Real world interaction with virtual world privileges

• US 20070073614A1
• Filed: 09/15/2005
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Jung, Edward, Malamud, Mark, Lord, Robert, Levien, Royce, Rinaldo, John
• Application Number:
  US11/228,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20070073614A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0215 Including financial accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0268 at point-of-sale [POS]

Abstract

A method and system provides arrangements creating a relationship between a real-world entity and a virtual world environment. A participant or player can participate in various virtual world entertainment, educational, and transactional activities. Feedback may be provided and records kept regarding the virtual world activities and transactions. The participant or player may have an opportunity of engaging in real-world activities and transactions in order to obtain a promotional virtual world premium or privilege. In some implementations, multiple players at different locations can be involved in the virtual world and real-world activities and transactions that involve and may be affected by the virtual world premium or privilege.

Claims

1. A method of providing a virtual world premium as part of a real-world activity, comprising:

identifying a real-world clientele for a real-world enterprise;

establishing an identity of one or more designated multi-player virtual world environments; and

offering the virtual world premium that is valid in the one or more virtual world environments as a promotional benefit awarded by or on behalf of the real-world enterprise to a current or prospective member of the real-world clientele, which virtual world premium can be utilized at a future time at the one or more virtual world environments.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said offering the virtual world premium includes:

offering a type of virtual world premium as the promotional benefit that can be utilized by a virtual world character selected by the current or prospective member of the real-world clientele.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said offering the virtual world premium includes:

offering a type of virtual world premium as a consequence of an activity involving the real-world enterprise.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said offering the type of virtual world premium as the consequence includes:

offering the type of virtual world premium as the consequence of one or more purchases of a product and/or service associated with the real-world enterprise.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

establishing a real-world identification of the current or prospective member of the real-world clientele.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

directing advertising and promotional material regarding the virtual world premium to be communicated to the current or prospective member of the real-world clientele.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said directing advertising and promotional material includes:

directing the advertising and promotional material to be communicated via one or more of the following types of communications;

website, poster, billboard, media ad, email message;

telephone message;

postal message, delivery, representative, database list, mailing list, contact list, third party list, point-of-sale display, and sales receipt.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein said establishing the real-world identification includes:

establishing the real-world identification as at least a partial basis for the virtual world premium to be deemed valid.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing real-world point-of-sale advertising to the current or prospective member of the real-world clientele regarding an available type of virtual world premium.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing an authorization voucher from or on behalf of the real-world enterprise, which authorization voucher entitles the current or prospective member of the real-world clientele to utilize the virtual world premium.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said providing the authorization voucher includes:

providing a non-transferable type of authorization voucher that can be utilized only by an original recipient.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said providing the non-transferable type of authorization voucher includes:

incorporating on the non-transferable type of authorization voucher a real-world identification of the original recipient.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said providing the non-transferable type of authorization voucher includes:

incorporating on the non-transferable type of authorization voucher an identification of a virtual world character selected by the original recipient.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein said providing the authorization voucher includes:

providing a transferable type of authorization voucher that can be utilized by someone who has possession of the authorization voucher.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein said providing the authorization voucher includes:

providing an encoded authorization voucher associated with a particular type of promotional benefit.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said providing the encoded authorization voucher includes:

providing the encoded authorization voucher associated with one or more of the following types of promotional benefits;

extra on-line time, extra activity time, transferable premium, transferable attribute, non-transferable premium, non-transferable attribute, premium with expiration date, value token, experience token, virtual currency, discounted virtual world fee, discounted fee for family member, entrance access to event, entrance access to activity;

entrance access to a level, character benefit, new character ability, enhanced character ability, removal of access restriction, relaxing of access restriction, removal of participation limitation, relaxing of participation limitation, enhanced presence, enhanced stature, group membership, offer of group membership, invitation to virtual world membership, and sponsorship of new virtual world member.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a transferable authorization receipt to a recipient that has purchased a product and/or service associated with the real-world enterprise.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said providing the transferable authorization receipt includes:

providing the transferable authorization receipt that is transferable to a real-world person or entity.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said providing the transferable authorization receipt includes:

providing the transferable authorization receipt that is transferable from a virtual character to another virtual character.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a non-transferable authorization receipt to a recipient that has purchased a product/and or service associated with the real-world enterprise.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein said offering the virtual world premium includes:

offering two or more different virtual world premiums that can be utilized in two or more virtual world environments, respectively.

22. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

offering a choice of one or more different types of the virtual world premium; and

allowing the virtual world premium to be selected by the current or prospective member of the real-world clientele.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein said offering two or more different virtual world premiums includes:

offering at least two or more different types of the virtual world premium based at least in part on a type and/or amount of purchase made by a recipient of the virtual world premium.

24. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a confirmation of the awarded virtual world benefit, which confirmation can be communicated to the one or more virtual world environments by one or more of the following techniques;

email message, email attachment, fax transmission, scanned document, encoded card, telephonic transmission, web-page input, and digital transceiver.

25. A method for providing a virtual world privilege, comprising:

identifying a multi-player virtual world environment that is willing to validate a promotional virtual world benefit awarded to a party in connection with a real-world product and/or service; and

implementing a procedure giving the awarded promotional virtual world benefit to the party that actually purchases the product and/or service, which promotional virtual world benefit can be utilized by the party at a future time in the virtual world environment.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

forwarding to the virtual world environment a confirmation of the awarded promotional virtual world benefit.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said forwarding to the virtual world environment includes:

forwarding a real-world identification of the party.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein said forwarding to the virtual world environment includes:

forwarding an identification of a virtual character associated with the party.

29. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

providing a confirmation of the awarded promotional virtual world benefit to one or more of the following;

party, party'"'"'s agent, party'"'"'s representative, transferee, gift donee, designated group, and virtual world environment.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein said providing the confirmation includes:

providing a transferable confirmation that allows the party to designate another real-world person or entity to utilize the awarded promotional virtual world benefit.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein said providing the confirmation includes:

providing the confirmation that allows the party to designate a virtual character to utilize the awarded promotional virtual world benefit.

32. The method of claim 29 wherein said providing the confirmation includes:

providing a non-transferable confirmation that enables only an original recipient to utilize the awarded promotional virtual world benefit.

33. The method of claim 25 wherein said implementing the procedure giving the promotional virtual world award to the party includes:

providing confirmation of the awarded promotional virtual world benefit at or about the time the party actually purchases the product and/or service.

34. The method of claim 25 wherein said implementing the procedure giving the promotional virtual world award to the party includes:

providing confirmation of the awarded promotional virtual world benefit, which confirmation includes one or more of the following parameters;

authorization code, date code, type of premium code, distributor code, identity of real-world entity, transferable premium, non-transferable premium, real-world identification of original recipient, real-world identification of submitter, virtual character of submitter, virtual character to receive benefit of premium, and group of virtual characters to receive benefit of premium.

35. The method of claim 25 incorporated as program instructions in one or more computer program products.

36. The method of 35 further comprising a signal medium and/or a storage medium for encoding the program instructions.

37. A computerized system for validating a virtual world premium, comprising:

a computer server for creating a multi-player virtual world environment;

a database record operable coupled to the computer server, which database record provides a listing of the virtual world premium that is authorized for distribution by a real-world entity; and

a processing module having a communication connection to the database record and configured to validate the virtual world premium submitted by or on behalf of a patron of the multi-player virtual world environment.

38. The computerized system of claim 37 wherein said database record includes:

a listing of multiple types of virtual world premiums.

39. The computerized system of claim 37 wherein said database record includes:

a listing of one or more virtual word premiums authorized for distribution by a plurality of different real-world entities.

40. The computerized system of claim 37 wherein said computer server includes:

a control module operably connected to said processing module and configured to implement a consequence associated with the patron of the virtual world environment and/or a virtual character.

41. The computerized system of claim 37 wherein said computer server includes:

a control module operably connected to said processing module and configured to implement one or more of the following types of virtual world consequences;

extra on-line time, extra activity time, transferable premium, transferable attribute, non-transferable premium, non-transferable attribute, premium with expiration date, value token, experience token, virtual currency, discounted virtual world fee, discounted fee for family member, entrance access to event, entrance access to activity;

entrance access to a level, character benefit, new character ability, enhanced character ability, removal of access restriction, relaxing of access restriction, removal of participation limitation, relaxing of participation limitation, enhanced presence, enhanced stature, group membership, offer of group membership, invitation to virtual world membership, and sponsorship of new virtual world member.

42. The computerized system of claim 37 wherein said processing module is configured to recognize one or more of the following parameters as part of a validation procedure for the virtual world premium:

authorization code, date code, type of premium code, distributor code, identity of real-world entity, transferable premium, non-transferable premium, real-world identification of original recipient, real-world identification of submitter, virtual character of submitter, virtual character to receive benefit of premium, and group of virtual characters to receive benefit of premium.

43. The computerized system of claim 37 wherein said processing module is configured to receive confirmation of the virtual world premium via one or more of the following techniques:

email message, email attachment, fax transmission, printed document, scanned document, encoded card, telephonic transmission, web-page input, and digital transceiver.

44. A system for providing a virtual world promotional benefit to a clientele of a real-world enterprise, comprising:

a point-of-sale processing unit capable of generating a confirmation of a virtual world premium awarded to a customer of a real-world product or service; and

an encoding module operably coupled with the point-of-sale processing unit, which encoding module incorporates one or more parameters as part of the confirmation to enable redemption and validation of the virtual world premium at one or more virtual world environments.

45. The system of claim 44 wherein said processing unit generates the confirmation of the virtual world premium based on an actual purchase of the real-world product or service by the customer.

46. The system of claim 44 wherein said encoding module incorporates one or more of the following types of parameters as part of the confirmation:

authorization code, date code, type of premium code, distributor code, identity of real-world entity, transferable premium, non-transferable premium, real-world identification of original recipient, real-world identification of submitter, virtual character of submitter, virtual character to receive benefit of premium, and group of virtual characters to receive benefit of premium.

47. A computer program product comprising:

a) program instructions configured to perform a process that associates information in computer system, the process including

providing a multi-player virtual world environment,

making a record of one or more types of a virtual world premium that can be distributed by or on behalf of a real-world enterprise to a current or prospective customer,

receiving and validating a confirmation of the virtual world premium awarded to the current or prospective customer of the real-world enterprise,

implementing a virtual world benefit associated with the virtual world premium;

and

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

48. The computer program product of claim 47, wherein said process further includes:

receiving and validating the confirmation transmitted via one or more of the following techniques;

email message, email attachment, fax transmission, printed document, scanned document, encoded card, telephonic transmission, web-page input, and digital transceiver.

49. The computer program product of claim 47, wherein said process further includes:

implementing one or more of the following types of virtual world benefit;

extra on-line time, extra activity time, transferable premium, transferable attribute, non-transferable premium, non-transferable attribute, premium with expiration date, value token, experience token, virtual currency, discounted virtual world fee, discounted fee for family member, entrance access to event, entrance access to activity;

entrance access to a level, character benefit, new character ability, enhanced character ability, removal of access restriction, relaxing of access restriction, removal of participation limitation, relaxing of participation limitation, enhanced presence, enhanced stature, group membership, offer of group membership, invitation to virtual world membership, and sponsorship of new virtual world member.

50. The computer program product of claim 47, wherein said computer readable signal-bearing media includes:

a storage medium and/or a communication medium for encoding the program instructions.