Risk mitigation in a virtual world

• US 20060178217A1
• Filed: 07/27/2005
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Lord, Robert W., Jung, Edward K.Y., Levien, Royce A., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, John D. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 8,096,882 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

Embodiments include an apparatus, device, system, computer-program product, and method. In an embodiment, a system includes a computer-simulated environment wherein a participant is able to take part. The system also includes a risk management element of the computer-simulated environment, and a computer storage medium operable to save a record of the arrangement.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a program comprising computer-readable instructions operable to manage a virtual world configured to interact with at least two participants over a network;

a risk mitigation module operable to facilitate an arrangement that includes a protection entity providing a benefit to a participant of the at least two participants (hereafter referred to as “

the participant”

) upon an occurrence of a defined loss in the virtual world in exchange for a consideration; and

a computer storage medium operable to save a record of the arrangement.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least two participants includes at least two participants who control their respective virtual identity in the virtual world.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least two participants who control their respective virtual identity in the virtual world include at least two participants who control their respective virtual identity having at least one attribute in the virtual world.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one attribute includes at least one of an attribute native to the virtual world, an attribute acquired from a source not native to the virtual world, an attribute created by another participant of the at least two participants, an attribute created by a third party, a weapon, a property, an asset, and/or an item.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the network includes at least one of a private computer network or a public computer network.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the network includes the Internet.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the risk mitigation module operable to facilitate an arrangement includes a risk mitigation module operable to facilitate at least one of forming the arrangement, facilitate an interaction between the participant and the protection entity, creating the arrangement, negotiating a term of the arrangement, revising the arrangement, resolution of disputes related to the arrangement, transferring the consideration, transferring a right of the participant in the arrangement, memorializing the arrangement, and notification regarding matters relevant to the arrangement.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the protection entity includes a participant protection entity.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the participant protection entity includes at least one of a real-world entity, a real-world entity engaged in a business of entering into contracts similar to the arrangement, a person, an individual, a virtual-world entity, a virtual-world entity engaged in a business of entering into contracts similar to the arrangement, a fictional protection entity, or an avatar of the virtual world.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the protection entity includes a non-participant protection entity.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the non-participant protection entity includes at least one of a provider of the virtual world, an operator of the virtual world, or a person associated with the virtual world.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the providing a benefit to the participant includes providing a virtual-world benefit to the participant.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the providing a benefit to the participant includes providing a real-world benefit to the participant.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the providing a benefit to the participant includes providing a compensation to the participant.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the providing a benefit to the participant includes providing an agreed upon benefit to the participant.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the providing a benefit to the participant includes providing a predetermined benefit to the participant.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the providing a benefit to the participant includes providing a benefit determined relative to a circumstance existing at an occurrence of the loss.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the providing a benefit to the participant includes providing a benefit that is a function of a participant attribute and/or environmental attribute measured at an occurrence of the loss.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the providing benefit to the participant includes providing an attribute replacement to the participant.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the providing an attribute replacement to the participant includes providing at least one of a replacement of an attribute, a resurrection of a virtual identity of the participant in the virtual world, a replacement of a virtual-world property, a payment of a virtual-world fine, and a satisfaction of a virtual-world punishment.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the loss includes a determinable contingency.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the loss includes at least one of loss occurring by reason of a harm, an injury, a death of the participant, a death of another participant, a damage, a casualty, a disability, and an imposed punitive obligation.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the loss includes a loss relative to a subject matter of the arrangement in which the participant has an interest.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the consideration includes a virtual-world consideration.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the virtual-world consideration includes a virtual-world money.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the virtual-world consideration includes at least one of an attribute, a right, a body part, a weapon, or a token.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein the consideration includes a real-world consideration.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the real-world consideration includes a real-world money.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein the consideration includes anything having a substantial value.

30. The system of claim 1, wherein the consideration includes a consideration provided by the participant.

31. The system of claim 1, wherein the consideration includes a consideration provided by another participant of the at least two participants.

32. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer storage medium operable to save a record of the arrangement includes a computer storage medium operable to save at least one of a record of a conveyance of the consideration to the protection entity, a record of the participant'"'"'s assent to the arrangement, a record of the protection entity'"'"'s assent to the arrangement, a record of an occurrence of the loss, or a record of any provision of the benefit.

33. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer storage medium operable to save a record of the arrangement includes a computer storage medium.

34. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a monetary module operable to manage a medium of exchange in the virtual world expressed as a virtual-world currency unit.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the virtual-world currency unit includes a virtual-world currency having a value in the virtual world and facilitating an exchange for goods and services.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the virtual-world currency having a value in the virtual world and facilitating an exchange for goods and services includes a virtual-world currency having a value in the virtual world and usable as at least one of the consideration and the benefit.

37. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual-world further comprises:

a native virtual-world medium of exchange expressed as a native virtual-world currency unit having a value in the virtual world; and

the system further comprises

a monetary module coupled with the virtual world, subject to control of another participant of the at least two participants, and operable to manage a secondary virtual-world medium of exchange expressed as a secondary virtual-world currency unit having a value in the virtual world and facilitating at least one of the benefit and the consideration.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the monetary module coupled with the virtual world includes a monetary module coupled with the virtual world and subject to control of the virtual world.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein the monetary module coupled with the virtual world includes a monetary module coupled with the virtual world and subject to control of another participant of the at least two participants.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the monetary module coupled with the virtual world and subject to control of another participant of the at least two participants includes monetary a module coupled with the virtual world and subject to control of a participant protection entity.

41. The system of claim 37, wherein the secondary virtual world currency includes a secondary virtual world currency having a value in another virtual world.

42. A method comprising:

operating a virtual world in communication with a plurality of players over a network;

enabling a player of the plurality of players (hereafter referred to as “

the player”

) and a risk distribution entity to form an agreement whereby a thing of value is conveyed to the risk distribution entity and the risk distribution entity undertakes to provide a benefit upon the player experiencing a specified loss in the virtual world; and

making a digital record of the arrangement.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the operating a virtual world includes operating at least one of an online interactive gaming environment, a massive multiplayer online game, or a massive multiplayer on-line role-playing game.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein the operating a virtual world includes operating at least one of a learning environment, an online community, and a participant interactive environment.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein the enabling a player and a risk distribution entity to form an agreement includes at least one of creating an opportunity for an interaction between the player and the risk distribution entity, providing a capability for the player and the risk distribution entity to form the arrangement, assisting an interaction between the player and the risk distribution entity, creating the agreement, negotiating a term of the agreement, revising a term of the agreement, resolving the agreement, transferring the consideration, transferring a right of the player in the agreement, and memorializing the agreement.

46. The method of claim 42, wherein the risk distribution entity includes an entity that shifts and/or distributes a risk of the specified loss among the plurality of players.

47. The method of claim 42, wherein the thing of value includes at least one of a thing having a value in virtual world and a thing having a value in the real world.

48. The method of claim 42, further comprising:

facilitating a transfer of the benefit in response to an indication that the player experienced the specified loss in the virtual world.

49. A computer program product, comprising:

(a) program instructions operable to perform a process in a computer system, the process comprising

communicating with a virtual world and with a participant,

providing an opportunity for the participant to make an arrangement with a protection entity that includes the protection entity providing a compensation upon a described loss being experienced in the virtual world in exchange for a consideration, and

creating a record of the arrangement; and

(b) a computer-readable signal-bearing medium bearing the program instructions.

50. The computer program product of claim 49, wherein the computer-readable signal-bearing medium includes a computer storage medium.

51. The computer program product of claim 49, wherein the computer-readable signal-bearing medium includes a communication medium.

52. The computer program product of claim 49, wherein the communicating with a virtual world and with a participant includes communicating with a virtual world and with a participant via a network.

53. The computer program product of claim 49, wherein the process further comprises

communicating between the virtual world and the protection entity.

54. The computer program product of claim 49, wherein the process further comprises

providing a notification of an occurrence of the described loss.

55. A system comprising:

a computer-simulated environment wherein a participant is able to take part;

a risk management element of the computer-simulated environment that facilitates an arrangement that includes a protection entity providing a future benefit to the participant upon an occurrence of a defined loss in the computer-simulated environment in exchange for a transfer of a thing of value to the protection entity; and

a computer storage medium operable to save a record of the arrangement.

56. The system of claim 55, further comprising:

a participant interface communication link that enables the participant to access to the computer-simulated environment and participate in the risk management element.

57. The system of claim 55, further comprising:

a protection entity interface communications link that enables the protection entity to access to the computer-simulated environment and participate in the risk management element.