COMMUNICATING BETWEEN A VIRTUAL AREA AND A PHYSICAL SPACE
Examples of systems and methods of communicating between a virtual area and a physical space bridge the virtual area into the physical space and bridge the physical space into the virtual area through physical apparatus located in the physical space. A virtual area may include a zone that defines a respective persistent context for realtime communications between network nodes of respective communicants who are present in the zone. A respective presence in the zone typically is established for each of a physical apparatus and a communicant associated with a network node. An object represents the physical apparatus in the virtual area and an avatar represents the communicant in the virtual area. The object typically is associated with an interface for interacting with the physical apparatus. At least one data stream connection typically is provisioned between the physical apparatus and the network node.
1 . A method, comprising:
administering a virtual area in a virtual communications environment, wherein the virtual area comprises a zone that defines a respective persistent context for realtime communications between network nodes of respective communicants who are present in the zone;
establishing a respective presence in the zone for each of a particular physical apparatus and a particular communicant associated with a particular network node;
creating an object representing the particular physical apparatus in the virtual area and an avatar representing the particular communicant in the virtual area, wherein the object is associated with an interface for interacting with the particular physical apparatus;
provisioning at least one data stream connection between the particular physical apparatus and the particular network node.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
establishing a respective presence for each of one or more other communicants in the zone;
for each of the other communicants, creating a respective avatar representing the other communicant in the virtual area; and
administering realtime communications between the respective network nodes of the communicants present in the zone.
3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising transmitting to the particular communicant and each of the other communicants a respective specification of a visualization of graphical representations of the object and the avatars in the virtual area.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the graphical representation of the object comprises a brand associated with the particular physical apparatus.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the establishing of the presence for the particular physical apparatus is based on a globally unique identifier of the particular physical apparatus.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the establishing of the presence for the particular physical apparatus is performed responsive to receipt of a login request identifying the particular physical apparatus.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the login request is generated by the particular physical apparatus.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the particular physical apparatus comprises at least one of a printer, a scanner, a facsimile machine, and a telephony device.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the particular physical apparatus is associated with the particular network node.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the particular physical apparatus is an integral component of the particular network node.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the particular physical apparatus is a memory component of the particular network node.
12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the particular physical apparatus is a peripheral device linked to the particular network node.
13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the establishing of the presence for the particular physical apparatus is performed responsive to receipt of a login request from the particular network node.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the establishing of the presence for the particular communicant is performed responsive to receipt of a login request from the particular network node.
15 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the creating comprises associating the object with the particular communicant, and further comprising generating a specification of a visualization of the virtual area showing an association between a graphical representation of the object and the particular communicant, and transmitting the specification to the particular network node.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the visualization of the virtual area shows the graphical representation of the object associated with a graphical representation of the avatar representing the particular communicant.
17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the visualization of the virtual area shows the graphical representation of the object associated with a location in the virtual area that is assigned to the particular communicant.
18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the zone of the virtual area serves as a termination point for one or more data streams that represent physical stimuli in a physical space occupied by the particular physical apparatus, the data streams are published by the particular physical apparatus in the zone, communicants who are present in the zone respectively are able to subscribe to one or more of the data streams, and the provisioning comprises provisioning data stream connections for the data streams that are subscribed to by respective ones of the communicants who are present in the zone.
19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the provisioning comprises provisioning an audio data stream connection for transmitting audio data from a microphone source of the particular physical apparatus to a sound rendering sink of the particular network node, and provisioning an audio data stream connection for transmitting audio data from a microphone source of the particular network node to a sound rendering sink of the particular physical apparatus.
20 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the provisioning comprises provisioning an image data stream connection for transmitting image data from a camera source of the particular physical apparatus to an image renderer sink associated with an image output device of the particular network node.
21 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the provisioning comprises provisioning an image data stream connection for transmitting image data from the particular network node to an image renderer sink associated with an image output device of the particular physical apparatus.
22 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the provisioning comprises provisioning a control data stream connection for transmitting control data from the particular network node to a camera control sink associated with a camera of the particular physical apparatus.
23 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the provisioning comprises provisioning a control data stream connection for transmitting control data from the particular network node to a pointer control sink associated with a pointer of the particular physical apparatus.
24 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the provisioning is performed in response to a request from the particular network node to subscribe to data published by the particular physical apparatus.
25 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the provisioning is performed automatically upon entry of the particular communicant into the zone.
26 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the particular physical apparatus publishes data streams of different data stream types, and the provisioning comprises provisioning the particular network node to receive data streams of different data stream types that are published by the particular physical apparatus.
