VIRTUAL ENTERTAINMENT ENVIRONMENT AND METHODS OF CREATING THE SAME

• US 20160037236A1
• Filed: 07/31/2014
• Published: 02/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Newell, Nicholas B., Khan, Omar A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,823,738 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44226 on social networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image

Abstract

Various embodiments facilitate the creation and presentation of a virtual entertainment world. In one embodiment, the virtual entertainment world is created to help a user find and watch content. The virtual entertainment world includes various environments, including a virtual program guide, a virtual viewing environment, and a concession environment. The virtual program guide provides a starting point for users to easily and efficiently find content. The virtual viewing environment provides an immersive environment for users to watch content. The concession environment provides a convenient location where users may make purchases.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a virtual world storage configured to store virtual world data including concierge model data, concierge location data, and viewing location data;

a media storage configured to store media data including celebrity model data;

a concession storage configured to store concession data including food data, apparel data, and memorabilia data;

a server coupled to the virtual world storage, the media storage, and the concession storage, the server configured to assemble virtual environment data including the virtual world data, the media data, and the concession data;

a receiver coupled to the server, the receiver configured to obtain the virtual environment data from the server and virtual event data from a distributor, the virtual event data including audio data, video data, description data, and celebrity wardrobe data, the receiver further configured to combine the virtual environment data with the virtual event data to create a virtual world having a virtual program guide, a virtual viewing environment, and a concession environment; and

a virtual headset coupled to the receiver, the virtual headset configured to display the virtual world to a user, the user being able to select a virtual event in the virtual world causing the receiver to customize the virtual world by loading virtual event data of the selected virtual event and combining the loaded virtual event data with the virtual environment data.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the receiver is further configured to customize the virtual world by analyzing virtual events that the user has selected in a prior time period, loading virtual event data based on the analysis, and combining the virtual event data that was loaded based on the analysis with the virtual environment data.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the virtual program guide includes a menu of virtual events and a concierge model at a concierge location, the concierge model configured to introduce the menu of virtual events to the user.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the virtual viewing environment includes a viewing selection from the menu of virtual events, a celebrity model that is related to the viewing selection, and a first viewing location, the celebrity model including wardrobe that is related to the viewing selection.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the concession environment includes a food concession, an apparel concession, a memorabilia concession, and a second viewing location that is related to the first viewing location, the concession environment being accessible to the user from the virtual viewing environment.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the virtual world data, the media data, the concession data, and the virtual event data are updated periodically.

7. A method comprising:

displaying, to a user, a virtual program guide in a virtual world, the virtual program guide including a menu of virtual events and a concierge model at a concierge location;

communicating, to the user, an introduction of the menu of virtual events by the concierge model;

receiving, from the user, a consideration selection of a virtual event from the menu of virtual events;

communicating, to the user, description information of the consideration selection by a first celebrity model that is related to the consideration selection;

receiving, from the user, a viewing selection of a virtual event from the menu of virtual events;

displaying, to the user, the viewing selection in a virtual viewing environment in the virtual world.

8. The method according to claim 7, further including:

displaying, to the user, a second celebrity model in the virtual viewing environment, the second celebrity model being related to the viewing selection;

communicating, to the user, an introduction of the viewing selection by the second celebrity model in the virtual viewing environment; and

communicating, to the user, answers to questions asked by the user by the second celebrity model in the virtual viewing environment.

9. The method according to claim 7, further including:

receiving a viewing location selection from the user; and

displaying the viewing location to the user in the virtual viewing environment.

10. The method according to claim 7, further including:

displaying, to the user, a concession environment access point in the virtual viewing environment;

receiving, from the user, a concession environment access point selection; and

displaying, to the user, a food concession, an apparel concession, and a memorabilia concession in a concession environment in the virtual world.

11. The method according to claim 10, further including:

receiving, from the user, a purchase selection in the concession environment;

notifying a concession vendor of the purchase selection and the user'"'"'s current activity; and

delivering, by the concession vendor, the purchase selection to the user based on the user'"'"'s current activity.

12. The method according to claim 11, further including:

notifying, by the concession vendor, a status of the purchase selection to the user within the virtual world.

13. The method according to claim 7, wherein the first celebrity model includes a first wardrobe that is related to the consideration selection.

14. A method comprising:

assembling, by a server, virtual environment data including virtual world data, media data, and concession data, the virtual world data including concierge model data, concierge location data, and viewing location data, the media data including celebrity model data, the concession data including food data, apparel data, and memorabilia data;

obtaining, by a receiver, the virtual environment data from the server and virtual event data from a distributor, the virtual event data including audio data, video data, description data, and celebrity wardrobe data;

creating, by the receiver, a virtual program guide in a virtual world by combining the virtual environment data with the virtual event data, the virtual program guide including a menu of virtual events and a concierge model at a concierge location;

displaying, by a virtual headset, the virtual program guide to a user;

receiving, by the receiver, a viewing selection of a virtual event from the menu of virtual events from the user;

loading, by the receiver, virtual event data of the viewing selection;

creating, by the receiver, a virtual viewing environment in the virtual world by combining the virtual environment data with the loaded virtual event data;

displaying, by the virtual headset, the viewing selection in the virtual viewing environment to the user; and

displaying, by the virtual headset, a celebrity model that is related to the viewing selection in the virtual viewing environment to the user.

15. The method according to claim 14, further including:

displaying, by the virtual headset, a concession environment access point in the virtual viewing environment to the user;

receiving, by the device, a concession environment access point selection from the user;

creating, by the device, a concession environment in the virtual world by using the virtual environment data; and

displaying, by the virtual headset, the concession environment to the user, the concession environment including a food concession, an apparel concession, and a memorabilia concession.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the creating of the virtual program guide further includes:

analyzing, by the receiver, virtual events that the user has selected in a prior time period;

loading, by the receiver, virtual event data based on the analysis; and

customizing, by the receiver, the virtual program guide by combining the virtual environment data with the virtual event data that was loaded based on the analysis.

17. The method according to claim 14, further including:

updating the virtual world data, the media data, the concession data, and the virtual event data periodically.