Abstract:
Visually identifying one or more known or anonymous voice speakers to a listener in a computing session. For each voice speaker, voice data include a speaker identifier that is associated with a visual indicator displayed to indicate the voice speaker who is currently speaking. The speaker identifier is first used to determine voice privileges before the visual indicator is displayed. The visual indicator is preferably associated with a visual element controlled by the voice speaker, such as an animated game character. Visually identifying a voice speaker enables the listener and/or a moderator of the computing session to control voice communications, such as muting an abusive voice speaker. The visual indicator can take various forms, such as an icon displayed adjacent to the voice speaker&#39;s animated character, or a different icon displayed in a predetermined location if the voice speaker&#39;s animated character is not currently visible to the listener.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention generally relates to visually indicating which of a plurality of speakers is currently talking, and more specifically, pertains to providing a visual indication of a current voice speaker from among a plurality of voice speakers engaged in a common computing session, wherein each voice speaker is not necessarily known to a listener. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Voice communication for gaming and other electronic activities is becoming increasingly popular, particularly for individuals connected over the Internet or other network. For those participating in multiplayer games, voice communication greatly expands the depth of enjoyment and social interaction between players of a game. However, multiplayer games often involve players who are unknown to each other. In addition, the sound of a player&#39;s voice can readily be altered so that it is not recognizable. For example, many players from all over the world may connect over the Internet to a server-based gaming service, and anonymously communicate with each other while participating in a game session together. 
   There are a number of systems that enable players to establish voice communications between each other, independent of a game session. Players can use telephone conferencing systems that use caller identification (caller-ID) data to identify participants. However, caller-ID data reveals information that anonymous players might not wish to divulge. Other examples include Microsoft Corporation&#39;s SIDEWIDER GAME VOICE™ and GameSpy Industries, Inc.&#39;s ROGER WELCO™ systems. These systems require players to exchange communication address information and make direct connections. However, exchanging address information and making direct connections are often not convenient or desirable. Setting up independent voice communication takes time, and interrupts game play. Those players who have a static communication address may not wish to divulge this information to other players for fear of a possible misuse of the communication address. Alternatively, a player may find that after establishing communication, another player uses vulgar or threatening language. In that case, the player, or a game hosting service, may wish to mute or otherwise discontinue communication by the other player. Further, these independent voice communication systems do not enable the voice communication to be related to the game activity. For example, it may be desirable to prohibit voice communication between certain players if animated characters that represent those players are not within sufficient distance of each other in the game&#39;s virtual environment. 
   Some multiplayer network games incorporate a text chat system for players to communicate. For example, Id Software, Inc.&#39;s QUAKE III™ enables players in a game session to type text messages to each other. This text chat system is similar to conventional stand-alone text chat systems, wherein a user types a message into a text entry box and sends the message by pressing the Enter key. The message appears as text on each receiver&#39;s display screen. The author of the text message is indicated on the display, since the author&#39;s identifier precedes the text message sent by the author. However, the text message and author identifier are not displayed on a receiver&#39;s display screen until after the author finishes typing the message and presses the Enter key. If the author&#39;s animated character is visible to other players in the game session, the author&#39;s animated character might be destroyed by an opposing player who did not know that the author was busy typing a text message, and could not concurrently move the author&#39;s animated character out of harm&#39;s way. To alleviate this problem, QUAKE III™ may display a chat bubble over the author&#39;s animated character when the author begins to type a text message. The chat bubble appears only if the author&#39;s animated character is displayed on a receiver&#39;s display screen. If the author&#39;s animated character is not visible on a receiver&#39;s display screen, a chat bubble is not displayed, and there is no other indication that the author is typing a text message. Instead, the text message appears on the receiver&#39;s display screen only after the author presses the Enter key. The QUAKE III™ game is also similar to conventional chat sessions in its display of text messages in sequential order. 
   As a further enhancement, a player can bind a text message to a key, so that the user can simply press the key to send a predefined text message. In this case, there is no need to display a chat bubble, because the text message quickly appears on each receiver&#39;s display screen. However, if most players only use predefined text messages, a chat bubble may never appear over the senders&#39; animated characters. In that case, other players may find it difficult or impossible to determine which animated character corresponds to a particular predefined text message. For those players who physically type text messages causing a chat bubble to be displayed, the authoring player must interrupt their game play to input the text message. If multiple players start inputting text messages, the game play may effectively stop, because the remaining player(s) may not wish to unfairly or inadvertently harm an animated character that is vulnerable while the corresponding player(s) are inputting a text message. 
