Method and apparatus for delivering a virtual reality environment

(54) METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR

DELIVERING A VIRTUAL REALITY
ENVIRONMENT

(76) Inventor: Maria Gaos, Mountlake Terrace, WA (US)

Correspondence Address:

McConnell Valdes

PO Box 364225

San Juan, PR 00936-4225 (US)

(21) Appl. No.: 09/964,224

(22) Filed: Sep. 25, 2001

Related U.S. Application Data

(60) Provisional application No. 60/235,777, filed on Sep. 25, 2000.

Publication Classification

(51) Int. CI.7 H04N 7/025; H04N 7/10;

G06F 3/00; H04N 5/445; G06F 13/00;

G09G 5/00

(52) U.S. CI 725/34; 725/46; 345/745

(57) ABSTRACT

This invention involves a virtual environment created through the combination ol technologies. The invention employs the knowledge and experience of a Personal Assistant or Host, created through Artificial Intelligence applications, which assists and guides the user of the environment to products and/or services that they will most likely be interested in purchasing or requiring. The intelligent assistant's choices are based on its experiences with the specific user. The intelligent assistant communicates with the user by means of a speech recognition and speech synthesis device. This invention is an easy to use virtual reality environment that takes advantage of existing technologies and global communications networks such as the Internet without requiring any given degree of computer literacy. This invention includes a virtual intelligent assistant for each user which adapts to its user as it provides individualized guidance. The intelligent assistant or avatar projects human-like features and behaviors appropriate to the preferences of its user and appears as a virtual person to the user.