Secure virtual marketplace for virtual objects and services

• US 20030014423A1
• Filed: 05/02/2002
• Published: 01/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services GmbH (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Hughes, Lucian P., Chuah, Mei
• Granted Patent: US 7,249,139 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/102
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/289 Object oriented databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

Methods and apparatus implementing a technique for providing a secured virtual marketplace. In general, in one aspect, the technique includes maintaining a list of virtual objects as well as data format information for each of a plurality of virtual environment systems. Each virtual object is represented by data. The data format information for a virtual environment system specifies a format that data must have to be processable by the virtual environment system. The techniques includes receiving a request to distribute one or more virtual objects from the list of virtual objects, the request identifying the virtual objects to be distributed and the virtual environment system with which the virtual objects are to interact. The technique includes formatting, in accordance with the data format information and the request, data representing the one or more virtual objects to be distributed and further includes distributing the one or more virtual objects.

Claims

1. A method for distributing virtual objects, comprising:

maintaining a list of virtual objects, each virtual object represented by data;

maintaining data format information for each of a plurality of virtual environment systems, the data format information for a virtual environment system specifying a format that data must have to be processable by the virtual environment system;

receiving a request to distribute one or more virtual objects from the list of virtual objects, the request identifying the virtual objects to be distributed and the virtual environment system with which the virtual objects are to interact;

formatting, in accordance with the data format information and the request, data representing the one or more virtual objects to be distributed; and

distributing the one or more virtual objects.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining ownership information for each virtual object in the list of virtual objects, the ownership information for a virtual object identifying a user who owns the virtual object;

receiving a request to trade one or more virtual objects between a first user and a second user, the trade request identifying the virtual objects to be traded and identifying the first and second users; and

modifying the ownership information for the one or more virtual objects to be traded to indicate ownership in accordance with the request to trade one or more virtual objects.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

verifying that a trade as specified by the trade request is authorized, including verifying from the ownership information that the first and second users own the one or more virtual objects specified in the trade request.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining ownership information for each virtual object in the list of virtual objects, the ownership information for a virtual object identifying a user who owns the virtual object; and

verifying that a distribution specified by the distribute request is authorized, including verifying that any distribution of the one or more virtual objects to be distributed is authorized by respective users who owns the one or more virtual objects.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining charge accounts for users; and

charging the charge account for transactions requested by the users.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

checking the status of a charge account of a user in response to a request; and

denying a request when the user has no charge account or when the user'"'"'s charge account has insufficient funds.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining form information for virtual objects in the list of virtual objects, the form information for a virtual object specifying a form of the object for a given virtual environment system, wherein the form of a virtual objects depends on the virtual environment system with which the virtual object interacts.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a request to distribute one or more virtual objects includes receiving a request specifying an avatar to whom the one or more virtual objects are to be distributed, the avatar being controlled by a user who owns the one or more virtual objects, the method further comprising:

tracking the avatar'"'"'s possession of virtual objects distributed; and

updating the ownership information to reflect any change of possession of the one or more virtual objects distributed.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein tracking includes:

taking an inventory of virtual objects distributed to the avatar before or when the avatar enters a virtual world generated by one of the plurality of virtual environment systems;

taking an inventory of virtual objects in the avatar'"'"'s possession after or when the avatar exits the virtual world;

determining which virtual objects the avatar has gained or lost during the avatar'"'"'s session in the virtual world; and

updating the ownership information to reflect any changes in ownership of the virtual objects distributed.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

placing any of the distributed virtual objects that were lost in a lost-or-destroyed list;

placing any of the distributed virtual objects that were gained in a gain list;

comparing the lost-or-destroyed list and the gain list; and

designating as potential fraud any inconsistency between the lost-or-destroyed list and the gain list.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein tracking includes:

receiving updates of possession from a virtual environment system that is interacting with one or more virtual objects from the list of virtual objects, the updates reporting when a change of possession occurs and identifying who has possession; and

