NETWORK-BASED INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT CENTER

• US 20080275769A1
• Filed: 05/04/2007
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gaia Interactive Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Gaia Interactive Incorporated
• Inventors: Shao, Billy Jye-en
• Application Number:
  US11/744,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20080275769A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/61 using advertising information
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5506 using advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/004 Artificial life, i.e. computing arrangements simulating life
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

A network system for providing an entertainment center in a virtual community includes a computer storage configured to store information about a user, a server configured to support a web user interface on a remote computer device. The web user interface includes an entertainment center including a screen configured to display an image, and one or more seats to be seated by one or more avatars while they watch the image on the screen and a mechanism adapted to control the display of the image on the screen. At least one of the one or more avatars is associated with the user.

Claims

1. A network system for providing an entertainment center in a virtual community, comprising:

a computer storage configured to store information about a user; and

a server configured to support a web user interface on a remote computer device, wherein the web user interface includes;

an entertainment center including a screen configured to display an image;

and one or more seats to be seated by one or more avatars while they watch the image on the screen, wherein at least one of the one or more avatars is associated with the user; and

a mechanism adapted to control the display of the image on the screen.

2. The network system of claim 1, wherein the screen is configured to display a movie, a video clip, trivia questions, or a slideshow.

3. The network system of claim 2, further comprising streaming server configured to provide streamed video data to the remote computer device to enable the screen to display one or more of the movie, the video clip, and the slideshow.

4. The network system of claim 1, wherein the image displayed on the screen includes advertisement information.

5. The network system of claim 4, wherein the advertisement information is produced using information about the user stored on the computer storage.

6. The network system of claim 1, wherein the web user interface further comprises a refreshment stand configured to sell or provide refreshments to the one or more avatars.

7. The network system of claim 1, wherein the web user interface further comprises a facility configured to sell or provide music or songs to the one or more avatars or a user associated with one of the one or more avatars.

8. The network system of claim 1, wherein the web user interface further comprises a facility configured to sell a ticket to an avatar to allow the avatar to enter the entertainment center.

9. The network system of claim 8, wherein the ticket is sold in a real-world currency or a virtual world currency.

10. The network system of claim 1, wherein the web user interface further comprises a mechanism to display comments about the image displayed on the screen from the one or more avatars.

11. A web user interface for an entertainment center in a network-based virtual community, comprising:

an entertainment center including;

a screen configured to display an image; and

one or more seats configured to be seated by one or more avatars while they watch the image on the screen; and

a mechanism adapted to control the display of the image on the screen under the control by a user, wherein at least one of the one or more avatars is associated with the user.

12. The web user interface of claim 11, wherein the screen is configured to display a movie, a video clip, trivia questions, or a slideshow.

13. The web user interface of claim 11, wherein the image displayed on the screen includes advertisement information.

14. The web user interface of claim 11, further comprising one or more of a refreshment stand configured to sell or provide refreshments to the one or more avatars and a facility configured to sell or provide music or songs to the one or more avatars or a user associated with one of the one or more avatars.

15. The web user interface of claim 11, further comprising a facility configured to sell a ticket to an avatar to allow the avatar to enter the entertainment center.

16. The web user interface of claim 15, wherein the ticket is sold at the facility in a real-world currency or a virtual world currency.

17. The web user interface of claim 11, further comprising a mechanism to display comments about the image displayed on the screen from the one or more avatars.

18. A method for providing an entertainment center in a virtual community, comprising:

providing a web user interface by a web server on a remote computer device operated by a user;

streaming video data by a streaming server to the remote computer device;

displaying on the web user interface an entertainment center having a screen configured to display images in response to the video data and one or more seats configured to be seated by one or more avatars while they watch the images on the screen;

displaying one or more avatars in the entertainment center on the web user interface, wherein at least one of the one or more avatars is associated with the user; and

displaying a mechanism adapted to control the display of the images on the screen.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

storing information about the user on a computer storage;

producing advertisement using the information about the user stored on the computer storage; and

displaying the advertisement on the screen in the entertainment center on the web user interface.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising displaying a movie, a video clip, trivia questions, or a slideshow on the screen in the entertainment center on the web user interface.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising selling or providing refreshments to the one or more avatars in the entertainment center on the web user interface.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing a facility in the web user interface to sell or provide music or songs to the one or more avatars or the user.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising selling a ticket to an avatar to allow the avatar to enter the entertainment center.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising selling the ticket in a real-world currency or a virtual world currency.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising displaying comments about the image displayed on the screen from the one or more avatars.