Granted Patent B2

US 12,438,929 · App. 17/946,279 · Granted Oct 7, 2025

Inventors: Robert Allen Ryskamp (Mountain View, CA); Adam Justin Spooner (Greensboro, NC); Aleksandra Swerdlow (Santa Clara, CA)

Assignee: Zoom Communications, Inc.

H04L65/4015G06Q10/1095H04L65/403

Abstract

Claims (72)

1. A method, comprising:

implementing, by a server comprising multi-user virtual space software, a multi-user virtual space, wherein implementing the multi-user virtual space comprises transmitting first video data and first audio data between a plurality of devices assigned to the multi-user virtual space, each of the plurality of devices being associated with a respective user thereof of a plurality of users;

forming a multi-user virtual sub-space within the multi-user virtual space;

assigning a group of users from among the plurality of users to the multi-user virtual sub-space, the group of users corresponding to a group of devices of the plurality of devices;

implementing, by the server, the multi-user virtual sub-space by transmitting second video data and second audio data between the plurality of devices;

focusing media exchanges for the group of users within the multi-user virtual sub-space by limiting a perception level of media exchanges between users not assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space relative to users assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space, wherein limiting the perception level comprises reducing a media volume of users not assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space for the users assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space;

receiving, from a user not assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space, a request to notify the user not assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space if a subject is discussed by the users assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space;

notifying the user not assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space based on the subject being discussed by the users assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space;

receiving, from a user assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space, a user input associated with an additional multi-user virtual sub-space, wherein the user assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space is not assigned to the additional multi-user virtual sub-space; and

reducing, based on the user input, a perception level of media exchanges associated with the multi-user virtual sub-space, relative to a perception level of media exchanges associated with the additional multi-user virtual sub-space, for the user assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space.

2. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein reducing the perception level of the media exchanges associated with the multi-user virtual sub-space, relative to a perception level of media exchanges associated with the additional multi-user virtual sub-space comprises:

reducing an audio volume of the media exchanges associated with the multi-user virtual sub-space, relative to an audio volume of media exchanges associated with the additional multi-user virtual sub-space.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

instantiating the multi-user virtual space in relation to a scheduled virtual conference meeting.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

instantiating the multi-user virtual space independent of a scheduled virtual conference meeting.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forming a second multi-user virtual sub-space within the multi-user virtual space; and

assigning a user assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space to the second multi-user virtual sub-space in response to a request from the user.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multi-user virtual sub-space is formed in response to a user request.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multi-user virtual sub-space is formed in response a detection of user interactions among the users.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

monitoring media exchange activity within the multi-user virtual sub-space to determine an activity summary; and

providing an indication of the activity summary to the multi-user virtual space.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forming a second multi-user virtual sub-space within the multi-user virtual space; and

restricting a user of the group of users from being assigned to both the multi-user virtual sub-space and the second multi-user virtual sub-space.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forming a second multi-user virtual sub-space within the multi-user virtual space; and

assigning a user to the second multi-user virtual sub-space while maintaining the assignment of the user to the multi-user virtual sub-space.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing content sharing tools to the group of users, the content sharing tools configured to share media between the group of users.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor, the processor configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

implement, by a server comprising multi-user virtual space software, a multi-user virtual space, wherein implementing the multi-user virtual space comprises transmitting first video data and first audio data between a plurality of devices assigned to the multi-user virtual space, each of the plurality of devices being associated with a respective user thereof of a plurality of users;

form a multi-user virtual sub-space within the multi-user virtual space;

assign a group of users from among the plurality of users to the multi-user virtual sub-space, the group of users corresponding to a group of devices of the plurality of devices;

implement, by the server, the multi-user virtual sub-space by transmitting second video data and second audio data between the plurality of devices;

focus media exchanges for the group of users within the multi-user virtual sub-space by limiting a perception level of media exchanges between users not assigned to multi-user virtual sub-space relative to users assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space, wherein limiting the perception level comprises reducing a media volume of users not assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space for the users assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space;

receive, from a user not assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space, a request to notify the user not assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space if a subject is discussed by the users assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space;

notify the user not assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space based on the subject being discussed by the users assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space;

receive, from a user assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space, a user input associated with an additional multi-user virtual sub-space, wherein the user assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space is not assigned to the additional multi-user virtual sub-space; and

reduce, based on the user input, a perception level of media exchanges associated with the multi-user virtual sub-space, relative to a perception level of media exchanges associated with the additional multi-user virtual sub-space, for the user assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein, to reduce the perception level of the media exchanges associated with the multi-user virtual sub-space, relative to a perception level of media exchanges associated with the additional multi-user virtual sub-space, the processor is configured to execute the instructions to:

reduce an audio volume of the media exchanges associated with the multi-user virtual sub-space, relative to an audio volume of media exchanges associated with the additional multi-user virtual sub-space.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

form a second multi-user virtual sub-space within the multi-user virtual space; and

invite a first user assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space to the second multi-user virtual sub-space in response to a request from a second user.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein:

the multi-user virtual sub-space is formed in response a detection of user interactions among the group of users.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium that stores instructions operable to cause one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

implementing, by a server comprising multi-user virtual space software, a multi-user virtual space, wherein implementing the multi-user virtual space comprises transmitting first video data and first audio data between a plurality of devices assigned to the multi-user virtual space, each of the plurality of devices being associated with a respective user thereof of a plurality of users;

forming a multi-user virtual sub-space within the multi-user virtual space;

assigning a group of users from among the plurality of users to the multi-user virtual sub-space, the group of users corresponding to a group of devices of the plurality of devices;

implementing, by the server, the multi-user virtual sub-space by transmitting second video data and second audio data between the plurality of devices;

focusing media exchanges for the group of users within the multi-user virtual sub-space by limiting a perception level of media exchanges between users not assigned to multi-user virtual sub-space relative to users assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space, wherein limiting the perception level comprises reducing a media volume of users not assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space for the users assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space;

receiving, from a user not assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space, a request to notify the user not assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space if a subject is discussed by the users assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space;

notifying the user not assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space based on the subject being discussed by the users assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space;

receiving, from a user assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space, a user input associated with an additional multi-user virtual sub-space, wherein the user assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space is not assigned to the additional multi-user virtual sub-space; and

reducing, based on the user input, a perception level of media exchanges associated with the multi-user virtual sub-space, relative to a perception level of media exchanges associated with the additional multi-user virtual sub-space, for the user assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein reducing the perception level of the media exchanges associated with the multi-user virtual sub-space, relative to a perception level of media exchanges associated with the additional multi-user virtual sub-space comprises:

reducing an audio volume of the media exchanges associated with the multi-user virtual sub-space, relative to an audio volume of media exchanges associated with the additional multi-user virtual sub-space.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , the operations further comprising:

instantiating the multi-user virtual space in coordination with a scheduled virtual conference meeting.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , the operations further comprising:

forming a second multi-user virtual sub-space; and

assigning a user assigned to the multi-user virtual sub-space to the second multi-user virtual sub-space.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , the operations further comprising:

monitoring activity within the multi-user virtual sub-space to determine an activity summary; and

providing an indication of the activity summary to the multi-user virtual space.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (12)