Alternative representations of virtual content in a virtual universe

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9472014-B2
Application number	US-33942308-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2008
Priority date	Dec 19, 2008
Publication date	Oct 18, 2016
Grant date	Oct 18, 2016

Abstract

An invention for generating an alternative representation of virtual content in a virtual universe is provided. In one embodiment, there is an alternative representation tool, including a visual component configured to determine a visual capacity of a user of a virtual universe. The alternative representation tool further includes an alternative component configured to provide an alternative representation of a virtual content renderable in the virtual universe based on the visual capacity of the user of the virtual universe.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for providing an alternative representation of virtual content in a virtual universe, comprising the computer implemented steps of:
displaying a set of virtual universe alternative representations to a user of a virtual universe, the virtual universe including a computer-based virtual environment that a plurality of users access and interact with using avatars;
receiving input from the user corresponding to a set of desired virtual universe alternative representation characteristics;
defining all virtual content of the virtual universe in terms of a virtual reality modeling language, wherein the virtual content definitions comprise programming data necessary for executing objects, texts, and scripts within the virtual universe;
accessing, in response to the user entering a region of the virtual universe, visual capacity information stored in a user profile associated with the user within a user database;
determining a visual capacity of a user of the virtual universe based on the input from the user and the visual capacity information;
providing, by a server array, an alternative representation of a virtual content of the virtual universe renderable to the user by modifying the definition of the virtual content renderable in the virtual universe with metadata that identifies how to modify the virtual content renderable in the virtual universe based on the visual capacity of the user of the virtual universe, wherein non-interactive objects are altered to appear less visually prominent relative to interactive objects, the interactive objects capable of providing a response to an interaction from the user, and wherein the modifying further includes:
annotating the definition of the scripts associated with the virtual content with metadata that identifies how to eliminate visual lighting effects from objects;
annotating the definition of the scripts associated with the virtual content with metadata that identifies how to modify the color of objects; and
annotating the definition of the objects associated with the virtual content with metadata that identifies how to provide simplified geometric representations of the objects;

determining a second visual capacity of a second user of the virtual universe based on the input and the visual capacity information from the second user; and
providing, by the server array, a second alternative representation of the virtual content of the virtual universe renderable to the second user by modifying the definition of the virtual content renderable in the virtual universe with metadata that identifies how to modify the virtual content renderable in the virtual universe based on the visual capacity of the second user, wherein an image in the second alternative representation of the virtual universe viewed by the second user is altered to appear different to the second user than the image in the virtual universe viewed than an identical viewpoint by the user appears to the user according to the alternative representation.

2. The method according to claim 1 , the computer implemented step of providing comprising modifying a definition of the virtual content renderable in the virtual universe.

3. The method according to claim 1 , the providing comprising comparing the virtual content renderable in the virtual universe to a set of rendering rules to automatically provide an alternative representation of the virtual content renderable in the virtual universe.

4. The method according to claim 2 , the modifying comprising annotating the definition of the virtual content renderable in the virtual universe with metadata that identifies how to modify the virtual content renderable in the virtual universe.

5. The method according to claim 4 , the definition of the virtual content renderable in the virtual universe comprising programming data associated with a plurality of objects each comprising a set of texts and a set of scripts.

6. The method according to claim 1 , the alternative representation of the virtual content renderable in the virtual universe comprising at least one of the following: a simplified geometric representation of at least a portion of the virtual content renderable in the virtual universe, an alternative color representation for at least a portion of the virtual content renderable in the virtual universe, or a modified visual lighting effect for at least a portion of the virtual content renderable in the virtual universe.

7. A computer system for providing an alternative representation of virtual content in a virtual universe, comprising:
at least one processing unit;
memory operably associated with the at least one processing unit; and
an alternative representation tool storable in memory and executable by the at least one processing unit, the alternative representation tool comprising:
a visual component configured to:
display a set of virtual universe alternative representations to a user of a virtual universe, the virtual universe including a computer-based virtual environment that a plurality of users access and interact with using avatars;
receive input from the user corresponding to a set of desired representation characteristics of the set of virtual universe alternative representations;
define all virtual content of the virtual universe in terms of a virtual reality modeling language, wherein the virtual content definitions comprise programming data necessary for executing objects, texts, and scripts within the virtual universe;
access, in response to the user entering a region of the virtual universe, visual capacity information stored in a user profile associated with the user within a user database;
determine a visual capacity of the user of the virtual universe based on the input from the user and the visual capacity information; and
determine a second visual capacity of a second user of the virtual universe based on the input and the visual capacity information from the second user; and

an alternative component on a server array configured to:
provide an alternative representation of a virtual content of the virtual universe renderable to the user by modifying the definition of the virtual content renderable in the virtual universe with metadata that identifies how to modify the virtual content renderable in the virtual universe based on the visual capacity of the user of the virtual universe, wherein non-interactive objects are altered to appear less visually prominent relative to interactive objects, the interactive objects capable of providing a response to an interaction from the user, and wherein the modifying further includes:
annotating the definition of the scripts associated with the virtual content with metadata that identifies how to eliminate visual lighting effects from objects;
annotating the definition of the scripts associated with the virtual content with metadata that identifies how to modify the color of objects; and
annotating the definition of the objects associated with the virtual content with metadata that identifies how to provide simplified geometric representations of the objects; and

provide a second alternative representation of the virtual content of the virtual universe renderable to the second user by modifying the definition of the virtual content renderable in the virtual universe with metadata that identifies how to modify the virtual content renderable in the virtual universe based on the visual capacity of the second user, wherein an image in the second alternative representation of the virtual universe viewed by the second user is altered to appear different to the second user than the image in the virtual universe viewed from an identical viewpoint by the user appears to the user according to the alternative representation.

Assignees

• Chan Philip S P
• Sabir Kenneth
• IBM

Inventors

• Chan Philip S P
• Sabir Kenneth

Classifications

• G06T11/10

  Texturing; Colouring; Generation of textures or colours (retouching, inpainting or scratch removal G06T5/77) · CPC title

• G06T2200/16

  involving adaptation to the client's capabilities · CPC title

• G06F40/169

  Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes · CPC title

• G06T3/00

  Geometric image transformations in the plane of the image · CPC title

• G06Q30/02

  Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising · CPC title