Distributed Virtual Environment Using User-Contributed Computing Devices
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing virtual environments are limited by processing resources and latency, resulting in less realistic visual and audio experiences.
Innovation Solution
A system that leverages user-contributed computing devices to distribute computational tasks, such as voxel-server, avatar-mixer, and audio-mixer tasks, across a network, using a credit-based economy to enhance the virtual environment's capabilities and immersive audio experiences by strategically placing audio-mixers within the virtual world.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed server network is used to support virtual environments, then processing resources are centralized and manageable, but the system cannot scale to support larger audiences and complex content without significant overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the centralized server network into distributed user computing devices, where each device contributes its own processing resources. This segmentation allows the system to scale by simply adding more user devices rather than expanding a centralized server infrastructure, directly resolving the scalability overhead contradiction.
Solution Approach 2:
User computing devices serve multiple functions: they act as both client devices for experiencing the virtual environment and as server-like resources contributing computational power. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated server infrastructure, reducing system overhead while enhancing scalability.
2Reliability
If computational resources are centralized on servers, then resource management is simplified, but latency increases and real-time performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by distributing computational tasks to user devices geographically close to end users. This localization reduces network transmission distance and latency, improving real-time performance while maintaining simplified resource management through the credit-based allocation system.
3Manufacturing precision
If more processing resources are allocated to virtual environments, then visual and audio quality improve, but resource costs and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling user devices to automatically contribute their own processing resources without requiring complex centralized management. The credit-based economy system allows devices to autonomously allocate and trade computational resources, improving visual and audio quality while reducing system complexity through decentralized self-organization.
4Adaptability or versatility
If user computing devices are utilized to contribute resources, then system scalability and immersion improve, but resource allocation and task distribution complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback through the credit-based economy system, where user devices receive credits for contributing resources and spend credits to access virtual environment services. This feedback mechanism automatically balances resource allocation and task distribution based on supply and demand, improving scalability while managing allocation complexity through market-driven automation.
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are systems and methods for providing a computer-generated virtual environment that is at least partially supported by user contributed computing devices. In an embodiment, an indication is received, from each of a plurality of user contributed computing devices, that the computing device is available to contribute at least a portion of its computational resources to support the virtual environment. At least some of the computing devices, from which the indications are received, are assigned computational tasks that are used to support the virtual environment. Credits are provide to users associated with the computing devices that are assigned and perform the assigned computational tasks. A record of the credits provided to users is maintained. Users that interact with the virtual environment can use their credits to pay for computational tasks performed to support the users' interactions with the virtual environment and/or to pay for virtual goods and/or virtual services.