Synthetic environment character data sharing

• US 8,661,073 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2009
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trion World ABC LLC
• Original Assignee: Trion Worlds, Incorporated (Samarion SE)
• Inventors: Lee, Robert Ernest, Van Caneghem, Jon Edward, Farina, Bryan Joseph, Turner, Erin E., Huang, Peter Chi-Hao
• Primary Examiner(s): DAILEY, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US12/399,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20100229106A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,817 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 715/757, 463/42
• US Class Current: 709/203
• 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 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/60 Generating or modifying game content before or while executing the game program, e.g. authoring tools specially adapted for game development or game-integrated level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• 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 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users

Abstract

Synthetic environment character data sharing is described, including retrieving data from a plurality of sources configured to store the data, the data being generated from an interaction between a character and a synthetic environment, generating a feed comprising dynamic content associated with the character and the synthetic environment, the feed being configured to present the data to one or more clients associated with the synthetic environment in substantially real time, transmitting the feed to the one or more clients, extracting the data from the feed and presenting the data on the one or more clients after being extracted from the feed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

retrieving data from a plurality of sources configured to store the data, the data being generated from an interaction between a character and a synthetic environment;

generating a feed comprising dynamic content associated with the character and the synthetic environment, the feed being configured to present the data to a second client associated with the synthetic environment in substantially real time;

determining whether a first client is logged into the synthetic environment;

in the event that the first client is logged into the synthetic environment, adding a virtual location of the first client within the synthetic environment to the feed;

in the event that the first client is logged out of the synthetic environment;

determining whether the first client is associated with another communication system;

in the event that the first client is associated with the other communication system, determining whether the first client is associated a mobile communication device or a distributed data network; and

adding a real-world location of the first client to the feed,

wherein the data associated with the feed includes;

a presence status indicating whether the first client is logged into or logged out of the synthetic environment, in the event that the first client is logged into the synthetic environment, a geographical location that indicates a virtual physical location of the first client within the synthetic environment, and in the event that the first client is logged out of the synthetic environment, whether the first client is associated the mobile communication device or the distributed data network, and the geographical location that indicates a real-world location of the first client;

transmitting the feed to the second client;

extracting the data from the feed; and

presenting the data on the second client after being extracted from the feed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second clients is logged into the synthetic environment.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein in response to the first client being logged out of the synthetic environment and interacting with the data using the other communication system, the data associated with the feed is sent to the first client via the other communication system;

and

wherein in response to the first client being logged into the synthetic environment, the feed is sent to the second client via the synthetic environment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the synthetic environment is a persistent virtual world.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is associated with a geographical location of the character within the synthetic environment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is associated with a presence status of the character relative to the synthetic environment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second clients is a web application.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the first and second clients is accessing the synthetic environment using a mobile communication device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting the data visually on an interface associated with at least one of the first and second clients.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is configured to be graphically presented on a map viewer.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is configured to be presented as a news ticker.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises a grid coordinate, the grid coordinate being configured to be presented visually on an interface to visually indicate a location on a map, the grid coordinate being associated with a reference point within the synthetic environment.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is configured to be graphically presented as a color.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein a control is configured to turn off visual presentation of the data.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising filtering the data based on an input.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the input identifies first and second accounts associated with a friends list.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a message notification associated with an event.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the event occurs substantially within the synthetic environment.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the event occurs substantially outside the synthetic environment.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the feed comprising dynamic content associated with the character and the synthetic environment includes dynamic content associated with the character'"'"'s interaction with the synthetic environment, and wherein the feed being configured to present the data to first and second clients associated with the synthetic environment in substantially real time further comprises:

determining one or more data communication protocols for communicating with each of the first and second clients associated with the synthetic environment; and

formatting the feed according to the one or more protocols determined for transmitting the feed to the first and second clients, wherein formatting the feed includes modifying the data associated with the feed.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the other communication system is a mobile communication device or a distributed data network.

20. A method, comprising:

generating character data comprising dynamic content from first and second sources associated with a synthetic environment, the synthetic environment being configured for an application accessed by first and second end devices configured to receive the character data;

configuring a feed comprising the character data;

determining whether the first end device is logged into the synthetic environment;

in the event that the first end device is logged into the synthetic environment, adding a virtual location of the first end device within the synthetic environment to the feed;

in the event that the first end device is logged out of the synthetic environment;

determining whether the first end device is associated with another communication system;

in the event that the first end device is associated with the other communication system, determining whether the first end device is associated a mobile communication device or a distributed data network; and

adding a real-world location of the first end device to the feed,

wherein the character data associated with the feed includes;

a presence status indicating whether the first end device is logged into or logged out of the synthetic environment, in the event that the first client is logged into the synthetic environment, a geographical location that indicates a virtual physical location of the first end device within the synthetic environment, and in the event that the first end device is logged out of the synthetic environment, whether the first end device is associated the mobile communication device or the distributed data network, and the geographical location that indicates a real-world location of the first end device;

sending the character data in substantially real time from the first and second sources to the first and second end devices using the feed; and

presenting the character data in the application.

