Virtual reality enhanced through browser connections

Abstract

Systems and methods for enabling a visitor to access VR representations authored by different authors of locations in a virtual universe via a computer network are provided. A plurality of VR data sets may be stored. Each VR data set may define a VR representation of a location, as well as world wide web data and may be independently authored by a respective author different from the other authors. One or more VR data servers may be adapted to access and transmit the VR data sets, and each VR data set may be associated with a VR data server for access to the VR data set. A domain server may be adapted to access and transmit domain data comprising the location within the universe of each VR representation and the network address of the VR data server associated with the VR representation. Further, a client host may be adapted to communicate with the domain server to receive domain data representing the network address of the VR data server associated with a selected VR representation, the client host further adapted to communicate with that VR data server to access the VR data set defining the VR representation without leaving the virtual universe.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method for access to virtual reality (VR) representations in a virtual universe via a computer network, the method comprising:
 storing a plurality of VR data sets at a data server, each VR data set defining a VR representation of a location within a virtual universe;   receiving an indication of an event associated with a visitor device having a current location in the virtual universe, the event associated with one or more event locations within the virtual universe;   transferring one or more of the VR data sets for the event locations from the server to the visitor device;   dynamically generating one or more paths that each connect the current location of the visitor device to at least one of the event locations; and   generating a VR presentation of the virtual universe based on the transferred VR data sets, wherein the generated VR presentation includes the dynamically generated paths.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the event includes a query from the visitor device, and further comprising identifying the event locations based on the query. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein generating the VR presentation of the virtual universe is further based on a selection of one of the event locations. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the event is associated with one or more other visitor devices that are active within the virtual universe, and wherein the event locations include current locations of the other visitor devices. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising updating the dynamically generated paths as one or more of the other visitor devices join and leave the virtual universe. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein generating the VR presentation of the virtual universe is further based on a selection of one of the paths. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising generating one or more lists that include a plurality of events associated with event locations within the virtual universe, wherein each of the lists is associated with a different event type. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein generating the VR presentation of the virtual universe is further based on a selection of one of the event locations from the lists. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising updating the dynamically generated paths as the current location of the visitor device moves along one of the paths in the virtual universe. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein dynamically generating the paths includes generating one or more sub-paths each connecting a set of adjacent locations along one of the paths in the virtual universe. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein generating the VR presentation of the virtual universe is further based on a selection of one of the sub-paths. 
     
     
         13 . A system for access to virtual reality (VR) representations in a virtual universe via a computer network, the system comprising:
 a data server that stores a plurality of VR data sets, each of the VR data sets defining a VR representation of a location within a virtual universe; and   a VR browser that:
 receives an indication of an event associated with a visitor device having a current location in the virtual universe, the event associated with one or more event locations within the virtual universe; 
 dynamically generates one or more paths that each connect the current location of the visitor device to at least one of the event locations; and 
 generates a VR presentation of the virtual universe based on the transferred VR data sets, wherein the generated VR presentation includes the dynamically generated paths. 
   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the event includes a query from the visitor device, and wherein the VR browser further identifies the event locations based on the query. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the VR browser generates the VR presentation of the virtual universe further based on a selection of one of the event locations. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the event is associated with one or more other visitor devices that are active with the virtual universe, and wherein the event locations include current locations of the other visitor devices. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the VR browser further update the dynamically generated paths as one or more of the other visitor devices join and leave the virtual universe. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the VR browser generates the VR presentation of the virtual universe further based on a selection of one of the paths. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the VR browser further generates one or more lists that include a plurality of events associated with event locations within the virtual universe, wherein each of the lists is associated with a different event type. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the VR browser generates the VR presentation of the virtual universe further based on a selection of one of the event locations from the lists. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the VR browser further updates the dynamically generated paths as the current location of the visitor device moves along one of the paths in the virtual universe. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the VR browser dynamically generates the paths by generating one or more sub-paths each connecting a set of adjacent locations along one of the paths in the virtual universe. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the VR browser generates the VR presentation of the virtual universe further based on a selection of the one or more sub-paths. 
     
     
         24 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program executable by a processor to perform a method for access to virtual reality (VR) representations in a virtual universe via a computer network, the method comprising:
 storing a plurality of VR data sets at a VR server, each VR data set defining a VR representation of a location within a virtual universe;   receiving an indication of an event associated with a visitor device having a current location in the virtual universe, the event associated with one or more event locations within the virtual universe;   transferring one or more of the VR data sets for the event location from the VR server to the visitor device;   dynamically generating one or more paths that each connect the current location of the visitor device to at least one of the event locations; and   generating a VR presentation of the virtual universe based on the transferred VR data sets, wherein the generated VR presentation includes the dynamically generated paths.