   Thus, it is preferable to use immediate voice communication to reduce interruptions to the game session. It is also preferable to visually identify anonymous speakers, so that each player can better control and react to voice communication with other players. Further, voice communication can be mixed, so that multiple speakers can be heard at the same time. Accordingly, it is desirable to visually identify those players that are speaking. In addition, it is desirable that the voice communications be affected by the environment in the game session, such as by varying the volume of a speaker based on a distance between the animated characters of the speaker and the listener. The concept is clearly also applicable to other virtual environment applications in which voice communication by entities in the environment occurs. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to a method and system for visually identifying one or more voice speakers to a listener in a computing session. For each voice speaker, a listener&#39;s computing device receives voice data that include a speaker identifier. The speaker identifier is associated with a visual indicator that is displayed to the listener to identify the voice speaker and indicate that the voice speaker is currently speaking. The visual indicator is preferably associated with an element of the computing session that is controlled by the voice speaker. For example, an animated game character controlled by the voice speaker can be highlighted to visually associate the current voice communication with the highlighted game character. This visual indication enables the listener and/or a moderator of the computing session to control voice communication. For instance, the listener and/or moderator can mute a voice speaker associated with a particular game character. Preferably, the visual indicator also identifies the voice speaker by a name such as an alias, so that the listener and/or moderator can select the name from a list of names to control voice communication, enabling a listener to identify and select voice speakers from among a plurality of anonymous voice speakers whose communication is mixed and heard together by the listener. 
   The visual indicator can also take many other forms. A common icon can be displayed adjacent to the visual element that is controlled by the voice speaker in the computing session. The same icon can be displayed adjacent to each visual element associated with each voice speaker who is speaking. Alternatively, a different icon can be displayed for each voice speaker. The different icons can be displayed adjacent to the corresponding visual elements of the computing session, or the different icons can be displayed in a predetermined location on the listener&#39;s display screen, if the voice speaker&#39;s visual element is not currently displayed. Different icons can also be displayed adjacent to names of voice speakers in a list of participants in the computing session. 
   One benefit of a visual indicator is to provide control to the listener over voice communication that may come from numerous anonymous speakers who might abuse the voice communication. The present invention provides this control by first determining whether the listener has elected to hear voice communications from a given voice speaker. For example, the listener&#39;s computing device can first determine whether the listener has muted voice communications from the voice speaker. Alternatively, or additionally, the listener&#39;s computing device can determine whether the voice speaker is trusted by the listener. Trust can be established and recorded by the listener or provided by another party. For instance, a manual or automatic moderator of the computing session can gather feedback about a voice speaker from other participants in the computing session and determine whether the voice speaker meets community standards for voice communication. If the voice speaker has not met community standards, the moderator of the computing session can temporarily or permanently prohibit the voice speaker from communicating via voice in subsequent computing sessions. Alternatively, a trusted third party can be used to issue a certificate for voice communication that is acceptable by the listener. 
   Another form of voice communication control is based on events or a state of the computing session. The computing session and/or the listener&#39;s computing device can determine whether the voice speaker&#39;s animated character is within an audible range of the listener&#39;s animated character within the virtual environment of the computing session. The computing session and/or the listener&#39;s computing device can adjust a volume or other audible characteristic as a function of the distance between characters or as a function of another state of the computing session. An event occurring in the computing session can also cause the voice speaker&#39;s communication to be modified or eliminated. For example, the listener&#39;s animated character might be imprisoned in a simulated sound-proof room or move behind a thick wall. 
