System and method for commercializing avatars

• US 10,559,023 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2016
• Issued: 02/11/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Clayton, Darnell, Schroeter, Horst Juergen, Chang, E-Lee, Roberts, Linda Ann, Khandelwal, Madhur
• Primary Examiner(s): Casey, Alexis M
• Application Number:
  US15/198,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20160314515A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• Field of Search: 705 265
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2542 for selling goods, e.g. TV shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a system having a controller to offer for sale an avatar engine that generates a visual representation of an interactive avatar capable of engaging in a verbal communication exchange by way of an audio system of a computing device from which the avatar engine is adapted to operate, receive a purchase request from a communication device, transmit to the communication device a usage policy and a copy of the avatar engine responsive to determining that the purchase request involves a request for a reproduction of at least a portion of the avatar engine, and enable the communication device to access services of the avatar engine responsive to determining that the purchase request involves the request for services of the avatar engine. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:

receiving a purchase request for an interactive avatar for engaging in a verbal communication exchange with a user via an audio system of an end user device, wherein the purchase request is based on a selection from a group of avatar characteristics that are provided as selectable options to the end user device;

constructing avatar software according to the purchase request;

determining whether the purchase request is for a purchase of the avatar software including time-limited services for use of the avatar software;

transmitting, to the end user device, a usage policy responsive to the purchase request, wherein the usage policy includes a temporal use limit responsive to the purchase request being for the time-limited services, and wherein the usage policy includes distribution rules enforced by the end user device that limit distribution of the interactive avatar to authorized devices;

responsive to the purchase request including the temporal use limit, providing the avatar software to the end user device to activate the avatar software to provide the interactive avatar;

enabling the end user device to access services provided in conjunction with the avatar software via the interactive avatar during the temporal use limit responsive to the purchase request, wherein the enabling comprises causing the end user device to execute the avatar software to generate the interactive avatar; and

providing a plurality of avatar characteristics to the end user device via a network in accordance with the selection from the group of avatar characteristics and responsive to a request of the end user device to activate the avatar software, wherein the end user device presents the interactive avatar according to the plurality of avatar characteristics,

wherein the verbal communication exchange comprises the interactive avatar receiving a verbal input from the user and an analysis of the verbal input by the interactive avatar to generate a response by the interactive avatar.

2. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the authorized devices are associated with the user of the end user device and to prevent distribution of the interactive avatar to unauthorized devices, and wherein the unauthorized devices are devices not associated with the user.

3. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein the operations further comprise:

detecting an attempt to distribute the interactive avatar to one of the unauthorized devices; and

transmitting a prohibition notification to the end user device responsive to the detecting of the attempt.

4. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein the interactive avatar is generated based on a user profile associated with the end user device.

5. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

presenting, to the end user device, the group of avatar characteristics for the interactive avatar;

detecting selections from the group of the avatar characteristics; and

constructing a constructed model of the avatar software according to the selections that represents the selections from the group of avatar characteristics,

wherein the avatar software transmitted to the end user device corresponds to the constructed model of the avatar software.

16. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the selection from the group of avatar characteristics includes an identification of a subject area.

17. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the selection from the group of avatar characteristics includes a gender of the interactive avatar, a race of the interactive avatar, a color of hair, a color of eyes, options for facial and body features, a style of clothing, a personality, a voice quality, an age, and a character disposition.

6. A communications device, comprising:

a processing system including a processor; and

a memory configured to store executable instructions, the executable instructions, when executed by the processing system, facilitating a performance of operations, comprising;

receiving, from a network server, an offer to purchase avatar software, wherein the avatar software is configured to generate an interactive avatar for engaging in a verbal communication exchange with a user via an audio system of the communications device;

providing a purchase request for the avatar software to the network server, wherein the purchase request is based on a selection from a group of avatar characteristics, wherein the purchase request includes an option to purchase the avatar software for a time-limited use of the avatar software;

