Prioritizing Virtual Object Downloads in Distributed Environments

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Solution Overview

Problem

In distributed virtual environments, preloading the entire landscape on a client computer is challenging due to dynamic changes in host availability, leading to delays and inconsistencies in virtual object downloads, which affects the realism of the user experience.

Innovation Solution

A prioritization process for virtual object downloads based on factors like type, distance, significance, and estimated visibility, ensuring that virtual objects are rendered in a realistic order while managing available bandwidth through concurrent downloads.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the landscape is downloaded on an ad-hoc basis in a distributed virtual environment, then the system adapts to dynamic host availability, but download delays and bandwidth competition occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to dynamic host availabilityVSAvoiddownload delay

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-loading virtual objects into a download queue before they are strictly needed. The prioritization process prepares the download list in advance based on predicted avatar movement and area of interest, allowing downloads to start earlier rather than waiting for ad-hoc requests.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The landscape is segmented into discrete virtual objects that can be independently prioritized and downloaded. Instead of treating the entire landscape as one unit, the system divides it into individual objects (trees, rocks, buildings, etc.) that can be managed separately in the download queue based on their priority levels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If avatar movement is halted until landscape transfer is complete, then rendering realism is maintained, but user experience suffers due to significant delays

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverendering realismVSAvoiduser experience

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies partial action by downloading and rendering only the most important virtual objects first (those within current and predicted area of interest) rather than waiting for complete landscape transfer. This allows the avatar to move and interact with high-priority objects while lower-priority objects continue downloading in the background.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The download prioritization is dynamic rather than static. As the avatar moves and the area of interest changes, the system continuously updates the priority queue, repositioning virtual objects based on their new relevance. This dynamic adjustment maintains rendering realism while enabling continuous avatar movement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If sufficient landscape detail is provided for realistic interaction, then virtual object download requirements increase, but available bandwidth is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevirtual environment realismVSAvoiddownload data volume

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies local quality by providing high-detail virtual objects only in the current and predicted area of interest, while using lower-detail or placeholder objects in distant regions. This allows realistic interaction where needed while minimizing overall download volume by not transferring high-detail data for all landscape objects simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS8126985B1Prioritizing virtual object downloads in a distributed virtual environment

Publication Date: 2012.02.28 VL COLLECTIVE IP LLC

AI summary

As a client connects to a peer in a distributed virtual environment, the peer provides the client with virtual objects that are relevant to the client so that the virtual objects can be rendered by the client and displayed to a user via a display device. In the distributed virtual environment, the client may require that each peer to which the client connects provide the client with virtual objects, referred to herein as content virtual objects, depicting a landscape of a region hosted by the peer. The client can render the content virtual objects on the display device for the user, depicting the region hosted by the respective peer.