Communication system and method including rich media tools

• US 6,948,131 B1
• Filed: 03/08/2000
• Issued: 09/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vidiator Enterprises Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Vidiator Enterprises Incorporated
• Inventors: Neven, Hartmut, Dialameh, Orang, Blanchard, Charles L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Ba
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nhon D
• Application Number:
  US09/520,479
• Time in Patent Office: 2,022 Days
• Field of Search: 345/716, 345/706, 345/719, 345/764, 345/781, 345/753, 345/758, 345/835, 345/839, 345/853, 345/854, 715/716, 715/706, 715/719, 715/764, 715/781, 715/753, 715/758, 715/835, 715/853, 715/854
• US Class Current: 715/753
• 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: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/157 defining a virtual conference space and using avatars or agents computer conference optimisation or adaptation H04L12/1827

Abstract

The rich media communication system of the present invention provides a user with a three-dimensional communication space or theater having rich media functions. The user may be represented in the theater as a segmented video image or as an avatar. The user is also able to communicate by presenting images, videos, audio files, or text within the theater. The system may include tools for allowing lowered cost of animation, improved collaboration between users, presentation of episodic content, web casts, newscasts, infotainment, advertising, music clips, video conferencing, customer support, distance learning, advertising, social spaces, and interactive game shows and content.

Claims

1. A rich media communication system, comprising:

a theater including a representation, associated with a particular person, to provide a choice of visual presence of the particular person, including at least a personalized three-dimensional avatar representation of the particular person based on sensed geometric features of the particular person;

a presentation control to allow capability to switch between different choices of visual presence of the particular person during a session in the theater;

a player to present the theater at a remote location,

wherein the particular person is at least one user of the rich media communication system, the rich media communication system further including;

a directory to organize rich media communications users into user-defined communities, each user being associated with their own respective independent theater having rich media content, the communities being organizable in hierarchical levels, at least one hierarchical level being associated with a moderator for that level, the hierarchical levels including at least one city, the city including at least one neighborhood, the neighborhood including at least one house, and the house having at least one room.

2. A rich media theater controller, comprising:

a theater window having a background presentation scene;

a presentation control to allow a rich media communication user of the theater window to select a particular character for a presentation in the theater window,

wherein the presentation of the particular character may be selected from a three-dimensional avatar, a blue screen cutout of the character, an audio presentation, or a video presentation, the presentation control further including capability to switch between different presentations of that particular character during a session in the theater window, the rich media theater controller further including;

a directory to organize rich media communications users into user-defined communities, each user being associated with their own respective independent theater window having rich media content, the communities being organizable in hierarchical levels, at least one hierarchical level being associated with a user who acts as a moderator for that level, the hierarchical levels including at least one city, the city including at least one neighborhood, the neighborhood including at least one house, and the house having at least one room.

3. A rich media communication system, comprising:

a theater window having a representation associated with a particular person, the theater having a media target onto which the person may direct media, the representation including at least a selectable personalized three-dimensional avatar representation of the particular person based on sensed geometric features of the particular person;

a presentation control to allow capability to switch between different representations of the particular person during a session in the theater window; and

a player to present the theater window to a remote location,

wherein the particular person is at least one user of the rich media communication system, the rich media communication system further including;

a directory to organize rich media communications users into user-defined communities, each user being associated with their own respective independent theater window having rich media content, the communities being organizable in hierarchical levels, at least one hierarchical level being associated with a moderator for that level, the hierarchical levels including at least one city, the city including at least one neighborhood, the neighborhood including at least one house, and the house having at least one room.

4. A rich media communication system as defined in claim 3, wherein the person may drop a predetermined theater into the theater window to generate a custom theater window.

5. A rich media communication system as defined in claim 3, wherein the person may drop an avatar into the theater window to generate an avatar image within the stage.

6. A rich media communication system as defined in claim 3, wherein the theater includes a stage having a plurality of media targets, and rich media may be dropped on the stage for display in the media targets.

7. A rich media communication system as defined in claim 6, wherein media dropped onto the stage is presented in the first available media target.

8. A rich media communication system as defined in claim 6, wherein a still image is dropped onto a particular media target and the still image is shown presented in the particular media target.

9. A rich media communication system as defined in claim 6, wherein a video stream is dropped onto a particular media target and the video stream is shown presented in the particular media target.

10. A rich media communication system as defined in claim 6, wherein audio media dropped on the stage is played by the system.

