Probability adjustment of a virtual world loss event

• US 20070143119A1
• Filed: 09/29/2005
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2005
• 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:
  US11/238,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20070143119A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0635 Risk analysis of enterprise or organisation activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/00 Systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes, not involving significant data processing
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements

Abstract

Embodiments include an apparatus, device, system, computer-program product, and method. In an embodiment, a computer-implemented system includes a virtual world in which a participant may participate and that includes a loss event having a likelihood of occurrence. The computer-implemented system also includes a record of a protected loss corresponding to the loss event, the protected loss described in an agreement that includes an obligation to provide a benefit to the participant upon an occurrence of the protected loss suffered in the virtual world by the participant. The computer-implemented system further includes a loss event regulator module operable to change the likelihood of occurrence of the loss event in response to the protected loss.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system comprising:

a virtual world in which a participant may participate and that includes a loss event having a likelihood of occurrence;

a record of a protected loss corresponding to the loss event, the protected loss described in an agreement that includes an obligation to provide a benefit to the participant upon an occurrence of the protected loss suffered in the virtual world by the participant; and

a loss event regulator module operable to change the likelihood of occurrence of the loss event in response to the protected loss.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the loss event regulator module operable to change the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event in response to the protected loss includes

a loss event regulator module operable to decrease the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event in response to the protected loss.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the loss event regulator module operable to decrease the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event in response to the protected loss includes

a loss event regulator module operable to decrease the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event by changing a likelihood of an occurrence of another event in the virtual world.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the loss event regulator module operable to decrease the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event by changing a likelihood of an occurrence of another event in the virtual world includes

a loss event regulator module operable to decrease the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event by changing a likelihood of an occurrence of another loss event in the virtual world.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the loss event regulator module operable to decrease the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event in response to the protected loss includes

a loss event regulator module operable to decrease the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event by decreasing a likelihood of an occurrence of another event in the virtual world.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the loss event regulator module operable to decrease the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event by decreasing a likelihood of an occurrence of another event in the virtual world includes

a loss event regulator module operable to decrease the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event by decreasing a likelihood of an occurrence of another loss event or a non-loss event in the virtual world.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the loss event regulator module operable to decrease the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event by decreasing a likelihood of an occurrence of another event in the virtual world includes

a loss event regulator module operable to decrease the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event by increasing a likelihood of an occurrence of another loss event or a non-loss event in the virtual world.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the loss event regulator module operable to decrease the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event in response to the protected loss includes

a loss event regulator module operable to decrease the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event by leaving a likelihood of an occurrence of another loss event in the virtual world unchanged and decreasing the likelihood of an occurrence in the virtual world of the loss event.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the loss event regulator module operable to change the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event in response to the protected loss includes

a loss event regulator module operable to increase the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event in response to the protected loss.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the loss event regulator module operable to increase the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event in response to the protected loss includes

a loss event regulator module operable to increase the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event by decreasing a likelihood of another event occurrence in the virtual world.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the loss event regulator module operable to increase the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event in response to the protected loss includes

a loss event regulator module operable to increase the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event by increasing a likelihood of another event occurrence in the virtual world.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the loss event regulator module operable to increase the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event in response to the protected loss includes

a loss event regulator module operable to increase the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event by leaving a likelihood of another loss event occurrence in the virtual world unchanged and increasing the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the loss event regulator module operable to change the likelihood of occurrence of the loss event in response to the protected loss includes

a loss event regulator module operable to change the likelihood of occurrence of the loss event in response to the protected loss and in response to a prediction of a result of changing the likelihood of occurrence of the loss event.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the loss event regulator module operable to change the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event in response to the protected loss includes

a loss event regulator module operable to change the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event in response to the protected loss by influencing a behavior of the participant in the virtual world.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the loss event regulator module operable to change the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event in response to the protected loss by influencing a behavior of the participant in the virtual world includes

a loss event regulator module operable to change the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event in response to the protected loss by influencing a behavior of the participant in the virtual world using at least one of a color, a sound, a sign, a visual cue, a non-participant virtual world character, a diversion, a substantially pleasant experience, and/or an environmental factor.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the loss event regulator module operable to change the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event in response to the protected loss includes

a loss event regulator module operable to change the likelihood of an occurrence of the loss event in response to an objective related to the protected loss.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual world in which a participant may participate includes a virtual world in which at least two participants may participate.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual world in which a participant may participate and that includes

a loss event having a likelihood of occurrence in the virtual world further includes a virtual world in which a participant may participate and that includes at least two loss events each respectively having a likelihood of occurrence in the virtual world.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual world in which a participant may participate and that includes a loss event having a likelihood of occurrence in the virtual world further includes

a virtual world in which a participant may participate and that includes a loss event having a likelihood of occurrence in the virtual world with respect to the participant.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual world in which a participant may participate and that includes a loss event having a likelihood of occurrence in the virtual world further includes

a virtual world in which a participant may participate and that includes a loss event having a likelihood of occurrence in the virtual world with respect to the participant and at least one other participant.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the loss event includes a determinable contingency sufferable by the participant.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the loss event includes an indeterminable contingency sufferable by the participant.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the loss event includes an unknown contingency sufferable by the participant.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the loss event includes at least one of a harm, an injury, a loss of life, a damage, a casualty, a disability, and/or an imposed punitive obligation suffered by the participant.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the loss event includes an adverse effect on an attribute and/or association of an avatar controlled by the participant in the virtual world.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the loss event includes at least one of a harm, an injury, a loss of a life, a damage, a casualty, and/or a disability befalling another participant in the virtual world.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein the protected loss described in an agreement that includes an obligation to provide a benefit to the participant upon an occurrence of the protected loss suffered in the virtual world by the participant further includes

a protected loss described in an agreement that includes an obligation of a protection entity to provide a benefit to the participant upon an occurrence of the protected loss suffered in the virtual world by the participant.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the protection entity includes a participant protection entity.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the protection entity includes a non-participant protection entity.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the non-participant protection entity includes a non-participant protection entity under a control of at least one of a provider of the virtual world, an operator of the virtual world, or a person associated with the virtual world.

