Audio-visual navigation and communication

• US 9,823,809 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2014
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AQ Media, Inc.
• Original Assignee: AQ Media, Inc.
• Inventors: Roos, Jan Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Kieu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chaudhuri, Anita D
• Application Number:
  US14/268,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20140245156A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/20 3D [Three Dimensional] animation
• 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: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

Communicating information through a user platform by representing, on a user platform visual display, spatial publishing objects as entities at locations within a three-dimensional spatial publishing object space. Each spatial publishing object associated with information, and each presenting a subset of the associated information. Establishing a user presence at a location within the spatial publishing object space. The user presence, in conjunction with a user point-of-view, being navigable by the user in at least a two-dimensional sub-space of the spatial publishing object space.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for adapting a presentation of relationships between data from at least one Internet-based database on an at least three dimensional (3D) display user interface, the presentation being adapted corresponding to a type of each of a plurality of display devices, wherein each of the plurality of display devices is configured with varying default geometrical configurations for providing the 3D display user interface to multiple simultaneous users, the method comprising:

receiving, from an input device connected to a first processor-based device, a request from a user corresponding to displaying two or more three-dimensional spatial publishing objects (SPOs) on the 3D display interface of a select one of the plurality of display devices connected to the first processor-based device, wherein each of the two or more SPOs can present audiovisual, metadata, and control data from the at least one Internet-based database, and comprise an interior communication space for a user-generated subset of data;

determining, by the first processor-based device, that the user has not saved a first geometrical configuration to the at least one Internet-based database for the requested two or more SPOs, wherein the first geometrical configuration comprises a spatial arrangement of two or more SPOs in a first geometric pattern corresponding to the user'"'"'s preferences, and wherein one of the two or more SPOs comprises user-generated data from the at least one Internet-based database, and wherein another of the two or more SPOs comprises a second user'"'"'s or a publisher'"'"'s user-generated data from the at least one Internet-based database;

generating, by the first processor-based device, a second geometrical configuration corresponding to a default type of the select one of the plurality of display devices, when it is determined that the user has not saved the first geometrical configuration, wherein the second geometrical configuration comprises the two or more SPOs in a different geometrical configuration than the first geometrical configuration;

controlling, by the user, a display format of the two or more SPOs through a re-sizeable and repositionable spatial publishing object window; and

displaying, via the 3D display user interface of the select one of the plurality of display devices, the two or more SPOs in the second geometrical configuration responsive to the user request, thereby adapting the 3D display user interface to the second geometrical configuration corresponding to the select one of the plurality of display devices.

2. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the type of each of a plurality of display devices is one among:

a television, a classroom display, a personal computer, a console device, and a mobile device.

3. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein each of the first geometrical configuration and the second geometrical configuration are one among:

a default matrix geometrical configuration, wherein the two or more SPOs are presented with visual relationship information to each other in a matrix format;

a user positioning geometrical configuration, wherein the two or more SPOs are configurable in position and size by the user;

a template-based geometrical configuration, wherein the two or more SPOs are presented with visual relationship information to each other from a predetermined format; and

a geographical positioning geometrical configuration, wherein the two or more SPOs are presented with visual relationship information to each other on a mapping system.

4. The computer-implemented method according to claim 3, wherein the mapping system comprises one or more of:

a map, a three-dimensional axes, and an arbitrary positioning system providing physical proximity information on the relationship between each of the two or more SPOs.

5. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the first processor-based device connected to the select one of the plurality of display devices, that the user of the first processor-based device has saved the first geometrical configuration;

allowing, by the first processor-based device, the first geometrical configuration to transmit information to the select one of the plurality of display devices as a preference over the second geometrical configuration; and

displaying, via the 3D display user interface of the select one of the plurality of display devices, the two or more SPOs in the first geometrical configuration responsive to the user request.

6. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein each of the two or more SPOs comprises one or more of:

local data and Internet-based data, each of the local data and the Internet-based data retrieved from corresponding local or Internet-based databases.

7. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the publisher is a person other than the user for providing data in the form of a video, a song, a book, a video conference call, a product, or a place.

8. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the request from the user, received via the input device, comprises a request from one or more of a computer mouse input, a touchscreen input, a voice control input, a video input, a gestural input, a remote control input, a joystick input, a keypad input, and an accelerometer input.

9. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the data comprises one or more of:

an audio component, a video component, a textual component, a metadata component, and a graphical component.

10. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein each of the two or more SPOs comprises multiple channels, and wherein each channel comprises a sequence of multiple media segments.

11. The computer-implemented method according to claim 10, wherein each of the multiple media segments is a time-based segment.

12. The computer-implemented method according to claim 10, wherein the multiple media segments comprises an intervening advertising segment.

13. The computer-implemented method according to claim 10, wherein each of the multiple media segments comprises an optional time-stamp for scheduled playback.

14. The computer-implemented method according to claim 10, wherein each of the multiple media segments is listed as part of a program guide.

15. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the subset of the data in the interior communication space comprises one or more categories from among:

a favorites SPO category;

a blogs SPO category; and

a user-defined SPO category, each of which includes a private SPO sub-category within which media is available to be shared by the user to select other users, and a public SPO sub-category within which media is available to be shared by the user to all other users.

16. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein displaying, via the 3D display user interface of the select one of the plurality of display devices, comprises a further step of displaying a first, an optional second, and an optional third user-selectable modes, wherein the first, and the optional second and the optional third user-selectable modes offer further view options for the two or more SPOs within the second geometrical configuration.

17. The computer-implemented method according to claim 16, wherein the first user-selectable mode comprises one or more of:

a control panel mode, wherein an onscreen control panel area is sectioned on the 3D user interface display in the second geometrical configuration, and wherein the control panel area provides one or more of;

a first object window for display of audiovisual data, metadata, or control data for a selected SPO and SPOs included in its interior communication space;

user preferences information;

account setting information;

audio control information; and

video control information relating to the two or more SPOs;

a remote control mode, wherein a user-selectable one of the two or more SPOs is provided a second object window for display of audiovisual data, metadata, or control data for the SPO and the SPOs included in its interior communication space on the 3D user interface display, while the unselected one of the two or more SPOs is provided in the background; and

a full screen mode, wherein the data within a user-selectable one of the two or more SPOs is provided in a third object window fully occupying the 3D user interface display for display of audiovisual data, metadata, or control data for the SPO and SPOs included in its interior communication space.

18. The computer-implemented method according to claim 17, wherein the first user-selectable mode is displayed on an unselected one of the plurality of display devices corresponding to the first processor-based device, while the select one of the plurality of display devices displays the two or more SPOs in the second geometrical configuration.

19. The computer-implemented method according to claim 17, wherein the first user-selectable mode is displayed on a second processor-based device with a corresponding display device, while the select one of the plurality of display devices displays the two or more SPOs in the second geometrical configuration, wherein the second processor-based device provides remote control functionality to control the device display of the two or more SPOs in the second geometrical configuration on the first-processor based device.

20. The computer-implemented method according to claim 17, wherein the first user-selectable mode is displayed on the input device, which comprises an input display device, while the select one of the plurality of display devices displays the two or more SPOs in the second geometrical configuration, wherein the input device provides remote control functionality to control the device display of the two or more SPOs in the second geometrical configuration on the first-processor based device.

21. The computer-implemented method according to claim 20, wherein the input device is a capacitive-touch screen input device.

22. The computer-implemented method according to claim 16, wherein the optional second user-selectable mode comprises one of the following modes, each concurrent with each of the other user-selectable modes:

an optional audio visual mode, wherein audio and video data corresponding to a user-selectable one of the two or more SPOs is provided to the first user-selectable modes;

an optional informational mode, wherein textual data corresponding to a user-selectable one of the two or more SPOs is provided to the first user-selectable modes;

an optional internal communication mode, wherein a communication space with a user-selectable one of the two or more SPOs is provided to the first user-selectable modes, the communication space corresponding to an arrangement and relationship of a subset of the data within the user-selectable one of the two or more SPOs; and

the optional third user-selectable mode, comprising an optional mode for lowering or increasing a dimensionality of the display or a possible dimensional axes available for navigation, each dimensional setting concurrent with each of the other user-selectable modes.

23. The computer-implemented method according to claim 22, wherein the audio and video data comprises one or more of:

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) data, video conferencing data, home security audio and video data, music data, user-generated content, film data, and television data.

