Automated real-time data stream switching in a shared virtual area communication environment
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method of constructing a virtual area, comprising:
- in response to user input, creating a definition of a spatial model of the virtual area in a display monitor, wherein the spatial model comprises a spatial arrangement of stationary geometric elements of the virtual area that are presented in the display monitor and zones comprising boundaries that are fixed in relation to the stationary geometric elements of the virtual area;
in response to user input, associating switching rules with the model of the virtual area, wherein the associating comprises associating a first switching rule with a first one of the zones in the definition of the spatial model of the virtual area, wherein the first switching rule designates the first zone as a source zone, designates a second one of the zones as a sink zone, and defines a respective instruction to automatically connect sources of a respective real-time data stream type that are associated with objects in the first zone with sinks of the respective real-time data stream type that are associated with objects in the second zone, wherein the designated source zone and the designated sink zone are spatially different zones;
wherein in accordance with the first switching rule, entry of a given object associated with a source of the respective real-time data stream type into the first zone causes the source associated with the given object to be automatically connected with a sink of the respective real-time data stream type that is associated with an object in the second zone;
generating a virtual area specification describing the model of the virtual area and the associated switching rules; and
storing the virtual area specification in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Switching real-time data stream connections between network nodes sharing a virtual area is described. In one aspect, the switching involves storing a virtual area specification. The virtual area specification includes a description of one or more switching rules each defining a respective connection between sources of a respective real-time data stream type and sinks of the real-time data stream type in terms of positions in the virtual area. Real-time data stream connections are established between network nodes associated with respective objects each of which is associated with at least one of a source and a sink of one or more of the real-time data stream types. The real-time data stream connections are established based on the one or more switching rules, the respective sources and sinks associated with the objects, and respective positions of the objects in the virtual area.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method of constructing a virtual area, comprising:
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in response to user input, creating a definition of a spatial model of the virtual area in a display monitor, wherein the spatial model comprises a spatial arrangement of stationary geometric elements of the virtual area that are presented in the display monitor and zones comprising boundaries that are fixed in relation to the stationary geometric elements of the virtual area; in response to user input, associating switching rules with the model of the virtual area, wherein the associating comprises associating a first switching rule with a first one of the zones in the definition of the spatial model of the virtual area, wherein the first switching rule designates the first zone as a source zone, designates a second one of the zones as a sink zone, and defines a respective instruction to automatically connect sources of a respective real-time data stream type that are associated with objects in the first zone with sinks of the respective real-time data stream type that are associated with objects in the second zone, wherein the designated source zone and the designated sink zone are spatially different zones;
wherein in accordance with the first switching rule, entry of a given object associated with a source of the respective real-time data stream type into the first zone causes the source associated with the given object to be automatically connected with a sink of the respective real-time data stream type that is associated with an object in the second zone;generating a virtual area specification describing the model of the virtual area and the associated switching rules; and storing the virtual area specification in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium having processor-readable program code embodied therein, the processor-readable program code adapted to be executed by a processor to perform operations comprising:
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based on user input, creating a definition of a spatial model of a virtual area in a display monitor, wherein the spatial model comprises a spatial arrangement of stationary geometric elements of the virtual area that are presented in the display monitor and zones comprising respective boundaries that are fixed in relation to the stationary geometric elements of the virtual area; in response to user input, associating a switching rule with a first one of the zones in the definition of the spatial model of the virtual area, wherein the switching rule designates the first zone as a source zone, designates a second one of the zones as a sink zone, and defines a respective instruction to automatically connect sources of a respective real-time data stream type that are associated with objects in the first zone with sinks of the respective real-time data stream type that are associated with objects in the second zone, wherein the designated source zone and the designated sink zone are spatially different zones;
wherein in accordance with the switching rule, entry of a given object associated with a source of the respective real-time data stream type into the first zone causes the source associated with the given object to be automatically connected with a sink of the respective real-time data stream type that is associated with an object in the second zone;generating a virtual area specification describing the model of the virtual area and the associated switching rules; and storing the virtual area specification in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.