   Another aspect of the invention is directed to a memory medium that stores machine instructions for carrying out the steps described above and in accord with the present invention, as discussed in further detail below. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
     The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary electronic gaming system that includes a game console and support for up to four user input devices; 
       FIG. 2  is a functional block diagram showing components of the gaming system of  FIG. 1  in greater detail; 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram showing an exemplary network gaming environment that interconnects multiple gaming systems like that shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  over a network; 
       FIG. 4  is an exemplary scene from a multiplayer network game session, illustrating visual indicators of voice speakers; 
       FIG. 5A  is an exemplary screen of a players tab that provides information on players in a current game session; 
       FIG. 5B  is an exemplary screen of a players tab that includes a dialog box for changing a local listening setting for a selected player; 
       FIG. 6  is a flow diagram illustrating the logic for processing voice communication received by a listening player&#39;s gaming system; and 
       FIG. 7  is a flow diagram illustrating the logic for performing a number of hearing checks to determine whether the listener should hear the received voice data. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described below in regard to an exemplary use in providing visual indications of voice speakers for an electronic gaming system that is designed to execute gaming software in coordination with a network gaming service. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention may also be implemented for other anonymous or semi-anonymous voice communications between speakers engaged in a common session. The invention may also be practiced on a variety of computing machines such as a personal computer (PC), a set-top box, an arcade game, a hand-held device, a high fidelity system, and other related systems. 
   Exemplary Operating Environment 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , an exemplary electronic gaming system  100  that is suitable for practicing the present invention includes a game console  102  and support for up to four user input devices, such as controllers  104   a  and  104   b . Game console  102  is equipped with an internal hard disk drive (not shown in this Figure) and an optical media drive  106  that reads various forms of portable optical storage media, as represented by an optical storage disc  108 . Examples of suitable portable storage media include digital versatile discs (DVDs) and compact disk-read only memory discs (CD-ROMs). In this gaming system, game programs are preferably distributed for use with the game console on DVD discs, but it is also contemplated that other storage media might instead be used on this or other types of systems that employ the present invention. 
   On a front face of game console  102  are four slots  110  for connection to supported controllers, although the number and arrangement of the slots may be modified as needed to support more or fewer controllers. A power button  112 , and an eject button  114  are also positioned on the front face of game console  102 . Power button  112  controls application of electrical power to the game console, and eject button  114  alternately opens and closes a tray (not shown) of optical media drive  106  to enable insertion and extraction of storage disc  108 , so that the digital data on it can be read for use by the game console. 
   Game console  102  connects to a television  121  or other display monitor or screen via audio/visual (A/V) interface cables  120 . A power cable plug  122  conveys electrical power to the game console when connected to a conventional alternating current line source (not shown). Game console  102  includes an Ethernet data connector  124  to transfer and receive data over a network (such as through a connection to a hub or a switch (not shown), or over the Internet, for example, through a connection to an xDSL interface, a cable modem, or other broadband interface (not shown). Other types of game consoles that implement the present invention may be coupled together or to a remote server, by communicating using a conventional telephone modem. 
   Each controller  104   a  and  104   b  is coupled to game console  102  via a lead (or alternatively through a wireless interface). In the illustrated implementation, the controllers are USB compatible and are connected to game console  102  via USB cables  130 ; however, it is contemplated that other types of data interfaces may instead be employed. Game console  102  may be equipped with any of a wide variety of user devices for interacting with and controlling the game software. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , each controller  104   a  and  104   b  is equipped with two thumbsticks  132   a  and  132   b , a D-pad  134 , buttons  136 , and two triggers  138 . These controllers are merely representative, and other gaming input and control devices may be substituted for or added to those shown in  FIG. 1  for use with game console  102 . 
   A removable function unit  140  can optionally be inserted into each controller  104   a  and  104   b  to provide additional features and functions. For example, a portable memory unit (MU) enables users to store game parameters and port them for play on other game consoles, by inserting the portable MU into a controller connected to the other game console. Another removable functional unit comprises a voice communication unit that enables a user to verbally communicate with other users locally and/or over a network. Connected to the voice communication unit is a headset  142 , which includes a boom microphone  144 . The circuitry of the voice communication unit may alternatively be integrated into the controller, and a headset with boom microphone may be removably or permanently connected to the controller. Preferably, each controller is configured to accommodate two removable function units, although more or fewer than two removable function units or modules may instead be employed. 
