ASSISTIVE GROUP SETTING MANAGEMENT IN A VIRTUAL WORLD

• US 20100287510A1
• Filed: 05/08/2009
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cragun, Brian J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,161,398 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/848
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/00 Teaching, or communicating with, the blind, deaf or mute audible presentation of material to be studied G09B5/04; devices or methods for replacing direct visual or auditory perception by another kind of perception A61F9/08, A61F11/04; audible indication of meter readings or of colour G01D7/12; watches for blind persons G04B25/02; speech analysis, speech recognition G10L; sound-recording or reproducing, per se G11B

Abstract

Systems, methods and articles of manufacture are disclosed for presenting a visual cue to a user in a virtual world. A cursor cycle allows the user to specify an avatar of focus by cycling through avatars in the virtual world. Visual cues of an avatar of focus are presented to the user. The user may define a cursor mask to include specific avatars. Visual cues of the cursor mask or of all avatars may be summarized and presented to the user. The user may also specify a threshold for a visual cue. A visual cue that is detected to exceed the specified threshold is presented to the user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for conveying a visual cue to a user in a group setting in a virtual world, the group setting comprising a plurality of avatars, the method comprising configuring one or more processors to perform an operation comprising:

receiving, from the user, a selection of a specified avatar in the group setting in the virtual world;

detecting a visual cue corresponding to an action that is performed by the specified avatar and is perceivable by sighted users;

converting the visual cue into an alternative cue format perceivable by sight-impaired users; and

outputting the alternative cue format to an output device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving the selection of the specified avatar comprises receiving user input controlling a cursor cycle in which the user cycles through a plurality of avatars in the group setting.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving user input specifying a visual cue, and wherein the alternative cue format is output only when the detected action cue matches the specified visual cue.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the output device is an audio device, and wherein the alternative cue format is output in a manner that is audible only to the user and not to any other user in the group setting.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the output device is an audio device, and wherein the alternative cue format is output in a manner that is decipherable only to the user and not to any other user in the group setting.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting a summary of visual cues to a user in a group setting in a virtual world by;

receiving user input specifying a plurality of avatars in the group setting in the virtual world;

detecting visual cues that are performed by the specified plurality of avatars;

summarizing the detected visual cues to produce a summary; and

outputting the summary to the output device.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein presenting the summary of visual cues further comprises:

receiving user input specifying a visual cue; and

receiving user input specifying a threshold for the specified visual cue;

wherein the summary is output only when the summary exceeds the threshold with respect to the specified visual cue.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the summary is output only when the summary differs from an avatar outside the group setting with respect to a visual cue, and wherein presenting the summary of visual cues further comprises:

summarizing commonalities of the specified plurality of avatars to produce a second summary; and

outputting the second summary to the output device.

9. A computer-implemented method for conveying a visual cue to a user in a virtual world, the method comprising configuring one or more processors to perform an operation comprising:

defining a cursor cycle that specifies a plurality of avatars in the virtual world;

providing a cursor that cycles through the plurality of avatars specified by the cursor cycle;

receiving user input that positions the cursor on an avatar in the cursor cycle; and

conveying an attribute of the avatar to the user.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving user input specifying an attribute to be conveyed;

and wherein the attribute of the avatar corresponds to the attribute to be conveyed.

11. A computer readable storage medium containing a program which, when executed, performs an operation for conveying a visual cue to a user in a group setting in a virtual world, the group setting comprising a plurality of avatars, the operation comprising:

receiving, from the user, a selection of a specified avatar in the group setting in the virtual world;

detecting a visual cue corresponding to an action that is performed by the specified avatar and is perceivable by sighted users;

converting the visual cue into an alternative cue format perceivable by sight-impaired users; and

outputting the alternative cue format to an output device.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein receiving the selection of the specified avatar comprises receiving user input controlling a cursor cycle in which the user cycles through a plurality of avatars in the group setting.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the operation further comprises:

receiving user input specifying a visual cue, and wherein the alternative cue format is output only when the detected action cue matches the specified visual cue.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the output device is an audio device, and wherein the alternative cue format is output in a manner that is audible only to the user and not to any other user in the group setting.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the output device is an audio device, and wherein the alternative cue format is output in a manner that is decipherable only to the user and not to any other user in the group setting.

16. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory containing a program, which when executed by the processor is configured to perform an operation for conveying a visual cue to a user in a group setting in a virtual world, the group setting comprising a plurality of avatars, the operation comprising;

receiving, from the user, a selection of a specified avatar in the group setting in the virtual world;

detecting a visual cue corresponding to an action that is performed by the specified avatar and is perceivable by sighted users;

converting the visual cue into an alternative cue format perceivable by sight-impaired users; and

outputting the alternative cue format to an output device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein receiving the selection of the specified avatar comprises receiving user input controlling a cursor cycle in which the user cycles through a plurality of avatars in the group setting.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the operation further comprises:

receiving user input specifying a visual cue, and wherein the alternative cue format is output only when the detected action cue matches the specified visual cue.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the output device is an audio device, and wherein the alternative cue format is output in a manner that is audible only to the user and not to any other user in the group setting.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the output device is an audio device, and wherein the alternative cue format is output in a manner that is decipherable only to the user and not to any other user in the group setting.