Web based video enhancement apparatus, method, and article of manufacture

1. A computer-readable memory storing instructions for controlling an event in a virtual environment that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the operations of:

receiving video data comprising at least one image of a user;

executing a video enhanced script that is configured to communicate with an extension module to cause display of a virtual environment in a client application, wherein the video enhanced script provides a command to execute a video enhancement routine;

receiving the command at the extension module, the command causing the extension module to execute the video enhancement routine to determine if an image of the user has interacted with a feature in the virtual environment; and

controlling an event in the virtual environment based on the determination.

2. The computer-readable memory of claim 1 , wherein the extension module includes a multimedia extension module and a translator.

3. The computer-readable memory of claim 1 , wherein the video enhancement routine includes a head tracking routine configured to identify and track a head of a person within a field of view of a video camera.

4. The computer-readable memory of claim 1 , wherein the video enhancement routine includes a routine configured to determine when at least two tracked features collide.

5. The computer-readable memory claim 1 , wherein the virtual environment is used to play a game, and wherein the video enhanced script allows the game to be played as the video enhanced script is being downloaded to the computer from a server.

6. The computer-readable memory of claim 1 wherein the instructions further cause the computer to perform the operation of receiving data representative of an image of a second user interacting with a feature in the virtual environment.

7. The computer-readable memory of claim 6 wherein the data representative of the second user is received from a computing device associated with the second user directly over a network.

8. The computer-readable memory of claim 6 , wherein the instructions further cause the computer to perform the operation of sending, to a computing device associated with the second user, data representative of an image of the first user interacting with a feature in the virtual environment.

9. The computer-readable memory of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the computer to perform the operation of sending data representative of the controlled event in the virtual environment to a second client application associated with a second user.

10. A system for controlling a display of a virtual environment in a client application, comprising:

a computer having a processor configured to receive video data comprising images of a user from a video camera;

a memory containing:

a client application configured to operate on the computer;

an extension module coupled to the client application that is configured to selectively execute a video enhancement routine to determine if an image of the user has interacted with a feature in the virtual environment; and

a video enhancer configured to:

execute a video enhanced script which communicates with the extension module to cause display of the virtual environment in the client application and which provides the extension module with a command to execute the video enhancement routine; and

control the display of the virtual environment based on the determination made by the video enhancement routine.

11. The system recited in claim 10 , wherein the extension module includes a multimedia extension module and a translator.

12. The system recited in claim 10 , wherein the video enhancement routine includes a head tracking routine configured to identify and track a head of a person within a field of view of the video camera.

13. The system recited in claim 10 , wherein the video enhancement routine includes a routine configured to determine when at least two tracked features collide.

14. The system recited in claim 10 , wherein the system is used to play a game, and wherein the video enhanced script allows the game to be played as the video enhanced script is being downloaded to the computer from a server via a WAN.

15. A method of controlling an event in a virtual environment using a processor, the method comprising:

receiving video data comprising at least one image of a user;

with the processor, executing a video enhanced script that is configured to communicate with an extension module to cause display of a virtual environment in a client application, wherein the video enhanced script provides a command to execute a video enhancement routine;

receiving the command at the extension module, the command causing the extension module to execute the video enhancement routine to determine if an image of the user has interacted with a feature in the virtual environment; and

controlling an event in the virtual environment based on the determination.

16. The method of claim 15 , further including causing one or more images representative of an interaction with an object to be displayed.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising sending data representative of the controlled event in the virtual environment to a second client application associated with a second user.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the video enhancement routine includes a head tracking routine configured to identify and track a head of a person within a field of view of a video camera.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the video enhancement routine includes a routine configured to determine when at least two tracked features collide.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the system is used to play a game, and wherein the video enhanced script allows the game to be played as the video enhanced script is being downloaded from a server.