Use of patron profiles in virtual world environment

• US 20070112624A1
• Filed: 11/15/2005
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2005
• 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:
  US11/274,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20070112624A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.360
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

A method and system provides arrangements creating a relationship between a real-world entity and a virtual world environment. A virtual world patron can participate in various virtual world activities and transactions. Feedback may be provided and records kept regarding the virtual world activities and transactions. The virtual world patron may be a possible recipient of a real-world consequence or benefit based on a virtual world occurrence. In some instances confirmation of an awarded real-world benefit may be provided via a communication interconnection. Real-world profile data may be used in connection with promotional activities in a virtual world environment.

Claims

1. An automated method of providing a particular benefit to a virtual world patron, comprising:

obtaining real-world profile data relating to the virtual world patron;

making a possible real-world benefit available in a virtual world environment to the virtual world patron, which real-world benefit is correlated with the real-world profile data; and

awarding the real-world benefit.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said making the possible real-world benefit available includes:

making the possible real-world benefit available within a program incorporated in the virtual world environment.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said making the possible real-world benefit available includes:

making the possible real-world benefit available within a program operating separately from the virtual world environment.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing award confirmation data via a communication interconnection.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said providing the award confirmation data includes:

automatically storing the award confirmation data.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

making the award confirmation accessible to one or more of the following;

virtual world patron, real-world benefit provider, agent of real-world benefit provider, designated recipient, agent of virtual world patron, representative of virtual world patron, interested third party;

group, entity with virtual world oversight, entity designated by virtual world patron, virtual world location, other virtual world party, other virtual world player, virtual world owner, virtual world operator, parent of virtual world patron, supervisory entity, certification entity, and entity with relationship to virtual world patron.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein said providing the award confirmation data includes:

providing award confirmation data using one or more of the following communication interconnection techniques;

wireless transmission, cable, wired connection, telephonic transmission, email, virtual world storage media, virtual world database, virtual world website, mobile memory device, public database, shared database, hardcopy delivery, personal storage medium, public storage medium, encoded message, deferred transmission, aggregated transmission, store-and-forward transmission, cached transmission, point-to-point transmission, and direct transmission, and broadcast.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said awarding the real-world benefit includes:

requiring completion of a virtual world pre-condition by the virtual world patron or by its associated virtual character as at least a partial basis for awarding the real-world benefit.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said requiring completion of the virtual world pre-condition includes:

providing a virtual world pre-condition that is related to the real-world benefit.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein said requiring completion of the virtual world pre-condition includes:

providing a virtual world pre-condition that is not related to the real-world benefit.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein said requiring completion of the virtual world pre-condition includes:

providing a virtual world pre-condition that is related to the real-world profile.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein said requiring completion of the virtual world pre-condition includes:

providing a virtual world pre-condition that is not related to the real-world profile

13. The method of claim 8 wherein said requiring completion of the virtual world pre-condition includes:

providing a virtual world pre-condition that includes a requirement for giving something of virtual world value by or on behalf of the virtual world patron.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein said requiring completion of the virtual world pre-condition includes:

providing a virtual world pre-condition that includes a requirement for giving something of real-world value by or on behalf of the virtual world patron.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein said making the possible real-world benefit available to the virtual world patron includes:

making two or more different real-world benefits available to the virtual world patron; and

allowing the virtual world patron to make a selection from among the two or more different real-world benefits.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein said awarding the real-world benefit includes:

allowing the virtual world patron to designate another party to be a recipient of the real-world benefit.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein said obtaining real-world profile data includes:

obtaining one or more of the following type of relevant factors applicable to the virtual world patron;

membership, affiliation, subscription, affinity, similarity, demography, categorization, taxonomy, status, condition, health, mobility, communication interface, network linkage, skill, experience, aptitude, trait, personality, characteristics, interests, and relationships.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said making the possible real-world benefit available includes:

correlating a possible real-world benefit based at least in part on establishing a virtual world patron'"'"'s nexus with an aforesaid type of relevant factors.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said making the possible real-world benefit available includes:

correlating a possible real-world benefit based at least in part on establishing a virtual world patron'"'"'s non-involvement or void with respect to an aforesaid type of relevant factors.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein said obtaining real-world profile data includes:

obtaining an identification of one or more real-world entities that have an account or other relationship with the virtual world patron; and

wherein said making the possible real-world benefit available includes providing a possible real-world benefit pertaining to the one or more real-world entities.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein said obtaining real-world profile data includes:

obtaining an identification of one or more calendar events involving the virtual world patron; and

wherein said making the possible real-world benefit available includes providing a possible real-world benefit pertaining to the one or more calendar events.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein said obtaining real-world profile data includes:

obtaining information regarding one or more type of items owned or used or encountered by the virtual world patron; and

wherein said making the possible real-world benefit available includes providing a possible real-world benefit pertaining to the one or more type of items.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein said obtaining real-world profile data includes:

obtaining information regarding one or more type of services used by or associated with the virtual world patron; and

wherein said making the possible real-world benefit available includes providing a possible real-world benefit pertaining to the one or more type of services.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein said obtaining real-world profile data includes:

obtaining identification of one or more type of transportation vehicles owned or used by the virtual world patron; and

wherein said making the possible real-world benefit available includes providing a possible real-world benefit pertaining to the one or more type of transportation vehicles.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein said obtaining real-world profile data includes:

obtaining identification of one or more type of communication devices owned or used by the virtual world patron; and

wherein said making the possible real-world benefit available includes providing a possible real-world benefit pertaining to the one or more type of communication devices owned or used by the virtual world patron.

