System and method for enabling users to interact in a virtual space

• US 20070050716A1
• Filed: 11/02/2006
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Worlds Online Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Worlds Online Incorporated
• Inventors: Challinger, Judith, Leahy, Dave, Ardon, S., Adler, B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,493,558 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/706
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/358 Adapting the game course according to the network or server load, e.g. for reducing latency due to different connection speeds between clients
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/513 server hierarchy, e.g. local, regional, national or dedicated for different tasks, e.g. authenticating, billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• 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 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/00 Digital computers in general details G06F1/00 – G06F13/00; Data processing equipment in general
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• 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: G06N 3/006 based on simulated virtual individual or collective life forms, e.g. social simulations or particle swarm optimisation [PSO]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10015 Access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. using brokers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 : Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 : User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 : specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

The present invention provides a highly scalable architecture for a three-dimensional graphical, multi-user, interactive virtual world system. In a preferred embodiment a plurality of users interact in the three-dimensional, computer-generated graphical space where each user executes a client process to view a virtual world from the perspective of that user. The virtual world shows avatars representing the other users who are neighbors of the user viewing the virtual word. In order that the view can be updated to reflect the motion of the remote user'"'"'s avatars, motion information is transmitted to a central server process which provides positions updates to client processes for neighbors of the user at that client process. The client process also uses an environment database to determine which background objects to render as well as to limit the movement of the user'"'"'s avatar.

Claims

1. An apparatus for interaction between a plurality of users in a three-dimensional, computer-generated graphical space, comprising:

a plurality of client processes, wherein each client process is executed on a digital computer distinct from the digital computers executing others of the plurality of client processes;

a central server process, executed by a server computer;

a network coupling the server computer to the digital computers which execute the plurality of client processes, thereby coupling the plurality of client processes with the central server process;

a plurality of user objects, executed as subprocesses of the central server process, wherein each of the plurality of user objects is associated with a user in the plurality of users;

an environment database, accessible by each client process;

means for communicating a position of a particular user in the three-dimensional, computer-generated graphical space from the particular user'"'"'s client process to the other client processes via the central server process, the means for communicating programmed according to a protocol;

means, on a digital computer executing the particular user'"'"'s client process, for receiving positions of the users of the other client processes according to the protocol via the central server process;

and means, on the digital computer executing the particular user'"'"'s client process, for rendering a three-dimensional view from a viewpoint of the location of the particular user, the rendered view including at least one object from the environment database and, when other users are at locations viewable from the rendered viewpoint, including those other viewable users.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the environment database comprises a single central environment database.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the environment database comprises one copy of the environment data at each of the plurality of client digital computers.