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

• US 8,667,081 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2011
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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:
  US13/228,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20110320566A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/238, 709/240, 709/242
• 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 registering a host and a user within a virtual reality networked computer system, said method comprising the steps of:

enabling establishment of network communication between a host and a server of virtual reality content;

causing the server to receive a registration request from the host;

causing the server to transmit the registration request to at least one different server;

determining a designated server nearest to the registering host based, at least in part, on the transmission of the registration request to the at least one different server;

causing the server to assign a unique host identifier to the host;

causing the server to assign a unique user identifier to the user;

causing at least one database of the designated server to be updated with the unique host identifier, the unique user identifier, and an indication that the designated server was determined to be nearest to the registering host to enable the host to request registration information from the designated server; and

causing the server to repeatedly transmit the registration request to each of a plurality of session servers until a session server nearest to the registering host is located.

2. The method of claim 1, which includes causing the server to determine that a session server to which the registration request is transmitted is the designated server based on a set of proximity criteria including at least one selected from the group consisting of a geographical distance, a network topological distance, a link latency, and a link bandwidth between the host and the session server.

3. The method of claim 2, which includes causing the server to receive a response after sending a registration request to the at least one different server.

4. The method of claim 3, which includes causing the server to determine the designated server based, at least in part, on a received response to the registration request.

5. The method of claim 1, which includes causing the server to interrogate the at least one database to determine whether the nearest server has been previously determined.

6. The method of claim 5, which includes, if the determination is that the nearest server has been previously determined, causing the server to transmit the unique host identifier and the unique user identifier to the previously determined nearest server before transmitting the registration request.

7. The method of claim 1, which includes causing the server to estimate a potential nearest server based on an address associated with the at least one different server prior to transmitting the registration request to the at least one different server.

8. A host/user registration 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) establish a network communication with a host;

(b) receive a registration request from the host;

(c) transmit the registration request to at least one server;

(d) determine a designated server nearest to the registering host and user based, at least in part, on the transmission of the registration request to the at least one server;

(e) assign a unique host identifier to the host;

(f) assign a unique user identifier to the user; and

(g) update at least one database of the designated server with the unique host identifier, the unique user identifier, and an indication that the designated server was determined to be nearest to the registering host to enable the host to request registration information from the designated server,

wherein the plurality of instructions, 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 repeatedly transmit the registration request to each of a plurality of session servers until a session server nearest to the registering host is located.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of instructions, 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 determine that a session server to which the registration request is transmitted is the designated server based on at least one proximity criterion including at least one selected from the group consisting of a geographical distance, a network topological distance, a link latency, and a link bandwidth between the host and the session server.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of instructions, 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 receive a response after sending a registration request to the at least one different server.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of instructions, 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 determine the designated server based, at least in part, on a received response to the registration request.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of instructions, 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 interrogate the at least one database to determine whether the nearest server has been previously determined.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein, if the determination is that the nearest server has been previously determined, the plurality of instructions, 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 transmit the unique host identifier and the unique user identifier to the previously determined nearest server before transmitting the registration request.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of instructions, 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 estimate a potential nearest server based on an address associated with the at least one different server prior to transmitting the registration request to the at least one different server.