Patent ID: 8416806

Claim:
A communication device, the device comprising: a data processor that is configured to: receive audio information, video information or both audio and video information, associated with a user; receive a signal indicating the presence or absence of a user; and provide data that can be transmitted at multiple bandwidths; a transmission component coupled to the data processor, wherein the transmission component includes a transmit bandwidth; and a user-selectable transmit control configured to set the transmit bandwidth from a range according to a level of privacy desired by the user, the range including— a high setting of transmitting real-time audio and video corresponding to a desire by the user to transmit real-time audio and video; a low setting of not transmitting information or of transmitting information corresponding to a desire by the user to not provide presence information; a first intermediate setting of transmitting a dynamic avatar animation derived from the audio information, the video information or the audio and video information, the dynamic avatar animation corresponding to a first desire by the user to provide less than full real-time audio and video information but greater than presence information; and a second intermediate setting of transmitting a dynamic pure abstract animation derived from the audio information, the video information or the audio and video information and/or from the signal indicating the presence or absence of a user, the dynamic pure abstract animation corresponding to a second desire by the user to provide less than full real-time audio and video information but greater than presence information, wherein— the dynamic pure abstract animation has a generally dynamic motion that is based at least in part on motion of the user determined by data from the audio information, the video information or the audio and video information and/or from the signal indicating the presence or absence of a user.