Controlling communications through a virtual reality environment

Abstract

A virtual reality system initiates desired real world actions in response to defined events occurring within a virtual environment. A variety of systems, such as communications devices, computer networks, and software applications, may be interfaced with the virtual reality system and made responsive to virtual events. For example, the virtual reality system may trigger a communications system to establish a communications link between people in response to a virtual event. Users, represented as avatars within the virtual environment, generate events by interacting with virtual entities, such as other avatars, virtual objects, and virtual locations. Virtual entities can be associated with specific users, and users can define desired behaviors for associated entities. Behaviors control the real world actions triggered by virtual events. Users can modify these behaviors, and the virtual reality system may change behaviors based on changing conditions, such as time of day or the whereabouts of a particular user.