# US 2020/0201516 A1 · Communications interface and a communications method, a corresponding computer program, and a corresponding registration medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0201516 A1 - Document ID: US20200201516A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/809,129 - Filed: 2020-03-04 - Published: 2020-06-25 - Earliest claimed: 2014-07-18 - Assignees: Glowbl - Inventors: Mathieu Nicolas LABEY - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200201516A1 ## CPC - G06F 3/04815: Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional [3D], e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object - H04L 51/52: for supporting social networking services - H04L 65/403: Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences (data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15) - H04L 67/131: Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality - H04L 67/14: Session management (for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066) - H04M 1/72427: for supporting games or graphical animations - H04N 7/157: {defining a virtual conference space and using avatars or agents (computer conference optimisation or adaptation H04L12/1827)} - H04M 1/72436: for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract The invention provides a communications interface for communications between participants, said interface including a virtual space (1) and graphical avatars (2, 3) that firstly represent respective ones of said participants and secondly are designed to move in said virtual space (1), said communications interface also including control means for controlling the movement of each graphical avatar, said communications interface being characterized in that it is designed to set up a discussion channel automatically between two of said participants when either the distance (d) between the two graphical avatars (2, 3) representing respective ones of said two participants is less than or equal to a predetermined first value (D1), or the distances between a graphical object and each of the two graphical avatars (2, 3) are less than or equal to a second predetermined value. Communications interfaces. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-17. (canceled) ### Claim 18 A system comprising: a memory storing instructions; and a processor coupled to the memory and configured by the instructions to generate a communications interface which can be used simultaneously by remote participants each having a respective display screen, said interface including a two-dimensional virtual space and two-dimensional graphical avatars respectively associated with each of said participants, each graphical avatar being movable in said virtual space, said virtual space and said graphical avatars being displayed on said display screens, said communications interface also including a controller enabling each of the participants to control the movements of their respective graphical avatars within said virtual space, wherein discussion channels are automatically set up between, amongst said participants, member participants represented by respective graphical avatars that belong to a first group of avatars, each displayed graphical avatar in the first group being distant from a graphical object positioned in said virtual space by an on-screen distance less than or equal to a second predetermined value, setting up said discussion channels enabling said member participants to converse with each other, in real time, by audio-video communication with a video window popping up in the graphical avatar of each participant in question, said graphical object being an activable/deactivable window to be activated for all of said member participants represented by respective graphical avatars that belong to said first group of avatars, said activable/deactivable window, when activated, broadcasting a content which is perceived only by said member participants of said first group on their respective display screens, broadcasting ceasing automatically for participants moving their graphical avatars away from the graphical object to distances greater than the second predetermined value, the other participants who have their avatars at a distance from said graphical object which is less than or equal to said second predetermined value still having access to the content being broadcast on their respective display screens. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A system according to claim 18, wherein each graphical avatar is surrounded continuously by a corresponding graphical margin having a width equal to the first predetermined value. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) A system according to claim 19, wherein each of said graphical margins is in the form of a transparent or translucent halo that surrounds the corresponding graphical avatar. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) A system according to claim 18, wherein each graphical avatar has a main body that is substantially discoidal in shape, each graphical margin being in the shape of a circular ring surrounding said main body concentrically. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) A system according to claim 19, wherein said graphical margins are designed so that, when they are partially superposed, they automatically merge in their partial superposition zone, so as to form a single resulting graphical margin that encompasses all of the graphical avatars in question. ### Claim 23 (depends on 18) A system according to claim 18, wherein said communications channel includes communications windows respectively associated visually with said graphical avatars, said communications windows being designed to display text and/or image, animated or otherwise, in order to enable discussion to take place. ### Claim 24 A communications method, comprising administering a communications interface which can be used simultaneously by remote participants each having a respective display screen, said interface including a two-dimensional virtual space and two-dimensional graphical avatars respectively associated with each of said participants, each graphical avatar being movable in said virtual space, said virtual space and said graphical avatars being displayed on said display screens, said communications interface also including a controller enabling each of the participants to control the movements of their respective graphical avatars within said virtual space, said communications method including at least: a step of automatically setting up discussion channels between, amongst said participants, member participants represented by respective graphical avatars that belong to a first group of avatars, each displayed graphical avatar in the first group being distant from a graphical object positioned in said virtual space by an on-screen distance less than or equal to a second predetermined value, setting up said discussion channels enabling said member participants to converse with each other, in real time, by audio-video communication with a video window popping up in the graphical avatar of each participant in question, said graphical object being an activable/deactivable window, and a step of activating said activable/deactivable window for all of said member participants represented by respective graphical avatars that belong to said first group of avatars, said activated window broadcasting a content which is perceived only by said member participants of said first group on their respective display screens, broadcasting ceasing automatically for participants moving their graphical avatars away from the graphical object to distances greater than the second predetermined value, the other participants who have their avatars at a distance from said graphical object which is less than or equal to said second predetermined value still having access on their respective display screens to the content being broadcast. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) A computer program embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable medium and comprising a computer program code means which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to execute the method according to claim 24. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) A computer program according to claim 25 implemented on a non-transitory computer-readable medium. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) A non-transitory computer-readable medium that can be read by a computer and on which is stored a program in accordance with claim 25. ### Claim 28 (depends on 19) A system according to claim 19, wherein each graphical avatar has a main body that is substantially discoidal in shape, each graphical margin being in the shape of a circular ring surrounding said main body concentrically. ### Claim 29 (depends on 20) A system according to claim 20, wherein each graphical avatar has a main body that is substantially discoidal in shape, each graphical margin being in the shape of a circular ring surrounding said main body concentrically. ### Claim 30 (depends on 20) A system according to claim 20, wherein said graphical margins are designed so that, when they are partially superposed, they automatically merge in their partial superposition zone, so as to form a single resulting graphical margin that encompasses all of the graphical avatars in question. ### Claim 31 (depends on 21) A system according to claim 21, wherein said graphical margins are designed so that, when they are partially superposed, they automatically merge in their partial superposition zone, so as to form a single resulting graphical margin that encompasses all of the graphical avatars in question. ### Claim 32 (depends on 19) A system according to claim 19, wherein said communications channel includes communications windows respectively associated visually with said graphical avatars, said communications windows being designed to display text and/or image, animated or otherwise, in order to enable discussion to take place. ### Claim 33 (depends on 20) A system according to claim 20, wherein said communications channel includes communications windows respectively associated visually with said graphical avatars, said communications windows being designed to display text and/or image, animated or otherwise, in order to enable discussion to take place. ### Claim 34 (depends on 21) A system according to claim 21, wherein said communications channel includes communications windows respectively associated visually with said graphical avatars, said communications windows being designed to display text and/or image, animated or otherwise, in order to enable discussion to take place. ### Claim 35 (depends on 22) A system according to claim 22, wherein said communications channel includes communications windows respectively associated visually with said graphical avatars, said communications windows being designed to display text and/or image, animated or otherwise, in order to enable discussion to take place.