Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Computer graphics processing – Three-dimension
Reexamination Certificate
1997-03-28
2001-11-27
Zimmerman, Mark (Department: 2671)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Computer graphics processing
Three-dimension
C345S473000, C345S475000, C345S428000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06323857
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a method enabling users to interact, via a set of interconnected terminals, by reference to a virtual space, which method includes the steps of
associating each terminal of the set with a respective avatar in the virtual space and controlling a location of the respective avatar by means of commands received via the relevant terminal;
composing simulated observations of the virtual space, each for a respective one of the terminals of the set and making the simulated observations observable each by means of its respective on of the terminals, the avatars in the simulated observations being observable in conformity with their locations. The invention also relates to a system for carrying out the method. A method and a system of this kind are known from European Patent Application No. 663 771 (PHN 14.719, equivalent U.S. application Ser. No.
05/373,737).
When using the method disclosed in the cited publication, each participating person (user) is offered a visual impression of the virtual space on his or her terminal. In the virtual space each user is embodied by an avatar which is visually reproduced as a sprite, i.e. as a predetermined pixel pattern. Each user can control the location of his or her avatar in the virtual space. Consequently, the users can act as if they are present in the virtual space and hence can interact with other users.
EP 663 771 also states that an audio communication channel is established between two terminals when the locations of two avatars associated with the relevant two terminals approach one another. It has been found that such a possibility of selectively establishing contact on the basis of an observable impression of the virtual world is attractive to users. The virtual space offers the users a metaphor which stimulates social contacts.
It is inter alia an object of the invention to provide a method and a system of the kind set forth which enable non-users to perceive the interaction within the virtual space as it is experienced by users, without it being necessary for the non-users to have a terminal connection available and without the non-users having to control the location of avatars.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method and a system of the kind set forth which enable the users to share their virtual space experience with non-users. The method of the invention is characterized in that it includes the steps of
receiving a command which selects a terminal from the set;
selecting a sub-space of the virtual space on the basis of the location of the avatar associated with the selected terminal from the set;
composing a broadcast signal which represents a further simulated observation of exclusively the sub-space of the virtual space;
transmitting the broadcast signal distinctly from signals representing the simulated observations, the broadcast signal being transmitted via a broadcast channel for reception by further terminals outside said set of terminals, for making the further simulated observation observable for passive viewers. A user can thus be appointed as a “cameraman” in the virtual space by selecting his or her terminal. Reception of the broadcast signal gives non-users the opportunity of perceiving the virtual space as it is perceived by the cameraman.
In a version of the method of the invention different terminals are selected each time for successive time intervals, a respective sub-space of the virtual space being selected for each different terminal on the basis of the location of the respective avatar associated with the relevant terminal, the simulated observation in each time interval representing only an observation of the sub-space of the terminal selected for the relevant time interval. Thus, if they so wish, different users can share their experience as a cameraman. For the non-users the broadcast signal becomes more varied, because the location wherefrom the virtual space is rendered observable is alternately controlled by different users who possibly have different interests.
In a version of the method of the invention a relevant terminal which has been selected for at least one of the time intervals is selected in response to a command received via the relevant terminal. Thus, a user wishing to share his or her experiences can turn himself or herself into a cameraman via his or her terminal.
In a further version of the method of the invention the relevant terminal is selected in dependence on a distance between a reference location and the location of the avatar associated with the relevant terminal. The user can, for example send his or her avatar into a sub-space, in response to which the terminal of the user is selected.
A version of the method according to the invention includes the following steps
keeping a channel for communication between the users of two terminals open and closed, respectively, when a distance between the locations of the avatars associated with these two terminals becomes smaller than a first predetermined distance or larger than a second predetermined distance, respectively;
making the communication via the channel perceivable also by means of the broadcast signal if one of the two terminals is selected. It has been found that notably the possibility of opening a communication channel, and the assisting of this possibility by selection of the communication partner by way of a location-dependent context in the virtual space, are very attractive to users. By passing on the communication on the channel via the broadcast channel, non-users can experience this attractive aspect of the interaction in the virtual space; it also enables the users to update non-users as to their interaction.
In a further version of the method of the invention the channel is an audio communication channel. It has been found that an audio communication channel is particularly attractive for use in combination with a virtual space. The audio communication, moreover, can be passed on very quickly without requiring substantial processing.
A version of the method of the invention includes the steps of
forming for each terminal, as part of the simulated observation, a visual picture of a respective environment in the virtual space around the respective location of the avatar associated with the relevant terminal;
forming, as part of the further simulated observation, a further visual picture of the virtual space of the environment in the virtual space around the respective location of the avatar associated with the selected terminal. The visual representation is very suitable for illustrating the spatial relationships between the avatars in the virtual space.
In a version of the method of the invention the further visual picture is formed with a visual detail which is finer than that of the visual picture. The non-users are thus offered another, enhanced visual picture of the virtual world. The overhead required for this purpose is comparatively insignificant, because the picture can be shared by a large number of non-users and no interaction is required from non-users. Thus, objects such as buildings and avatars can be reproduced differently in the virtual space. For example, an object in the terminal picture could be composed from a limited set of basic symbols such as the ASCII set of characters or the set of teletext characters. The broadcast picture can then utilize bit maps which enable arbitrary pictures.
In a version of the method of the invention the virtual space contains a first and a second reference location, a displacement of at least one of the avatars from the first to the second reference location in the further simulated picture being reproduced by interpolation of a corresponding displacement of the at least one avatar in the visual picture in finer steps. Users can often control the avatars in a coarsely quantized manner only, for example in discrete steps between locations in which characters from the set of characters can be reproduced in the visual picture, or only with a limited number of movement directions such as the horizontal and the vertical mo
Kettler Robert
Mielekamp Pieter M.
Stevenson Philip H
Tsiang Harold
U.S. Philips Corporation
Zimmerman Mark
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