11. A rich media communication system, comprising:

a theater having a background presentation scene with rich media targets, including capability to provide a non-real-life-equivalent background presentation scene, and having a selectable three-dimensional avatar representation associated with a particular person, the avatar representation being driven by visual sensing of geometric features of the particular person; and

a player to present the theater at a remote location,

wherein the particular person is at least one user of the rich media communication system, the rich media communication system further including;

a directory to organize rich media communications users into user-defined communities, each user being associated with their own respective independent theater having rich media content, the communities being organizable in hierarchical levels, at least one hierarchical level being associated with a moderator for that level, the hierarchical levels including at least one city, the city including at least one neighborhood, the neighborhood including at least one house, and the house having at least one room.

12. A rich media communication system as defined in claim 11, wherein the avatar representation may have selectable behaviors.

13. A rich media communication system as defined in claim 11, wherein the visual sensing is performed by a sensor using wavelet-based feature tracking.

14. A rich media communication system as defined in claim 13, wherein the tracking sensor may be trained with varying expressions of the person.

15. A rich media communication system as defined in claim 11, further comprising a module that allows construction of a personalized avatar representation which is based on an image of the person.

16. A rich media communication system, comprising:

a theater including a visual representation associated with a particular person; and

a communicator to present the theater to a remote location using a rich media messaging directory service, and to communicate rich media content for the theater,

wherein the particular person is at least one user of the rich media communication system, the rich media communication system further including;

a directory to organize rich media communications users into user-defined communities, each user being associated with their own respective independent theater having rich media content, the communities being organizable in hierarchical levels, at least one hierarchical level being associated with a moderator for that level, the hierarchical levels including at least one city, the city including at least one neighborhood, the neighborhood including at least one house, and the house having at least one room.

17. A rich media communication system, comprising:

a theater to provide rich media presentations which include a visual representation associated with a particular person, the theater being independent of other theaters that include visual representations associated with other persons; and

an online directory to locate users capable of communicating with rich media presentations and to organize rich media communications users into user-defined communities, each user being associated with their own respective independent theater having rich media content, the communities being organizable in hierarchical levels, at least one hierarchical level being associated with a moderator for that level, the hierarchical levels including cities, the cities including neighborhoods, the neighborhoods including houses, and the houses having rooms.

18. A rich media communication system as defined in claim 17, wherein the directory includes a user'"'"'s personalized address book.

19. A rich media communication system as defined in claim 17, wherein the directory includes a listing of users.

20. A rich media communication system as defined in claim 17, wherein the directory includes a rich media card having a user'"'"'s rich media communication parameters for communicating with the user.

21. A rich media communication system as defined in claim 20, wherein the rich media card of a user may be transmitted to another user.

22. A rich media communication system as defined in claim 20, wherein a user'"'"'s rich media card may be requested by another user.

23. A rich media communication system as defined in claim 17, wherein the directory includes user blocking wherein a user may block rich media communications from selected other users.

24. A rich media communication system, comprising:

a status window indicating rich media communications received, the user'"'"'s visibility to other users, the user'"'"'s availability to other users, and the user'"'"'s automatic response to rich media communication messages from other users;

a theater having the status window and including a visual representation associated with a particular user;

a presentation control to allow capability to switch between different representations of the particular user during a session in the theater; and

a directory to organize rich media communications users into user-defined communities, each user being associated with their own respective independent theater having rich media content, the communities being organizable in hierarchical levels, at least one hierarchical level being associated with a moderator for that level, the hierarchical levels including cities, the cities including neighborhoods, the neighborhoods including houses, and the houses having rooms.

25. A rich media communication system comprising:

a rich media client to communicate rich media communications between users;

a theater including a visual representation associated with a particular person;

a presentation control to allow capability to switch between different representations of the particular person during a session in the theater;

a directory to organize rich media communication users into user-defined communities, each user being associated with their own respective independent theater having rich media content;

wherein the communities are organized in hierarchical levels;

wherein predetermined hierarchical levels are associated with a user who acts as a moderator for the level; and

wherein the hierarchical levels include cities, where the cities include neighborhoods, the neighborhoods include houses, and the houses have rooms.

26. A rich media communication system as defined in claim 25, wherein the moderator may control access to the associated level including blocking of a particular user accessing a room.

27. A rich media communication system, comprising:

a theater window having a representation associated with a particular person, the theater window having a stage onto which the particular person may direct rich media and being independent of other theater windows having representations associated with other persons;

a presentation control to allow capability to switch between different representations of the particular person during a session in the theater window;

wherein the particular person is at least one user of the rich media communication system, the rich media communication system further including;

a directory to organize rich media communications users into user-defined communities, each user being associated with their own respective independent theater window having rich media content, the communities being organizable in hierarchical levels, at least one hierarchical level being associated with a moderator for that level, the hierarchical levels including at least one city, the city including at least one neighborhood, the neighborhood including at least one house, and the house having at least one room; and

a client to publish the theater window to a rich media website.

