IP Library Granted Patent US 11,979,736
Granted Patent B2
US 11,979,736 · App. 17/602,519 · Granted May 7, 2024

Voice communication system within a mixed-reality environment

Inventors: Barrie A. Loberg (Millarville, CA); Robert Blodgett (Salt Lake City, UT)
Assignees: DIRTT ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS LTD.; ARMSTRONG WORLD INDUSTRIES, INC.
H04S7/303G06F3/165G10L25/51H04R1/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,979,736
App. No.
17/602,519
Filed
Oct 8, 2021
Granted
May 7, 2024
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2693
USPC
381/56
Abstract

A computer system for facilitating voice communication within a mixed-reality environment identifies a first location of a first user within a mixed-reality environment. The first user is associated with a first electronic communication device, which is capable of facilitating voice communication between one or more users within the mixed-reality environment. The computer system identifies a second location of a second user within the mixed-reality environment. The second user is associated with a second electronic communication device, which is capable of facilitating voice communication between one or more users within the mixed-reality environment. The computer system determines a vocal distance attribute between the first user and the second user and determines, based upon the vocal distance attribute, a communication state for the first electronic communication device and the second electronic communication device.

Claims (58)

1. A computer system for facilitating voice communication with a mixed-reality environment, comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more hardware storage devices storing executable instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more processors, to configure the computer system to perform at least the following:

identify a first location of a first user within a mixed-reality environment, wherein the first user is associated with a first electronic communication device, the first electronic communication device capable of facilitating voice communication between one or more users within the mixed-reality environment;

identify a second location of a second user within the mixed-reality environment, wherein the second user is associated with a second electronic communication device, the second electronic communication device capable of facilitating voice communication between one or more users within the mixed-reality environment;

determine a vocal distance attribute between the first user and the second user; and

determine, based upon the vocal distance attribute, a communication state for the first electronic communication device and the second electronic communication device.

2. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the first location of the first user comprises a first physical location of the first user, and wherein the second location of the second user comprises a second physical location of the second user.

3. The computer system of claim 2 , wherein:

determining the vocal distance attribute comprises determining whether the first physical location and the second physical location are within a same physical geographic site; and

determining the vocal distance attribute comprises, in response to determining that the first physical location and the second physical location are not within the same geographic site, determining whether the first physical location and the second physical location are within physical hearing distance to one another.

4. The computer system of claim 2 , wherein:

determining the vocal distance attribute comprises determining whether the first physical location and the second physical location are within physical hearing distance to one another; and

in response to determining that the vocal distance attribute indicates that the first physical location and the second physical location are within physical hearing distance to one another, the communication state causes the computer system to:

refrain from transmitting voice communication between the first user and the second user, or

refrain from causing voice communication between the first user and the second user to be presented at the first electronic communication device or the second electronic communication device.

5. The computer system of claim 4 , wherein, in response to determining that the vocal distance attribute indicates that the first physical location and the second physical location are not within physical hearing distance to one another, the communication state causes the computer system to transmit voice communication between the first user and the second user.

6. The computer system of claim 4 , wherein determining whether the first physical location and the second physical location are within physical hearing distance to one another comprises identifying whether the first physical location and the second physical location are within a same physical room.

7. The computer system of claim 4 , wherein determining whether the first physical location and the second physical location are within physical hearing distance to one another comprises identifying one or more physical objects positioned between the first physical location and the second physical location.

8. The computer system of claim 4 , wherein determining whether the first physical location and the second physical location are within physical hearing distance to one another comprises:

identifying a first audio signal detected by a first microphone associated with the first electronic communication device, the first audio signal representing a verbal communication of the first user; and

determining whether a second microphone associated with the second electronic communication device detects a corresponding audio signal that corresponds to the first audio signal, the corresponding audio signal representing the verbal communication of the first user.

9. The computer system of claim 4 , wherein:

determining the vocal distance attribute comprises, in response to determining that the first physical location and the second physical location are not within physical hearing distance to one another, determining whether a constant communication setting is enabled; and

in response to determining that the vocal distance attribute indicates that the first physical location and the second physical location are not within physical hearing distance to one another and that the constant communication setting is enabled, the communication state causes the computer system to transmit voice communication between the first user and the second user.

10. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein:

determining the vocal distance attribute comprises, in response to determining that the first physical location and the second physical location are not within physical hearing distance to one another and that the constant communication setting is disabled, determining whether a first virtual location associated with the first location of the first user is within virtual hearing distance to a second virtual location associated with the second location of the second user;

in response to determining that the vocal distance attribute indicates that the first virtual location and the second virtual location are not within virtual hearing distance to one another, the communication state causes the computer system to:

refrain from transmitting voice communication between the first user and the second user, or

refrain from causing voice communication between the first user and the second user to be presented at the first electronic communication device or the second electronic communication device; and

in response to determining that the vocal distance attribute indicates that the first virtual location and the second virtual location are within virtual hearing distance to one another, the communication state causes the computer system to transmit voice communication between the first user and the second user.

11. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the first location of the first user comprises a first virtual location of the first user, and wherein the second location of the second user comprises a second virtual location of the second user.

12. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein:

determining the vocal distance attribute comprises determining whether the first virtual location and the second virtual location are within virtual hearing distance to one another;

in response to determining that the vocal distance attribute indicates that the first virtual location and the second virtual location are not within virtual hearing distance to one another, the communication state causes the computer system to:

refrain from transmitting voice communication between the first user and the second user, or

refrain from causing voice communication between the first user and the second user to be presented at the first electronic communication device or the second electronic communication device; and

in response to determining that the vocal distance attribute indicates that the first virtual location and the second virtual location are within virtual hearing distance to one another, the communication state causes the computer system to transmit voice communication between the first user and the second user.

13. The computer system of claim 12 , wherein determining whether the first virtual location and the second virtual location are within virtual hearing distance to one another comprises identifying one or more virtual objects positioned between the first virtual location and the second virtual location.

14. The computer system of claim 12 , wherein determining whether the first virtual location and the second virtual location are within virtual hearing distance to one another comprises identifying whether the first virtual location and the second virtual location are within a same virtual room.

15. A method for facilitating voice communication within a mixed-reality environment, comprising:

identifying a first location of a first user within a mixed-reality environment, wherein the first user is associated with a first electronic communication device, the first electronic communication device capable of facilitating voice communication between one or more users within the mixed-reality environment;

identifying a second location of a second user within the mixed-reality environment, wherein the second user is associated with a second electronic communication device, the second electronic communication device capable of facilitating voice communication between one or more users within the mixed-reality environment;

determining a vocal distance attribute between the first user and the second user; and

determining, based upon the vocal distance attribute, a communication state for the first electronic communication device and the second electronic communication device.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first location of the first user comprises a first physical location of the first user, and wherein the second location of the second user comprises a second physical location of the second user.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein:

in response to determining that the vocal distance attribute indicates that the first physical location and the second physical location are within physical hearing distance to one another, the communication state causes a computer system to:

refrain from transmitting voice communication between the first user and the second user, or

refrain from causing voice communication between the first user and the second user to be presented at the first electronic communication device or the second electronic communication device.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first location of the first user comprises a first virtual location of the first user, and wherein the second location of the second user comprises a second virtual location of the second user.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein:

in response to determining that the vocal distance attribute indicates that the first virtual location and the second virtual location are within virtual hearing distance to one another, the communication state causes a computer system to transmit voice communication between the first user and the second user.

20. One or more non-transitory hardware storage devices storing executable instructions that are operable, when executed by one or more processors, to configure a computer system to facilitate voice communication within a mixed-reality environment by performing at least the following:

identify a first location of a first user within a mixed-reality environment, wherein the first user is associated with a first electronic communication device, the first electronic communication device capable of facilitating voice communication between one or more users within the mixed-reality environment;

identify a second location of a second user within the mixed-reality environment, wherein the second user is associated with a second electronic communication device, the second electronic communication device capable of facilitating voice communication between one or more users within the mixed-reality environment;

determine a vocal distance attribute between the first user and the second user; and

determine, based upon the vocal distance attribute, a communication state for the first electronic communication device and the second electronic communication device.

Assignments (6)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 25, 2024
From: LOBERG, BARRIE A.; BLODGETT, ROBERT
To: DIRTT ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS INC.
Reel/Frame 066892/0958 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 25, 2024
From: DIRTT ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS INC.
To: DIRTT ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS LTD.
Reel/Frame 066892/0978 →
DISCLAIMER OF INTEREST Recorded Jun 22, 2023
From: FIRTST AMERICAN COMMERCIAL BANCORP, INC.
To: ARMSTRONG WORD INDUSTRIES, INC.; DIRTT ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS LTD.
Reel/Frame 064065/0257 →
NO INTEREST LETTER Recorded Jun 22, 2023
From: UPPER CANADA FOREST PRODUCTS LTD.
To: ARMSTRONG WORLD INDUSTRIES, INC.; DIRTT ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS LTD.
Reel/Frame 064065/0271 →
LETTER OF CONSENT TO ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jun 22, 2023
From: ROYAL BANK OF CANADA
To: ARMSTRONG WORLD INDUSTRIES, INC.; DIRTT ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS LTD.
Reel/Frame 064065/0386 →
PARTIAL ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jun 20, 2023
From: DIRTT ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS LTD.
To: ARMSTRONG WORLD INDUSTRIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 064040/0503 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62864324 · Jun 20, 2019
Related Publication 20220167112A1 · May 26, 2022