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7. A method, comprising:
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administering one or more real-time data stream connections between network nodes associated with respective objects based on a virtual area specification defining a spatial model of a virtual area comprising a spatial arrangement of stationary geometric elements, zones comprising respective boundaries that are fixed in relation to the stationary geometric elements of the virtual area, and switching rules comprising a first switching rule associated with a first one of the zones of the virtual area, wherein the first switching rule designates the first zone as a source zone, designates a second one of the zones as a sink zone, and defines a respective instruction to automatically connect sources of a first realtime data stream type that are associated with one or more of the objects in the first zone with sinks of the first realtime data stream type that are associated with one or more of the objects in the second zone, wherein the first zone and the second zone are different zones; wherein the administering comprises, in response to entry of a given object associated with a source of the first real-time data stream type into the first zone, automatically connecting the source associated with the given object with a sink of the first real-time data stream type that is associated with an object in the second zone, wherein each of the objects is associated with at least one of a source and a sink of one or more real-time data stream types, and the administering is based on the switching rules, the respective sources and sinks associated with the objects, and the respective zones of the virtual area in which the objects are located. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method, comprising:
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administering one or more real-time data stream connections between network nodes associated with respective objects based on a virtual area specification defining a spatial model of a virtual area comprising a spatial arrangement of stationary geometric elements, zones of the virtual area, and a switching rule associated with a first one of the zones of the virtual area, wherein the switching rule designates the first zone as a source zone, designates a second one of the zones as a sink zone, and defines a respective instruction to automatically connect sources of a respective realtime data stream type associated with one or more objects in the first zone with sinks of the respective realtime data stream type associated with one or more objects in the second zone; wherein each of the first and second zones is associated with a different respective geometric boundary that is fixed in relation to the stationary geometric elements of the virtual area, each of the objects is associated with at least one of a source and a sink of one or more real-time data stream types, and the administering is based on the switching rule, the respective sources and sinks associated with the objects, and the respective zones of the virtual area in which the objects are located; wherein the administering comprises, in response to entry of a given object associated with a source of the first real-time data stream type into the first zone, automatically connecting the source associated with the given object with a sink of the first real-time data stream type that is associated with an object in the second zone; wherein the administering further comprises managing connections of sources of the respective realtime data stream type that are associated with the first zone with sinks of the respective realtime data stream type that are associated with the second zone based on a specified network routing topology that is selected from a set comprising a peer-to-peer routing topology and a direct routing topology and is associated with at least one of the first zone and the second zone. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. Apparatus, comprising:
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a memory storing processor-readable instructions; and a processor coupled to the memory, operable to execute the instructions, and based at least in part on the execution of the instructions operable to perform operations comprising administering one or more real-time data stream connections between network nodes associated with respective objects based on a virtual area specification defining a spatial model of a virtual area comprising a spatial arrangement of stationary geometric elements, zones comprising respective boundaries that are fixed in relation to the stationary geometric elements, and a switching rule associated with a first one of the zones of the virtual area, wherein the switching rule designates the first zone as a source zone, designates a second one of the zones as a sink zone, and defines a respective instruction to automatically connect sources of a respective realtime data stream type associated with objects in the first zone with sinks of the respective realtime data stream type associated with objects in the second zone, wherein the first zone and the second zone are different zones; wherein the administering comprises, in response to entry of a first object associated with a source of the first real-time data stream type into the first zone, automatically connecting the source associated with the first object with a sink of the first real-time data stream type that is associated with a second object in the second zone; wherein each of the objects is associated with at least one of a source and a sink of one or more real-time data stream types, and the administering is based on the switching rule, the respective sources and sinks associated with the objects, and the respective zones of the virtual area in which the objects are located.
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47. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium having processor-readable program code embodied therein, the processor-readable program code adapted to be executed by a processor to perform operations comprising:
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administering one or more real-time data stream connections between network nodes associated with respective objects based on a virtual area specification defining a spatial model of a virtual area comprising a spatial arrangement of stationary geometric elements, zones comprising respective boundaries that are fixed in relation to the stationary geometric elements, and a switching rule associated with a first one of the zones of the virtual area, wherein the switching rule designates the first zone as a source zone, designates a second one of the zones as a sink zone, and defines a respective instruction to automatically connect sources of a respective realtime data stream type associated with objects in the first zone with sinks of the respective realtime data stream type associated with objects in the second zone, wherein the first zone and the second zone are different zones; wherein the administering comprises, in response to entry of a first object associated with a source of the first real-time data stream type into the first zone, automatically connecting the source associated with the first object with a sink of the first real-time data stream type that is associated with a second object in the second zone; wherein each of the objects is associated with at least one of a source and a sink of one or more real-time data stream types, and the administering is based on the switching rule, the respective sources and sinks associated with the objects, and the respective zones of the virtual area in which the objects are located.
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48. A method, comprising:
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administering, by a computer system, one or more real-time data stream connections between first and second network nodes respectively associated with first and second objects in a virtual area having a spatial visualization and comprising a spatial arrangement of stationary visual geometric elements, first and second zones comprising different respective boundaries that are fixed in relation to the stationary visual geometric elements, and a switching rule that is associated with a first one of the zones of the virtual area, designates the first zone as a source zone for a realtime data stream type, and designates the second zone as a sink zone for the realtime data stream type; wherein each of the first and second network nodes respectively has a source and a sink of the realtime data stream type and is associated with a respective object in a respective one of the zones of the virtual area; wherein the administering comprises administering connections between sources of ones of the network nodes associated with respective objects in the first zone and outside the second zone and sinks of respective ones of the network nodes associated with respective objects in the second zone and outside the first zone, wherein the administering comprises by the computer system, responding to entry of the first object into the first zone while the second object is in the second zone by automatically connecting the source of the first network node with a sink of the second network node based on the switching rule and the respective locations of the first and second objects in the first and second zones of the virtual area.
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Specification