Color modifications of objects in a virtual universe based on user display settings

• US 8,990,705 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2008
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• 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): Abdul-Ali, Omar
• Assistant Examiner(s): KEATON, SHERROD L
• Application Number:
  US12/165,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20100005423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,457 Days
• Field of Search: 715/849, 715/745, 715/757, 715/744
• US Class Current: 715/744
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object

Abstract

Modifying display of an object in a display of part of a virtual universe is provided. In one embodiment, the process obtains avatar tracking data that identifies a location of an avatar in relation to a range of the object. The range includes a viewable field. The process then selects a data collection method based on the location of the set of avatars. In response to detecting an event for triggering modification of the object, the process calculates a set of color modifiers based on display setting data to form a modified color. Thereafter, the process renders the object using the modified color when the location of the set of avatars is within the range of the object.

Claims

1. A method for modifying display of a first object in a display of part of a virtual universe, the method comprising:

a computer obtaining tracking data that identifies an average distance of a plurality of avatars on the display to the first object;

the computer, based on the tracking data;

the computer determining a difference between current visual settings for displaying the first object and more optimal visual settings for displaying the first object;

the computer calculating, based on the difference, one or more modifiers to a value of a pixel color of the first object in response to a set of the plurality of avatars entering a defined detection area of the virtual universe where the first object is not viewable by the set of the plurality of avatars, wherein the defined detection area is outside a defined viewable region where the first object is viewable; and

the computer modifying a color of the first object by applying the one or more modifiers to the value of the pixel color;

after the modifying step, the computer displaying the first object with the modified color for a predefined period of time on the display such that the first object is displayed according to the more optimal visual settings for the first object for the predefined period of time; and

the computer determining that the display of the first object is adjacent to a second object that obstructs the first object from view, and in response, the computer changing a current viewable region of the virtual universe on the display to center on a different location than the location of the first object.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the computer detecting that a number of objects in a region of the virtual universe exceeds a threshold, and in response, the computer selecting a method for collecting the current visual settings responsive to a user login and further responsive to one or more changes to the current visual settings.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the current visual settings comprise saturation, brightness, contrast, hue, and primary color settings, and wherein the one or more modifiers include primary color modifiers.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the calculating step is performed responsive to a difference between a primary color value in the primary color settings and an optimal primary color value of the first object exceeding a predefined threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the modifying step is performed in response to the set of the plurality of avatars entering the defined viewable region where the first object is viewable.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

instantiating, by the computer, a clone of the first object for each one of the set of the plurality of avatars entering the defined detection area where the first object is not viewable.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

presenting, by the computer, the clone of the first object instantiated for each one of the set of the plurality of avatars entering the defined viewable region to corresponding avatars in the set of the plurality of avatars to facilitate viewing of the first object by the corresponding avatars.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the computer detecting a movement of one of the plurality of avatars in the virtual universe from the defined detection area into the defined viewable region, wherein the defined detection area surrounds the defined viewable region; and

responsive to the one of the plurality of avatars moving from an outside zone that is adjacent to the defined detection area into the defined detection area;

the computer triggering an initiation process;

wherein, during the initiation process, the computer begins preparations to display the first object to the one of the plurality of avatars in response to the one of the plurality of avatars moving into the defined detection area without displaying the first object during the preparations; and

wherein the one of the plurality of avatars is incapable of viewing the first object while the one of the plurality of avatars is in the defined detection area and while the one of the plurality of avatars is in the outside zone.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the computer begins the preparations by caching content associated with the first object, and wherein the method further comprises the step of the computer displaying the cached content in response to the one of the plurality of avatars moving into the defined viewable region.

