AVATAR-BASED UNSOLICITED ADVERTISEMENTS IN A VIRTUAL UNIVERSE

• US 20080204450A1
• Filed: 02/27/2007
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dawson, Christopher J., O'Connell, Brian M., Pickover, Clifford A., Hamilton, Rick A., Walker, Keith R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,589,380 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/00 Animation

Abstract

A system, method and program product for providing a virtual universe in which unsolicited advertisements are embodied in automated avatars. A system is provided that includes: a registration system for introducing an advertisement avatar into the virtual universe; a targeting system for targeting a user avatar for delivery of advertising content by the advertisement avatar; a movement system for defining how the advertisement avatar is to move within the virtual universe; and an advertisement delivery system for defining how the advertisement avatar is to deliver the advertising content to the user avatar.

Claims

1. A system for delivering advertisements to user avatars in a virtual universe, comprising:

a targeting system for targeting a user avatar for delivery of advertising content by an advertisement avatar;

a movement system for defining how the advertisement avatar is to move within the virtual universe; and

an advertisement delivery system for defining how the advertisement avatar is to deliver the advertising content to the user avatar.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a teaming system for introducing a plurality of advertisement avatars into the virtual universe to deliver advertising content to a user avatar in a coordinated manner.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the teaming system causes the user avatar to be approached by the plurality of advertisement avatars in a synchronous or asynchronous manner.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the advertising content is delivered by the advertising avatar to the user avatar via a text or audio message.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the advertising content is delivered by the advertising avatar to the user avatar via an interactive question and answer session.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the user avatar is targeted based on demographic data of a user controlling the user avatar.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the user avatar is targeted based on a location of the user avatar in the virtual universe.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the user avatar is targeted based on an asset associated with the user avatar.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the user avatar is targeted based on an occurrence of an event in the virtual universe.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the movement system includes providing a movement selected from the group consisting of:

walking, running, teleporting, altering body language, following a user avatar, and leave a user avatar.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the movement system includes a system for parsing actions of the user avatar.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a registration system for introducing the advertisement avatar into the virtual universe.

13. A computer program product stored on a computer readable medium for delivering advertisements to user avatars in a virtual universe, comprising:

program code for introducing an advertisement avatar into the virtual universe;

program code for targeting a user avatar for delivery of advertising content by the advertisement avatar;

program code for defining how the advertisement avatar is to move within the virtual universe; and

program code for defining how the advertisement avatar is to deliver the advertising content to the user avatar.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising program code for introducing a plurality of advertisement avatars into the virtual universe to deliver advertising content to a user avatar in a coordinated manner.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the user avatar is approached by the plurality of advertisement avatars in a synchronous or asynchronous manner.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the advertising content is delivered by the advertising avatar to the user avatar via a text or audio message.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the advertising content is delivered by the advertising avatar to the user avatar via an interactive question and answer session.

18. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the user avatar is targeted based on demographic data of a user controlling the user avatar.

19. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the user avatar is targeted based on a location of the user avatar in the virtual universe.

20. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the user avatar is targeted based on an asset associated with the user avatar.

21. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the user avatar is targeted based on an attendance of an event in the virtual universe.

22. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein a movement of the advertisement avatar is selected from the group consisting of:

walking, running, teleporting, altering body language, following a user avatar, and leave a user avatar.

23. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising program code for parsing actions of the user avatar.

24. A method for delivering advertisements to user avatars in a virtual universe, comprising:

targeting a user avatar for delivery of advertising content by an advertisement avatar;

moving the advertisement avatar within the virtual universe proximate the user avatar; and

delivering the advertising content to the user avatar.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising introducing a plurality of advertisement avatars into the virtual universe to deliver advertising content to a user avatar in a coordinated manner.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the advertising content is delivered by the plurality of advertisement avatars in a synchronous or asynchronous manner.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the advertising content is delivered by the advertising avatar to the user avatar via a text or audio message.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the advertising content is delivered by the advertising avatar to the user avatar via an interactive question and answer session.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the user avatar is targeted based on demographic data of a user controlling the user avatar.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein the user avatar is targeted based on a location of the user avatar in the virtual universe.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein the user avatar is targeted based on an asset associated with the user avatar.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein the user avatar is targeted based on an occurrence of an event in the virtual universe.

33. The method of claim 24, wherein a movement of the advertisement avatar is selected from the group consisting of:

walking, running, teleporting, altering body language, following a user avatar, and leave a user avatar.

34. The method of claim 24, further comprising parsing actions of the user avatar.

35. The method of claim 24, further comprising registering the advertisement avatar into the virtual universe.

36. A method for deploying a system for delivering advertisements to user avatars in a virtual universe, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;

target a user avatar for delivery of advertising content by an advertisement avatar;

define how the advertisement avatar is to move within the virtual universe; and

define how the advertisement avatar is to deliver the advertising content to the user avatar.