21. A system, comprising:

a memory configured to store data associated with a character and a synthetic environment; and

a logic module configured to;

retrieve data from a plurality of sources configured to store the data, the data being generated from an interaction between a character and a synthetic environment to generate a feed comprising dynamic content associated with the character and the synthetic environment, the feed being configured to present the data to a second client associated with the synthetic environment in substantially real time,

determine whether a first client is logged into the synthetic environment,

in the event that the first client is logged into the synthetic environment, add a virtual location of the first client within the synthetic environment to the feed,

in the event that the first client is logged out of the synthetic environment;

determine whether the first client is associated with another communication system;

in the event that the first client is associated with the other communication system, determine whether the first client is associated a mobile communication device or a distributed data network; and

add a real-world location of the first client to the feed,

wherein the data associated with the feed includes;

a presence status indicating whether the first client is logged into or logged out of the synthetic environment, in the event that the first client is logged into the synthetic environment, a geographical location that indicates a virtual physical location of the first client within the synthetic environment, and in the event that the first client is logged out of the synthetic environment, whether the first client is associated the mobile communication device or the distributed data network, and the geographical location that indicates a real-world location of the first client,

transmit the feed to the second client;

extract the data from the feed, and present the data on the second client after being extracted from the feed.

22. A system, comprising:

a memory configured to store data associated with a synthetic environment; and

a processor configured to;

generate character data comprising dynamic content from first and second sources associated with a synthetic environment, the synthetic environment being configured for an application accessed by first and second end devices configured to receive the character data, wherein the character data associated includes a presence status of whether or not a first user is logged into or logged out of the synthetic environment and whether or not a second user is logged into or logged out of the synthetic environment, and the character data further includes geographical location that indicates a virtual physical location of the first user within the synthetic environment and of the second user within the synthetic environment,

determine whether the first end device is logged into the synthetic environment,

in the event that the first end device is logged into the synthetic environment, add a virtual location of the first end device within the synthetic environment to the feed,

in the event that the first end device is logged out of the synthetic environment;

determine whether the first end device is associated with another communication system,

in the event that the first end device is associated with the other communication system, determine whether the first end device is associated a mobile communication device or a distributed data network, and

add a real-world location of the first end device to the feed,

wherein the data associated with the feed includes;

a presence status indicating whether the first end device is logged into or logged out of the synthetic environment, in the event that the first end device is logged into the synthetic environment, a geographical location that indicates a virtual physical location of the first end device within the synthetic environment, and in the event that the first end device is logged out of the synthetic environment, whether the first end device is associated the mobile communication device or the distributed data network, and the geographical location that indicates a real-world location of the first end device,

configure a feed comprising the character data,

send the character data in substantially real time from the first and second sources to the second end device using the feed, and

present the character data in the application.

23. A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:

retrieving data from a plurality of sources configured to store the data, the data being generated from an interaction between a character and a synthetic environment;

generating a feed comprising dynamic content associated with the character and the synthetic environment, the feed being configured to present the data to a second client associated with the synthetic environment in substantially real time, wherein the data associated with the feed includes a presence status of whether or not a first user is logged into or logged out of the synthetic environment and whether or not a second user is logged into or logged out of the synthetic environment, and the data associated with the feed further includes geographical location that indicates a virtual physical location of the first user within the synthetic environment and of the second user within the synthetic environment;

determining whether a first client is logged into the synthetic environment;

in the event that the first client is logged into the synthetic environment, adding a virtual location of the first client within the synthetic environment to the feed;

in the event that the first client is logged out of the synthetic environment;

determining whether the first client is associated with another communication system;

in the event that the first client is associated with the other communication system, determining whether the first client is associated a mobile communication device or a distributed data network; and

adding a real-world location of the first client to the feed,

wherein the data associated with the feed includes;

a presence status indicating whether the first client is logged into or logged out of the synthetic environment, in the event that the first client is logged into the synthetic environment, a geographical location that indicates a virtual physical location of the first client within the synthetic environment, and in the event that the first client is logged out of the synthetic environment, whether the first client is associated the mobile communication device or the distributed data network, and the geographical location that indicates a real-world location of the first client;

transmitting the feed to the second client;

extracting the data from the feed; and

presenting the data on the second client after being extracted from the feed.

24. A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:

generating character data comprising dynamic content from first and second sources associated with a synthetic environment, the synthetic environment being configured for an application accessed by first and second end devices configured to receive the character data, wherein the character data associated includes a presence status of whether or not a first user is logged into or logged out of the synthetic environment and whether or not a second user is logged into or logged out of the synthetic environment, and the character data further includes geographical location that indicates a virtual physical location of the first user within the synthetic environment and of the second user within the synthetic environment;

configuring a feed comprising the character data;

determining whether the first end device is logged into the synthetic environment;

in the event that the first end device is logged into the synthetic environment, adding a virtual location of the first end device within the synthetic environment to the feed;

in the event that the first end device is logged out of the synthetic environment;

determining whether the first end device is associated with another communication system;

in the event that the first end device is associated with the other communication system, determining whether the first end device is associated a mobile communication device or a distributed data network; and

adding a real-world location of the first end device to the feed,

wherein the data associated with the feed includes;

a presence status indicating whether the first end device is logged into or logged out of the synthetic environment, in the event that the first end device is logged into the synthetic environment, a geographical location that indicates a virtual physical location of the first end device within the synthetic environment, and in the event that the first end device is logged out of the synthetic environment, whether the first end device is associated the mobile communication device or the distributed data network, and the geographical location that indicates a real-world location of the first end device;

sending the character data in substantially real time from the first and second sources to the second end device using the feed; and

presenting the character data in the application.