24. The computer-implemented method according to claim 22, wherein the textual data comprises one or more of:

program guide data, shopping catalogs, user-generated content, and metadata.

25. A computer-implemented system for adapting a presentation of relationships between data in at least one Internet-based database on an at least three dimensional (3D) display user interface, the presentation being adapted corresponding to a type of each of a plurality of display devices, wherein each of the plurality of display devices is configured with varying default geometrical configurations for providing the 3D display user interface to multiple simultaneous users, the system comprising:

an input device connected to a first processor-based device for receiving from a user, a request corresponding to displaying two or more three-dimensional spatial publishing objects (SPOs) on the 3D display interface of a select one of the plurality of display devices connected to the first processor-based device, wherein each of the two or more SPOs can present audiovisual, metadata, and control data from the at least one Internet-based database, and comprise an interior communication space for a user-generated subset of data;

the first processor-based device for determining that the user has not saved a first geometrical configuration to the at least one Internet-based database for the requested two or more SPOs, wherein the first geometrical configuration comprises a spatial arrangement of two or more SPOs in a first geometric pattern corresponding to the user'"'"'s preferences, and wherein one of the two or more SPOs comprises user-generated data from the at least one Internet-based database, and wherein another of the two or more SPOs comprises a second user'"'"'s or a publisher'"'"'s user-generated data from the at least one Internet-based database;

the first processor-based device for generating a second geometrical configuration corresponding to a default type of the select one of the plurality of display devices, when it is determined that the user has not saved the first geometric configuration, wherein the second geometrical configuration comprises the two or more SPOs in a different geometrical configuration than the first geometrical configuration; and

the 3D display user interface of the select one of the plurality of display devices for receiving a display format selection for a re-sizable and repositionable spatial publishing object window and displaying the two or more SPOs in the second geometrical configuration responsive to the user request, thereby adapting the 3D display user interface to the second geometrical configuration corresponding to the select one of the plurality of display devices.

26. The computer-implemented system according to claim 25, wherein the type of each of a plurality of display devices is one among:

a television, a classroom display, a personal computer, a console device, and a mobile device.

27. The computer-implemented system according to claim 25, wherein each of the first geometrical configuration and the second geometrical configuration are one among:

a default matrix geometrical configuration, wherein the two or more SPOs are presented with visual relationship information to each other in a matrix format;

a user positioning geometrical configuration, wherein the two or more SPOs are configurable in position and size by the user;

a template-based geometrical configuration, wherein the two or more SPOs are presented with visual relationship information to each other from a predetermined format; and

a geographical positioning geometrical configuration, wherein the two or more SPOs are presented with visual relationship information to each other on a mapping system.

28. The computer-implemented system according to claim 27, wherein the mapping system comprises one or more of:

a map, a three-dimensional axes, and an arbitrary positioning system providing physical proximity information on the relationship between each of the two or more SPOs.

29. The computer-implemented system according to claim 25, further comprising:

the first processor-based device connected to the select one of the plurality of display devices for determining that the user of the first processor-based device has saved the first geometrical configuration;

the first processor-based device for allowing the first geometrical configuration to transmit information to the select one of the plurality of display devices as a preference over the second geometrical configuration; and

the 3D display user interface of the select one of the plurality of display devices for displaying the two or more SPOs in the first geometrical configuration responsive to the user request.

30. The computer-implemented system according to claim 25, wherein each of the two or more SPOs comprises one or more of:

local data and Internet-based data, each of the local data and the Internet-based data retrieved from corresponding local or Internet-based databases.

31. The computer-implemented system according to claim 25, wherein the publisher is a person other than the user for providing data in the form of a video, a song, a book, a video conference call, a product, or a place.

32. The computer-implemented system according to claim 25, wherein the input device comprises one or more of a computer mouse input, a touchscreen input, a voice control input, a video input, a gestural input, a remote control input, a joystick input, a keypad input, and an accelerometer input.

33. The computer-implemented system according to claim 25, wherein the data comprises one or more of:

an audio component, a video component, a textual component, a metadata component, and a graphical component.

34. The computer-implemented system according to claim 25, wherein each of the two or more SPOs comprises multiple channels, and wherein each channel comprises a sequence of multiple media segments.

35. The computer-implemented system according to claim 34, wherein each of the multiple media segments is a time-based segment.

