Virtual credit in simulated environments
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system provides for the use of credit arrangements in simulated environments. A user can participate in credit transactions involving purchases of virtual products, virtual services, and virtual items of value. Feedback is provided to the user regarding results of the credit transactions. In some embodiments multiple users can make simulated purchases or incur simulated credit obligations that are posted to virtual accounts, and the multiple users can also make simulated compensation against balances due or obligations owed for said virtual accounts. The user is also provided with an opportunity of engaging in real-world financial transactions related to the virtual credit arrangement. In some implementations of the system and method, multiple players at different locations can use virtual charge accounts and/or real world financial accounts in connection with arranging or resolving a virtual credit transaction.
-
Citations
70 Claims
-
1-2. -2. (canceled)
-
5-6. -6. (canceled)
-
8. (canceled)
-
12. The method of 11 that further includes periodically changing one or more credit terms taken from the following group:
- interest rate, due date, grace period, penalties, credit limit, service charge, transferability, weekly fee, monthly fee, annual fee, automatic repayment, payment of other obligations, monetary advance, re-negotiated debt, and exchange value.
-
13-16. -16. (canceled)
-
19-20. -20. (canceled)
-
21. A method of simulating charge card usage in a virtual world environment comprising:
-
providing a virtual credit account to a user, wherein the virtual credit account includes credit terms that include virtual credit parameters at least partially based on user input;
enabling the user to participate in a virtual credit transaction that includes making one or more simulated credit purchases of goods and/or services and/or items of virtual value that are charged to the virtual credit account, wherein the user receives feedback regarding actions taken to make resolution of future compensation owed or other obligation resulting from the virtual credit transaction. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 7, 9, 10, 11, 17, 18, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 42, 43)
-
-
23. (canceled)
-
28. (canceled)
-
30-32. -32. (canceled)
-
41. (canceled)
-
44. A system for credit arrangements in a virtual world environment comprising:
-
computerized apparatus including a memory and a processor for implementing one or more credit transactions involving a credit purchase by a user of one or more various virtual products and/or virtual services and/or virtual items;
a data record operably coupled to the computerized apparatus for maintaining credit terms and status information regarding the credit purchase; and
a bi-directional user interface for communicating informational messages between the user and the computerized apparatus regarding user inputs to establish the credit terms that include a carry-over balance associated with said credit purchase. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70)
-
-
54. Apparatus for providing virtual credit in a simulated environment, comprising:
-
computerized apparatus for storing and processing one or more virtual credit transactions involving a carry-over balance or obligation in the simulated environment;
an interactive communication link with said computerized apparatus to enable a user to participate in said one or more virtual credit transactions; and
an interface capable of operable connection to said interactive communication link and accessible to the user for transmitting informational inputs that help to provide a basis for credit terms regarding a balance due or other obligation resulting from said one or more virtual credit transactions. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
-
-
59. (canceled)
Specification