Phoning into virtual communication environments
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
- maintaining a persistent virtual area that supports establishment of respective presences of communicants operating respective network nodes connected to the virtual area, wherein the virtual area comprises multiple zones each of which supports establishment of a respective presence for one or more communicants and is associated with a respective call-in telephone number;
establishing a presence in the virtual area for a user of a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) terminal device, wherein the establishing comprises receiving a particular one of the call-in telephone numbers in connection with a call from the PSTN terminal device and establishing the presence for the user in the respective one of the zones associated with the particular call-in telephone number; and
administering transmission of data associated with the virtual area to the PSTN terminal device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A web browser interface for visualizing realtime network communications in spatial communication environments allows communicants to interact with other communicants in an immersive spatial communication environment without having to install any specialized communication software and without requiring special proxies or firewall additions or exceptions.
9 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
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maintaining a persistent virtual area that supports establishment of respective presences of communicants operating respective network nodes connected to the virtual area, wherein the virtual area comprises multiple zones each of which supports establishment of a respective presence for one or more communicants and is associated with a respective call-in telephone number; establishing a presence in the virtual area for a user of a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) terminal device, wherein the establishing comprises receiving a particular one of the call-in telephone numbers in connection with a call from the PSTN terminal device and establishing the presence for the user in the respective one of the zones associated with the particular call-in telephone number; and administering transmission of data associated with the virtual area to the PSTN terminal device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12)
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11. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
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maintaining a persistent virtual area that supports establishment of respective presences of communicants operating respective network nodes connected to the virtual area, wherein the virtual area is associated with at least one call-in telephone number and a spatial visualization comprising a graphical representation of the virtual area and graphical representations of the user and the communicant positioned in their respective locations of presence in the virtual area; establishing a presence in the virtual area for a user of a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) terminal device, wherein the establishing comprises receiving the call-in telephone number in connection with a call from the PSTN terminal device and establishing the presence for the user in the virtual area based on the receipt of the call-in telephone number; and establishing a respective presence in the virtual area for a communicant operating a respective network node, wherein the establishing of the communicant'"'"'s presence in the virtual area is initiated in response to a request from the PSTN terminal device to invite the communicant to the user'"'"'s location of presence in the virtual area; sending a specification of the spatial visualization to the network node; and administering transmission of data associated with the virtual area to the PSTN terminal device, wherein the administering comprises managing establishment of a realtime audio connection between the network node and the PSTN terminal device based on respective locations of presence of the user and the communicant in the virtual area.
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13. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
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maintaining a persistent virtual area that supports establishment of respective presences of communicants operating respective network nodes connected to the virtual area, wherein the virtual area is associated with at least one call-in telephone number; establishing a presence in the virtual area for a user of a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) terminal device, wherein the establishing comprises receiving the call-in telephone number in connection with a call from the PSTN terminal device and establishing the presence for the user in the virtual area based on the receipt of the call-in telephone number; establishing a presence in the virtual area for a communicant operating a network node; associating each of the user and the communicant with a respective object in the virtual area; transmitting to the network node a specification of a spatial visualization of the virtual area and respective positions of the objects in relation to the spatial visualization; and administering transmission of data associated with the virtual area to the PSTN terminal device, wherein the administering comprises administering synchronous audio communication between the PSTN terminal device and the network node. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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Specification