Cross-interface communication

• US 8,694,585 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2009
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• 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: Turner, Erin E., Huang, Peter Chi-Hao
• Primary Examiner(s): DAILEY, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US12/399,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20100229107A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,859 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 715/757
• US Class Current: 709/204
• 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 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/402 Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol
• 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 2300/537 for exchanging game data using a messaging service, e.g. e-mail, SMS, MMS
• 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 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561

Abstract

Cross-interface communication is described, including generating data associated with a synthetic environment, the synthetic environment comprising one or more communication protocols, converting the data using one of the one or more communication protocols to generate converted data, wherein the converted data is interpreted using another of the one or more communication protocols, and transmitting the data over a communication path between two or more endpoints using one or more communication interfaces, wherein the data, after being interpreted by the another of the one or more communication protocols, is used to present information associated with the synthetic environment on at least one of the two or more endpoints.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving from a first account a message in a first format associated with a first synthetic environment;

determining whether the message is to be sent to an endpoint is one of;

logged into the first synthetic environment, logged into a second synthetic environment, and not logged into any synthetic environment, the endpoint being associated with a second account, wherein the determining comprises;

polling the endpoint to determining whether the endpoint is logged into one of the first or the second synthetic environments or not logged into any synthetic environment; and

in the event that the endpoint is logged into one of the first or the second synthetic environments;

querying the endpoint for an identifying number; and

comparing the identifying number to a list of identifying numbers corresponding to accounts logged into one of the first or the second synthetic environments to determine whether the endpoint is logged into the first synthetic environment or the second synthetic environment;

configuring the message to be transferred from the first account to the second account using a first communication interface implemented with the first synthetic environment, the first communication interface being configured to transfer data between the first synthetic environment and an application using a first protocol that is substantially different from a second protocol used with a second communication interface;

transforming the message and the data using the first protocol to generate the message in a second format based on a friends'"'"' list, a guild list, a preference, or a filter; and

sending the message in the second format from the first synthetic environment to the second account associated with the second synthetic environment using the first communication interface and the first protocol, the first protocol being one of extensible messaging and presence protocol (XMPP), Jabber, wireless application protocol (WAP), Internet control message protocol (ICMP), Internet relay chat (IRC), Property Class, short messaging system (SMS), or simple message transfer protocol (SMTP).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is associated with an activity performed substantially within the first synthetic environment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is associated with an activity performed substantially outside of the first synthetic environment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is associated with an event occurring substantially within a persistent virtual world.

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

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first account is logged into the first synthetic environment, and wherein the second account is logged into the second synthetic environment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first protocol is a data transmission protocol associated with an instant messaging application.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first protocol is a data transmission protocol associated with an electronic messaging application.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second account is not logged into any synthetic environment.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication interface further comprises an application programming interface.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the transforming of the message and the data comprises:

determining an environment related to the endpoint; and

converting the message to a format related to the determined environment.

11. A method, comprising:

generating data associated with a first synthetic environment, the first synthetic environment comprising one or more communication protocols;

determining whether each of two or more endpoints is one of;

logged into the first synthetic environment, logged into a second synthetic environment, and not logged into any synthetic environment, each of the two or more endpoints being associated with a different user, wherein the determining comprises;

polling an endpoint to determining whether the endpoint is logged into one of the first or the second synthetic environments or not logged into any synthetic environment; and

in the event that the endpoint is logged into one of the first or the second synthetic environments;

querying the endpoint for an identifying number; and

comparing the identifying number to a list of identifying numbers corresponding to accounts logged into one of the first or the second synthetic environments to determine whether the endpoint is logged into the first synthetic environment or the second synthetic environment;

converting the data using a first of the one or more communication protocols to generate converted data based on a friends'"'"' list, a guild list, a preference, or a filter, wherein the converted data is interpreted using a second of the one or more communication protocols; and

transmitting the data over a communication path between the two or more endpoints using one or more communication interfaces, wherein the data, after being interpreted by the second of the one or more communication protocols, is used to present information associated with the first synthetic environment on at least one of the two or more endpoints, the first of the one or more communication protocols being one of extensible messaging and presence protocol (XMPP), Jabber, wireless application protocol (WAP), Internet control message protocol (ICMP), Internet relay chat (IRC), Property Class, short messaging system (SMS), or simple message transfer protocol (SMTP).

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the data is associated with an activity occurring substantially inside the first synthetic environment.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the data is associated with an activity occurring substantially outside the first synthetic environment.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first synthetic environment is a persistent virtual world.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more communication protocols comprises SMTP.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more communication protocols comprises TCP/IP.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more communications protocols is used by the one or more communication interfaces to send the data associated with an event occurring in the first synthetic environment to at least one of the one or more clients that is not logged into the first synthetic environment.

