Disposition of proprietary virtual rights

• US 20070112660A1
• Filed: 11/30/2006
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2005
• 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:
  US11/607,794
• Publication Number:
  US 20070112660A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/35
• 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 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

A method and system provides transactions and arrangements in virtual world environments. A user can participate in transactions to acquire virtual property and related virtual rights. In some implementations, real-world and virtual parties can be involved in possible transfers of various types of virtual property and virtual property rights.

Claims

1-23. -23. (canceled)

24. A method of enabling transfer of a virtual world property right, comprising:

providing a procedure for transferring a virtual world proprietary right pursuant to an authorization from a virtual world patron, which transferring is subject to a term or condition;

maintaining a record of the authorization;

confirming compliance with the term or condition; and

transferring the virtual world proprietary right to a successor party.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said transferring the virtual world proprietary right includes:

transferring to the successor party a virtual world proprietary right to make an one or more copies of a virtual aspect or attribute or element.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein said transferring the virtual world proprietary right includes:

transferring a virtual world proprietary right to make a modified copy of a virtual aspect or attribute or element.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein said transferring the virtual world proprietary right includes:

transferring a virtual world proprietary right to make a specified number of identical or modified copies of a virtual aspect or attribute or element.

28. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

requiring something of value as consideration for said transferring the virtual world proprietary right.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein said requiring something of value includes:

requiring something of real-world and/or virtual world value from or on behalf of the virtual world patron.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein said requiring something of value includes:

requiring something of real-world and/or virtual world value from the successor party or other beneficiary.

31. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

sending one or more of the following types of communication, notification or information request to the successor party and/or other beneficiary regarding said transferring the virtual world proprietary right;

identity confirmation;

acceptance of transfer;

tendering required consideration;

response deadline;

confirmation of death of real-world party;

applicable restriction;

preliminary requirement;

compliance with applicable restriction;

non-compliance with applicable restriction;

compliance with preliminary requirement;

non-compliance with preliminary requirement;

virtual world status, attribute, level, possession, log, other contract, other obligation, clan membership, group membership, relationship, skill, and avatar.

32. The method of claim 24 further comprising

sending a communication to a representative of the virtual world patron and/or to the successor party and/or to another beneficiary, which communication includes notification of a preliminary requirement prior to said transferring to a real-world or virtual world recipient.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein said sending the communication includes:

sending the notification of one or more of the following types of real-world or virtual world preliminary requirements;

verification of identity of recipient;

verification of recipient'"'"'s age, consent by recipient virtual world participation agreement, consent by recipient to retain the virtual world property right for given period of time;

consent by recipient to pay transfer fee;

payment of fee;

consent by real-world third party;

consent by virtual world third party;

consent by real-world group;

consent by virtual world group;

recipient'"'"'s traits, recipient'"'"'s characteristics, recipient'"'"'s capability, possessions of recipient, correlated items of recipient, recipient'"'"'s relinquishment of non-compatible object, recipient acquisition of compatible object, context of transfer, circumstances of donor party'"'"'s disqualification, prior conduct of donor party, stated intention of donor party, prior statement of recipient, recipient'"'"'s stated belief, recipient'"'"'s stated intention, recipient'"'"'s past real-world behavior, recipient'"'"'s past virtual world behavior, recipient'"'"'s real-world citizenship, recipient'"'"'s virtual world citizenship, recipient'"'"'s real-world financial status, recipient'"'"'s virtual world financial status, recipient'"'"'s compliance with real-world law, recipient being subject to real-world statute, future real-world conduct of recipient, future virtual world conduct of recipient, restricted future use of property right, third party oversight of property right, and resolution of adverse claim.

34. The method of claim 24 wherein said providing the procedure includes:

providing the procedure for transferring the virtual world property right pursuant to authorization and/or consent from one or more of the following;

real-world person, real-world person under eighteen years of age, real-world person over eighteen years of age, real-world family member, real-world parent, real-world guardian, real-world group, real-world organization, real-world entity, real-world third party, virtual world character, virtual world group, virtual world programmed avatar, virtual world artificial intelligence robot, virtual world player, virtual world character, virtual world non-player character, virtual world participant, virtual world non-participant entity, virtual world owner, virtual world operator, and virtual world third party.