   Gaming system  100  is capable of playing, for example, games, music, and videos. It is contemplated that other functions can be implemented using digital data stored on the hard disk drive or read from optical storage disc  108  in drive  106 , or using digital data obtained from an online source, or from a MU. For example, gaming system  100  is potentially capable of playing:
         Game titles stored on CD and DVD discs read by the optical media drive, stored on the hard disk drive, or downloaded from an online source;   Digital music stored on a CD ready by optical media drive  106 , in a file on the hard disk drive (e.g., WINDOWS MEDIA AUDIO™ (WMA) format), or derived from online streaming sources on the Internet or other network; and   Digital A/V data stored on a DVD disc read by optical media drive  106 , or in files stored on the hard disk drive (e.g., in an Active Streaming Format), or accessed from online streaming sources over the Internet or other network.       

     FIG. 2  shows functional components of gaming system  100  in greater detail. Game console  102  includes a CPU  200 , a memory controller  202  that facilitates CPU access to a read-only memory (ROM)  204 , a random access memory (RAM)  206 , a hard disk drive  208 , and portable optical media drive  106 . CPU  200  is equipped with a level 1 cache  210  and a level 2 cache  212  to temporarily store data so as to reduce the number of memory access cycles required, thereby improving processing speed and throughput of the gaming system. CPU  200 , memory controller  202 , and various memory devices are interconnected via one or more buses, including serial and parallel buses, a memory bus, a peripheral bus, and a processor or local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. By way of example, such architectures can include an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, a micro channel architecture (MCA) bus, an enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, a Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus. 
   As an example of one suitable implementation, CPU  200 , memory controller  202 , ROM  204 , and RAM  206  are integrated onto a common module  214 . In this implementation, ROM  204  is configured as a flash ROM that is connected to memory controller  202  via a PCI bus and a ROM bus (neither of which are shown). RAM  206  is configured as multiple double data rate synchronous dynamic RAM modules (DDR SDRAM modules) that are independently controlled by memory controller  202  via separate buses (not shown). Hard disk drive  208  and optical media drive  106  are connected to the memory controller via the PCI bus and an advanced technology attachment (ATA) bus  216 . 
   A 3D graphics processing unit (GPU)  220  and a video encoder  222  form a video processing pipeline for high-speed and high-resolution graphics processing. Data are conveyed from GPU  220  to video encoder  222  via a digital video bus (not shown). An audio processing unit  224  and an audio encoder/decoder (CODEC)  226  form a corresponding audio processing pipeline for high fidelity and stereo audio data processing. Audio data are conveyed between audio processing unit  224  and audio CODEC  226  via a communication link (not shown). The video and audio processing pipelines output data to an A/V port  228  for transmission to the television or other display monitor. In the illustrated implementation, video and audio processing components  220 - 228  are mounted on module  214 . 
   Also implemented on module  214  are a USB host controller  230  and a network interface  232 . USB host controller  230  is coupled to CPU  200  and memory controller  202  via a bus (e.g., the PCI bus), and serves as a host for peripheral game controllers  104   a - 104   d . Network interface  232  provides access to a network (e.g., the Internet, home network, etc.) and may include any of a wide variety of various wire or wireless interface components, including an Ethernet card, a telephone modem interface, a Bluetooth module, a cable modem interface, an xDSL interface, and the like. 
   Game console  102  has two dual controller support subassemblies  240   a  and  240   b , and each subassembly supports two of game controllers  104   a - 104   d . A front panel input/output (I/O) subassembly  242  supports the functionality of power button  112  and eject button  114 , as well as any light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or other indicators exposed on the outer surface of the game console. Subassemblies  240   a ,  240   b , and  242  are coupled to module  214  via one or more cable assemblies  244 . 
   Eight function units  140   a - 140   h  are illustrated as being connectable to four controllers  104   a - 104   d , i.e., two function units for each controller. Each function unit offers additional functionality or storage for games, game parameters, and other data. When an MU is inserted into a controller, the MU can be accessed by memory controller  202 . 
   A system power supply module  250  provides power to the components of gaming system  100 . A fan  252  cools the components and circuitry within game console  102 . 
   To implement the present invention, a game software application  260  comprising machine instructions stored on a DVD or other storage media (or downloaded over the network) is loaded into RAM  206  and/or caches  210  and/or  212  for execution by CPU  200 . Portions of software application  260  may be loaded into RAM only when needed, or all of the software application (depending on its size) may be loaded into RAM  206 . Software application  260  and the relevant functions that it performs to implement the present invention are described below in greater detail. 
