IP Library Granted Patent US 10,931,941
Granted Patent B2
US 10,931,941 · App. 15/723,454 · Granted Feb 23, 2021

Controls and interfaces for user interactions in virtual spaces

Inventors: Gabriel Valdivia (London, GB); Cliff Warren (San Francisco, CA); Maheen Sohail (Surrey, CA); Christophe Marcel Rene Tauziet (San Francisco, CA); Alexandras Alexander (Mountain View, CA); Michael Stephen Booth (Newport Beach, CA); Charles Matthew Sutton (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
H04N13/398G06F3/011G06F3/013G06F3/017G06F3/0346G06F3/0481G06F3/0482G06F3/0485G06F3/04815G06F3/04842G06F3/04845G06F3/04847G06F3/167G06Q50/01G06T11/60G06T13/40G06T15/20G06T19/003G06T19/006H04L51/16H04L51/24H04L51/32H04L67/38H04M1/72519H04N5/23238H04N7/142H04N7/147H04N7/157H04N13/156H04N13/183G06T2200/24G06T2210/16H04L51/10H04L67/02H04L67/42H04N13/383
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,931,941
App. No.
15/723,454
Granted
Feb 23, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes sending information configured to render a virtual space on a display device associated with a first user, wherein the virtual space provides a virtual experience to the first user; receiving a pause input from the first user to enter a pause mode; and causing the first user to enter the pause mode, wherein the virtual experience within the virtual space is paused for the first user.

Claims (45)

1. A method comprising, by a computing system:

sending information configured to render a virtual space on a display device associated with a first user, wherein the virtual space is a virtual room and provides a virtual experience to the first user, and wherein the virtual room comprises an avatar representing the first user and an avatar representing each of one or more second users, wherein the avatar representing the first user is a three-dimensional virtual object rendered in the virtual room;

receiving a pause input from the first user to enter a selective pause mode, wherein the pause input specifies one or more of the second users;

causing the first user to enter the selective pause mode; and

in response to causing the first user to enter the selective pause mode:

sending information configured to render on display devices associated with the one or more of the second users specified by pause input the avatar representing the first user as modified to indicate that the first user is in a pause mode; and

sending information configured to render on display devices associated with one or more of the second users not specified by pause input the avatar representing the first user as unmodified.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pause input comprises the performance of a safety gesture with one or more controller devices.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the safety gesture comprises crossing arms of the first user.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pause input comprises the selection of a pause-mode interactive element on a virtual wristband associated with a representation of a hand of the first user.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an unpause input from the first user; and

in response to the unpause input, causing the avatar representing the first user to appear unmodified to the one or more of the second users specified by the pause input.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the unpause input comprises the performance of a thumbs-up gesture.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the unpause input comprises the selection of an unpause interactive element on a virtual wristband associated with a representation of a hand of the first user.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual experience comprises a playback of a media item.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual experience comprises a communication with one or more of the second users.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

upon causing the first user to enter the selective pause mode, preventing information associated with the first user from being transmitted to the one or more of the second users specified by the pause input.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

receiving an unpause input from the first user, the unpause input specifying a subset of the one or more second users specified by the pause input;

in response to the unpause input, causing transmission of information associated with the first user to be resumed with respect to the subset of second users.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computing system comprises a remote server.

13. A method of claim 1 , wherein the modified avatar representing the first user appears frozen, blurry, faded, or distorted.

14. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to:

send information configured to render a virtual space on a display device associated with a first user, wherein the virtual space is a virtual room and provides a virtual experience to the first user, and wherein the virtual room comprises an avatar representing the first user and an avatar representing each of one or more second users, wherein the avatar representing the first user is a three-dimensional virtual object rendered in the virtual room;

receive a pause input from the first user to enter a selective pause mode, wherein the pause input specifies one or more of the second users;

cause the first user to enter the selective pause mode; and

in response to causing the first user to enter the selective pause mode:

send information configured to render on display devices associated with the one or more of the second users specified by pause input the avatar representing the first user as modified to indicate that the first user is in a pause mode; and

send information configured to render on display devices associated with one or more of the second users not specified by pause input the avatar representing the first user as unmodified.

15. The media of claim 14 , wherein the pause input comprises the performance of a safety gesture with one or more controller devices.

16. The media of claim 15 , wherein the safety gesture comprises crossing arms of the first user.

17. The media of claim 14 , wherein the pause input comprises the selection of a pause-mode interactive element on a virtual wristband associated with a representation of a hand of the first user.

18. The media of claim 14 , wherein the virtual experience comprises a playback of a media item.

19. The media of claim 14 , further comprising:

upon causing the first user to enter the selective pause mode, preventing information associated with the first user from being transmitted to the one or more of the second users specified by the pause input.

20. A system comprising: one or more processors; and a non-transitory memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors operable when executing the instructions to:

send information configured to render a virtual space on a display device associated with a first user, wherein the virtual space is a virtual room and provides a virtual experience to the first user, and wherein the virtual room comprises an avatar representing the first user and an avatar representing each of one or more second users, wherein the avatar representing the first user is a three-dimensional virtual object rendered in the virtual room;

a three-dimensional virtual object rendered in the virtual room;

receive a pause input from the first user to enter a selective pause mode, wherein the pause input specifies one or more of the second users;

cause the first user to enter the selective pause mode; and

in response to causing the first user to enter the selective pause mode:

send information configured to render on display devices associated with the one or more of the second users specified by pause input the avatar representing the first user as modified to indicate that the first user is in a pause mode; and

send information configured to render on display devices associated with one or more of the second users not specified by pause input the avatar representing the first user as unmodified.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 20, 2021
From: FACEBOOK, INC.
To: META PLATFORMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 058553/0802 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 13, 2021
From: WARREN, CLIFF; ALEXANDER, ALEXANDROS; BOOTH, MICHAEL STEPHEN; SUTTON, CHARLES MATTHEW
To: FACEBOOK, INC.
Reel/Frame 054911/0503 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 7, 2018
From: VALDIVIA, GABRIEL; SOHAIL, MAHEEN; TAUZIET, CHRISTOPHE MARCEL RENE
To: FACEBOOK, INC.
Reel/Frame 045138/0160 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 62485886 · Apr 14, 2017
Provisional Application 62404152 · Oct 4, 2016
Related Publication 20180095637A1 · Apr 5, 2018
Cited By (3)
US 12,244,605 US 12,315,093 US 12,650,797