35. The method of claim 24 wherein said transferring includes:

transferring the virtual world property right to one or more of the following types of successor parties;

real-world person, real-world person under eighteen years of age, real-world person over eighteen years of age, real-world family, real-world group, real-world organization, a real-world entity, a real-world third party, a virtual world character, a virtual world group, a virtual world player, a virtual world participant, a virtual world third party, virtual world owner, virtual world operator, virtual group at a virtual world location or setting, real-world group in a particular real-world location, real-world group in a particular real-world region, active participant at particular real-world time, active participant at particular virtual world time, and another virtual character of virtual world patron.

75. The method of claim 24 wherein said transferring the virtual world proprietary right includes:

implementing one or more of the following type of transfers of the virtual world property right;

temporary transfer, permanent transfer, revised transfer, revocable transfer, conditional transfer to virtual escrow agent, and conditional transfer to real-world escrow agent.

76. The method of claim 24 wherein further comprising:

delaying or disqualifying said transferring based on one or more of the following types of adverse claim or defect;

real-world estate claim, real-world creditor claim, real-world contractual claim, real-world legal claim, real-world group claim, real-world family claim, prior real-world transfer, virtual world estate claim, virtual world creditor claim, virtual world contractual claim, virtual world legal claim, virtual world family claim, prior virtual world transfer, virtual world item expiration, item lost, item destroyed, item not separable, virtual world privilege expiration, voided right, rescinded right, forfeited right, item no longer identifiable, right not separable, group right vetoed by group, right no longer legally transferable, right no longer recognized, right no longer exercisable, erroneous death confirmation, forged authorization, improper authorization, misplaced authorization, jointly owned right, conflicting authorizations, transfer revoked, violation of oversight authority, change of virtual attributes, existing right does not match transferred right, existing description does not match transferred description, and third party consent denied.

77. The method of claim 24 wherein said maintaining the record of the authorization includes:

maintaining the record that identifies one or more of the following;

donor party, virtual character associated with donor party, virtual world property right, virtual proprietary right, designated successor party, secondary beneficiary, contingent beneficiary, authorization for transferring, date of authorization, revised authorization, applicable term or condition for transferring, adverse claim, status of adverse claim, resolution of adverse claims, date of completed transfer, and recipient of completed transfer.

78. The method of claim 24 wherein said maintaining the record of the authorization includes:

making the record accessible to one or more of the following;

owner of virtual-world environment, operator of virtual-world environment, real-world party donor, party selected by donor, agent of donor, designated successor party, party selected by successor party, approved representative of real-world party donor, approved representative of designated successor party, secondary beneficiary, contingent beneficiary, joint beneficiary, parent of successor who is a minor, guardian of successor who is a minor, officer of successor entity, and officer of successor group.

79. The method of claim 24 wherein said maintaining the record of the authorization includes:

making the record of the term or condition required for said transferring to occur.

80. The method of claim 24 wherein said maintaining the record of the authorization includes:

maintaining the record of the authorization as confidential for a period prior to said transferring.

81. The method of claim 24 wherein said confirming compliance with the term or condition includes:

confirming compliance with one or more of the following types of real-world or virtual world requirements;

recipient'"'"'s traits, recipient'"'"'s characteristics, recipient'"'"'s capability, possessions of recipient, correlated items of recipient, recipient'"'"'s relinquishment of non-compatible object, recipient'"'"'s acquisition of compatible object, context of transfer, circumstances of donor party'"'"'s disqualification, prior conduct of donor party, future real-world conduct of recipient, future virtual world conduct of recipient, restricted future use of property right, required type of future use of property right, third party oversight of property right, and resolution of adverse claim.

36. A computer-implemented system comprising:

a virtual world in which a patron of the virtual world may participate and acquire a transferable right regarding a virtual world object;

a module to facilitate authorizing a disposition of the transferable right to a designated successor party, which right includes a proprietary virtual right to make an identical or modified copy of the virtual world object; and

a record of any required information including an applicable term or condition required for the disposition to occur.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein said module further includes:

a module component to facilitate disposition to the designated successor party of the proprietary virtual right regarding a virtual aspect or attribute or element of the virtual world.

38. The system of claim 36 wherein said module further includes:

a module component to facilitate disposition to the designated successor party of the proprietary virtual right regarding a composite virtual object of the virtual world.

