Platform for hosting virtual events

• US 8,781,932 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2012
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Serban, Cristina
• Primary Examiner(s): Hamilton, Lalita M
• Application Number:
  US13/569,545
• Publication Number:
  US 20140046829A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 705/35, 705/40, 705/300
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/14 Travel agencies

Abstract

A platform for hosting virtual events includes a user interface module generating a user interface for accessing a virtual event; a conferencing module providing conferencing between participants of the virtual event; a virtual environment module generating a virtual environment for interaction between participants of the virtual event; and a payment processing module collecting payments from participants of the virtual event and distributing payments to an event planner.

Claims

1. A platform for hosting virtual events comprising:

a processor; and

memory comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to implement;

a user interface module to generate a user interface for accessing a virtual event;

a conferencing module to provide conferencing between participants of the virtual event;

a virtual environment module to generate a virtual environment for interaction between participants of the virtual event;

a payment processing module to collect payments from participants of the virtual event and to distribute payments to an event planner; and

a network connections module to interface a guide system with a user system to provide a tour of a location to a participant at the user system remote from the guide system;

the network connections module to interface a real traveler at the tour of the location with a virtual traveler at the user system remote from the location;

the network connections module to interface with a local tourism authority system;

the network connections module to interface with a travel agent system to determine a human guide for the virtual event;

the network connections module to interface with an event planner system;

wherein the payment processing module is to distribute payments to the human guide associated with the guide system and is to distribute payments to a local tourism authority associated with the location.

2. The platform of claim 1 further comprising:

an image processing module, the image processing module to group a plurality of images from a plurality of user systems into a single image.

3. The platform of claim 1 wherein:

the conferencing module includes a language module, the language module to select a language for the conferencing.

4. The platform of claim 3 wherein:

the language module to provide language translation during the conferencing.

5. A computer program product tangibly embodied on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the computer program product including instructions for hosting virtual events that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform to operations comprising:

interfacing with a user system and an event planner system;

generating a user interface for accessing a virtual event;

providing conferencing between participants of the virtual event;

generating a virtual environment for interaction between participants of the virtual event;

collecting payments from participants of the virtual event and distributing payments to an event planner;

interfacing a guide system with a user system to provide a virtual tour of a location to a participant at the user system remote from the guide system;

interfacing a real traveler at the tour of the location with a virtual traveler at the user system;

interfacing with a local tourism authority system;

interfacing with a travel agent system to determine a human guide for the virtual event;

distributing payments to the human guide associated with the guide system; and

distributing payments to a local tourism authority associated with the location.

6. The computer program product of claim 5 wherein the operations further comprise:

providing image processing to group a plurality of images from a plurality of user systems into a single image.

7. The computer program product of claim 5 wherein the operations further comprise:

providing conferencing includes selecting a language for the conferencing.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein the operations further comprise:

selecting the language for the conferencing includes providing language translation during the conferencing.

9. A platform for hosting virtual events comprising:

a processor; and

memory comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to implement;

a user interface module to generate a user interface for accessing a virtual event;

a conferencing module to provide conferencing between participants of the virtual event, wherein the conferencing module includes a language module, the language module to select a language for the conferencing, the language module to provide language translation during the conferencing;

a virtual environment module to generate a virtual environment for interaction between participants of the virtual event;

a payment processing module to collect payments from participants of the virtual event and to distribute payments to an event planner;

a network connections module to interface a guide system with a user system to provide a tour of a location to a participant at the user system remote from the guide system;

an image processing module, the image processing module to group a plurality of images of individuals from a plurality of user systems into a single group image;

a storage module to store multimedia content from the virtual event and to allow access to the multimedia content to attendees of the virtual event;

the network connections module to interface a real traveler at the tour of the location with a virtual traveler at the user system;

the network connections module to interface with a local tourism authority system;

the network connections module to interface with a travel agent system to determine a human guide for the virtual event;

the network connections module to interface with an event planner system;

the network connections module to interface with a social networking site and a coupon site providing coupons related to the virtual event;

wherein the payment processing module is to distribute payments to the human guide associated with the guide system and is to distribute payments to a local tourism authority associated with the location.