Patent ID: 7181494
Filing Date: 2007-02-20
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A computer network having a plurality of terminals each having a processor, a memory, a manual input and a network connection, wherein each of said terminals executes instructions to define a shared virtual environment; each of said instructions includes a local object defining a local entity, said object including data defining attributes of said entity, wherein said entity is perceived by a user as being controllable within said shared virtual environment in response to manual control that changes said data; said local object is duplicated on other network terminals as a duplica; each terminal predicts the data of its duplicas; each terminal modifies the predicted data of its duplicas in response to receiving updates from the duplicas' originating terminals; and each originating terminal sends updates to specific destination terminals in dependence on whether an error exceeds a threshold, wherein: said error is computed by comparing the data of said local object at said originating terminal and the predicted data of the duplica at the destination terminal.