26. The method of claim 1 wherein said obtaining real-world profile data includes:

obtaining identification of one or more type of products owned or used or encountered by the virtual world patron; and

wherein said making the possible real-world benefit available includes providing a possible real-world benefit pertaining to the one or more type of products.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein said obtaining real-world profile data includes:

obtaining information regarding one or more of the following real-world profile data elements related to the virtual world patron;

account, calendar date, item, product, apparatus, service, vehicle, and communication device; and

wherein said making the possible real-world benefit available includes correlating a possible real-world benefit based at least in part on determining an existence or non-existence of an aforesaid real-world profile data element.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said correlating the possible real-world benefit includes:

establishing a category or type or brand or source or location or specific identity of the aforesaid type of profile data elements.

29. The method of claim 1 wherein said obtaining real-world profile data includes:

obtaining the real-world profile data by using one or more of the following techniques;

data request, data request at initial virtual world sign-up procedure;

data request at logon;

data request at logoff, prompt, prompt based on changed profile information, prompt based on award of related benefit, prompt incorporated with potential benefit notification, prompt related to type of virtual world participation, request based on changed profile information, request based on related benefit, request related to type of virtual world participation, request during virtual world activity, request prior to virtual world activity;

request after virtual world activity;

notification, notification by virtual world patron, notification by party related to virtual world patron, notification by virtual character, third party source, database source, public record, and non-public record.

30. A method of making a real-world opportunity available, comprising:

obtaining real-world profile data for one or more virtual world patrons;

making a possible real-world benefit available to the one or more virtual world patrons, which real-world benefit is correlated with information in the real-world profile data; and

providing notification to the virtual world patron or its associated virtual character of the possible real-world benefit.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said providing notification includes:

incorporating a notification of the possible real-world benefit within a program incorporated in the virtual world environment.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein said providing notification includes:

incorporating a notification of the possible real-world benefit within a program operating separately from the virtual world environment.

33. The method of claim 30 wherein said providing notification includes:

providing notification of the possible real-world benefit during a period when the virtual world patron is logged onto a virtual world environment.

34. The method of claim 30 wherein said providing notification of the possible real-world benefit includes:

sending one or more of the following types of virtual world notification;

popup message, message from avatar, audio message, audiovisual message, text message, animated display, cartoon figure, response to query, award message based on virtual world achievement, congratulations message, item delivery, item transfer, transaction offer, menu prompt, hyperlink display, downloaded informational file, virtual character activation, placed virtual object, changeable virtual object, indicia overlay, symbol addition, symbol overlay, user interface affordance modification, virtual object color, virtual object motion, and object recognition.

35. The method of claim 30 further comprising:

awarding the possible real-world benefit.

36. The method of claim 35 further comprising:

identifying a designated entity that is responsible for implementing the real-world benefit.

37. The method of claim 35 further comprising:

sending a confirmation of an awarded real-world benefit via a communication to a real-world or virtual world destination.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein said sending the confirmation includes:

sending the confirmation of the awarded real-world benefit to a destination associated with one or more of the following;

virtual world patron, real-world benefit provider, agent of real-world benefit provider, designated recipient, agent of virtual world patron, representative of virtual world patron, interested third party;

group, entity with virtual world oversight, entity designated by virtual world patron, virtual world location, other virtual world party, other virtual world player, virtual world owner, virtual world operator, parent of virtual world patron, supervisory entity, certification entity, and entity with relationship to virtual world patron.

39. The method of claim 35 wherein said awarding the possible real-world benefit includes:

sending a confirmation of an awarded real-world benefit to a real-world destination associated with an entity providing the real-world benefit.

40. The method of claim 35 wherein said awarding the possible real-world benefit includes:

sending a confirmation of an awarded real-world benefit to a real-world or virtual world destination associated with the virtual world patron or a designated recipient.

41. The method of claim 35 further comprising:

encoding a confirmation of an awarded real-world benefit on a memory device associated with one or more of the following;

virtual world patron, associated virtual character, designated recipient, agent of virtual world patron, representative of virtual world patron, interested third party;

group, entity with virtual world oversight, entity designated by virtual world patron, virtual world location, other virtual world party, other virtual world player, virtual world owner, virtual world operator, parent of virtual world patron, supervisory entity, certification entity, entity with relationship to virtual world patron, and authorized party.

