Multi-instance, multi-user virtual reality spaces

• US 9,452,360 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2015
• Issued: 09/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Utherverse Gaming LLC (FIG LLC (d/b/a Fortress Investment Group LLC))
• Original Assignee: Brian Mark Shuster, Gary S. Shuster
• Inventors: Shuster, Brian Mark, Shuster, Gary Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): BAUTISTA, XIOMARA L
• Application Number:
  US14/841,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20150371424A1
• Time in Patent Office: 393 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 13/20 Input arrangements for video game devices
• 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 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/358 Adapting the game course according to the network or server load, e.g. for reducing latency due to different connection speeds between clients
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5252 using two or more virtual cameras concurrently or sequentially, e.g. automatically switching between fixed virtual cameras when a character changes room or displaying a rear-mirror view in a car-driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5533 using program state or machine event data, e.g. server keeps track of the state of multiple players on in a multiple player game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/40 of characters, e.g. humans, animals or virtual beings
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/08 Volume rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/003 Navigation within 3D models or images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/20 Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/04 involving 3D image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2215/12 Shadow map, environment map
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/024 Multi-user, collaborative environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/20 : Analysis of motion motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51

Abstract

A multi-instance, multi-user animation platform includes a plurality of modeled parallel dimensions in a computer memory. Each of the parallel dimensions may be an independent model of a physical, three-dimensional space having corresponding features such that the parallel dimensions are recognizable as counterparts to each other. Avatars are located within corresponding ones of the parallel dimensions so as to prevent over-population of any one of the parallel dimensions by avatars. Avatars are animated within different ones of the parallel dimensions using input from respective users to provide virtual-reality data. A common space is modeled in the computer memory configured in relation to the plurality of parallel instances so that an object located inside the common space is visible from viewpoints located inside each of the plurality of parallel instances. Remote clients may output an animated display of a corresponding one of the parallel dimensions and avatars therein.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

modeling, in a non-transitory computer memory, a multi-dimensional virtual reality environment, comprising;

a common dimension;

a plurality of parallel dimensions;

an interface between the common dimension and the parallel dimensions;

at least one object in the common dimension;

automatically replicating the at least one object into multiple copies when the object crosses the interface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing one copy of the at least one object into each of the parallel dimensions.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising

independently controlling the one copy of the object in each of the parallel dimensions.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising marking each of the multiple copies of the object to show the dimension in which it was first replicated.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising tracking the common dimension in which each of the multiple copies of the object was first replicated.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving any displaced copy of the multiple copies so that positions of each of the copies within each of the parallel instances converge over time.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the moving takes place slowly.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein a speed of the moving is dependent on the relative proximity of nearest avatars.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one object is an avatar.