Method and system enabling users to interact, via mutually coupled terminals, by reference to a virtual space

摘要

Users control the movement of avatars through a virtual space. The system keeps track of the location of the avatars and forms a picture of the virtual space for each user. Users can select themselves to act as a cameraman. The picture of the virtual space around the location of the avatar is then transmitted separately to passive viewers via a broadcast channel. Conversation between the cameraman and other users is broadcast also via the broadcast channel. The picture broadcast has a visual detail which is finer than that of the pictures received by the various users individually; movements are reproduced therein in interpolated form and are adapted in such a manner that the avatars in the broadcast signal arrive at landmarks, in time.