System and method for virtual entity access

• US 20050216367A1
• Filed: 11/21/2003
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Spyder Navigations LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Chipchase, Jan
• Granted Patent: US 7,752,451 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials

Abstract

Systems and methods applicable, for example, in allowing a user to come to possess a physical entity that allows for the receipt, use, access, and/or the like of a virtual entity (e.g., a media item, software, a service, data, and/or the like). A number of form factors for physical entities might be available. Available form factors might include, for example, images, jewelry, toys, clothing, iron-ons, straps, cards, nail treatments, temporary tattoos, stickers, figurines, and/or the like. Various attributes of a physical entity might, for example, be definable and/or selectable by a user.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating virtual entity access, comprising:

receiving specification of a virtual entity;

receiving specification of a physical entity form factor;

receiving specification of one or more physical entity cosmetic attributes; and

providing a physical entity,

wherein said physical entity has said form factor and said cosmetic attributes, and

wherein said physical entity is employable in accessing said virtual entity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said physical entity includes a storage element.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein data held in said storage element is employable in accessing said virtual entity.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein data held in said storage element includes a link pointing to said virtual entity.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said data is read by a user device.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said storage element is a radio frequency identification tag.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein said virtual entity exists in said storage element.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said virtual entity exists at a remote location.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said virtual entity exists at a user device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said virtual entity is a media item.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said virtual entity is a service.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said form factor is a temporary tattoo.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said form factor is a nail treatment.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said form factor is jewelry.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said cosmetic attributes include one or more decorations.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said cosmetic attributes include one or more designs.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said cosmetic attributes are defined by a user.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said cosmetic attributes are predefined.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein access restrictions are imposed for said virtual entity.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein payment is provided.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein there is a correlation between payment amount and access restrictions imposed for said virtual entity.

22. A method for virtual entity access, comprising:

reading data from a storage element of a physical entity; and

employing said data in accessing a virtual entity,

wherein said physical entity has a user-specified form factor, and

wherein said physical entity has one or more user-specified cosmetic attributes.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said storage element is a radio frequency identification tag.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said virtual entity exists in said storage element.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein said virtual entity exists at a remote location.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein said virtual entity exists at a user device.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein said virtual entity is a media item.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein said virtual entity is a service.

29. The method of claim 22 wherein said form factor is a temporary tattoo.

30. The method of claim 22 wherein said form factor is a nail treatment.

31. The method of claim 22 wherein said form factor is jewelry.

32. The method of claim 22, wherein said cosmetic attributes include one or more decorations.

33. The method of claim 22, wherein said cosmetic attributes include one or more designs.

34. The method of claim 22, wherein said cosmetic attributes are defined by a user.

35. The method of claim 22, wherein said cosmetic attributes are predefined.

36. The method of claim 22, wherein access restrictions are imposed for said virtual entity.

37. A system for facilitating virtual entity access, comprising:

a memory having program code stored therein; and

a processor disposed in communication with said memory for carrying out instructions in accordance with said stored program code;

wherein said program code, when executed by said processor, causes said processor to perform;

receiving specification of a virtual entity;

receiving specification of a physical entity form factor;

receiving specification of one or more physical entity cosmetic attributes; and

providing a physical entity,

wherein said physical entity has said form factor and said cosmetic attributes, and

wherein said physical entity is employable in accessing said virtual entity.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein said physical entity includes a storage element.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein data held in said storage element is employable in accessing said virtual entity.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein said data is read by a user device.

41. The system of claim 38, wherein said storage element is a radio frequency identification tag.

42. The system of claim 38, wherein said virtual entity exists in said storage element.

43. The system of claim 37, wherein said virtual entity exists at a remote location.

44. The system of claim 37, wherein said virtual entity exists at a user device.

45. The system of claim 37, wherein said virtual entity is a media item.

46. The system of claim 37, wherein said virtual entity is software.

47. The system of claim 37 wherein said form factor is a temporary tattoo.

48. The system of claim 37 wherein said form factor is a nail treatment.

49. The system of claim 37 wherein said form factor is jewelry.

50. The system of claim 37, wherein said cosmetic attributes include one or more decorations.

51. The system of claim 37, wherein said cosmetic attributes include one or more designs.

52. The system of claim 37, wherein said cosmetic attributes are defined by a user.

53. The system of claim 37, wherein said cosmetic attributes are predefined.

54. The system of claim 37, wherein access restrictions are imposed for said virtual entity.

55. A system for virtual entity access, comprising:

a memory having program code stored therein; and

a processor disposed in communication with said memory for carrying out instructions in accordance with said stored program code;

wherein said program code, when executed by said processor, causes said processor to perform;

reading data from a storage element of a physical entity; and

employing said data in accessing a virtual entity,

wherein said physical entity has a user-specified form factor, and

wherein said physical entity has one or more user-specified cosmetic attributes.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein said storage element is a radio frequency identification tag.

57. The system of claim 55, wherein said virtual entity exists in said storage element.

58. The system of claim 55, wherein said virtual entity exists at a remote location.

59. The system of claim 55, wherein said virtual entity exists at a user device.

60. The system of claim 55, wherein said virtual entity is a media item.

61. The system of claim 55, wherein said virtual entity is a service.

62. The system of claim 55 wherein said form factor is a temporary tattoo.

63. The system of claim 55 wherein said form factor is a nail treatment.

64. The system of claim 55 wherein said form factor is jewelry.

65. The system of claim 55, wherein said cosmetic attributes include one or more decorations.

66. The system of claim 55, wherein said cosmetic attributes include one or more designs.

67. The system of claim 55, wherein said cosmetic attributes are defined by a user.

68. The system of claim 55, wherein said cosmetic attributes are predefined.

69. The system of claim 55, wherein access restrictions are imposed for said virtual entity.

70. A system for facilitating virtual entity access, comprising:

a memory having program code stored therein;

physical entity provisioning hardware; and

a processor disposed in communication with said memory for carrying out instructions in accordance with said stored program code, wherein said processor is further disposed in communication with said physical entity provisioning hardware;

wherein said program code, when executed by said processor, causes said processor to perform;

receiving specification of a virtual entity;

receiving specification of a physical entity form factor;

receiving specification of one or more physical entity cosmetic attributes; and

providing a physical entity by action of said physical entity provisioning hardware,

wherein said physical entity has said form factor and said cosmetic attributes, and

wherein said physical entity is employable in accessing said virtual entity.

71. An article of manufacture comprising a computer readable medium containing program code that when executed causes a computerized vending machine to perform:

receiving specification of a virtual entity;

receiving specification of a physical entity form factor;

receiving specification of one or more physical entity cosmetic attributes; and

providing a physical entity,

wherein said physical entity has said form factor and said cosmetic attributes, and

wherein said physical entity is employable in accessing said virtual entity.