6. A computer program product for modifying display of a first object in a display of part of a virtual universe, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable storage devices, and program instructions stored on the one or more storage devices, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to obtain tracking data that identifies an average distance of a plurality of avatars on the display to the first object;

program instructions, based on the tracking data, to;

determine a difference between current visual settings for displaying the first object and more optimal visual settings for displaying the first object;

calculate, based on the difference, one or more modifiers to a value of a pixel color of the first object in response to a set of the plurality of avatars entering a defined detection area of the virtual universe where the first object is not viewable by the set of the plurality of avatars, wherein the defined detection area is outside a defined viewable region where the first object is viewable; and

modify a color of the first object by applying the one or more modifiers to the value of the pixel color;

after the modifying, program instructions to display the first object with the modified color for a predefined period of time on the display such that the first object is displayed according to the more optimal visual settings for the first object for the predefined period of time; and

program instructions to determine that the display of the first object is adjacent to a second object that obstructs the first object from view, and in response, program instructions to change a current viewable region of the virtual universe on the display to center on a different location than the location of the first object.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, further comprising:

program instructions to detect that a number of objects in a region of the virtual universe exceeds a threshold, and in response, program instructions to select a method for collecting the current visual settings responsive to a user login and further responsive to one or more changes to the current visual settings.

8. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the current visual settings comprise saturation, brightness, contrast, hue, and primary color settings, and wherein the one or more modifiers include primary color modifiers.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the program instructions to calculate one or more modifiers to the value of the pixel color calculate responsive to a difference between a primary color value in the primary color settings and an optimal primary color value of the first object exceeding a predefined threshold.

10. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the program instructions to modify the color of the first object by applying the one or more modifiers to the value of the pixel color are executed to modify the color of the first object by applying the one or more modifiers to the value of the pixel color in response to the set of the plurality of avatars entering the defined viewable region where the first object is viewable.

19. The computer program product of claim 6, further comprising:

program instructions to detect a movement of one of the plurality of avatars in the virtual universe from the defined detection area into the defined viewable region, wherein the defined detection area surrounds the defined viewable region; and

program instructions responsive to the one of the plurality of avatars moving from an outside zone that is adjacent to the defined detection area into the defined detection area, to trigger an initiation process during which preparations are begun to display the first object to the one of the plurality of avatars in response to the one of the plurality of avatars moving into the defined detection area without displaying the first object during the preparations, wherein the one of the plurality of avatars is incapable of viewing the first object while the one of the plurality of avatars is in the defined detection area and while the one of the plurality of avatars is in the outside zone.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the preparations are begun by caching content associated with the first object, and wherein the computer program product further comprises program instructions to display the cached content in response to the one of the plurality of avatars moving into the defined viewable region.

11. A computer system for modifying display of a first object in a display of part of a virtual universe, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories and one or more computer-readable storage devices, and program instructions, stored on the one or more storage devices for execution by the one or more processors via the one or more memories, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to obtain tracking data that identifies an average distance of a plurality of avatars on the display to the first object;

program instructions, based on the tracking data, to;

determine a difference between current visual settings for displaying the first object and more optimal visual settings for displaying the first object;

calculate, based on the difference, one or more modifiers to a value of a pixel color of the first object in response to a set of the plurality of avatars entering a defined detection area of the virtual universe where the first object is not viewable by the set of the plurality of avatars, wherein the defined detection area is outside a defined viewable region where the first object is viewable; and

modify a color of the first object by applying the one or more modifiers to the value of the pixel color;

after the modifying, program instructions to display the first object with the modified color for a predefined period of time on the display such that the first object is displayed according to the more optimal visual settings for the first object for the predefined period of time; and

program instructions to determine that the display of the first object is adjacent to a second object that obstructs the first object from view, and in response, program instructions change a current viewable region of the virtual universe on the display to center on a different location than the location of the first object.

12. The computer system of claim 11, further comprising:

program instructions to detect that a number of objects in a region of the virtual universe exceeds a threshold; and

program instructions to select, responsive to a user login and to one or more changes to the current visual settings, a method for collecting the current visual settings.

13. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the current visual settings comprise saturation, brightness, contrast, hue, and primary color settings, and wherein the one or more modifiers include primary color modifiers.

14. The computer system of claim 11, further comprising:

program instructions to calculate the one or more modifiers responsive to a difference between a primary color value in the primary color settings and an optimal primary color value of the first object exceeding a predefined threshold.