Patentseed

We’re suckers for sci-fi concepts, so when we see the word “holographic”, we’re immediately sold. And it’s usually even more newsworthy when the patent applicant is Microsoft. Unfortunatley, patent application 11/935,549 did disappoint a little. The patent application discloses a method and system for a virtual meeting, where holographic images are used. The novelty appears to be the ability to control whether a particular holographic image is privately viewable or publicly viewable. Here’s an example Sony provides:

“Based on the private setting, user A as a virtual image within the meeting space will not be viewable by user B. The user or invitee virtual image privacy or public setting can be useful in a situation in which a superior wants to monitor a meeting without changing or affecting meeting flow or user demeanor. Thus, user A, user B, user C, and speaker X can be monitored within the virtual meeting space by a boss in order to gain a real and uninfluenced insight on the virtual meeting and/or users invited thereto.”

Simply put, your virtual meeting may be monitored for quality purposes.