28. A rich media communication system, comprising:

a message center having a message reader, the message reader having a text message window and a rich media presentation window, wherein the rich media window may be toggled off such that a user may first read only the text message before requesting transmission of a rich media message for presentation in the presentation window;

a theater having the message center and including a visual representation associated with a particular person; and

a directory to organize rich media communications users into user-defined communities, each user being associated with their own respective independent theater having rich media content, the communities being organizable in hierarchical levels, at least one hierarchical level being associated with a user who acts as a moderator for that level, the hierarchical levels including at least one city, the city including at least one neighborhood, the neighborhood including at least one house, and the house having at least one room.

29. A rich media communication system, comprising:

a monitor window that shows, to a particular person creating a rich media presentation, a live video image of the particular person with sensing control points overlaid on the particular person'"'"'s image to show feature tracking performance; and

a presentation control to allow switching between this image of the particular person and at least one of a live video image of the particular person, or a blue screen cutout of the particular person,

wherein the particular person is at least one user of the rich media communication system, the rich media communication system further including;

a directory to organize rich media communications users into user-defined communities, each user being associated with their own respective independent monitor window having rich media content, the communities being organizable in hierarchical levels, at least one hierarchical level being associated with a moderator for that level, the hierarchical levels including at least one city, the city including at least one neighborhood the neighborhood including at least one house, and the house having at least one room.

30. A rich media communication system, comprising:

a server infrastructure to provide web hosting, message hosting and communication services;

at least one content client that includes an authoring tool to generate a rich media communication;

a theater including a visual representation associated with a particular person;

a plurality of communicator clients to display, using the server infrastructure, the rich media communication in the theater at remote locations,

wherein the particular person is at least one user of the rich media communication system, the rich media communication system further including;

a directory to organize rich media communications users into user-defined communities, each user being associated with their own respective independent theater having rich media content, the communities being organizable in hierarchical levels, at least one hierarchical level being associated with a moderator for that level, the hierarchical levels including at least one city, the city including at least one neighborhood, the neighborhood including at least one house, and the house having at least one room.

31. A rich media communication system as defined in claim 30, wherein the communicator client includes a message center, a renderer, and an encoder.

32. A method for generating and rendering rich media communications, the method comprising:

receiving media elements from a plurality of media sources and generating a multiplexed rich media communication bit stream having the media elements;

transmitting the bit stream to a receiver;

decomposing the bit stream into separate rich media elements;

rendering the rich media elements to generate a rich media theater, the theater including a visual representation associated with a particular user; and

organizing rich media communications users in a directory of user-defined communities, each user being associated with their own respective independent theater having rich media elements, the communities being organizable in hierarchical levels, at least one hierarchical level being associated with a moderator for that level, the hierarchical levels including at least one city, the cities including at least one neighborhood, the neighborhood including at least one house, and the house having at least one room.

33. A method for rich media communication, the method comprising:

providing a theater window having a background presentation scene;

selecting a particular character for a presentation in the theater window, wherein the presentation of the particular character may be selected from a three-dimensional avatar, a blue screen cutout of the particular character, an audio presentation, or a plain video presentation;

providing capability to switch between different presentations of the particular character during a session in the theater window; and

organizing rich media communications users in a directory of user-defined communities, each user being associated with their own respective independent theater window having rich media content, the communities being organizable in hierarchical levels, at least one hierarchical level being associated with a moderator for that level, the hierarchical levels including cities, the cities including neighborhoods, the neighborhoods including houses, and the houses having rooms.

34. A method for rich media communication, the method comprising:

providing a theater window having a representation associated with a particular user;

providing a media target in the theater window onto which the particular user may direct media and which is independent of other theater windows of other users;

presenting the theater window to a remote location; and

organizing rich media communications users in a directory of user-defined communities, each user being associated with their own respective independent theater window having rich media content, the communities being organizable in hierarchical levels, at least one hierarchical level being associated with a moderator for that level, the hierarchical levels including at least one city, the cities including at least one neighborhood, the neighborhood including at least one house, and the house having at least one room.

