Abstract:
A user status may be updated at one of a plurality of network entities associated with a user. Through communication between the network entity on which the update has been made and a central server, an indication of the status update may be transmitted, by the central server, to the other network entities associated with the user.
Abstract:
A participant in a three dimensional computer-generated virtual environment can control a dispersion pattern of his Avatar's voice such that the Avatar's voice may be directionally enhanced using simple controls. The audio dispersion envelope is designed to extend further in front of the Avatar and less to the Avatar's sides and rear. The audio dispersion envelope may be static or controllable to enable the distance the Avatar's voice travels within the virtual environment to be adjusted. Thus, the Avatar can whisper or "shout" in the virtual environment such that other Avatars, normally outside of hearing range of the Avatar, may selectively receive audio generated by the user. Separate audio streams are mixed for each user, from audio generated by users with Avatars within their Avatar's dispersion envelope. The volume of a particular contribution depends on the separation of the Avatars within the virtual environment.
Abstract:
An audio task resides on an audio/communications board (206) of the computer conferencing system (106). An audio manager (520) and an audio applications programming interface (512) reside on a host processor (202) of the computer conferencing system (100). The audio task (538) receives local analog audio signals, generates local compressed audio signals corresponding to the local analog audio signals, and passes the local compressed audio signals to a communications subsystem of the computer conferencing system for transmission over a communications link (110) to a remote computer conferencing system (100). The audio task (538) receives remote compressed audio signals from the communications subsystem and generates remote decompressed audio signals corresponding to the remote compressed audio signal for local playback. A video microcode (530) resides on a video board (204) of the computer conferencing system. In addition, a video capture driver (522), a video manager (516), and a video applications programming interface (508) reside on a general-purpose host processor (207) of the computer conferencing system. The video microcode (530) receives local analog video signals, generates local compressed video signals corresponding to the local analog video signals, and passes the local compressed video signals to the video capture driver (522). The video capture driver (522) controls the operations of the video microcode (530) and passes the local compressed video signals to the video manager (516). The video manager (516) passes the local compressed video signals to a communications subsystem of the computer conferencing system for transmission over a communications link (110) to a remote computer conferencing system (100). The video manager (516) receives remote compressed video signals from the communications subsystem and passes the compressed video signals to the video capture driver (522), the communications subsystem having received the remote compressed video signals over the communications link (110) from the remote computer conferencing system. The video capture driver (522) generates remote decompressed video signals corresponding to the remote compressed video signal for local playback.
Abstract:
An audio task resides on an audio/communications board (206) of the computer conferencing system (106). An audio manager (520) and an audio applications programming interface (512) reside on a host processor (202) of the computer conferencing system (100). The audio task (538) receives local analog audio signals, generates local compressed audio signals corresponding to the local analog audio signals, and passes the local compressed audio signals to a communications subsystem of the computer conferencing system for transmission over a communications link (110) to a remote computer conferencing system (100). The audio task (538) receives remote compressed audio signals from the communications subsystem and generates remote decompressed audio signals corresponding to the remote compressed audio signal for local playback. A video microcode (530) resides on a video board (204) of the computer conferencing system. In addition, a video capture driver (522), a video manager (516), and a video applications programming interface (508) reside on a general-purpose host processor (207) of the computer conferencing system. The video microcode (530) receives local analog video signals, generates local compressed video signals corresponding to the local analog video signals, and passes the local compressed video signals to the video capture driver (522). The video capture driver (522) controls the operations of the video microcode (530) and passes the local compressed video signals to the video manager (516). The video manager (516) passes the local compressed video signals to a communications subsystem of the computer conferencing system for transmission over a communications link (110) to a remote computer conferencing system (100). The video manager (516) receives remote compressed video signals from the communications subsystem and passes the compressed video signals to the video capture driver (522), the communications subsystem having received the remote compressed video signals over the communications link (110) from the remote computer conferencing system. The video capture driver (522) generates remote decompressed video signals corresponding to the remote compressed video signal for local playback.