18. A system, comprising:

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

a processor configured to;

receive from a first account a message in a first format associated with a first synthetic environment,

determine whether the message is to be sent to an endpoint is one of;

logged into the first synthetic environment, logged into a second synthetic environment, and not logged into any synthetic environment, the endpoint being associated with a second account, wherein the determining comprises;

polling the endpoint to determining whether the endpoint is logged into one of the first or the second synthetic environments or not logged into any synthetic environment; and

in the event that the endpoint is logged into one of the first or the second synthetic environments;

querying the endpoint for an identifying number; and

comparing the identifying number to a list of identifying numbers corresponding to accounts logged into one of the first or the second synthetic environments to determine whether the endpoint is logged into the first synthetic environment or the second synthetic environment;

configure the message to be transferred from the first account to the second account using a first communication interface implemented with the first synthetic environment, the first communication interface being configured to transfer the data between the first synthetic environment and an application using a first protocol that is substantially different from a second protocol used with a second communication interface,

transform the message and the data using the first protocol to generate the message in the second format based on a friends'"'"' list, a guild list, a preference, or a filter, and

send the message in the second format from the first synthetic environment to the second account associated with the synthetic environment using the first communication interface and the first protocol, the first protocol being one of extensible messaging and presence protocol (XMPP), Jabber, wireless application protocol (WAP), Internet control message protocol (ICMP), Internet relay chat (IRC), Property Class, short messaging system (SMS), or simple message transfer protocol (SMTP).

19. A system, comprising:

a storage module configured to store data associated with a first synthetic environment; and

a logic module configured to;

generate data associated with the first synthetic environment, the first synthetic environment comprising one or more communication protocols,

determine whether each of two or more endpoints is one of;

logged into the first synthetic environment, logged into a second synthetic environment, and not logged into any synthetic environment, each of the two or more endpoints being associated with a different user, wherein the determining comprises;

polling an endpoint to determining whether the endpoint is logged into one of the first or the second synthetic environments or not logged into any synthetic environment; and

in the event that the endpoint is logged into one of the first or the second synthetic environments;

querying the endpoint for an identifying number; and

comparing the identifying number to a list of identifying numbers corresponding to accounts logged into one of the first or the second synthetic environments to determine whether the endpoint is logged into the first synthetic environment or the second synthetic environment;

convert the data using a first of the one or more communication protocols to generate converted data based on a friends'"'"' list, a guild list, a preference, or a filter, wherein the converted data is interpreted using a second of the one or more communication protocols, and

transmit the data over a communication path between the two or more endpoints using one or more communication interfaces, wherein the data, after being interpreted by the second of the one or more communication protocols, is used to present information associated with the first synthetic environment on at least one of the two or more endpoints, the first of the one or more communication protocols being one of extensible messaging and presence protocol (XMPP), Jabber, wireless application protocol (WAP), Internet control message protocol (ICMP), Internet relay chat (IRC), Property Class, short messaging system (SMS), or simple message transfer protocol (SMTP).

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

receiving from a first account a message in a first format associated with a first synthetic environment;

determining whether the message is to be sent to an endpoint is one of;

logged into the first synthetic environment, logged into a second synthetic environment, and not logged into any synthetic environment, the endpoint being associated with a second account, wherein the determining comprises;

polling the endpoint to determining whether the endpoint is logged into one of the first or the second synthetic environments or not logged into any synthetic environment; and

in the event that the endpoint is logged into one of the first or the second synthetic environments;

querying the endpoint for an identifying number; and

comparing the identifying number to a list of identifying numbers corresponding to accounts logged into one of the first or the second synthetic environments to determine whether the endpoint is logged into the first synthetic environment or the second synthetic environment;

configuring the message to be transferred from the first account to the second account using a first communication interface implemented with the first synthetic environment, the first communication interface being configured to transfer data between the first synthetic environment and an application using a first protocol that is substantially different from a second protocol used with a second communication interface;

transforming the message and the data using the first protocol to generate the message in a second format based on a friends'"'"' list, a guild list, a preference, or a filter; and

sending the message in the second format from the first synthetic environment to the second account associated with the synthetic environment using the first communication interface and the first protocol, the first protocol being one of extensible messaging and presence protocol (XMPP), Jabber, wireless application protocol (WAP), Internet control message protocol (ICMP), Internet relay chat (IRC), Property Class, short messaging system (SMS), or simple message transfer protocol (SMTP).

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

generating data associated with a first synthetic environment, the first synthetic environment comprising one or more communication protocols;

determining whether each of two or more endpoints is one of;

logged into the first synthetic environment, logged into a second synthetic environment, and not logged into any synthetic environment, each of the two or more endpoints being associated with a different user, wherein the determining comprises;

polling an endpoint to determining whether the endpoint is logged into one of the first or the second synthetic environments or not logged into any synthetic environment; and

in the event that the endpoint is logged into one of the first or the second synthetic environments;

querying the endpoint for an identifying number; and

comparing the identifying number to a list of identifying numbers corresponding to accounts logged into one of the first or the second synthetic environments to determine whether the endpoint is logged into the first synthetic environment or the second synthetic environment;

converting the data using a first of the one or more communication protocols to generate converted data based on a friends'"'"' list, a guild list, a preference, or a filter, wherein the converted data is interpreted using a second of the one or more communication protocols; and

transmitting the data over a communication path between the two or more endpoints using one or more communication interfaces, wherein the data, after being interpreted by the second of the one or more communication protocols, is used to present information associated with the first synthetic environment on at least one of the two or more endpoints, the first of the one or more communication protocols being one of extensible messaging and presence protocol (XMPP), Jabber, wireless application protocol (WAP), Internet control message protocol (ICMP), Internet relay chat (IRC), Property Class, short messaging system (SMS), or simple message transfer protocol (SMTP).