초록 ▼

An entertainment device comprises a display generator arranged to generate for display a representation of an on-line virtual environment comprising one or more avatars corresponding to users of one or more remote entertainment devices each interacting with that online virtual environment, a network

An entertainment device comprises a display generator arranged to generate for display a representation of an on-line virtual environment comprising one or more avatars corresponding to users of one or more remote entertainment devices each interacting with that online virtual environment, a network communicator operable to receive data representative of the actions of other users within the on-line virtual environment and to receive content sourced from one or more users of the one or more remote entertainment devices interacting with that online virtual environment, an input device operable by the user to instigate a reporting event and a content identifier operable to generate information indicative of content sourced from one or more users of the one or more remote entertainment devices and that was available to the entertainment device when the reporting event was instigated, and in which the network communicator is operable to transmit a report to a remote device comprising said generated information.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An entertainment device, comprising: a display generator arranged to generate for display a representation of an on-line virtual environment comprising one or more avatars corresponding to users of one or more remote entertainment devices each interacting with that online virtual environment;a ne

1. An entertainment device, comprising: a display generator arranged to generate for display a representation of an on-line virtual environment comprising one or more avatars corresponding to users of one or more remote entertainment devices each interacting with that online virtual environment;a network communicator operable to receive data representative of the actions of other users within the on-line virtual environment, and to receive content sourced from one or more users of the one or more remote entertainment devices interacting with that online virtual environment;an input device operable by the user to instigate a reporting event;a content identifier operable to generate information indicative of content sourced from one or more users of the one or more remote entertainment devices and that was available to the entertainment device when the reporting event was instigated; in which the content identifier is operable to generate a report containing a substantially 360 degree lateral view with respect to the user's viewpoint in the virtual environment when the reporting event was instigated, as part of the generated information, wherein the substantially 360 degree lateral view is a snapshot that freezes a current state of the online virtual environment, the snapshot watermarked to incorporate time stamp information and at least one of identification data for the entertainment device and user identification data, thereby limiting the creation of spoof reports; andthe network communicator is operable to transmit the report containing the watermarked snapshot incorporating the time stamp information and at least one of the identification data for the entertainment device and the user identification data to a remote device. 2. An entertainment device according to claim 1, in which the content identifier is further operable to collate all content received from one or more users of the one or more remote entertainment devices that was embodied within the virtual environment up to a predetermined distance from the user's position in the virtual environment when the reporting event was instigated. 3. An entertainment device according to claim 1, in which the content identifier is further operable to collate all content received from one or more users of the one or more remote entertainment devices that was embodied within the virtual environment up to a predetermined distance from the user's position in the virtual environment during a predetermined time period preceding the instigation of the reporting event. 4. An entertainment device according to claim 1, in which the entertainment device comprises a circular buffer, and the entertainment device is operable to record a video of the viewpoint displayed to the user of the entertainment device to the circular buffer, the recording being suspended upon instigation of a reporting event; andthe content identifier is operable to incorporate some or all of the video in the circular buffer within the report. 5. An entertainment device according to claim 1, in which the network communicator is operable to transmit a report to a remote device comprising content sourced from one or more users. 6. An entertainment device according to claim 1, in which the network communicator is operable to transmit a report to a remote device comprising content identification codes for content sourced from one or more users that was originally distributed via that remote device. 7. An entertainment device according to claim 1, in which the network communicator is operable to transmit the report to a remote device further comprising one or more selected from the list consisting of: i. location data;ii. a log of text communication involving the reporting user;iii. identification data for an entertainment device from which content was sourced;iv. reporting user avatar appearance data;v. reporting user profile data; andvi. other user identification data. 8. An entertainment device according to claim 1, comprising a user interface generator;in which:the network communicator is operable to transmit a request to an administrating server to switch connection to a different instance of the virtual environment, andthe user interface generator generates a user interface that provides the user of the entertainment device with the option to switch to a different instance of the virtual environment. 9. An entertainment device according to claim 1, comprising a user interface generator operable to generate a report form in which the user can submit written details about the circumstances leading to the instigation of a reporting event. 10. A method of on-line reporting, comprising the steps of: connecting to an online virtual environment and generating a representation of it for display to a user;receiving data representative of the actions of other users within the on-line virtual environment;receiving content sourced from one or more of the other users of the one or more remote entertainment devices interacting with that online virtual environment;instigating a reporting event;generating information indicative of the content sourced from one or more of the other users of the one or more remote entertainment devices and that was available to the entertainment device when the reporting event was instigated; andwherein generating the information indicative of the content comprises generating a report containing a substantially 360 degree lateral view with respect to the user's position in the virtual environment when the reporting event was instigated, the substantially 360 degree lateral view being a snapshot that freezes a current state of the online virtual environment, the snapshot watermarked to incorporate time stamp information and at least one of identification data for the entertainment device and user identification data, thereby limiting the creation of spoof reports; andtransmitting, to a remote device, the report containing the watermarked snapshot incorporating the time stamp information and at least one of the identification data for the entertainment device and the user identification data. 11. A method according to claim 10 in which generating the information indicative of the content further comprises collating all content received from one or more users of the one or more remote entertainment devices that was embodied within the virtual environment up to a predetermined distance from the user's position in the virtual environment when the reporting event was instigated. 12. A method according to claim 10 in which generating the information indicative of the content comprises collating all content received from one or more users of the one or more remote entertainment devices that was embodied within the virtual environment up to a predetermined distance from the user's position in the virtual environment during a predetermined time period preceding the instigation of the reporting event. 13. A method according to claim 10, comprising the steps of: recording a video of the viewpoint displayed to the user of the entertainment device to a circular buffer, the recording being suspended upon instigation of a reporting event; and incorporating some or all of the video in the circular buffer within the report. 14. A method according to claim 10, in which the step of transmitting a report comprises transmitting a report to a remote device comprising content identification codes for content sourced from one or more users that was originally distributed via that remote device. 15. A method according to claim 10 in which the step of transmitting the report further comprises transmitting one or more selected from the list consisting of: i. location data;ii. a log of text communication involving the reporting user;iii. identification data for an entertainment device from which content was sourced;iv. reporting user avatar appearance data;v. reporting user profile data; andvi. other user identification data. 16. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable program product comprising a recording medium for storing a program, the program, when executed by a processor, causing the processor to perform a method of on-line reporting, the method comprising: connecting to an online virtual environment and generating a representation of it for display to a user;receiving data representative of the actions of other users within the on-line virtual environment;receiving content sourced from one or more of the other users of the one or more remote entertainment devices interacting with that online virtual environment;instigating a reporting event;generating information indicative of the content sourced from one or more of the other users of the one or more remote entertainment devices and that was available to the entertainment device when the reporting event was instigated;wherein generating the information indicative of the content comprises generating a report containing a substantially 360 degree lateral view with respect to the user's position in the virtual environment when the reporting event was instigated, the substantially 360 degree lateral view being a snapshot that freezes a current state of the online virtual environment, the snapshot watermarked to incorporate time stamp information and at least one of identification data for the entertainment device and user identification data, thereby limiting the creation of spoof reports; andtransmitting, to a remote device, the report containing the watermarked snapshot incorporating the time stamp information and at least one of the identification data for the entertainment device and the user identification data.