Communications interface and a communications method, a corresponding computer program, and a corresponding registration medium

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing one or more programs executable by a processor of a terminal apparatus to configure the terminal apparatus to comprise:

• a communications interface to facilitate communications by a terminal user operating the terminal apparatus, with one or more other users operating respective other terminals, wherein said communications interface including provides one or more user interface screens on a display of the terminal apparatus, said one or more user interface screens collectively portraying a virtual space and graphical avatars which (a) correspond to said terminal user and said one or more other users, as plural respective participants of the virtual space, and (b) are moveable in said virtual space, and said virtual space and said graphical avatars being displayed at respective on-screen positions on one or more of the user interface screens, said communications interface also including a controller to process user input by the terminal user via the user interface screens to control the movements of the corresponding graphical avatar and each participant viewing, on the screen corresponding to the participant, the same virtual space having the same avatars at the same on-screen positions, said communications interface implementing each of the following (A), (B) and (C):
• (A) to set up a discussion channel automatically between, amongst said participants of the virtual space, two participants represented by a first graphical avatar and a second graphical avatar, respectively, when an on-screen distance between said first and second graphical avatars is less than or equal to a predetermined first value (D1), the discussion channel enabling said two participants to communicate back and forth;
• (B) to cut off automatically said discussion channel when the on-screen distance between said first and second graphical avatars is greater than said predetermined first value (D1), except if both first and second graphical avatars belong to a group of avatars, in which group each group member is distant from at least one other group member by an on-screen distance less than or equal to said predetermined first value (D1);
• and
• (C) to cut off automatically said discussion channel between said two participants represented by said first and second graphical avatars, respectively, when (i) one of the first and second graphical avatars is distant from the other of the first and second graphical avatars, included in the group of avatars, by an on-screen distance greater than said predetermined first value (D1) and (ii) said one of the first and second graphical avatars is distant from each group member of the group of avatars by an on-screen distance greater than said predetermined first value (D1).

A communications method performed by a terminal apparatus configured by execution of one or more programs stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium to comprise a communications interface to facilitate communications by a terminal user operating the terminal apparatus, with one or more other users operating respective other terminals, wherein said communications interface provides one or more user interface screens on a display of the terminal apparatus, said one or more user interface screens collectively portraying a virtual space and graphical avatars which (a) correspond to said terminal user and said one or more other users, as plural respective participants of the virtual space, and (b) are moveable in said virtual space, and said virtual space and said graphical avatars being displayed at respective on-screen positions on one or more of the user interface screens, said communications interface also including a controller to process user input by the terminal user via the user interface screens to control the movements of the corresponding graphical avatar in said virtual space, wherein said communications method comprises:

• (A) surrounding each graphical avatar, amongst said graphical avatars moveable in the virtual space, by a corresponding graphical margin having a width equal to a first predetermined value (D1), and when graphical margins of at least two displayed graphical avatars are at least partially superposed and an on-screen distance between said at least two displayed graphical avatars is less than the first predetermined value (D1), automatically merging said at least two displayed graphical avatars in a partial superposition zone to form a single graphical margin that encompasses each of said at least two displayed graphical avatars;
• and
• (B) setting up discussion channels automatically between, amongst said participants of the virtual space, member participants represented by respective graphical avatars that belong to a first group of avatars, the discussion channels enabling all of said member participants in the first group to communicate back and forth, and (i) at least one displayed graphical avatar in the first group is distant from a graphical object positioned in said virtual space by an on-screen distance less than or equal to a second predetermined value (D2) and (ii) each displayed graphical avatar in the first group is at least one of (I) within the single graphical margin encompassing said at least two displayed graphical avatars having the merged graphical margins and (II) distant from said graphical object by an on-screen distance less than or equal to said second predetermined value (D2).

A communications method performed by a terminal apparatus configured by execution of one or more programs stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium to comprise a communications interface to facilitate communications by a terminal user operating the terminal apparatus, with one or more other users operating respective other terminals, wherein said communications interface provides one or more user interface screens on a display of the terminal apparatus, said one or more user interface screens collectively portraying a virtual space and graphical avatars which (a) correspond to said terminal user and said one or more other users, as plural respective participants of the virtual space, and (b) are moveable in said virtual space, and said virtual space and said graphical avatars being displayed at respective on-screen positions on one or more of the user interface screens, said communications interface also including a controller to process user input by the terminal user via the user interface screens to control the movements of the corresponding graphical avatar in said virtual space and each participant viewing, on the screen corresponding to the participant, the same virtual space having the same avatars at the same on-screen positions, wherein said communications method comprises:

• (A) setting up a discussion channel automatically between two of said participants represented respectively by a first graphical avatar and a second graphical avatar, respectively, when an on-screen distance between said first and second graphical avatars is less than or equal to a predetermined first value (D1), the discussion channels enabling said two participants to communicate back and forth;
• (B) cutting off automatically said discussion channel when the on-screen distance between, amongst said participants of the virtual space, said first and second graphical avatars is greater than said predetermined first value (D1), except if both said first and second graphical avatars belong to a group of avatars, in which group each group member is distant from at least one other group member by an on-screen distance less than or equal to said first predetermined value (D1);
• and
• (C) cutting off automatically said discussion channel between, amongst said participants of the virtual space, said two participants represented by said first and second graphical avatars, respectively, when (i) one of the first and second graphical avatars is distant from the other of the first and second graphical avatars, included in the group of avatars, by an on-screen distance greater than said predetermined first value (D1) and (ii) said one of the first and second graphical avatars is distant from each group member of the group of avatars by an on-screen distance greater than said predetermined first value (D1).