42. The method of claim 35 further comprising:

encoding a confirmation of an awarded real-world benefit on one or more of the following type of records;

flash memory, magnetic memory, optical memory, optical/magnetic memory, disk, card, mobile device, database, volatile memory, permanent memory, local memory, remote memory, in-game inventory, character profile, and patron profile.

43. A computerized system for a virtual world environment, comprising:

computer apparatus for creating the virtual world environment;

a first data record operably coupled to the computer apparatus, which data record provides a listing of one or more possible real-world benefits offered by or on behalf of a real-world entity;

a second data record for real-world profile data relating to a virtual world patron;

a processing unit configured to correlate the one or more possible real-world benefits with the real-world profile data; and

a controller capable of making the real-world benefit available to the virtual world patron or its associated virtual character.

44. The computerized system of claim 43 wherein said controller requires a real-world identification of the virtual world patron before providing confirmation of an awarded real-world benefit.

45. The computerized system of claim 43 wherein said controller is capable of providing one or more of the following types of confirmation data of an awarded real-world benefit:

authorization code, date code, type of award code, virtual world code, identity of virtual world environment, transferable award, non-transferable award, real-world identification of original recipient, real-world identification of designated beneficiary, and real-world identification of group to receive benefit of award.

46. The computerized system of claim 43 wherein said controller is configured to provide the confirmation data of an awarded real-world benefit via one or more of the following types of communication interconnection techniques:

wireless transmission, cable, wired connection, telephonic transmission, email, virtual world storage media, virtual world database, virtual world website, mobile memory device, public database, shared database, hardcopy delivery, personal storage medium, public storage medium, encoded message, deferred transmission, aggregated transmission, store-and-forward transmission, cached transmission, point-to-point transmission, and direct transmission, and broadcast.

47. The computerized system of claim 43 wherein said controller is configured for sending one or more of the following types of virtual world notification to the virtual world patron regarding the availability of the possible real-world benefit:

popup message, message from avatar, audio message, audiovisual message, text message, animated display, cartoon figure, response to query, award message based on virtual world achievement, congratulations message, item delivery, item transfer, transaction offer, menu prompt, hyperlink display, downloaded informational file, virtual character activation, placed virtual object, changeable virtual object, indicia overlay, symbol addition, symbol overlay, user interface affordance modification, virtual object color, virtual object motion, and object recognition.

48. A computer program product comprising:

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

providing a virtual world environment,

identifying one or more possible real-world benefits offered by or on behalf of a real-world entity to a virtual world patron,

making one of the possible real-world benefits available to the virtual world patron or its associated virtual character in the virtual world environment based on a correlation with real-world profile data associated with the participant; and

b) computer readable media for encoding the program instructions.

49. The computer program product of claim 48, wherein said making one of the possible real-world benefits available includes:

making the possible real-world benefit available within a program incorporated in the virtual world environment.

50. The computer program product of claim 48, wherein said making one of the possible real-world benefits available includes:

making the possible real-world benefit available within a program operating separately from the virtual world environment.

51. The computer program product of claim 48, wherein said process further comprises:

making confirmation information of an awarded real-world benefit accessible to one or more of the following;

virtual world patron, real-world benefit provider, agent of real-world benefit provider, designated recipient, agent of virtual world patron, representative of virtual world patron, interested third party;

group, entity with virtual world oversight, entity designated by virtual world patron, virtual world location, other virtual world party, other virtual world player, virtual world owner, virtual world operator, parent of virtual world patron, supervisory entity, certification entity, and entity with relationship to virtual world patron.

52. The computer program product of claim 48 wherein said process further comprises:

awarding the possible real-world benefit based on a correlation with one or more of the following real-world profile data factors applicable to the virtual world patron;

membership, affiliation, subscription, affinity, similarity, demography, categorization, taxonomy, status, condition, health, mobility, communication interface, network linkage, skill, experience, aptitude, trait, personality, characteristics, interests, and relationships.

53. The computer program product of claim 48 wherein said process further comprises:

awarding the possible real-world benefit based on a correlation with one or more of the following real-world profile data elements applicable to the virtual world patron;

account, calendar date, item, product, apparatus, service, vehicle, and communication device.

54. The computer program product of claim 48 wherein said process further comprises:

sending one or more of the following types of virtual world notification to the virtual world patron or its associated virtual character regarding the availability of the possible real-world benefit;

popup message, message from avatar, audio message, audiovisual message, text message, animated display, cartoon figure, response to query, award message based on virtual world achievement, congratulations message, item delivery, item transfer, transaction offer, menu prompt, hyperlink display, downloaded informational file, virtual character activation, placed virtual object, changeable virtual object, indicia overlay, symbol addition, symbol overlay, user interface affordance modification, virtual object color, virtual object motion, and object recognition.

55. The computer program product of claim 48 wherein said process is encoded on computer readable transmission media and/or storage media accessible to multiple virtual world patrons having logon capabilities at different locations.

56. The computer program product of claim 48 wherein said process is encoded on computer readable signal transmission media and/or storage media capable of functional operation on localized computer apparatus accessible to an individual virtual world patron.