Social Virtual Avatar Modification

• US 20100045697A1
• Filed: 08/22/2008
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, Derek, Reville, Brendan, Law, Stacey
• Granted Patent: US 8,788,957 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/55 Controlling game characters or game objects based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/60 Generating or modifying game content before or while executing the game program, e.g. authoring tools specially adapted for game development or game-integrated level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• 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 2300/575 for trading virtual items
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6018 where the game content is authored by the player, e.g. level editor or by game device at runtime, e.g. level is created from music data on CD
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/65 for computing the condition of a game character
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T

Abstract

The techniques disclosed herein integrate a social aspect into avatar modification. Multiple users may access a virtual environment that allows users to modify the user'"'"'s avatar. The users in the application may be any combination of remote and local players. The users'"'"' avatars may be associated with the same application or different applications. The users may interact in the same virtual environment while modifying their respective avatars. Any user in the virtual environment may view modifications that are made to other users'"'"' avatars and interact with other users while modifications are made. Thus, the techniques disclosed allow avatar modification to be a multi-player experience.

Claims

1. A method of social avatar modification, the method comprising:

rendering a first avatar in a virtual environment having at least one user interface, the first avatar associated with a first user, wherein the at least one user interface overlays an executing avatar computing application;

sampling a modification of the first avatar via the at least one user-interface, wherein a second user can participate sampling the modification; and

displaying the modification of the first avatar to the second user from the at least one user interface, wherein the at least one user interface is adapted such that the first user and second user can interact.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying the modification to the first avatar for rendering the first avatar and the modification external to the at least one user interface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the modification of the first avatar comprises rendering the first avatar and the modification in the virtual environment via a first user interface from a first computing device for display to the first user, and rendering the first avatar and the modification in the virtual environment via a second user interface from a second computing device for display to the second user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing data pertaining to the modification to a current state of the first avatar for display on various computing devices during the modification.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the first avatar comprises applying at least one of the following to the first avatar:

an emote, an animation, an item of clothing, an expression, an accessory, or a physical trait.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second user can participate in the modification via the virtual environment by at least one of the following:

view the modification of the first avatar, chat with the first user, apply items to the first avatar, suggest an application of an item to the first avatar, provide the first avatar with an item from a personal closet of the second user, borrow the item from the first user, or trade the item with the first user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein sampling the modification of the first avatar comprises a modification by the second user, the modification rendered in the executing avatar computing application.

8. A system of social avatar modification having a processor and a memory communicably connected to the processor, the system comprising:

a rendering module configured for rendering a first avatar in a virtual environment having at least one user interface, the first avatar associated with a first user, wherein the at least one user interface overlays an executing avatar computing application;

a processing module configured for sampling a modification of the first avatar via the at least one user-interface, wherein a second user can participate sampling the modification; and

a display module configured for displaying the modification of the first avatar to the second user from the at least one user interface, wherein the at least one user interface is adapted such that the first user and second user can interact.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the processing module is further configured for applying the modification to the first avatar for rendering the first avatar and the modification external to the at least one user interface.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein displaying the modification of the first avatar comprises rendering the first avatar and the modification in the virtual environment via a first computing device for display to the first user, and rendering the first avatar and the modification in the virtual environment via a second computing device for display to the second user.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising a storage module for storing data pertaining to the modification to a current state of the first avatar for display on various computing devices during the modification.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein modifying the first avatar comprises applying at least one of the following to the first avatar:

an emote, an animation, an item of clothing, an expression, an accessory, or a physical trait.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the second user can participate in the modification via the virtual environment by at least one of the following:

view the modification to the first avatar, chat with the first user, apply items to the first avatar, suggest an application of an item to the first avatar, provide the first avatar with items from a personal closet of the second user, borrow the item from the first user, or trade the item with the first user.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein sampling the modification of the first avatar comprises a modification by the second user and rendering the modification in the executing avatar computing application.

15. A computer readable storage medium for social avatar modification, the computer readable storage medium including computer executable instructions that when executed perform a method comprising:

rendering a first avatar in a virtual environment having at least one user interface, the first avatar associated with a first user, wherein the at least one user interface overlays an executing avatar computing application and is triggered for display for a modification to the first avatar by the executing avatar computing application;

sampling a modification of the first avatar via the at least one user-interface, wherein a second user can participate sampling the modification;

displaying the modification of the first avatar to the second user from the at least one user interface, wherein the at least one user interface is adapted such that the first user and second user can interact; and

applying the modification to the first avatar for rendering the first avatar and the modification external to the at least one user interface, wherein the avatar computing application is a first avatar computing application, the computer readable storage medium further comprising instructions for rendering the modification in a second avatar computing application.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the second user can participate in the modification via the virtual environment by at least one of the following:

view the modification to the first avatar, chat with the first user, apply items to the first avatar, suggest an application of an item to the first avatar, provide the first avatar with items from a personal closet of the second user, borrow the item from the first user, or trade the item with the first user.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein displaying the modification of the first avatar comprises rendering the first avatar and the modification in the virtual environment via a first computing device for display to the first user, and rendering the first avatar and the modification in the virtual environment via a second computing device for display to the second user.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions for storing data pertaining to the modification to a current state of the first avatar for display on various computing devices during the modification.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein modifying the first avatar comprises applying at least one of the following to the first avatar:

an emote, an animation, an item of clothing, an expression, an accessory, or a physical trait.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein sampling the modification of the first avatar comprises a modification by the second user and rendering the modification in the executing avatar computing application.