Global event-based avatar

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11714524-B2
Application number	US-202117235030-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 20, 2021
Priority date	Feb 6, 2019
Publication date	Aug 1, 2023
Grant date	Aug 1, 2023

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure involve a system comprising a computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program and a method for navigating an avatar based on time zones. A global event is identified that begins at a particular time on a given date; a sequential list of time zones associated with a plurality of geographical locations is retrieved; and a current time at a first time zone of the sequential list of time zones is determined to have reached the particular time on the given date. In response, an avatar is generated for display on a map at a first of the plurality of geographical locations associated with the first time zone and is navigated to a second geographical location when a current time at a second time zone, associated with the second geographical location, reaches the particular time on the given date.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
generating for display an avatar at a current display position corresponding to a first geographical location, the avatar comprises an image or video that represents an event;
determining a distance between the first geographical location and a second geographical location;
setting a rate at which the current display position of the avatar is updated based on the determined distance, the rate being increased or decreased to cause the avatar to reach a display position corresponding to the second geographical location when a current time at the second geographical location matches a particular time on a given date associated with the event; and
updating, based on the rate, the current display position of the avatar to a new display position that is closer in proximity to the second geographical location than the first geographical location.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying the event that begins at a particular time on a given date, the event corresponding to the avatar; and
receiving, at a current time, a user selection of the avatar while the avatar is at the first geographical location.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
in response to receiving the user selection of the avatar while the avatar is at the first geographical location, generating for display a video from a set of videos received from users at the first geographical location, the set of videos being received from the users, during a time prior to the current time and prior to the avatar being progressed to the second geographical location.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
retrieving a sequential list of time zones associated with a plurality of geographical locations;
determining that a current time at a first time zone of the sequential list of time zones has reached a particular time on a given date associated with the event; and
in response to determining that the current time at the first time zone has reached the particular time on the given date, generating for display the avatar representative of the event on a map at the first geographical location of the plurality of geographical locations associated with the first time zone.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
navigating the avatar on the map from the first geographical location to the second geographical location when a current time at a second time zone of the sequential list of time zones, associated with the second geographical location, reaches the particular time on the given date.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising retrieving the sequential list of time zones including a plurality of time offsets relative to a Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
searching for a first time offset of the plurality of time offsets that is earlier than each of the plurality of time offsets, the first time offset corresponding to the first geographical location; and
computing the current time at the first geographical location by adding or subtracting the determined offset to or from the UTC.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a path that traverses each of a plurality of geographical locations, wherein the current display position is updated to follow the path.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising dynamically adjusting the path based on one or more criteria.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the event comprises a global event.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the avatar comprises a blimp.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein a set of videos correspond to videos received from friends of a user on a social media platform, further comprising sequentially playing back each video in the set of videos automatically on the avatar.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein a collection of videos in the set of videos received from users at the second geographical location corresponding to the display position of the avatar are temporarily stored such that the collection of videos becomes unavailable for access after a specified time period has elapsed since the event began at the second geographical location.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the avatar includes a plurality of states, further comprising:
prior to any time zone in a sequential list of time zones reaching a particular time on a given date, generating for display the avatar in a first state of the plurality of states on a map in close proximity to the first geographical location; and
when a first time zone reaches the particular time on the given date, changing a state of the avatar from the first state to a second of the plurality of states.

15. A system comprising:
a processor configured to perform operations comprising:
generating for display an avatar at a current display position corresponding to a first geographical location, the avatar comprises an image or video that represents an event;
determining a distance between the first geographical location and a second geographical location;
setting a rate at which the current display position of the avatar is updated based on the determined distance, the rate being increased or decreased to cause the avatar to reach a display position corresponding to the second geographical location when a current time at the second geographical location matches a particular time on a given date associated with the event; and
updating, based on the rate, the current display position of the avatar to a new display position that is closer in proximity to the second geographical location than the first geographical location.

16. The system of claim 15 , the operations further comprising:
identifying the event that begins at a particular time on a given date, the event corresponding to the avatar; and
receiving, at a current time, a user selection of the avatar while the avatar is at the first geographical location.

17. The system of claim 16 , the operations further comprising:
in response to receiving the user selection of the avatar while the avatar is at the first geographical location, generating for display a video from a set of videos received from users at the first geographical location, the set of videos being received from the users, during a time prior to the current time and prior to the avatar being progressed to the second geographical location.

18. The system of claim 15 , the operations further comprising:
retrieving a sequential list of time zones associated with a plurality of geographical locations;
determining that a current time at a first time zone of the sequential list of time zones has reached a particular time on a given date associated with the event; and
in response to determining that the current time at the first time zone has reached the particular time on the given date, generating for display the avatar representative of the global event on a map at the first geographical location of the plurality of geographical locations associated with the first time zone.

19. The system of claim 18 , the operations further comprising navigating the avatar on the map from the first geographical location to the second geographical location when a current time at a second time zone of the sequential list of time zones, associated with the second geographical location, reaches the particular time on the given date.

20. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium that includes instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a machine, cause the machine to perfo

Assignees

• Snap Inc

Inventors

• Alvi Sumbul
• Mark David
• Phifer Kimberly A
• Reid Graham
• Samaranayake Suraj Vindana
• Valdetaro Porto Alexandre

Classifications

• G06F3/0482 Primary

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title

• G06F3/04845

  for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour · CPC title

• G06F16/90335

  Query processing · CPC title

• H04L51/52

  for supporting social networking services · CPC title

• G06F16/9537 Primary

  Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries · CPC title