updating the ownership information to reflect any changes in ownership of the virtual objects distributed.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining a unique identifier for each virtual object in the list of virtual objects; and

designating as potential fraud any virtual object that has a duplicate unique identifier.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to attach a virtual object in the list of virtual objects to a function local to a virtual environment system;

verifying that the requested form can be attached to the function;

retrieving the function from the virtual environment system;

attaching the virtual object to the function; and

distributing the virtual object.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining a supply chain to provide a supply of virtual objects.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein number of virtual objects are finite in the supply chain and the list of virtual objects, the method further comprising:

tracking the usage of virtual objects in the list of virtual objects; and

adjusting the supply of virtual objects in the database to increase profits.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein maintaining a supply chains includes:

receiving a virtual object design; and

generating a virtual object from the virtual object design.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

optionally associating meta-data with the virtual object generated.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein associating meta-data includes:

adding any combination of brand and trademark information to an image of the virtual object.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein maintaining a supply chains further comprises:

classifying the virtual object and associating the classification with the virtual object.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to verify ownership of a distributed virtual object, the request generated by a user controlling an avatar interacting inside a virtual world;

retrieving the ownership information of the distributed virtual object; and

returning the ownership information.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein:

returning the ownership information includes sending the information to a virtual environment system that is generating the virtual world for presentation to the user from within the virtual world.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein:

returning the ownership information includes sending the information to the user without sending such information to virtual world.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating with virtual objects from the list of virtual objects any combination of brand and trademark information;

receiving a request to verify that a brand or trademark that appears on a virtual object is authentic, the request identifying the brand or trademark and the virtual object;

verifying that the brand or trademark identified in the request is associated with the virtual object identified in the request; and

reporting whether the brand or trademark is authentic based on the verification.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating a virtual object on the list of virtual objects with a real world object.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein associating includes:

maintaining a unique identification for each virtual object in the list of virtual objects, wherein the identification can be represented by a physical mark, including a bar code; and

attaching the physical mark of one or more virtual objects in the list of virtual objects to a corresponding real world object.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving a request to change ownership information of a virtual object associated with a real world object, the request including the unique identification scanned from the physical mark on the corresponding real world object and further including the identity of a user who is the new owner of the virtual object; and

updating the ownership information to reflect the new ownership.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein:

the server is further configured to interact with additional virtual environment systems;

the database is further configured to maintain data format information for each of the virtual environment systems with which the server is configured to interact, the data format information for a virtual environment system specifying a data format recognizable by the virtual environment system;

a distribute request specifies the virtual environment system to which the virtual objects are to be distributed; and

the server is further configured to retrieve the data format information and format the virtual objects specified in the distribute request in accordance with the data format information.

27. A virtual marketplace system, the system comprising:

a database configured for maintaining a list of virtual objects and for maintaining ownership information, wherein the owner ship information specifies an owner for each virtual object; and

a server configured for interaction with the database, with a virtual environment system, and with users, the interaction including receiving a trade request from a first user and a second user to trade virtual objects in the list of virtual objects, wherein the server is operable to access the database and verify that the first and second users are owners of their respective virtual objects, and further operable to change the ownership information in the database in accordance with the trade request, the interaction further including receiving a distribute request to distribute the exchanged virtual objects for interaction with the virtual environment system, wherein the server is operable to retrieve the virtual objects and corresponding data format information from the data base and distribute the formatted virtual objects to the virtual environment system.

29. A method for distributing virtual objects, comprising:

maintaining a list of virtual objects, each virtual object represented by data;

maintaining settlement information for each virtual objects, including entities who own rights to intellectual property included with each virtual object;

receiving a request for a transaction involving one or more virtual objects from the list of virtual objects, the request specifying the transaction and identifying the virtual objects;

performing the transaction in accordance with the request; and

settling in accordance the settlement information and the transaction.