36. The computer-implemented system according to claim 34, wherein the multiple media segments comprises an intervening advertising segment.

37. The computer-implemented system according to claim 34, wherein each of the multiple media segments comprises an optional time-stamp for scheduled playback.

38. The computer-implemented system according to claim 34, wherein each of the multiple media segments is listed as part of a program guide.

39. The computer-implemented system according to claim 25, wherein the subset of the data in the interior communication space comprises one or more categories from among:

a favorites SPO category;

a blogs SPO category; and

a user-defined SPO category, each of which includes a private SPO sub-category within which media is available to be shared by the user to select other users, and a public SPO sub-category within which media is available to be shared by the user to all other users.

40. The computer-implemented system according to claim 25, wherein the 3D display user interface for displaying on the select one of the plurality of display devices, comprises a further configuration for displaying a first, an optional second, and an optional third user-selectable modes, wherein the first, and the optional second and the optional third user-selectable modes offer further view options for the two or more SPOs within the second geometrical configuration.

41. The computer-implemented system according to claim 40, wherein the 3D display user interface for displaying on the select one of the plurality of display devices is configured for displaying the first user-selectable mode comprising one or more of:

a control panel mode, wherein an onscreen control panel area is sectioned on the 3D user interface display in the second geometrical configuration, and wherein the control panel area provides one or more of;

a first object window for display of audiovisual data, metadata, or control data for a selected SPO and SPOs included in its interior communication space;

user preferences information;

account setting information;

audio control information; and

video control information relating to the two or more SPOs;

a remote control mode, wherein a user-selectable one of the two or more SPOs is provided a second object window for display of audiovisual data, metadata, or control data for the SPOs and the SPOs included in its interior communication space on the 3D user interface display, while the unselected one of the two or more SPOs is provided in the background; and

a full screen mode, wherein the data within a user-selectable one of the two or more SPOs is provided in a third object window fully occupying the 3D user interface display for display of audiovisual data, metadata, or control data for the SPO and SPOs included in its interior communication space.

42. The computer-implemented system according to claim 41, wherein an unselected one of the plurality of display devices is configured for displaying the first user-selectable mode corresponding to the first processor-based device, while the select one of the plurality of display devices displays the two or more SPOs in the second geometrical configuration.

43. The computer-implemented system according to claim 41, wherein a second processor-based device with a corresponding display device is configured for displaying the first user-selectable mode, while the select one of the plurality of display devices displays the two or more SPOs in the second geometrical configuration, wherein the second processor-based device provides remote control functionality to control the device display of the two or more SPOs in the second geometrical configuration on the first-processor based device.

44. The computer-implemented system according to claim 41, wherein the input device comprises an input display device configured for displaying the first user-selectable mode, while the select one of the plurality of display devices displays the two or more SPOs in the second geometrical configuration, wherein the input device provides remote control functionality to control the device display of the two or more SPOs in the second geometrical configuration on the first-processor based device.

45. The computer-implemented system according to claim 44, wherein the input device is a capacitive-touch screen input device.

46. The computer-implemented system according to claim 40, wherein the 3D display user interface for displaying on the select one of the plurality of display devices is configured for providing the optional second user-selectable mode comprising one of the following modes, each concurrent with each of the other user-selectable modes:

an optional audio visual mode, wherein audio and video data corresponding to a user-selectable one of the two or more SPOs is provided to the first user-selectable mode;

an optional informational mode, wherein textual data corresponding to a user-selectable one of the two or more SPOs is provided to the first user-selectable mode;

an optional internal communication mode, wherein a communication space with a user-selectable one of the two or more SPOs is provided to the first user-selectable mode, the communication space corresponding to arrangement and relationship of a subset of the data within the user-selectable one of the two or more SPOs; and

the optional third user-selectable mode, comprising an optional mode for lowering or increasing a dimensionality of the display or a possible dimensional axes available for navigation, each dimensional setting concurrent with each of the other user-selectable modes.

47. The computer-implemented system according to claim 46, wherein the audio and video data comprises one or more of:

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) data, video conferencing data, home security audio and video data, music data, user-generated content, film data, and television data.

48. The computer-implemented system according to claim 46, wherein the textual data comprises one or more of:

program guide data, shopping catalogs, user-generated content and metadata.