Patent ID: 7953112

Claim:
A communication device, the device comprising: a data processor; a transmission component coupled to the data processor, wherein the transmission component includes a transmit bandwidth; a reception component coupled to the data processor; a data output component coupled to the data processor; an audio and video capture component coupled to the data processor, the audio and video capture component capturing audio information, video information or both audio and video information associated with a user; a sensor that automatically senses a presence or an absence of the user and/or motion of the user; 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—between 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 data from the audio and video capture component 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 data from the audio and video capture component and/or data from the sensor 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 and video capture component and/or data from the sensor, such that the transmission component provides a remote user with an indication of the user's desire to communicate before the remote user establishes a two-way communication link with the user, and without concealing the user's identity.