Enabling an IM user to navigate a virtual world

• US 9,760,568 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2014
• Issued: 09/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Oath Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Bill, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffery A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Heffington, John M
• Application Number:
  US14/270,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20140330550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,225 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/744 Displaying an avatar, e.g. an animated cartoon character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• 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: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/58 Use of machine translation, e.g. for multi-lingual retrieval, for server-side translation for client devices or for real-time translation
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/006 based on simulated virtual individual or collective life forms, e.g. social simulations or particle swarm optimisation [PSO]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 : Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 : Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for enabling communications between users of an instant messaging application and a virtual world environment. In accordance with one implementation, a method is provided that includes operations performed by one or more processors, including enabling a first user to navigate the virtual world environment by controlling an avatar representing the first user. The method also includes capturing a first paralinguistic indicator made by the first user, the first paralinguistic indicator configured for communications in the virtual world environment. In addition, the method includes translating the first paralinguistic indicator into a message configured for text-based communications in the instant messaging application, the message comprising at least one of a text description of the first paralinguistic indicator and a second paralinguistic indicator configured for communications in the instant messaging application. The method further includes providing the message to a second user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for enabling communications between users of a first environment and a second environment, the method comprising the following operations performed by at least one processor:

enabling a first user to navigate the first environment by controlling an avatar representing the first user;

capturing a first paralinguistic indicator made by the first user, the first paralinguistic indicator representing a first emotion of a first complexity compatible with the first environment;

translating the first paralinguistic indicator into a second paralinguistic indicator different from the first paralinguistic, wherein the second paralinguistic indicator is communicated to a second user of the second environment and represents a second emotion of a second complexity different from the first complexity and is compatible with the second environment;

wherein at least one of the first complexity and the second complexity is defined as the co-occurrence of two or more emotions.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the method further comprising the following operation performed by the at least one processor:

providing the second user with a description of activities taking place in a sub-portion of the virtual world environment.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the description comprises a textual description of at least one of:

an environment associated with the sub-portion of the virtual world environment,

proximity of other users to an avatar representing the second user in the sub-portion of the virtual world environment, or

activities being performed by other users currently located in the sub-portion of the virtual world environment.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the method further comprising the following operations performed by the at least one processor:

enabling the second user to provide preference information related to a description of activities taking place in a sub-portion of the virtual world environment; and

providing the second user with the description of activities taking place in the sub-portion of the virtual world environment in accordance with the preference information.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the preference information includes at least one of:

a quantity of descriptions to be provided to the second user,

a type of descriptions to be provided to the second user, or

a list of other users about whom descriptions are to be provided to the second user.

6. A system that enables users of a first environment to interact with a second environment, the system comprising:

a memory configured to store instructions;

a processor configured to execute the instructions to;

enable a first user to navigate the first environment by controlling an avatar representing the first user;

capture a first paralinguistic indicator made by the first user, the first paralinguistic indicator representing a first emotion of a first complexity compatible with the first environment;

translate the first paralinguistic indicator into a second paralinguistic indicator different from the first paralinguistic indicator, wherein the second paralinguistic indicator is communicated to a second user of the second environment and represents a second emotion of a second complexity different from the first complexity and is compatible with the second environment;

wherein at least one of the first complexity and the second complexity is defined as the co-occurrence of two or more emotions.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

access a collection of descriptions determined to be relevant to the second user;

monitor a sub-portion of the virtual world environment corresponding to a current location of an avatar representing the second user in the virtual world environment;

identify, from the collection of descriptions, a sub-set of descriptions based on monitoring the sub-portion of the virtual world environment and a threshold number; and

provide the second user with the sub-set of descriptions.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

determine that a quantity associated with the collection of descriptions exceeds the threshold number;

determine an interest rating for each description in the collection of descriptions; and

provide the second user with the sub-set of the descriptions based on the interest ratings.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

determine that a quantity associated with the collection of descriptions exceeds the threshold number;

determine an interest rating for each description in the collection of descriptions;

access user interest preferences;

compare the interest rating with at least one of the user interest preferences; and

identify descriptions to be included in the sub-set of descriptions based on the comparison.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

receive, from a messaging interface of the instant messaging application, a detailed information request from the second user regarding a particular description provided to the second user;

identify detailed information related to the particular description; and

provide the second user with the detailed information related to the particular description.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

provide the second user with a description of activities taking place in a sub-portion of the virtual world environment.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the description comprises a textual description of at least one of:

an environment associated with the sub-portion of the virtual world environment,

proximity of other users to an avatar representing the second user in the sub-portion of the virtual world environment, or

activities being performed by other users currently located in the sub-portion of the virtual world environment.

13. The system of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

enable the second user to provide preference information related to a description of activities taking place in a sub-portion of the virtual world environment; and

provide the second user with the description of activities taking place in the sub-portion of the virtual world environment in accordance with the preference information.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the preference information includes at least one of:

a quantity of descriptions to be provided to the second user,

a type of descriptions to be provided to the second user, or

a list of other users about whom descriptions are to be provided to the second user.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

enabling a first user to navigate a first environment by controlling an avatar representing the first user;

capturing a first paralinguistic indicator made by the first user, the first paralinguistic indicator representing a first emotion of a first complexity compatible with the first environment;

translating the first paralinguistic indicator into a second paralinguistic indicator different from the first paralinguistic indicator, wherein the second paralinguistic indicator is communicated to a second user of a second environment and represents a second emotion of a second complexity different from the first complexity and is compatible with the second environment;

wherein at least one of the first complexity and the second complexity is defined as the co-occurrence of two or more emotions.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising:

providing the second user with a description of activities taking place in a sub-portion of the virtual world environment.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the description comprises a textual description of at least one of:

an environment associated with the sub-portion of the virtual world environment,

proximity of other users to an avatar representing the second user in the sub-portion of the virtual world environment, or

activities being performed by other users currently located in the sub-portion of the virtual world environment.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising:

enabling the second user to provide preference information related to a description of activities taking place in a sub-portion of the virtual world environment; and

providing the second user with the description of activities taking place in the sub-portion of the virtual world environment in accordance with the preference information.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the preference information includes at least one of:

a quantity of descriptions to be provided to the second user,

a type of descriptions to be provided to the second user, or

a list of other users about whom descriptions are to be provided to the second user.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the first paralinguistic indicator is configured for non-verbal communications.