Third party control over virtual world characters
First Claim
1. A method of control over aspects of a virtual world environment, the method comprising:
- identifying a virtual world character of a real-world participant or player;
establishing an oversight procedure enabling a supervisory third party entity to have auxiliary authority over a virtual world experience that includes one or more virtual world aspects related to the virtual world character; and
monitoring the virtual world experience in accordance with the oversight procedure to provide status feedback based on a criterion or occurrence involving the virtual world character.
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Accused Products
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 experiences including activities, settings, events, purchases, sales and diverse transactions to acquire virtual products, virtual services, and/or virtual items of value. Feedback may be provided and records kept regarding the virtual world participation. In some circumstances, multiple persons can participate as a group or participate as individuals in the virtual world environment. Some embodiments provide an oversight procedure that enables a supervisory entity to exercise direct or indirect control over certain virtual world aspects of a participant or player. In some implementations the oversight procedure is at least partially based on an attribute related to the participant or player.
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Citations
55 Claims
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1. A method of control over aspects of a virtual world environment, the method comprising:
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identifying a virtual world character of a real-world participant or player;
establishing an oversight procedure enabling a supervisory third party entity to have auxiliary authority over a virtual world experience that includes one or more virtual world aspects related to the virtual world character; and
monitoring the virtual world experience in accordance with the oversight procedure to provide status feedback based on a criterion or occurrence involving the virtual world character. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 18, 23, 25, 26, 27, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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2-8. -8. (canceled)
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13-15. -15. (canceled)
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17. (canceled)
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19-22. -22. (canceled)
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24. (canceled)
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28. A computerized system to establish oversight of virtual world experiences of a participant or player, the system comprising:
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computer means for creating a virtual world environment, including operating procedures for one or more virtual characters;
a supplemental oversight procedure for the virtual world environment, wherein a supplemental oversight procedure is authorized by an auxiliary supervisory entity to monitor a virtual world experience that includes one or more virtual world aspects involving a designated virtual character of a participant or player;
a control module operably coupled with the virtual world environment, wherein the control module implements the supplemental oversight procedure that affects the one or more virtual world aspects involving the designated virtual character; and
a communication link with the virtual world environment that provides feedback status information regarding the virtual world experience of the participant or player that is subject to the supplemental oversight procedure. - View Dependent Claims (30, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 50, 51)
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29. (canceled)
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31-32. -32. (canceled)
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38. (canceled)
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39. A computer program product comprising:
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(a) program instructions configured to perform a process that associates information in a computer system, the process including establishing a supplemental oversight procedure that is applicable in a virtual world environment to a particular virtual character of a player or participant, which supplemental oversight procedure has been authorized by or on behalf of a supervisory entity, implementing auxiliary control over one or more aspects of the particular virtual character'"'"'s participation in the virtual world environment, which auxiliary control includes monitoring a virtual world experience including an activity or setting or event involving the particular virtual character, providing informational status feedback regarding the virtual world experience of the player or participant that is subject to the supplemental oversight procedure; and
(b) a computer-readable signal-bearing media bearing the program instructions. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 45)
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44. (canceled)
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46. A computerized system comprising:
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computer apparatus capable of interaction with a computer-simulated virtual world environment;
an interface that allows a real-world participant or player to access the computer apparatus and participate in the virtual world environment as a virtual character; and
instructions that when executed by the computer apparatus enable the real-world participant or player to;
activate the virtual character in the virtual world environment, engage in one or more virtual world experiences which are subject to an oversight procedure authorized by a supervisory third party entity, which oversight procedure includes monitoring an aspect related to the one or more virtual world experiences of the real-world participant or player, and receive feedback status information regarding the one or more virtual world experiences that are subject to the oversight procedure. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49)
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Specification