Virtual reality systems and methods

• US 20030037101A1
• Filed: 08/20/2001
• Published: 02/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sound View Innovations, LLC (Sound View Innovation Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Torabi, Mohammad
• Granted Patent: US 8,046,408 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00

Abstract

Virtual reality system facilitating the setup and conduction of a virtual reality episode by receiving virtual reality data captured by virtual reality environment (VRE) user equipment, and transmitting the virtual reality data via a network to other virtual reality components capable of presenting the virtual reality data. The setup and conduction of the virtual reality episode occurs in real-time, such that a user can participate in an episode that represents events presently occurring in an environment. The VRE user equipment includes wireless devices such that one or more mobile users at a plurality of locations may simultaneously participate in a virtual reality episode.

Claims

1. A virtual reality system, comprising:

at least one virtual reality environment user equipment;

at least one virtual reality environment core system in wireless communication with the at least one virtual reality environment user equipment; and

a virtual reality environment episode management entity, in communication with the at least one virtual reality environment core system, wherein the virtual reality environment episode management entity is operative to forward virtual reality data representing an environment to the at least one virtual reality environment user equipment, thereby facilitating a virtual reality episode.

2. The virtual reality system of claim 1, wherein the at least one virtual reality environment user equipment is operative to capture the virtual reality data in real-time.

3. The virtual reality system of claim 1, wherein the at least one virtual reality environment user equipment is operative to display the virtual reality data in real-time

4. The virtual reality system of claim 1, wherein the environment is an actual physical environment.

5. The virtual reality system of claim 1, wherein the virtual reality episode is conducted between a plurality of virtual reality environment user equipment.

6. The virtual reality system of claim 1, further comprising a virtual reality environment access system, wherein the virtual reality environment access system facilitates the wireless communication of the at least one virtual reality environment user equipment with the at least one virtual reality environment core system.

7. The virtual reality system of claim 1, wherein one of the at least one virtual reality core systems comprises a virtual reality entity subscription database.

8. The virtual reality system of claim 1, wherein the virtual reality environment episode management entity is located within one of the at least one virtual reality environment core system.

9. A method of enabling the real-time conduction of a real-time virtual reality episode, comprising:

receiving real time virtual reality data at a virtual reality environment (VRE) episode management entity, wherein the virtual reality data is representative of an actual physical environment;

determining, at the VRE episode management entity, that the virtual reality data is associated with a virtual reality episode; and

forwarding at least a portion of the virtual reality data to a VRE user equipment participating in the virtual reality episode, wherein the VRE user equipment is in wireless communication with the VRE episode management entity.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising capturing in real time virtual reality data representative of an actual physical environment prior to receiving the real time virtual reality data at a virtual reality environment (VRE) episode management entity.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein capturing in real time virtual reality data comprises capturing real time audio associated with the actual physical environment.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein capturing in real time virtual reality data comprises capturing in real time virtual reality data representative of an actual physical environment located geographically distant from the VRE user equipment.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising identifying the VRE user equipment as participating in the virtual reality episode prior to forwarding at least a portion of the virtual reality data to the VRE user equipment.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining the location of the VRE user equipment prior to forwarding at least a portion of the virtual reality data to the VRE user equipment.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the location of the VRE user equipment comprises querying a database for the location of the VRE user equipment.

16. A virtual reality system that enables the real-time conduction of a virtual reality episode, comprising:

at least one virtual reality environment user equipment (VUE), associated with at least one user;

at least one virtual reality environment core system (VCS), wherein the at least one VCS has a pre-existing relationship with one of the at least one VUE and the at least one user; and

a virtual reality environment episode management entity (VEME), in communication with the at least one user and the VCS, wherein the VEME forwards real-time virtual reality data representative of an actual physical environment to the at least one VUE associated with the at least one user.

17. A method of participating in a real-time virtual reality episode, comprising;

providing a virtual reality environment (VRE) user equipment, wherein the VRE user equipment captures virtual reality data representing an actual physical environment associated with a first user; and

wirelessly transmitting the virtual reality data to a second user participating in the virtual reality episode, where the second user is geographically remote from the first user.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving, from the second user, data representing one or more actions performed by the second user.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein wirelessly transmitting occurs automatically after the VRE user equipment captures the virtual reality data.