   Gaming system  100  may be operated as a stand-alone system by simply connecting the system to a television or other display monitor. In this standalone mode, gaming system  100  enables one or more users to play games, watch movies, or listen to music. However, with connectivity to the Internet or other network, which is made available through network interface  232 , gaming system  100  may be further operated as a component of a larger network gaming community, to enable online multiplayer interaction in games that are played over the Internet or other network with players using other gaming systems. Gaming system  100  can also be coupled in peer-to-peer communication with another gaming system using the network interface and an appropriate cable (not shown). 
   Network System 
     FIG. 3  shows an exemplary network gaming environment  300  that interconnects multiple gaming systems  10   a , . . .  100   n  via a network  302 . Preferably, each gaming system includes at least one corresponding headset  142   a , . . .  142   n  and corresponding microphone  144   a , . . .  144   n  for voice communication between players. Network  302  represents any of a wide variety of data communication networks and may include public portions (e.g., the Internet), as well as private portions (e.g., a residential or commercial local area network (LAN)). Network  302  may be implemented using any one or more of a wide variety of conventional communication configurations, including both wired and wireless types. Any of a wide variety of communications protocols can be used to communicate data via network  302 , including both public and proprietary protocols. Examples of such protocols include TCP/IP, IPX/SPX, NetBEUI, etc. 
   In addition to gaming systems  100   a , . . .  100   n , one or more online services  304   a , . . .  304   s  are accessible via network  302  to provide various services for the participants, such as serving and/or hosting online games, serving downloadable music or video files, hosting gaming competitions, serving streaming A/V files, enabling exchange of email or other media communications, and the like. Network gaming environment  300  may further employ a key distribution center  306  that plays a role in authenticating individual players and/or gaming systems  100   a , . . .  100   n  for interconnection to one another, as well as to online services  304   a , . . .  304   s . Distribution center  306  distributes keys and service tickets to valid participants that may then be used to form game playing groups including multiple players, or to purchase services from online services  304   a , . . .  304   s.    
   Network gaming environment  300  introduces another memory source available to individual gaming systems  100   a , . . .  100   n , i.e., online storage. In addition to accessing data on optical storage disc  108 , hard disk drive  208 , and function unit  140 , gaming systems  100   a , . . .  100   n  can also access data files available at remote storage locations via network  302 , as exemplified by remote storage  308  at online service  304   s.    
   Network gaming environment  300  further includes a developer service  309  with which developers can produce media effects, updated media data, game code, and other services. Such services can be distributed between the online services and the producers of games for the gaming systems, and between other devices within, and outside of network gaming environment  300 . It should be noted that the network gaming environment can be a closed network, providing only access to other gaming systems and the gaming environment, using for example, communication through virtual private network tunnels to provide enhanced security and limit access by other computing devices. 
   Exemplary Process 
   A preferred embodiment of the present invention is directed to displaying a visual indication to identify a voice speaker in a multiplayer game session.  FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary scene  350  from a multiplayer network game session. Scene  350  includes a listener&#39;s vehicle  352  that is controlled by a human player through a local gaming system. Scene  350  also includes a non-speaking opponent&#39;s vehicle  354  that is controlled by a human player through a remote gaming system. The player using the remote gaming system is not currently using a voice communicator to communicate with the local listener. Also visible in scene  350  is a speaking opponent&#39;s vehicle  360  that is controlled by a human player that is currently speaking through a voice communicator attached to another remote gaming system. When the speaking player begins speaking, a speaker icon  362  is displayed over speaking player&#39;s vehicle  360  to identify the current speaker. Preferably, a player ID  364  (e.g., a Gamertag) is also displayed along with speaker icon  362  to associate the speaker with the speaking player&#39;s vehicle  360 . Those skilled in the art will recognize that many other visual displays indicative of the player who is speaking may be provided, such as highlighting the speaker&#39;s vehicle, providing an image away from the speaker&#39;s vehicle, illuminating a spot next to a speaker&#39;s name, or using some other visual indication. 
