Multiple avatar personalities
View Patent ↗Perception of multiple online personas is enabled in an instant messaging communications session. At least two identities within a communications environment to whom messages may be directed are identified. A first persona of a user is enabled to be projected to a first of the identities while a second persona of the same user is enabled to be concurrently projected to a second of the identities. The first and second personas each include an avatar capable of being animated, and the first persona and the second persona differ.
1. A computer-implemented method for enabling perception of multiple online personas in an instant messaging communications session, the method comprising:
identifying at least two identities within a communications environment to whom messages are directed;
associating, using at least one processor, a persona with a first of the identities and a different persona with a group of the identities with which the first of the identities is associated; and
enabling a first persona of a user to be projected to the first of the identities while enabling a second persona of the user to be concurrently projected to the second of the identities, wherein:
the persona associated with the first of the identities overrides the different persona associated with the group of the identities to the extent a conflict exists;
the first user persona comprises an amalgamation of the persona associated with the first of the identities and the different persona associated with the group of the identities;
the first and second user personas comprise animated avatars; and
the first user persona and the second user persona differ.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user persona differs from the second user persona such that first user persona invokes a different avatar than an avatar invoked by the second user persona.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first user persona invokes a first avatar;
the second user persona invokes a second avatar;
the first avatar and the second avatar are the same avatar; and
an animation associated with the first avatar is different from animations associated with the second avatar.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first user persona invokes a first avatar;
the second user persona invokes a second avatar;
the first avatar and the second avatar are the same avatar; and
an appearance associated with the first avatar is different from appearances associated with the second avatar.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the avatars comprises an avatar that is associated with multiple sounds.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the avatars comprises an avatar animated based on text of a message sent in the instant message communications session.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the avatars is animated to send an out-of-band communication.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured by the program to:
obtain an indicator of the out-of-band communication;
determine whether to modify the at least one avatar, based on the received indicator; and
modify a characteristic of the at least one avatar, based on the determination.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured by the program to:
receive information associated with an activity of the user; and
determine whether to modify the at least one avatar, based on the received information.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the characteristic comprises at least one of an appearance or a behavior of the at least one avatar.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising associating the first user persona with a first group of identities so that the first user persona is projected in communications sessions with members of the first group of identities.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising associating the second user persona with a second group of identities so that the second user persona is projected in communications sessions with members of the second group of identities.
13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, perform a method for enabling perception of multiple online personas in an instant messaging communications session, the method comprising:
identifying at least two identities within a communications environment to whom messages are directed;
associating a persona with a first of the identities and a different persona with a group of the identities with which the first of the identities is associated; and
enabling a first persona of a user to be projected to the first of the identities while enabling a second persona of the user to be concurrently projected to the second of the identities, wherein:
the persona associated with the first of the identities overrides the different persona associated with the group of the identities to the extent a conflict exists;
the first user persona comprises an amalgamation of the persona associated with the first of the identities and the different persona associated with the group of the identities;
the first and second user personas comprise animated avatars; and
the first user persona and the second user persona differ.
14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the first user persona differs from the second user persona such that first user persona invokes a different avatar than an avatar invoked by the second user persona.
15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein:
the first user persona invokes a first avatar;
the user second persona invokes a second avatar;
the first avatar and the second avatar are the same avatar; and
an animation associated with the first avatar is different from animations associated with the second avatar.
16. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein:
the first user persona invokes a first avatar;
the second user persona invokes a second avatar;
the first avatar and the second avatar are the same avatar; and
an appearance associated with the first avatar is different from appearances associated with the second avatar.
17. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein at least one of the avatars comprises an avatar animated based on text of a message sent in the instant message communications session.
18. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the avatars is animated to send an out-of-band communication.
19. A system for enabling perception of multiple online personas in an instant messaging communications session, comprising:
a storage device; and
at least one processor coupled to the storage device, wherein the storage device stores a program for controlling the at least one processor, and wherein the at least one processor, being operative with the program, is configured to:
identify at least two identities within a communications environment to whom messages may be are directed;
associate a persona with a first of the identities and a different persona with a group of the identities with which the first of the identities is associated; and
enable a first persona of a user to be projected to the first of the identities while enabling a second persona of the user to be concurrently projected to the second of the identities, wherein:
the persona associated with the first of the identities overrides the different persona associated with the group of the identities to the extent a conflict exists;
the first user persona comprises an amalgamation of the persona associated with the first of the identities and the different persona associated with the group of the identities;
the first and second user personas comprise animated avatars; and
the first user persona and the second user persona differ.
20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the first user persona differs from the second user persona such that first user persona invokes a different avatar than an avatar invoked by the second user persona.
21. The system of claim 19 , wherein:
the first user persona invokes a first avatar;
the second user persona invokes a second avatar;
the first avatar and the second avatar are the same avatar; and
an animation associated with the first avatar is different from animations associated with the second avatar.
22. The system of claim 19 , wherein:
at least one of the avatars is capable of being animated to send an out-of-band communication; and
the processor is further configured by the program to:
obtain an indicator of the out-of-band communication;
determine whether to modify the at least one avatar, based on the received indicator; and
modify a characteristic of the at least one avatar, based on the determination.
23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the processor is further configured by the program to:
receive information associated with an activity of the user; and
determine whether to modify the at least one avatar, based on the received information.
24. The system of claim 22 , wherein the characteristic comprises at least one of an appearance or a behavior of the at least one avatar.