Distributed network architecture for introducing dynamic content into a synthetic environment

• US 9,005,027 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2008
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trion World ABC LLC
• Original Assignee: Trion Worlds, Incorporated (Samarion SE)
• Inventors: Lee, Robert Ernest, Aldridge, David M., Farina, Bryan Joseph, Van Caneghem, Jon Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Masud
• Application Number:
  US12/075,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20080287192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,595 Days
• Field of Search: 463/42, 463/31, 463/1, 370/338, 709/220, 709/203, 455/418
• US Class Current: 463/42
• 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 13/352 involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world
• 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 2300/6009 for importing or creating game content, e.g. authoring tools during game development, adapting content to different platforms, use of a scripting language to create content
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/006 based on simulated virtual individual or collective life forms, e.g. social simulations or particle swarm optimisation [PSO]

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate generally to computer-based simulations and synthetic environment generation, and more particularly, to a system, a computer-readable medium, a method and an apparatus for generating synthetic environments in a distributed architecture to, among other things, introduce dynamic content.

Claims

1. A method to introduce content into synthetic environments, the method comprising:

maintaining data representing an event in an event library database, the event associated with a plug object configured to interact with object code executing to create a synthetic environment, wherein the synthetic environment is a computer-based simulated environment of a virtual world;

detecting a condition that triggers introduction of dynamic content into the synthetic environment;

introducing the dynamic content into the synthetic environment during the execution of the object code, wherein the introducing of the dynamic content into the synthetic environment comprises;

determining an off-peak usage time and a peak usage time, the off-peak usage time having a lower cost for transmitting data than the peak usage time; and

scheduling and transmitting the dynamic content to a client during the off-peak time; and

in the event that different dynamic content is introduced into the synthetic environment, generating a portion of the synthetic environment without revising the object code.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a time during which the dynamic content persists in association with at least a portion of the synthetic environment.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating data configured to display a representation of the time during which the dynamic content is introduced into the synthetic environment.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

storing data representing another event in the event library database;

scheduling another plug object of the another event to interact with the object code; and

generating additional data configured to display a representation of another time during which additional dynamic content is introduced into the synthetic environment.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprises:

displaying the representation of the another time in association with an event server guide.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating the event to include the plug object without modifying the object code.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

developing source code with the plug object; and

compiling the source code to form the object code.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

developing another plug object in association with another event;

testing the another plug object in association with the object code; and

determining whether the another plug object meets one or more quality assurance (“

QA”

) specifications.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

storing plug data associated with the another plug object in the event library database if the one or more quality assurance specifications are met.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

initializing a plug insertion process by which the plug object interacts with the object code.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

fetching plug data of the plug object from the event library database; and

incorporating the plug data with socket code of the object code.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic content includes data representing location of an object, positioning of the object, speed of the object, path of the object, or any combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the introducing of the dynamic content into the synthetic environment further comprises dividing the dynamic content into a plurality of pieces of data.

14. A method to introduce content into synthetic environments, the method comprising:

executing object code to generate a synthetic environment, wherein the synthetic environment is a computer-based simulated environment of a virtual world;

monitoring times at which data from property class objects are to be inserted into socket code of the object code;

detecting a scheduled time for one of the property class objects;

inserting the data into the socket code to associate content with the synthetic environment, wherein the inserting of the data into the socket code comprises;

determining whether an event has occurred, the event including a scheduled time or a condition, the condition including a number of participants at a location has surpassed a threshold; and

in the event that the event has occurred, inserting the data into the socket code; and

in the event that different data is inserted into the socket code, generating a portion of the synthetic environment without revising the object code.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

accessing one or more data arrangements that comport with the property class objects to fetch the data.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

determining an asset representation for an item that is associated with the data; and

rendering the item in relation to the synthetic environment.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

determining a procedural action list for an item that is associated with the data; and

implementing actions for the item as a function of the procedural action list in the context of the synthetic environment.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein inserting the data into the socket code comprises:

generating a universal message including at least a portion of the data; and

transmitting the universal message from an event server to a game management server.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein transmitting the universal message comprises:

transmitting the universal message as an XML-formatted message.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein transmitting the universal message comprises:

transmitting the universal message as a binary-formatted message.

21. A system for introducing content into synthetic environments, comprising:

a processor configured to;

maintain data representing an event in an event library database, the event associated with a plug object configured to interact with object code executing to create a synthetic environment, wherein the synthetic environment is a computer-based simulated environment of a virtual world;

detect a condition that triggers introduction of dynamic content into the synthetic environment;

introduce the dynamic content into the synthetic environment during the execution of the object code, wherein the introducing of the dynamic content into the synthetic environment comprises;

determine an off-peak usage time and a peak usage time, the off-peak usage time having a lower cost for transmitting data than the peak usage time; and

schedule and transmit the dynamic content to a client during the off-peak time; and

in the event that different dynamic content is introduced into the synthetic environment, generate a portion of the synthetic environment without revising the object code; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.

22. A computer program product for introducing content into synthetic environments, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

maintaining data representing an event in an event library database, the event associated with a plug object configured to interact with object code executing to create a synthetic environment, wherein the synthetic environment is a computer-based simulated environment of a virtual world;

detecting a condition that triggers introduction of dynamic content into the synthetic environment;

introducing the dynamic content into the synthetic environment during the execution of the object code, wherein the introducing of the dynamic content into the synthetic environment comprises;

determining an off-peak usage time and a peak usage time, the off-peak usage time having a lower cost for transmitting data than the peak usage time; and

scheduling and transmitting the dynamic content to a client during the off-peak time; and

in the event that different dynamic content is introduced into the synthetic environment, generating a portion of the synthetic environment without revising the object code.