Resituating Virtual Cameras and Avatars in 3D Environments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional videoconferencing technologies lack the social interaction and sense of presence that in-person meetings provide, particularly as the number of participants increases, leading to difficulties in seeing or hearing all participants, finding natural spacing, and facilitating private conversations.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system for resituating virtual cameras and avatars in a three-dimensional virtual environment, allowing users to control the position and orientation of their avatars and virtual cameras, and enabling better interaction and visibility among multiple users by repositioning avatars and virtual cameras around a central point or object.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional videoconferencing technology is used with multiple participants, then the ability to communicate with all participants is improved, but the ability to see or hear all participants simultaneously deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from conventional two-dimensional video conferencing to a three-dimensional virtual environment where participants are represented as avatars positioned in spatial arrangements. This dimensional change allows multiple participants to be visible and audible simultaneously while maintaining natural interaction patterns, as the system renders participants in 3D space with proper spatial relationships and audio positioning.
2Ease of operation
If conventional videoconferencing technology is used, then communication between participants is enabled, but natural spacing and ordering among participants cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements automatic resituating functionality where the system autonomously adjusts avatar positions and camera viewpoints based on participant actions and environmental context. The system self-manages spatial arrangement by detecting when participants need to be repositioned and automatically executes the resituating process without requiring manual intervention, thereby achieving natural spacing while managing system complexity through automated decision-making.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple people speak at the same time in virtual conferences, then simultaneous communication is enabled, but private conversations become impossible as audio streams are mixed equally
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements spatial audio positioning where audio streams are not mixed equally but are instead positioned according to the spatial location of each avatar in the virtual environment. Participants can direct their speech toward specific directions, and the audio system selectively delivers audio streams to listeners based on their spatial position, enabling simultaneous communication while preserving privacy for private conversations between nearby participants.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are aspects for resituating virtual cameras and avatars in a virtual environment. An aspect begins by rendering the virtual environment, including a first avatar and a second avatar. The virtual environment is rendered on a first device, belonging to a first user, and from a perspective of a first virtual camera controlled by the first user. The first avatar represents the first user at a location of the first virtual camera. The second user views the virtual environment from a perspective of a second virtual camera at a location of the second avatar. The aspect proceeds by repositioning the first virtual camera and the first avatar to a first location and resituating the second avatar to a second location. The aspect concludes by sending a message instructing a second device, belonging to the second user, to resituate the second virtual camera to the second location.