31. The system of claim 1, wherein the benefit includes a compensation for the defined loss.

32. The system of claim 1, wherein the record of a protected loss corresponding to the loss event includes a record of the agreement.

33. The system of claim 1, wherein record of a protected loss includes

a record of a protected loss described in a first risk management agreement and in a second risk management agreement.

34. The system of claim 1, wherein record of a protected loss includes

a record of a protected loss described in a first agreement having an obligation of a first protection entity to provide a first benefit to a first participant upon an occurrence of the protected loss suffered by the first participant and the protected loss is described in a second agreement having an obligation of a second protection entity to provide a second benefit to a second participant upon an occurrence of the protected loss suffered by the second participant.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the first protection entity and the second protection entity are at least substantially similar protection entities.

36. A system comprising:

a computing system couplable to a network and operable to interact with at least two participants via the network;

a program module operable to manage a virtual world that includes a loss event having a probability of occurrence;

a benefits exposure module operable to select a protected loss corresponding to the loss event and described in a risk management agreement between a protection entity and a participant of the at least two participants (hereafter “

the participant”

); and

a loss management module operable to modify the probability of occurrence of the loss event in response to the protected loss.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the benefits exposure module operable to select a protected loss corresponding to the loss event and described in a risk management agreement between a protection entity and the participant includes

a benefits exposure module operable to select a protected loss corresponding to the loss event and described in a risk management agreement between a protection entity and the participant, the risk management agreement including an obligation of a protection entity to provide a benefit to the participant upon an occurrence of the protected loss suffered in the virtual world by the participant.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein the benefits exposure module operable to select a protected loss corresponding to the loss event and described in a risk management agreement between a protection entity and the participant includes

a benefits exposure module operable to select a protected loss corresponding to the loss event and described in a first risk management agreement between a first protection entity and the participant, and described in a second risk management agreement between a second protection entity and another participant of the at least two participants.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the first protection entity and the second protection entity are at least substantially similar.

40. The system of claim 36, wherein the loss management module operable to modify the probability of occurrence of the loss event in response to the protected loss includes

a loss management module operable to modify the probability of occurrence of the loss event in response to the protected loss and in response to a possible outcome of changing the probability of occurrence of the loss event.

41. The system of claim 36, wherein the loss management module operable to modify the probability of occurrence of the loss event in response to the protected loss includes

a loss management module operable to modify the probability of occurrence of the loss event in response to a goal related to the protected loss.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the loss management module operable to modify the probability of occurrence of the loss event in response to a goal related to the protected loss includes

a loss management module operable to modify the probability of occurrence of the loss event in response to a goal that includes at least one of increasing a satisfaction of the participant, motivating the participant, increasing revenue received by the virtual world, increasing income of the protection entity, and/or encouraging formation of another risk management agreement describing the protected loss.

43. A computer-implemented method comprising:

managing a virtual world operable to interact with at least one participant over a network and that includes at least one loss event having a modifiable incidence in the virtual world;

selecting a protected loss corresponding to the at least one loss event, the protected loss described in an agreement that includes an obligation of a protection entity to provide a benefit to a participant of at least one participant upon an occurrence of the selected protected loss in the virtual world; and

modifying the incidence of the at least one loss event in response to the selected protected loss.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the managing a virtual world operable to interact with at least one participant over a network and that includes at least one loss event having a modifiable incidence in the virtual world further includes

managing a virtual world operable to interact with at least one participant over a network and that includes at least two loss events each respectively having a modifiable incidence in the virtual world.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein the managing a virtual world operable to interact with at least one participant over a network and that includes at least one loss event having a modifiable incidence in the virtual world further includes

managing a virtual world operable to interact with at least one participant over a network and that includes at least one loss event having a modifiable temporal rate of occurrence in the virtual world.

46. The method of claim 43, wherein the managing a virtual world operable to interact with at least one participant over a network and that includes at least one loss event having a modifiable incidence in the virtual world further includes

managing a virtual world operable to interact with at least one participant over a network and that includes at least one loss event having a modifiable circumstance of occurrence in the virtual world.

47. The method of claim 43, wherein the managing a virtual world operable to interact with at least one participant over a network and that includes at least one loss event having a modifiable incidence in the virtual world further includes

managing a virtual world operable to interact with at least one participant over a network and that includes at least one loss event having a modifiable incidence of occurrence in the virtual world.

48. The method of claim 43, wherein the protected loss described in an agreement includes

a protected loss described in a first risk management agreement and in a second risk management agreement.

49. The method of claim 43, wherein the modifying the incidence of the at least one loss event in response to the selected protected loss includes

modifying the incidence of the at least one loss event in response to the selected protected loss and in response to a projected result of modifying the incidence of the loss event.

50. The method of claim 43, wherein the modifying the incidence of the at least one loss event in response to the selected protected loss includes

modifying the incidence of the at least one loss event in response to the selected protected loss and in response to a goal corresponding to the protected loss.