   Other indications can be provided to show that other players are speaking while their corresponding vehicles are not visible in the current scene. For example, an off screen speaker icon  370  can be displayed when another remote player is speaking, but the remote player&#39;s corresponding vehicle is not visible to the local listener on the local listener&#39;s display. Preferably, the off screen speaker&#39;s icon also includes a player ID or Gamertag to identify the off screen speaker. Optionally, a muted player&#39;s icon  372  can be displayed when an undesired remote speaker is speaking, but the listener has muted that undesired speaker&#39;s voice communication. Muted speaker&#39;s icon  372  can serve to remind the listener of those players who have been muted. Other indications can optionally be used by the gaming service to indicate those players who may be subject to some form of global voice sanction. For example, a censored speaker icon  374  can indicate that a particular player is temporarily prohibited from using voice communication. A player can be temporarily or permanently prohibited from using voice communication and/or from hearing voice communication from the local player. This censoring can be invoked by the network gaming service or by the local player. For example, the local player may wish to prohibit voice communication to and from any player other than team members. The gaming service can prohibit voice communication for an infraction of gaming service rules, as a result of an event during the game, or for other reasons. 
   A current speaker can also be visually indicated on a players list along with more detailed information regarding each player&#39;s voice communication status. For example,  FIG. 5A  is an exemplary screen of a players tab view  380 A that provides information on players in the current game session. A player&#39;s list  382  includes a player ID column  384 , a voice communication status column  386  and a friend status column  388 . A current speaker&#39;s player ID  390  can be highlighted or otherwise visually indicate that a remote player is speaking. A corresponding talk enabled icon  392  indicates that the corresponding player has an active voice communicator. A muted icon  394  indicates that the local listener has muted voice communication from a selected player. A persistent bidirectional mute icon  396  indicates that the local listener or the network gaming service has prohibited the corresponding player from speaking to the listener and hearing any voice communication from the listener. A null icon  398  indicates that a corresponding player does not have a voice communicator. A hear-only icon  399  indicates that a corresponding player can hear voice communication but does not have a microphone for speaking to other players. Further explanation about a selected player&#39;s voice communication capability is preferably provided in a player&#39;s status box  391 . 
   A listener (i.e., a local player) can change local listening settings for each player.  FIG. 5B  is an exemplary screen of a players tab view  380 B that includes a dialog box  400  for changing a local listening setting  402  for a selected player. For example, dialog box  400  can be used to mute a selected player. 
     FIG. 6  is a flow diagram illustrating the logic for processing voice communication received by a listening player&#39;s gaming system. At a step  410 , the listener&#39;s gaming system receives a data packet that includes voice communication data and may include game data. At a step  412 , the gaming system decodes the received packet to obtain a speaker ID from the received packet. The gaming system determines, at a decision step  414 , whether the listener has chosen, or is permitted to hear the voice data from the speaker. Further detail regarding this determination is described below with regard to  FIG. 7 . If the listener&#39;s gaming system determines that the listener should not hear the voice data from the speaker, control returns to step  410  to await another data packet. 
   However, if the listener&#39;s gaming system determines that the listener should hear the voice data from the speaker, the listener&#39;s gaming system decodes and decompresses the encoded voice data of the data packet at a step  415  and associates the decoded speaker ID with a visual indicator, at a step  416 . For example, the listener&#39;s gaming system can associate the decoded speaker ID with the speaker&#39;s corresponding vehicle or display icon. 
   At a decision step  418 , the listener&#39;s gaming system determines whether the speaker&#39;s vehicle, animated character, or other control game element is visible to the listener on the listener&#39;s display. If the speaker&#39;s character is currently visible to the listener, the listener&#39;s gaming system highlights the speaker&#39;s character in the display, at a step  420 . For example, a speaker icon and player ID will be displayed over the speaker&#39;s character. As indicated above, other indications can include increasing the intensity of the speaker&#39;s character, causing the speaker&#39;s character&#39;s lips to move, providing a bubble over the character with or without a text version of the speaker&#39;s voice communication, or other indications associated with the speaker&#39;s character. In addition to highlighting the speaker&#39;s character, or if the speaker&#39;s character is not currently visible to the listener, the gaming system activates an alternate visual indicator at a step  422 . For example, a separate icon may be displayed at one edge of the listener&#39;s display screen. Alternatively, the speaker&#39;s player ID can be highlighted in the player list. 
