US 12,192,259 B2
Bridging physical and virtual spaces
David Van Wie, Eugene, OR (US); Paul J. Brody, Palo Alto, CA (US); and Joseph W. Jennings, Larkspur, CA (US)
Assigned to SOCOCO, INC., Austin, TX (US)
Filed by Sococo, Inc., Austin, TX (US)
Filed on Apr. 5, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/296,099.
Application 18/296,099 is a continuation of application No. 15/066,755, filed on Mar. 10, 2016, granted, now 11,657,438.
Application 15/066,755 is a continuation of application No. 14/056,192, filed on Oct. 17, 2013, granted, now 9,288,242, issued on Mar. 15, 2016.
Application 15/066,755 is a continuation of application No. 14/056,226, filed on Oct. 17, 2013, granted, now 10,356,136, issued on Jul. 16, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/716,316, filed on Oct. 19, 2012.
Prior Publication US 2023/0306484 A1, Sep. 28, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04L 65/403 (2022.01); G06F 3/01 (2006.01); G06F 3/04812 (2022.01); G06F 3/04815 (2022.01); G06F 3/0484 (2022.01); G06Q 30/0601 (2023.01); H04L 12/18 (2006.01); H04L 67/30 (2022.01); H04L 67/54 (2022.01); H04M 3/56 (2006.01); H04N 7/15 (2006.01); H04W 4/21 (2018.01); H04W 4/50 (2018.01)
CPC H04L 65/403 (2013.01) [G06F 3/011 (2013.01); G06F 3/04812 (2013.01); G06F 3/04815 (2013.01); G06F 3/0484 (2013.01); G06Q 30/0613 (2013.01); H04L 12/1813 (2013.01); H04L 12/1822 (2013.01); H04L 12/1827 (2013.01); H04L 67/30 (2013.01); H04L 67/54 (2022.05); H04N 7/157 (2013.01); H04W 4/21 (2018.02); H04W 4/50 (2018.02); H04M 3/567 (2013.01); H04M 2242/30 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
one or more processors included in one or more computers; and
a memory, coupled to the one or more processors, storing code that when executed by the one or more processors causes the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
tracking a current real-world location of a user in a physical place comprising real-world geographic regions each of which is associated with a virtual interactive customer service;
based on a determination that the current real-world location of the user is in a respective one of the real-world geographic regions of the physical place, establishing a presence for the user in a customer service virtual area and automatically notifying a customer service representative who is available, to join the user in the customer service virtual area, wherein (A) the customer service virtual area (i) represents a physical room, and (ii) includes definitions of geometry that represent at least a geographic perimeter of the physical room of the customer service virtual area, and (B) the user is not actually located in the physical room represented by the virtual area;
to a network node associated with the user, transmitting data representing the tracked current real-world location of the user in the physical place, wherein the data when received and processed by the network node causes the network node to display a first representation of the user on the network node in a map view concurrently with a view of the customer service virtual area, wherein the view of the customer service virtual area (i) is distinct from the map view, (ii) displays a virtual environment that includes a displayed second representation of the user in the virtual area, (iii) is associated with real time communications between the established presence of the user and the customer service representative in the customer service virtual area, and (iv) displays a real world location of the user while the user is in the customer service virtual area; and
based on a determination that the user and the customer service representative are copresent in the customer service virtual area, administering a network connection supporting realtime communications between a network node associated with the customer service representative and the network node associated with the user to enable the user and the customer service representative to communicate with each other in the customer service virtual area and the customer service representative to guide the user to a particular physical location using the tracked current real-world location of the user.