39. The system of claim 36 wherein said module further includes:

a module component to facilitate disposition to the designated successor party of the proprietary virtual right regarding one or more individual elements of a composite virtual object of the virtual world.

40. The system of claim 36 wherein said module further includes:

a module component to facilitate making a conditional transfer of the proprietary virtual right to a virtual escrow agent or a real-world escrow agent prior to implementing the disposition to the designated successor party.

41. The system of claim 36 wherein said module further includes:

a module component to facilitate making a conditional transfer of the proprietary virtual right based on confirming that the successor party or beneficiary has one or more of the following types of required virtual aspects or attributes or elements;

level access, experience token, skill level, enabling state, capability, related virtual right, related characteristic, related character trait, related character ability, stated belief, stated intention, correlated personality, designated mood, certain emotional trait, particular possession, correlated item, compatible object, prior conduct, group membership, non-group membership, citizenship, non-citizenship, subject to restriction, subject to supervisory authority, subject to rating scheme, subject to law, subject to regulation, commitment to future conduct, third party oversight, related virtual property, virtual real estate, currently active character, and currently a participant in virtual world.

42. The system of claim 36 wherein said record includes:

a transfer-related tag or flag associated with one or more of the following;

patron, transferable right, proprietary virtual right, virtual right to make identical copy, virtual right to make modified copy, designated successor party, designated virtual world successor party, designated real-world successor party, applicable transfer term, and applicable transfer condition.

43. The system of claim 36 wherein said record includes one or more of the following requirements:

read-only access to patron, read/write access to patron, read-only access to designated successor party, read/write access to virtual world owner, and read/write access to virtual world operator.

69. The system of claim 36 wherein said record further includes:

a record of one or more applicable real-world terms or conditions, which record is accessible to a donor party or a successor party.

70. The system of claim 36 wherein said record further includes:

a record of one or more applicable virtual world terms or conditions, which record is accessible to a donor party or a successor party.

71. The system of claim 36, wherein said module further includes:

a module component to provide notice of compliance confirmation with the applicable term or condition before implementing the disposition of the transferable right.

72. The system of claim 36, wherein said module further includes:

a module component to implement one or more of the following type of transfers of the proprietary virtual right;

temporary transfer, permanent transfer, revised transfer, revocable transfer, conditional transfer to virtual escrow agent, and conditional transfer to real-world escrow agent.

73. The system of claim 36, wherein said module further includes:

a module component providing a forfeiture or relinquishment of the proprietary virtual right in the event that an adverse claim cannot be resolved.

74. The system of claim 36, wherein said module further includes:

a module component providing an award of the proprietary virtual right to another party that is successful in making an adverse claim.

44. A computer program product having signal carrier media bearing encoded instructions for executing a process, wherein the process comprises:

providing a virtual world environment where a participant is enabled to interact with another participant or with a non-player entity;

facilitating an arrangement to transfer a virtual property right from a donor party to a designated successor party, which transfer includes a proprietary virtual right to make one or more copies of a virtual world individual or composite object; and

making a record of the arrangement to transfer.

45. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the process includes:

implementing the transfer of the proprietary virtual right to make one or more identical or modified copies of a separable element incorporated in the virtual world composite object.

46. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the process includes:

implementing the transfer of the proprietary virtual right to make one or more identical or modified copies of a virtual world individual or composite object having inseparable elements.

47. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the process includes:

implementing the transfer of the proprietary virtual right regarding one or more of the following types of virtual world individual or composite objects;

composite virtual character, virtual character name, virtual character trait, character attribute, composite avatar, virtual skill, virtual key, access right, value tokens, virtual currency, experience points, level access, virtual property, virtual real property, virtual personal property, property right, contractual right, email account, password, key, location, site, history, log, activity log, chat log, activity log, messages, message log, list, companion list, contact list, address list, item, modified item, item component, disguise, clothing, clothing component, accessory, weapon, tool, vehicle, magical power, decoration, inventory, store credit, virtual charge account, virtual role, virtual position, group membership, all virtual rights of donor, and total asset accumulation of donor.

48. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the process includes:

implementing the transfer of the proprietary virtual right to make one or more identical or modified copies of a virtual aspect or attribute or element.