27 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
establishing a respective presence in the zone for each of one or more other particular physical apparatus;
for each of the other particular physical apparatus, creating a respective other object representing the other particular physical apparatus in the virtual area; and
for each of the other particular physical apparatus, provisioning at least one data stream connection between the other particular physical apparatus and the particular network node.
28 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the provisioning is performed in response to one or more requests from the particular network node to subscribe to data published by one or more of the other particular physical apparatus.
29 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual area comprises multiple zones, and each of respective ones of the zones defines a respective context for realtime communications between network nodes of respective communicants who are present in the zone.
30 . The method of claim 29 , further comprising transmitting to the particular communicant and other communicants present in the virtual area a respective specification of a visualization of a spatial layout of the zones of the virtual area and graphical representations of the object and avatars representing communicants in respective ones of the zones of the virtual area.
31 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the particular physical apparatus is located in a physical space, and further comprising locating the object representing the particular physical apparatus in a particular one of the zones of the virtual area according to a mapping between the physical space and the particular zone.
32 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the mapping associates an identifier of the physical space with an identifier of the particular zone.
33 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the mapping additionally associates an identifier of the particular physical apparatus with the identifier of the physical space.
34 . The method of claim 32 , further comprising, in the visualization, labeling the particular zone with a label that connotes a name associated with the physical space.
35 . A method, comprising:
transforming human perceptible physical stimuli in a physical space into physical space data streams of different respective data stream types;
publishing respective ones of the physical space data streams in a zone of a virtual area in a virtual communications environment, wherein the zone defines a respective persistent context for realtime communications between network nodes of respective communicants who are present in the zone;
establishing a respective presence in the zone for each of multiple communicants associated with respective client network nodes, each of one or more of the client network nodes publishing one or more respective client data streams;
provisioning data stream connections for transmitting respective ones of the published physical space data streams to respective ones of the client network nodes, transmitting respective ones of the published client data streams to respective ones of the client network nodes, and transmitting respective ones of the published client data streams to the physical space; and
transforming the published client data streams transmitted to the physical space into human perceptible physical stimuli in the physical space.
36 . A method, comprising by a computer system:
in a zone of a virtual area in a virtual communications environment, publishing physical space data streams of different respective data stream types comprising respective representations of human perceptible physical stimuli in a physical space, wherein the zone defines a respective persistent context for realtime communications between network nodes of respective communicants who are present in the zone;
establishing a respective presence in the zone for each of multiple communicants associated with respective client network nodes, each of one or more of the client network nodes publishing one or more respective client data streams;
provisioning data stream connections for transmitting respective ones of the published physical space data streams to respective ones of the client network nodes for transforming into human perceptible stimuli, transmitting respective ones of the published client data streams to respective ones of the client network nodes for transforming into human perceptible stimuli, and transmitting respective ones of the published client data streams into the physical space for transforming into human perceptible stimuli in the physical space.
37 . The method of claim 36 , further comprising transforming human perceptible physical stimuli in a physical space into physical space data streams of different respective data stream types, and transforming the published client data streams transmitted into the physical space into human perceptible physical stimuli in the physical space.
38 . A method, comprising:
administering zones of one or more virtual areas in a virtual communications environment, wherein each of respective ones of the zones defines a respective persistent context for realtime communications between network nodes of respective communicants who are present in the zone, and the administering comprises administering realtime communications between the respective network nodes of co-present communicants in respective ones of the zones;
for each of multiple physical apparatus in respective real-world locations,
establishing a respective presence for the physical apparatus in a respective one of the zones based on mappings between the respective real-world location and the respective zone, and
creating a respective object that represents the physical apparatus in the respective zone and is associated with a respective interface for communicant interaction with the physical apparatus;
transmitting to each of one or more of the respective network nodes a respective specification of a visualization of a spatial layout of the zones, graphical representations of the objects in their respective zones of presence, and graphical representations of avatars representing communicants in their respective zones of presence;
provisioning respective data stream connections between respective ones of the physical apparatus and respective ones of the network nodes.
39 . The method of claim 38 , wherein for each of one or more of the physical apparatus, the establishing of the presence of the physical apparatus is performed responsive to receipt of a login request that identifies the particular physical apparatus and is generated by the particular physical apparatus.
40 . The method of claim 38 , further comprising for each of one or more of the physical apparatus, in the respective zone of presence of the physical apparatus publishing one or more physical space data streams comprising respective representations of human perceptible physical stimuli in the respective real-world location, wherein the provisioning comprises provisioning data stream connections for transmitting respective ones of the published physical space data streams to respective ones of the network nodes for transforming into human perceptible stimuli.