35. A method for rich media communication, the method comprising:

providing a theater having a background presentation scene with rich media targets, including providing capability to select a background presentation scene that contains a non-real-life-equivalent background;

generating in the theater an avatar representation associated with a particular user;

driving the avatar representation by visual sensing of the particular user;

presenting the theater including the avatar representation at a remote location; and

organizing rich media communications users in a directory of user-defined communities, each user being associated with their own respective independent theater window having rich media content, the communities being organizable in hierarchical levels, at least one hierarchical level being associated with a moderator for that level, the hierarchical levels including cities, the cities including neighborhoods, the neighborhoods including houses, and the houses having rooms.

36. A method for rich media communication, the method comprising:

providing a theater including selectable visual representations associated with a particular user;

presenting the theater to a remote location using a rich media messaging directory service;

allowing switching between different visual representations of the particular user during a session in the theater; and

organizing rich media communications users in a directory of user-defined communities, each user being associated with their own respective independent theater window having rich media content, the communities being organizable in hierarchical levels, at least one hierarchical level being associated with a moderator for that level, the hierarchical levels including at least one city, the cities including at least one neighborhood, the neighborhood including at least one house, and the house having at least one room.

37. A method for rich media communication, the method comprising:

providing rich media presentations which include a visual representation associated with a particular person, including providing capability to select a three-dimensional avatar representation of the person based on sensed geometric features of the person;

allowing switching between different visual representations of the particular person during a session;

locating users capable of communicating with the rich media presentations using an online directory; and

organizing such users in user-defined communities in the online directory, each user being associated with their own respective independent theater having rich media content, the communities being organizable in hierarchical levels, at least one hierarchical level being associated with a moderator for that level, the hierarchical levels including cities, the cities including neighborhoods, the neighborhoods including houses, and the houses having rooms.

38. A method of rich media communication, the method comprising:

providing a theater window having a representation associated with a particular user, the theater window having a stage onto which the particular user may direct rich media, the theater window being independent of other theater windows having stages on which other users may direct rich media;

publishing the theater window to a rich media website; and

organizing rich media communications users in a directory of user-defined communities, each user being associated with their own respective independent theater window having rich media content, the communities being organizable in hierarchical levels, at least one hierarchical level being associated with a moderator for that level, the hierarchical levels including at least one city, the cities including at least one neighborhood, the neighborhood including at least one house, and the house having at least one room.

39. A rich media communication system, comprising:

a theater having a background presentation scene with rich media targets and having an avatar representation associated with a user, the avatar representation being driven by visual sensing of the particular user;

a sensor to perform the visual sensing by using wavelet-based feature tracking;

a player to present the theater at a remote location, and

a directory to organize rich media communications users into user-defined communities, each user being associated with their own respective independent theater window having rich media content, the communities being organizable in hierarchical levels, at least one hierarchical level being associated with a user who acts as a moderator for that level, the hierarchical levels including at least one city, the city including at least one neighborhood, the neighborhood including at least one house, and the house having at least one room.

40. The rich media communication system of claim 39 wherein the sensor may be trained with varying expressions of the person.

41. A rich media communication system, comprising:

a theater having a background presentation scene with rich media targets and having an avatar representation associated with a particular person, the avatar representation being driven by visual sensing of the particular person;

a player to present the theater at a remote location;

a module that allows construction of a personalized avatar representation which is based on an image of the particular person;

wherein the particular person is at least one user of the rich media communication system, the rich media communication system further including;

a directory to organize rich media communications users into user-defined communities, each user being associated with their own respective independent theater having rich media content, the communities being organizable in hierarchical levels, at least one hierarchical level being associated with a moderator for that level, the hierarchical levels including at least one city, the city including at least one neighborhood, the neighborhood including at least one house, and the house having at least one room.

42. The rich media communication system of claim 41, further comprising a sensor to perform the visual sensing using wavelet-based feature tracking.

43. A system, comprising:

a means for providing an independently customizable theater window having a representation associated with a particular user;

a means for providing a media target in the theater window onto which the particular user may direct media; and

a means for presenting the theater window to a remote location; and

a means for organizing rich media communications users in a directory of user-defined communities, each user being associated with their own respective independent theater having rich media content, the communities being organizable in hierarchical levels, at least one hierarchical level being associated with a moderator for that level, the hierarchical levels including at least one city, the cities including at least one neighborhood, the neighborhood including at least one house, and the house having at least one room.

44. The system of claim 43, further comprising:

a means for receiving media elements from a plurality of media sources and generating a multiplexed rich media communication bit stream;

a means for transmitting the bit stream to a receiver;

a means for decomposing the bit stream into rich media elements; and

a means for rendering the rich media elements to generate the theater.

45. The system of claim 43, further comprising additional means for operating and for providing additional features for the theater.