Virtual system for merging and splitting virtual meetings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12107696-B2
Application number	US-202117362447-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2021
Priority date	Jun 29, 2021
Publication date	Oct 1, 2024
Grant date	Oct 1, 2024

Abstract

A processor may enhance user experience in a virtual reality (VR) meeting. A processor may generate a first VR environment of the VR meeting having a plurality of users. In embodiments, the plurality of users may opt into the VR meeting. A processor may analyze meeting activity collected from one or more data collection devices. In embodiments, the meeting activity may be associated with the plurality of users. A processor may identify a meeting modifier in the meeting activity. A processor may alter, responsive to identifying a meeting modifier in the meeting activity, the first VR environment of the VR meeting to generate a second VR environment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method, the method comprising:
generating a first virtual reality (VR) environment of the VR meeting having a plurality of users, wherein the plurality of users are participating in a VR meeting;
analyzing meeting activity collected from one or more data collection devices, wherein the meeting activity is associated with the plurality of users during the VR meeting;
identifying a meeting modifier in the meeting activity by utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to detect and analyze prior meeting activity and identify actions that are indicative that the first VR environment should be altered, wherein the meeting modifier is based on the actions comprising verbal cues among the plurality of users during the VR meeting; and
altering, responsive to identifying the meeting modifier in the meeting activity, the first VR environment of the VR meeting to generate a second VR environment; and
generating a virtual overview of the VR meeting identifying the first VR environment and the second VR environment to each of the plurality of users.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the first VR environment further includes:
activating a virtual partition between a first party and a second party, wherein the virtual partition virtually separates the first party and the second party.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein altering the first VR environment of the VR meeting to generate the second VR environment further includes:
merging the first party and the second party to generate the second VR environment, wherein merging the first party and the second party removes the virtual partition and allows the first party and the second party to interact.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the first VR environment further includes:
deactivating a virtual partition between the first party and the second party, wherein deactivating the virtual partition virtually merging the first party and the second party, wherein the first party and second party are allowed to interact.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein altering the first VR environment of the VR meeting to generate the second VR environment further includes:
activating a virtual partition between the first party and the second party to generate the second VR environment, wherein the virtual partition virtually separates the first party and the second party.

6. The method of claim 5 , further including:
identifying a late user with the one or more data collection devices;
generating a virtual overview of the VR meeting; and
offering the late user an option to join the first party or the second party.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein altering the first VR environment of the VR meeting to generate the second VR environment includes:
analyzing the meeting activity;
determining virtual movements of each user of the plurality of users in the VR meeting; and
activating one or more virtual partitions between one or more users of the plurality of users, based on the virtual movement of each user of the plurality of users.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first VR environment of the VR meeting to generate the second VR environment includes:
analyzing the meeting activity;
determining a relative physical position of each of the plurality of users; and
activating one or more virtual partitions between one or more users of the plurality of users, based on the relative position of each user of the plurality of users.

9. A system, the system comprising:
a memory; and
a processor in communication with the memory, the processor being configured to perform operations comprising:
generating a first virtual reality (VR) environment of the VR meeting having a plurality of users, wherein the plurality of users are participating in a VR meeting;
analyzing meeting activity collected from one or more data collection devices, wherein the meeting activity is associated with the plurality of users during the VR meeting;
identifying a meeting modifier in the meeting activity by utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to detect and analyze prior meeting activity and identify actions that are indicative that the first VR environment should be altered, wherein the meeting modifier is based on the actions comprising verbal cues among the plurality of users during the VR meeting;
altering, responsive to identifying the meeting modifier in the meeting activity, the first VR environment of the VR meeting to generate a second VR environment; and
generating a virtual overview of the VR meeting identifying the first VR environment and the second VR environment to each of the plurality of users.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein generating the first VR environment further includes:
activating a virtual partition between a first party and a second party, wherein the virtual partition virtually separates the first party and the second party.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein altering the first VR environment of the VR meeting to generate the second VR environment further includes:
merging the first party and the second party to generate the second VR environment, wherein merging the first party and the second party removes the virtual partition and allows the first party and the second party to interact.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein generating the first VR environment further includes:
deactivating a virtual partition between the first party and the second party, wherein deactivating the virtual partition virtually merging the first party and the second party, wherein the first party and second party are allowed to interact.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein altering the first VR environment of the VR meeting to generate the second VR environment further includes:
activating a virtual partition between the first party and the second party to generate the second VR environment, wherein the virtual partition virtually separates the first party and the second party.

14. The system of claim 13 , further including:
identifying a late user with the one or more data collection devices;
generating a virtual overview of the VR meeting; and
offering the late user an option to join the first party or the second party.

15. A computer program product, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processors to perform a function, the function comprising:
generating a first virtual reality (VR) environment of the VR meeting having a plurality of users, wherein the plurality of users are participating in a VR meeting;
analyzing meeting activity collected from one or more data collection devices, wherein the meeting activity is associated with the plurality of users during the VR meeting;
identifying a meeting modifier in the meeting activity by utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to detect and analyze prior meeting activity and identify actions that are indicative that the first VR environment should be altered, wherein the meeting modifier is based on the actions comprising verbal cues among the plurality of users during the VR meeting;
altering, responsive to identifying the meeting modifier in the meeting activity, the first VR environment of the VR meeting to generate a second VR environment; and
generating a virtual overview of the VR meeting identifying the first VR environment and the second VR environment to each of the plurality of users.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 , where

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Decrop Clement
• Agrawal Tushar
• Fox Jeremy R
• Rakshit Sarbajit K

Classifications

• G06T19/006

  Mixed reality (object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00) · CPC title

• H04L12/1831

  Tracking arrangements for later retrieval, e.g. recording contents, participants activities or behavior, network status · CPC title

• H04L12/1818

  Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties · CPC title

• H04L12/1822 Primary

  Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission · CPC title