Hybrid charge account for virtual world credit

• US 20060195378A1
• Filed: 02/28/2005
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Levien, Royce A., Jung, Edward K. Y., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, John D. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US11/069,906
• Publication Number:
  US 20060195378A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

A method and system provides for the use of credit arrangements in simulated environments. A user can participate in credit transactions involving purchases of virtual products, virtual services, and virtual items of value. Feedback is provided to the user regarding results of the credit transactions. In some embodiments multiple users can make simulated purchases or incur simulated credit obligations that are posted to virtual accounts, and the multiple users can also make simulated compensation against balances due or obligations owed for said virtual accounts. The user is also provided with an opportunity of engaging in real-world financial transactions related to the virtual credit arrangement. In some implementations of the system and method, multiple players at different locations can use virtual charge accounts and/or real world financial accounts in connection with arranging or resolving a virtual credit transaction. One implementation includes a virtual charge account service available for use in a fictional world environment, wherein account users and other fictional world participants can receive both fictional world benefits and real-world benefits.

Claims

1. A method of operating a credit account business in a fictional world environment, comprising:

providing a special charge account issued by a selected credit entity that includes both real-world benefits and fictional world benefits; and

advertising the special charge account in the fictional world environment.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said advertising the special charge account in the fictional world environment includes:

displaying in the fictional world environment an advertisement of the special charge account in association with a fictional world representation of a real-world brand and/or a real-world mark, and/or a real-world logo, and/or a real-world company name.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said advertising the special charge account in the fictional world environment includes:

displaying in the fictional world environment an advertisement of the special charge account in association with a representation of a fictional world brand and/or a fictional world mark, and/or a fictional world logo, and/or a fictional world company name.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said advertising the special charge account in the fictional world environment includes:

providing publicity activity that incorporates text and/or graphics and/or images and/or sound.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said providing publicity activity includes:

providing sponsorship of an event and/or an activity and/or a location in the virtual world environment by or on behalf of the selected credit entity.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said providing publicity activity includes:

making provision for the selected credit entity to assume a character role in the virtual world environment

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said providing the special charge account includes:

providing fictional world benefits pursuant to the credit arrangement giving fictional world value to a special charge account user in exchange for future compensation owed to the selected credit entity.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said giving fictional world value to the special charge account user includes:

giving fictional world money to the special charge account user in advance of repayment.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said giving fictional world value to the special charge account user includes:

giving fictional non-monetary value tokens to the special charge account user in advance or repayment.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein said giving fictional world value to the special charge account user includes:

giving authorization for the special charge account user to have access to restricted places and/or restricted events in the fictional world environment.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein said providing fictional world benefits pursuant to the credit arrangement includes:

accepting a real-world monetary fee as payment of the future compensation owed to the selected credit entity.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein said providing fictional world benefits pursuant to the credit arrangement includes:

accepting a fictional world monetary fee as payment of the future compensation owed to the selected credit entity.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein said providing fictional world benefits pursuant to the credit arrangement includes:

accepting something of fictional world value as payment of the future compensation owed to the selected credit entity.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said providing a special charge account includes:

providing real world benefits to a special charge account user which result in discounted fees and/or extended time privileges for participation in the fictional world environment.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein said providing the special charge account includes:

providing fictional world benefits as an award to the special charge account user based on a performance record for real-world transactions involving the special charge account.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

enabling a prospective customer to make application in the fictional world environment for the special charge account.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

issuing the special charge account to a real-world entity or real-world person that will be responsible for real-world obligations and fictional world obligations incurred by usage of the special charge account.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

giving a new player in the virtual world environment access to informational materials related to the special charge account.

19. The method of claim 1 incorporated in one or more computer program products comprising a medium having program instructions thereon.

20. A computer program product having one or more computer programs for executing a computer process, the computer process comprising:

operating a credit account business in a fictional world environment;

advertising the credit account business in the fictional world environment; and

enabling features of the credit account business to include both real-world benefits and fictional world benefits.

21. The computer program product of claim 20 wherein said advertising the credit account business includes:

displaying a real-world brand and/or a real-world mark and/or a real-world logo and/or a real-world company name.

22. The computer program product of claim 20 wherein said advertising the credit account business includes:

displaying a fictional world brand and/or a fictional world mark and/or a fictional world logo and/or a fictional world company name.

23. The computer program product of claim 20 wherein the computer process further comprises:

issuing a credit account to a real-world entity or person responsible for obligations based on usage of the credit account.

24. The computer program product of claim 20 wherein said enabling features of the credit account business includes:

giving fictional world value to a credit account user in advance of repayment.

25. The computer program product of claim 24 wherein said giving fictional world value includes:

giving authorization for access to restricted places and/or restricted events in the fictional world environment.

26. The computer program product of claim 24 wherein said giving fictional world value includes:

giving at least one of the following to the credit account user;

fictional world money, and fictional non-monetary value tokens.

27. The computer program product of claim 24 wherein said enabling features of the credit account business includes:

accepting fictional world compensation as at least part of the repayment.

28. The computer program product of claim 24 wherein said enabling features of the credit account business includes:

accepting real-world compensation as at least part of the repayment.

29. A system for operating a credit business in a fictional world environment comprising:

a fictional world environment having a communication link accessible to one or more participants; and

a virtual credit account business available in the fictional world environment for use by the one or more participants, wherein said virtual credit account business includes a virtual credit account providing an opportunity for the one or more participants to participate in fictional world credit transactions that involve both fictional world benefits and real-world benefits.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the fictional world environment further comprises:

database records capable of storing and updating information relating to fictional world transactions charged to the virtual credit account.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein said database records are capable of storing and updating advances of fictional world value given to an account user in exchange for future compensation.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein said database records are capable of storing and updating a repayment of the future compensation made one or more of the following:

real-world money, fictional world money, non-monetary fictional world value tokens.

33. The system of claim 30 wherein said database records are capable of storing identity information for a real-world entity or person responsible for real-world obligations of the virtual credit account.

34. The system of claim 30 wherein said database records are capable of storing identity information for a real-world entity or person responsible for fictional world obligations of the virtual credit account.

35. The system of claim 29 wherein the virtual credit account can be used for real-world credit transactions.

36. The system of claim 29 wherein the fictional world environment further comprises:

database records capable of storing and updating information relating to real-world transactions charged to the virtual credit account.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein the virtual credit account business provides fictional world benefits to a virtual credit account user based on performance information in the database records related to the real-world transactions charged to the virtual credit account.

38. The system of claim 29 wherein said fictional world environment enables the virtual credit account business to involve one or more of the following:

fictional world owner, fictional world operator, third party virtual business entity, real-world credit entity, fictional world credit entity, fictional world player, fictional world participant, and fictional world character.