Method and system for distributed collaborative communications

1. A method of distributed collaborative communications, comprising:

connecting a plurality of client communication devices to a central virtual reality communications environment;

representing each one of the connected plurality of client communication devices as an avatar present in the central virtual reality communications environment;

in a central unit, maintaining a scene tree including data objects and avatars;

distributing a copy of the scene tree to the client communication devices;

receiving, from a participating client communication device of the connected plurality of client communication devices, an uploaded data object created by the participating client communication device, and placing the uploaded data object in the scene tree;

distributing the uploaded data object to each one of the connected plurality of client communication devices, wherein the uploaded data object is synchronized with respect to each one of the connected client communication devices; and

displaying the uploaded data object in the central virtual reality communications environment to be manipulable by any of the connected plurality of client communication devices.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual reality communications environment is a virtual reality room.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

allowing each one of said plurality of client communication devices to customize the central virtual reality communications environment.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the avatar comprises at least one of: a fully animated avatar, a video avatar or an audio avatar.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

replicating expressions of a respective user of the connected plurality of client communication devices via a respective avatar.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a request to manipulate the data object in the central virtual reality communications environment from at least one of the connected plurality of client communication devices;

manipulating the data object in the central virtual reality communications environment under control of a single client communication device in response to the request; and

presenting the manipulated object to the connected plurality of client communication devices in accordance with each client communication device's perspective.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

creating a unique perspective for each one of the connected plurality of client communication devices with respect to the displayed data object in the central virtual reality communications environment.

8. A system for distributed collaborative communications comprising:

means for connecting a plurality of client communication devices to a central virtual reality communications environment;

means for representing each one of the connected plurality of client communication devices as an avatar present in the central virtual reality communications environment;

means for maintaining a scene tree including data objects and avatars;

means for distributing a copy of the scene tree to the client communication devices;

means for receiving, from a participating client communication device of the connected plurality of client communication devices, an uploaded data object created by the participating client communication device, and placing the uploaded data object in the scene tree;

means for distributing the uploaded data object to each one of the connected plurality of client communication devices, wherein the uploaded data object is synchronized with respect to each one of the connected client communication devices; and

means for displaying the uploaded data object in the central virtual reality communications environment to be manipulable by any of the connected plurality of client communication devices.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the virtual reality communications environment is a virtual reality room.

10. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:

means for allowing each one of said plurality of client communication devices to customize the central virtual reality communications environment.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the avatar comprises at least one of: a fully animated avatar, a video avatar or an audio avatar.

12. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:

means for replicating expressions of a respective user of the connected plurality of client communication devices via a respective avatar.

13. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:

means for receiving a request to manipulate the data object in the central virtual reality communications environment from at least one of the connected plurality of client communication devices;

means for manipulating the data object in the central virtual reality communications environment under control of a single client communication device in response to the request; and

means for presenting the manipulated object to the connected plurality of client communication devices in accordance with each client communication device's perspective.

14. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:

means for creating a unique perspective for each one of the connected plurality of client communication devices with respect to the displayed data object in the central virtual reality communications environment.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform a method of distributed collaborative communications comprising:

connecting a plurality of client communication devices to a central virtual reality communications environment;

representing each one of the connected plurality of client communication devices as an avatar present in the central virtual reality communications environment;

in a central unit, maintaining a scene tree including data objects and avatars;

distributing a copy of the scene tree to the client communication devices;

receiving, from a participating client communication device of the connected plurality of client communication devices, an uploaded data object created by the participating client communication device, and placing the uploaded data object in the scene tree;

distributing the uploaded data object to each one of the connected plurality of client communication devices, wherein the uploaded data object is synchronized with respect to each one of the connected client communication devices; and

displaying the uploaded data object in the central virtual reality communications environment to be manipulable by any of the connected plurality of client communication devices.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15 , further comprising:

allowing each one of said plurality of client communication devices to customize the central virtual reality communications environment.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the avatar comprises at least one of: a fully animated avatar, a video avatar or an audio avatar.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 15 , further comprising:

replicating expressions of a respective user of the connected plurality of client communication devices via a respective avatar.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 15 , further comprising:

receiving a request to manipulate the data object in the central virtual reality communications environment from at least one of the connected plurality of client communication devices;

manipulating the data object in the central virtual reality communications environment under control of a single client communication device in response to the request; and

presenting the manipulated object to the connected plurality of client communication devices in accordance with each client communication device's perspective.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 15 , further comprising:

creating a unique perspective for each one of the connected plurality of client communication devices with respect to the displayed data object in the central virtual reality communications environment.