Communication system and method including rich media tools

Abstract

The rich media communication system of the present invention provides a user with a three-dimensional communication space or theater having rich media functions. The user may be represented in the theater as a segmented video image or as an avatar. The user is also able to communicate by presenting images, videos, audio files, or text within the theater. The system may include tools for allowing lowered cost of animation, improved collaboration between users, presentation of episodic content, web casts, newscasts, infotainment, advertising, music clips, video conferencing, customer support, distance learning, advertising, social spaces, and interactive game shows and content.

1 - 41 . (canceled)  
   
   
       42 . A rich media communication system, comprising: 
 a user interface having a background presentation scene with rich media targets onto which a user can direct rich media content, and having selectable graphical representations associated with the user;    a server to provide the user interface, having the rich media content and a selected graphical representation of the user therein, at a remote location; and    a directory to locate users that are capable of communicating with each other via their respective user interfaces using rich media presentations of rich media content in conjunction with their respective selected graphical representation, wherein users are organized into user-defined groups in the directory.    
   
   
       43 . A rich media communication system as defined in  claim 42  wherein the rich media content includes a video stream that can be placed onto a particular media target.  
   
   
       44 . A rich media communication system as defined in  claim 42  wherein the rich media content includes audio media that can be associated with a particular media target.  
   
   
       45 . A rich media communication system as defined in  claim 42  wherein the graphical representations includes a three-dimensional avatar representation that has selectable behaviors and that is driven by visual sensing of geometric features of the user.  
   
   
       46 . A rich media communication system as defined in  claim 45 , further comprising a sensor to perform the visual sensing of the user using wavelet-based feature tracking.  
   
   
       47 . A rich media communication system as defined in  claim 46  wherein the sensor may be trained with varying expressions of the user.  
   
   
       48 . A rich media communication system as defined in  claim 42 , further comprising an editor to allow construction of a personalized graphical representation that is based on an image of the user.  
   
   
       49 . A rich media communication system as defined in  claim 42  wherein the directory includes the user's personalized address book that includes a listing of users arranged in hierarchical levels, wherein one of the users can act as a moderator for a level and can control access to that level including blocking access by a particular user.  
   
   
       50 . A rich media communication system as defined in  claim 42  wherein the directory includes user blocking capability such that a user may block rich media communications from selected other users.  
   
   
       51 . A rich media communication system as defined in  claim 42  wherein the directory includes at least one rich media card having at least one user's rich media communication parameters, the at least one user being provided with capability to provide the card at selected one or more locations in the directory.  
   
   
       52 . A method for rich media communications, the method comprising: 
 providing a communicator window that can present rich media content;    presenting a particular character in the communicator window, wherein the presentation of the particular character is user-selectable from a plurality of different graphical representations, the selected particular character corresponding to a user of the communicator window;    providing capability to switch between different graphical representations of the particular character during communication in the communicator window; and    organizing rich media communications users in a directory of groups, each user being associated with their own respective independent communicator windows that can present rich media content and respective graphical representations.    
   
   
       53 . A method for rich media communication as defined in  claim 52  wherein the providing the communicator window that can present rich media content includes providing capability to select a background presentation scene that contains a non-Earth-equivalent background.  
   
   
       54 . A system, comprising: 
 means for providing an independently customizable user interface window having a representation associated with a particular rich media communication user;    means for providing a media target in the user interface window onto which the particular user may direct rich media content;    means for communicating the user interface window to a remote location; and    means for organizing rich media communications users in a directory of user-defined communities, each user being associated with their own respective independent user interface having rich media content, the communities being organizable in hierarchical levels, at least one hierarchical level being associated with a moderator for that level.    
   
   
       55 . The system of  claim 54 , further comprising: 
 means for receiving rich media elements from a plurality of media sources and generating a multiplexed rich media communication bit stream; and    means for transmitting the bit stream to a receiver to allow the receiver to decompose the bit stream into rich media elements, and to render the rich media elements in the user interface.    
   
   
       56 . A rich media communication system, comprising: 
 a first window usable to invoke a plurality of rich media communication tools, the rich media communication tools including:    a second window usable to allow a user of the first window to select a three-dimensional avatar representation associated with the user and further usable to allow the user to control presentation of the selected avatar representation and of rich media content to other rich media communications users;    a third window usable to present rich media content associated with the other rich media communications users, at least some of the other rich media communication users being associated with their own first windows that are usable to invoke rich media communication tools; and    a hierarchical directory to organize the rich media communications users into user defined groups.    
   
   
       57 . The system of  claim 56 , further comprising a fourth window to present messaging information that is communicated between the user and at least one of the other rich media communications users.  
   
   
       58 . The system of  claim 56  wherein the second window is further usable to allow the user to select a non-three-dimensional representation of the user, including two-dimensional representations, textual representations, and audio representations.  
   
   
       59 . The system of  claim 56  wherein the hierarchical directory includes at least one hierarchical level that is associated with a moderator for that level.  
   
   
       60 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a user interface usable to invoke a plurality of tools, the tools including: 
 a first tool usable to allow a user of the user interface to select from among a plurality of graphical representations associated with the user and further usable to allow the user to control presentation of a selected graphical representation and of rich media content to other rich media communications users, the first tool further being usable to allow the user to switch between different graphical representations associated with the user during a communication session on the user interface;  
 a second tool usable to allow the user to create at least one of the selectable graphical representations associated with the user; and  
 a third tool usable to allow the user to control presentation of graphical communications from other rich media communications users that have their own user interfaces; and  
   a hierarchical directory to organize the rich media communications users into user defined groups.    
   
   
       61 . The apparatus of  claim 60  wherein the first tool is further usable to allow rich media content to be placed onto rich media targets on the user interface for presentation to the other rich media communication users.  
   
   
       62 . The apparatus of  claim 60  wherein the hierarchical directory includes at least one hierarchical level being associated with a moderator for that level, the moderator comprising one of the rich media communication users and having capability to control other users' access to that level, at least some of the hierarchical levels providing capability via users' user interfaces to allow users to provide at user-selected hierarchical levels a rich media card having at least one user's rich media communication parameters.