   At an optional step  424 , the listener&#39;s gaming system can adjust the voice data or perform other audio processing. For example, the speaker&#39;s voice data may be adjusted to sound like an elf, sound like a preselected gender which may be the same or different than that of the speaker, or have other characteristics that alter the sound of the speaker&#39;s voice. Alternatively, or in addition, the volume of the speaker&#39;s voice data may be adjusted to reflect the proximity of the speaker&#39;s character to the listener&#39;s character in the gaming virtual environment. Further, the speaker&#39;s voice data can be buffered to prevent jitter or other undesirable effects. The speaker&#39;s voice data can also be mixed with voice data from other speakers so that the listener hears multiple voices at the same time. These multiple voices can include the listener&#39;s own voice if the listener is also speaking. Once any desired adjustments to the sound characteristics are made, the listener&#39;s gaming system plays the voice data through the listener&#39;s headphones or fixed speakers, at a step  426 . Control then returns to step  410  to await another data packet. 
     FIG. 7  is a flow diagram illustrating the logic for performing a number of hearing checks to determine whether the listener should hear the received voice data.  FIG. 7  provides further detail for decision step  414  in  FIG. 6 . At a decision step  430  in  FIG. 7 , the listener&#39;s gaming system determines whether the speaker is trusted. For example, the listener may selectively choose to hear voice communications only from players that are on the listener&#39;s team. Alternatively, or in addition, the listener may selectively choose to receive voice communications only from those speakers who have obtained a special voice communication certificate from the network gaming service&#39;s key distribution center, or from a trusted third party. If the listener&#39;s gaming system determines that the speaker is not trusted, control passes to a step  432  to prevent further processing of the speaker&#39;s voice data. Additional processes can include reporting the speaker&#39;s attempted communication, providing an automatic message to the speaker, or error processing. 
   If the speaker is trusted, the listener&#39;s gaming system determines, at a decision step  434 , whether the speaker was muted by the listener or by the gaming service. If so, the listener&#39;s gaming system ignores the speaker&#39;s voice data or performs other non-audio processing at step  432 . For example, the listener&#39;s gaming system can display an icon corresponding to the speaker ID to indicate that the speaker is trying to communicate with the listener. However, the voice data will not be routed to the listener&#39;s headset or fixed speakers. 
   At a decision step  436 , the listener&#39;s gaming system can optionally determine whether the speaker has communicated over an acceptable channel. For example, a team of players may select a channel for secure voice communications. If the speaker is not communicating over the secure channel, the listener&#39;s gaming system processes the speaker&#39;s voice data at step  432 . 
   The listener&#39;s gaming system can also optionally determine, at a decision  438 , whether the speaker&#39;s character, vehicle, or other controlled game element is within a sufficient hearing distance of the listener&#39;s controlled game element. For example, if the speaker&#39;s animated character is in a different building of the gaming environment than the listener&#39;s character, and the characters are not in radio communication, the speaker&#39;s voice data are blocked and not heard by the listener. As discussed above, the speaker&#39;s voice data can alternatively be varied in volume as a function of the distance between the speaker and the listener characters. Similarly, at a decision step  440 , the listener&#39;s gaming system optionally determines whether the speaker or listener are otherwise restricted by the game. For example, the speaker&#39;s character or the listener&#39;s character might be in a penalty box or a silence booth as part of the game play. In that case, the listener&#39;s gaming system prevents the listener from hearing the speaker or performs other non-audio processing at step  432 . However, if the above decisions indicate that the listener should hear the speaker, the listener&#39;s gaming system enables the listener to hear the speaker&#39;s voice data at a step  442 . Those skilled in the art will recognize that other decision steps can be included and the decision steps discussed above may be arranged in other logical configurations other than the indicated straight sequential order. 
   Although the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred form of practicing it and modifications thereto, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that many other modifications can be made to the present invention within the scope of the claims that follow. For example, speakers can be visually identified within a local network of gaming systems independent of a networked gaming service. Accordingly, it is not intended that the scope of the invention in any way be limited by the above description, but instead be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.