Animation control method for multiple participants

Abstract

A computer system is used to host a virtual reality universe process in which multiple avatars are independently controlled in response to client input. The host provides coordinated motion information for defining coordinated movement between designated portions of multiple avatars, and an application responsive to detect conditions triggering a coordinated movement sequence between two or more avatars. During coordinated movement, user commands for controlling avatar movement may be in part used normally and in part ignored or otherwise processed to cause the involved avatars to respond in part to respective client input and in part to predefined coordinated movement information. Thus, users may be assisted with executing coordinated movement between multiple avatars.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising a computer processor coupled to a memory, the memory holding instructions that when executed by the computer processor, cause the apparatus to:
 model an avatar in a virtual 3D environment;   receive control inputs for the avatar from a plurality of users;   control movement of the avatar, wherein each of the plurality of users control a discrete aspect of movement of the avatar.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the discrete aspect is a physical part of the avatar. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the discrete aspects of movement of the avatar are coordinated with each other. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one discrete aspect is the speed of movement of a portion, but not all, of an avatar. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one discrete aspect is the speed of movement of the avatar. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , where at least one discrete aspect is the direction of movement of a portion, but not all, of an avatar. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , where at least one discrete aspect is the direction of movement of the avatar. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , where a first user controls the speed of at least a portion of the avatar and a second user controls the direction of at least a portion of the avatar. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus comprising a computer processor coupled to a memory, the memory holding instructions that when executed by the computer processor, cause the apparatus to:
 model an avatar in a virtual 3D environment, the avatar under primary control of a first user; and   delegate designated aspects of control of movement of the avatar to a second user.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein delegation is done at least in part based on a control input from the first user. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein delegation is done at least in part by comparing a database entry for expertise in at least one aspect of avatar control and delegating to the second user only when expertise criteria are met. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the movement is modified at least in part by rules for prioritizing and/or combining inputs from the first user and the second user. 
     
     
         13 . A computer implemented module configured to:
 monitor input streams from multiple clients to detect at least one triggering event that triggers a coordinated motion sequence for two or more avatars;   at least one of the two or more avatars controlled by a first user and at least a different one of the two or more avatars controlled by a second user.   
     
     
         14 . The computer implemented module of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one triggering event is agreement between two or more users to initiate the coordinated motion. 
     
     
         15 . The computer implemented module of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one triggering event is the presence of two or more avatars in an area configured for coordinated motion. 
     
     
         16 . The computer implemented module of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one triggering event is proximity of at least two of the two or more avatars to a specified object. 
     
     
         17 . The computer implemented module of  claim 13 , wherein some aspects of the coordinated motion sequence are predetermined by non-user data originating from a host layer. 
     
     
         18 . The computer implemented module of  claim 17 , wherein the some aspects are a predetermined motion sequence. 
     
     
         19 . The computer implemented module of  claim 13 , wherein the coordinated motion sequence is modified at least in part by rules for prioritizing user input. 
     
     
         20 . The computer implemented module of  claim 13 , wherein the coordinated motion sequence is modified at least in part by rules for combining user input.