41 . The method of claim 40 , wherein:
each of one or more of the network nodes publishes one or more respective client data streams; and
the provisioning comprises provisioning data stream connections for transmitting respective ones of the published client data streams to respective ones of the client network nodes for transforming into human perceptible stimuli, and transmitting respective ones of the published client data streams to respective ones of the physical apparatus for transforming into human perceptible stimuli in the respective real-world locations.
42 . The method of claim 38 , wherein a particular one of the physical apparatus is operable to perform a respective function in its respective real-world location in response to data transmitted by a particular one of the network nodes on a respective one of the data stream connections provisioned based on a request from the particular network node referencing the object representing the particular physical apparatus.
43 . The method of claim 42 , further comprising based on a notification of an event relating to the respective function performable by the particular physical apparatus, sending a notification of the event to the particular one of the network nodes of a respective one of the communicants.
44 . The method of claim 43 , wherein the particular physical apparatus comprises a printer, and the sending comprises sending to the particular network node a notification that a document has been printed.
45 . The method of claim 43 , wherein the particular physical apparatus comprises a facsimile machine, and the sending comprises sending to the particular network node a notification of an incoming facsimile.
46 . The method of claim 43 , wherein the particular physical apparatus comprises a telephony device, and the sending comprises sending to the particular network node a notification of an incoming telephone call.
47 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the particular physical apparatus comprises a printer, and further comprising based on a request from the particular network node referencing the object representing the particular physical apparatus, provisioning at least one data stream connection for the particular network node to print a document.
48 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the particular physical apparatus comprises a facsimile machine, and further comprising based on a request from the particular network node referencing the object representing the particular physical apparatus, provisioning at least one data stream connection for the particular network node to one of send a facsimile and receive a facsimile.
49 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the particular physical apparatus comprises a telephony device, and further comprising based on a request from the particular network node referencing the object representing the particular physical apparatus, provisioning at least one data stream connection for the particular network node to one of place an outgoing telephone call and receive an incoming telephone call.
50 . A method, comprising:
administering a virtual area in a virtual communications environment, wherein the virtual area comprises one or more zones each of which defines a respective persistent context for realtime communications between network nodes of respective communicants who are present in the zone, and the administering comprises for each zone administering realtime communications between the respective network nodes of communicants who are co-present in the zone;
for each of respective ones of the communicants who are present in the virtual area, transmitting a respective specification of a visualization of the virtual area comprising graphical representations of the one or more zones and avatars respectively representing the communicants in the one or more zones in which they respectively have presence;
from sensing apparatus co-located with a particular one of the communicants in a physical space, receiving state information describing information relating to a physical state of the particular communicant;
based on the state information, updating the specification of the visualization of the virtual area and the avatars and transmitting the updated specification to each of respective ones of the communicants who are present in the virtual area.
51 . The method of claim 50 , wherein the state information describes the current real-world location of the particular communication, and the updating comprises providing an indication of the current real-world location of the particular communicant in the visualization.
52 . The method of claim 51 , wherein the updating comprises locating the avatar representing the particular communicant in a zone of the virtual area associated with the current real-world location of the particular communicant.
53 . The method of claim 51 , wherein the updating comprises providing a descriptive label indicative of the current real-world location of the particular communicant in association with the graphical representation of the avatar representing the particular communicant.
54 . The method of claim 50 , wherein the state information describes the state of the particular communicant in relation to a physical device associated with the particular communicant, and the updating comprises updating the graphical representation of the avatar representing the particular communicant based on the state of the particular communicant in relation to the physical device.
55 . The method of claim 53 , wherein the physical device is a headset; and based on a determination that the state information indicates that the headset is being worn by the particular communicant, the updating comprises including a graphical representation of a headset with the graphical representation of the avatar of the particular communicant.
56 . The method of claim 50 , wherein the state information describes a physical relationship between the particular communicant and another one of the communicants present in the virtual area, and the updating comprises updating the graphical representations of the avatars of the particular communicant and the other communicant to reflect the physical relationship between the particular communicant and the other communicant.
57 . The method of claim 56 , wherein based on a determination that the state information indicates that the particular communicant and the other communicant are co-located in a shared real-world location, the updating comprises including with the graphical representations of the avatars of the particular communicant and the other communicant respective indications that the particular communicant and the other communicant are physically co-located.