49. The computer program product of claim 44, further comprising:

a transmission carrier medium for encoding the instructions.

50. The computer program product of claim 44, further comprising:

a storage carrier medium for encoding the instructions.

51. The computer program product of claim 44 wherein said process component facilitating the arrangement to transfer includes:

allowing a transfer to a virtual world successor party.

52. The computer program product of claim 44 wherein said process component facilitating the arrangement to transfer includes:

allowing a transfer to a real-world successor party.

53. The computer program product of claim 44 wherein said signal carrier media includes:

storage media and/or signal transmission media accessible to multiple virtual world patrons having logon capabilities at different locations.

54. The computer program product of claim 44 wherein said signal carrier media includes:

storage media and/or signal transmission media capable of functional operation on localized computer apparatus accessible to an individual virtual world patron.

55. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the process component making the record includes:

making the record of an applicable term or condition required for the transfer to occur.

56. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the process further includes:

confirming compliance with an applicable real-world term or condition before implementing the transfer of the virtual property right.

57. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the process further includes:

confirming compliance with an applicable virtual world term or condition before implementing the transfer of the virtual property right.

58. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the process further includes:

implementing one or more of the following type of transfers of the virtual property right;

temporary transfer, permanent transfer, revised transfer, revocable transfer, conditional transfer to virtual escrow agent, and conditional transfer to real-world escrow agent.

59. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the process further includes:

requiring something of value as consideration for implementing the transfer of the virtual property right.

60. The computer program product of claim 59 wherein said requiring something of value as consideration includes:

requiring something of real-world and/or virtual world value from or on behalf of the donor party.

61. The computer program of claim 59 wherein said requiring something of value as consideration includes:

requiring something of real-world and/or virtual world value from the designated successor party or other beneficiary.

62. The computer program product of claim 44 wherein the process further includes:

sending one or more of the following types of communication, notification or information request to the designated successor party and/or other beneficiary regarding the arrangement to transfer the virtual property right;

identity confirmation;

acceptance of transfer;

tendering required consideration;

response deadline;

applicable restriction;

preliminary requirement;

compliance with applicable restriction;

non-compliance with applicable restriction;

compliance with preliminary requirement;

non-compliance with preliminary requirement;

virtual world status, attribute, level, possession, log, other contract, other obligation, clan membership, group membership, relationship, skill, and avatar.

63. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the process further includes:

implementing the transfer of the virtual property right pursuant to authorization and/or consent from one or more of the following;

real-world person, real-world person under eighteen years of age, real-world person over eighteen years of age, real-world family member, real-world parent, real-world guardian, real-world group, real-world organization, real-world entity, real-world third party, virtual world character, virtual world group, virtual world programmed avatar, virtual world artificial intelligence robot, virtual world player, virtual world character, virtual world non-player character, virtual world participant, virtual world non-participant entity, virtual world owner, virtual world operator, and virtual world third party.

64. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the process component facilitating the arrangement includes:

allowing the donor party to add a revision to a previous arrangement to transfer the virtual property right.

65. The computer program product of claim 64, wherein said allowing the donor party to add the revision includes:

allowing the donor party to make one or more of the following types of changes to the previous arrangement to transfer the virtual property right;

revoke authorization to transfer;

change the designated successor party;

substitute one or more new designated successor parties;

change the virtual world property right;

divide the virtual world property right, transfer multiple rights;

transfer multiple items;

add contingency;

identify one or more additional virtual world property rights;

change a beneficiary;

add one or more new beneficiaries;

add secondary beneficiary;

change a requirement;

add one or more new requirements;

add third party authorization;

add joint owner authorization; and

add group authorization,

66. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the process component making the record of the arrangement to transfer includes:

making the record accessible to one or more of the following;

owner of virtual world environment, operator of virtual world environment, real-world donor party, party selected by donor party, agent of donor party, designated successor party, party selected by successor party, approved representative of real-world donor party, approved representative of designated successor party, secondary beneficiary, contingent beneficiary, joint beneficiary, parent of successor who is a minor, guardian of successor who is a minor, officer of successor entity, and officer of successor group.

67. The computer program product of claim 66, wherein the process component making the record accessible includes:

making the record accessible in a real-world environment.

68. The computer program product of claim 66, wherein the process component making the record accessible includes:

making the record accessible in the virtual world environment.