Systems and methods for enabling communication between users of common virtual spaces
US8514842B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 27, 2008 |
| Grant date | Aug 20, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 7, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N7/15
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for enabling voice communication between users of common virtual spaces. A communication manager autonomously identifies a plurality of clients who are accessing a common virtual space, and autonomously initiates voice communication between the plurality of clients. The common virtual space may encompass any number of software applications (which may reside locally on client computers and/or which may be network-accessed applications) and which may be applications that are not communication centric. The communication manager comprises peer group identifying logic that is operable to identify a plurality of users who are accessing a common virtual space. The communication manager further comprises connection management logic that is operable to autonomously initiate voice communication between the peer group members. A light-weight communication module may be implemented on each client, which provides logic for enabling voice communication between the clients who are determined as being members of a peer group.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.