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

• US 7,945,856 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2009
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Worlds Online Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Worlds Online Incorporated
• Inventors: Adler, B. Thomas, Ardon, S. Mitra, Challinger, Judith, Leahy, Dave
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Kevin M
• Application Number:
  US12/353,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20090228809A1
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 715/706, 715/765, 715/853, 715/854, 348/E7.083
• 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. A method for enabling a first user to interact with second users in a virtual space, wherein the first user is associated with at first avatar and a first client process, the first client process being configured for communication with a server process, and each second user is associated with a different second avatar and a second client process configured for communication with the server process, at least one second client process per second user, the method comprising:

(a) receiving by the first client process from the server process received positions of selected second avatars; and

(b) determining, from the received positions, a set of the second avatars that are to be displayed to the first user;

wherein the first client process receives positions of fewer than all of the second avatars.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first client process is configured to receive positions of a positioning device associated with the first client process, the method further comprising:

moving the first avatar along a first axis of a display used to display the set of the second avatars in response to movement of the positioning device along a first direction, wherein positional changes of the first avatar along the first axis are linearly related to corresponding positional changes of the positioning device along the first direction;

moving the first avatar along a second axis of the display in response to movement of the positioning device along a second direction, wherein positional changes of the first avatar along the second axis are non-linearly related to corresponding positional changes of the positioning device along the second direction.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the positional changes of the first avatar along the second axis are proportional to squares of the corresponding positional changes of the positioning device along the second direction.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the positional changes of the first avatar along the second axis are proportional to square roots of the corresponding positional changes of the positioning device along the second direction.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first client process is configured to receive positions of a positioning device associated with the first client process, the method further comprising:

moving the first avatar along a first axis of a display used to display the set of the second avatars in response to movement of the positioning device along a first direction, wherein positional changes of the first avatar along the first axis are linearly related to corresponding positional changes of the positioning device along the first direction; and

step for moving the first avatar along a second axis of the display in response to movement of the positioning device along a second direction so that positional changes of the first avatar along the second axis are non-linearly related to corresponding positional changes of the positioning device along the second direction.

6. A client device for enabling a first user to interact with other users in a virtual space, each user being associated with an avatar representing said each user in the virtual space, the device comprising:

a positioning device;

a memory storing instructions; and

a processor programmed using the instructions to;

create a custom avatar in response to input by the first user;

receive position information associated with fewer than all of the other user avatars;

receive input from the positioning device;

determine a set of avatars of the other users displayable on as screen associated with the client device;

display the set of the avatars of the other users on the screen to represent a view based on position of the custom avatar in the virtual space;

change position of the custom avatar in the virtual space along a first axis in response to movement of the positioning device along a first direction, wherein positional changes of the custom avatar along the first axis are linearly related to corresponding positional changes of the positioning device along the first direction; and

move the custom avatar in the virtual space along a second axis in response to movement of the positioning device along a second direction, wherein positional changes of the custom avatar along the second axis are non-linearly related to corresponding positional changes of the positioning device along the second direction.

7. A client device according to claim 6, wherein the positional changes of the custom avatar along the second axis are proportional to squares of the corresponding positional changes of the positioning device along the second direction.

8. A client device according to claim 6, wherein the positional changes of the custom avatar along the second axis are proportional to square roots of the corresponding positional changes of the positioning device along the second direction.

9. A client device according to claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured (1) not to display the custom avatar on the screen, and (2) to display the set of the avatars of the other users on the screen to represent a view from the position of the custom avatar in the virtual space.

10. A client device according to claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured (1) not to display the custom avatar on the screen unless image of the custom avatar is reflected from an object in the virtual space, and (2) to display the set of the avatars of the other users on the screen to represent a view from the position of the custom avatar in the virtual space.

11. A client device according to claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured not to display at least one avatar from the set in response to selection of the at least one other avatar by the first user.