receiving a usage policy and the avatar software, wherein the usage policy includes a time limit responsive to the purchase request being for the option to purchase the avatar software subject to the time-limited use of the avatar software, wherein the usage policy includes distribution rules to limit distribution of the interactive avatar to other devices associated with the communications device;

receiving an enabling of services provided in conjunction with the avatar software to provide the interactive avatar subject to the time limit for the time-limited use of the avatar software, wherein the enabling comprises causing the communications device to execute the avatar software to generate the interactive avatar; and

receiving a plurality of avatar characteristics via a network in accordance with the selection from the group of avatar characteristics and responsive to a request of the communications device to activate the avatar software, wherein the communications device presents the interactive avatar according to the plurality of avatar characteristics,

wherein the verbal communication exchange comprises the interactive avatar receiving a verbal input from the user and an analysis of the verbal input by the interactive avatar to generate a response by the interactive avatar.

7. The communications device of claim 6, wherein the operations further comprise receiving the avatar software responsive to the enabling of the services.

8. The communications device of claim 6, wherein the usage policy prevents distribution of the interactive avatar to second devices that are not associated with the user.

9. The communications device of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:

detecting an attempt to distribute the interactive avatar to one of the second devices; and

providing a prohibition notification responsive to the detecting of the attempt.

10. The communications device of claim 6, wherein the interactive avatar is generated based on a user profile associated with the communications device.

11. The communications device of claim 6, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving the group of avatar characteristics for the interactive avatar;

detecting selections from the group of the avatar characteristics;

transmitting the selections to the network server, wherein the network server constructs a model of the avatar software according to the selections as a constructed model that represents the selections from the group of avatar characteristics; and

receiving the avatar software corresponding to the constructed model of the avatar software, and wherein available services are generated based on the model of the avatar software.

12. The communications device of claim 11, wherein the verbal communication exchange comprises the interactive avatar receiving a verbal input from the user and performing an analysis of the verbal input by the interactive avatar to generate a response by the interactive avatar.

18. The communications device of claim 6, wherein the selection from the group of avatar characteristics includes an identification of a subject area.

19. The communications device of claim 6, wherein the selection from the group of avatar characteristics includes a gender of the interactive avatar, a race of the interactive avatar, a color of hair, a color of eyes, options for facial and body features, a style of clothing, a personality, a voice quality, an age, a character disposition, or any combination thereof.

13. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a processing system including a processor, a purchase request for avatar software that generates an interactive avatar for engaging in a verbal communication exchange with a user via an audio system of a communications device, wherein the purchase request is based on a selection from a group of avatar characteristics;

determining, by the processing system, whether the purchase request is for a time-limited usage of the avatar software;

transmitting, by the processing system, to the communications device a usage policy and the avatar software responsive to the purchase request, wherein the usage policy includes a temporal use limit responsive to the purchase request being for the time-limited usage, and wherein the usage policy includes distribution rules that limit distribution of the interactive avatar to other devices associated with the communications device;

enabling, by the processing system, the communications device to activate the interactive avatar and to access services provided in conjunction with the avatar software via the interactive avatar responsive to the purchase request, wherein the enabling comprises causing the communications device to execute the avatar software to generate the interactive avatar; and

transmitting, by the processing system, a plurality of avatar characteristics via a network in accordance with the selection from the group of avatar characteristics and responsive to a request of the communications device to activate the avatar software, wherein the communications device presents the interactive avatar according to the plurality of avatar characteristics,

wherein the verbal communication exchange comprises the interactive avatar receiving a verbal input from the user and an analysis of the verbal input by the interactive avatar to generate a response by the interactive avatar.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing a web portal; and

providing an interface via the web portal to the communications device through which the interactive avatar is provided for sale.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the usage policy prevents distribution of the interactive avatar to second devices that are not associated with the user.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the selection from the group of avatar characteristics includes a gender of the interactive avatar, a race of the interactive avatar, a color of hair, a color of eyes, options for facial and body features, a style of clothing, a personality, a voice quality, an age, a character disposition, or any combination thereof.