the particular avatar; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer readable memories, to apply the modified color to the particular clone of the object for a predetermined amount of time.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the program instructions to obtain the tracking data obtain the tracking data from at least one of a computer program that manages information describing a location of an avatar in a virtual universe in relation to an object and a data structure storing one or more universally unique identifiers for objects and avatars within the first zone or a selected zone associated with the object.

11. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the condition is delta red, green, blue values exceeding predefined threshold red, green, blue values, and wherein the computer system further comprises:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer readable memories, to determine delta red, green, blue values of the object from original pixel color values of the object; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer readable memories, to compare the original pixel color values with the modified pixel color values of the object.

12. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the program instructions to calculate the modified pixel values calculate modified red, green, blue values using a set of pixel color constraints that specify maximum red, green, blue values and minimum red, green, blue values for pixels of the object.