Patent ID: 9182883
Filing Date: 2015-11-10
Classification: G06F,G06Q,H04L,H04M,H04N

Abstract:
1. A method, comprising: creating between an apparatus in a physical space and a virtual area a persistent association that persists even after all communicants and the apparatus have disconnected from the virtual area, wherein the apparatus has an apparatus source of a respective data stream content type and an apparatus sink of a respective data stream content type; based on receipt of a login request identifying the apparatus, establishing a presence in the virtual area for the apparatus; representing the presence of the apparatus in the virtual area, wherein the representing comprises associating with the apparatus a first visualization when the apparatus is in a first state, and associating with the apparatus a second visualization different from the first visualization when the apparatus is in a second state; based on receipt of a login request identifying a communicant operating a client network node, instigating a presence in the virtual area for the communicant, wherein the instigating comprises generating a representation of the communicant in the virtual area, and the client network node has a client sink that is complementary to the apparatus source and a client source that is complementary to the apparatus sink; based on copresence of the apparatus and the communicant in the virtual area, administering a respective connection between each active pair of complementary sources and sinks of the client network node and the apparatus, wherein each connection supports transmission of the respective data stream content type between the apparatus and the client network node.