Character expression in a geo-spatial environment

• US 20090019366A1
• Filed: 07/12/2007
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fatdoor Incorporated
• Inventors: Abhyanker, Raj Vasant
• Granted Patent: US 7,966,567 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A method, apparatus and system of character expression in a geo-spatial environment are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes generating a community network of user profiles, each user profile associated with a specific geographic location, associating a first user with a first user profile, providing a first character expression associated with the first user profile, generating a first display view to include a three-dimensional map view embodied by the community network, the first character expression, and the first user profile represented at a location in the three-dimensional map view associated with the specific geographic location of the first user profile, and simultaneously representing other user profiles adjacent to the first user profile in the three-dimensional map view. The method may also include providing elements as a part of a commerce transaction and enabling the commerce transaction via a user profile.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating a community network of user profiles, each user profile of the user profiles associated with a specific geographic location;

associating a first user with a first user profile of the user profiles;

providing a first character expression associated with the first user profile of the user profiles;

generating a first display view to include a three-dimensional map view embodied by the community network, the first character expression, and the first user profile of the user profiles represented at a location in the three-dimensional map view associated with the specific geographic location of the first user profile of the user profiles; and

simultaneously representing other user profiles adjacent to the first user profile of the user profiles in the three-dimensional map view.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing the first character expression associated with the first user profile of the user profiles comprises:

providing at least one of a representation of a physical space and an avatar; and

enabling decoration of the representation as an expression of an individual.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the representation of a physical space is selected from a group comprising a representation of an outdoor space, and a representation of an indoor space.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the representation of an indoor space comprises a three-dimensional representation of a room.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the enabling decoration of the three-dimensional representation of a room as an expression of an individual comprises enabling decoration with at least one representation of an element selected from a group comprising a physical object, a color, a pattern, a background, a furnishing, a person, an avatar, artwork, a diploma, a work accomplishment document, a trophy, a poster, a picture, and a photograph.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the representation of an outdoor space comprises a three-dimensional representation of at least one of a garden, a park, and an outdoor venue.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the enabling decoration of the three-dimensional representation of the at least one of a garden, a park, and an outdoor venue comprises enabling decoration with at least one representation of an element selected from a group comprising a physical object, a color, a pattern, a background, a flower, a plant, a tree, a sky, a cloud, a sun, a rainbow, a body of water, a person, an avatar, an animal, a physical structure, and a transportation vehicle.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the enabling decoration of the avatar comprises enabling decoration with at least one element selected from a group comprising a physical characteristic, a personal feature, a facial expression, a physical pose, a clothing item, and an accessory.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing character expression tools to customize the first character expression.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing elements as a part of a commerce transaction; and

enabling the commerce transaction via a user profile of the user profiles.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling creation of a second character expression associated with a second user profile of the user profiles;

generating a second display view to include a three-dimensional map view embodied by the community network, the second character expression, and the second user profile of the user profiles represented at a location in the three-dimensional map view associated with the specific geographic location of the second user profile of the user profiles; and

simultaneously representing other user profiles adjacent to the second user profile of the user profiles in the three-dimensional map view.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second character expression is displayed in conjunction with a wiki profile.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing a first incentive associated with creation of the second character expression.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing a second incentive associated with generation of an invitation to claim the second user profile; and

generating the invitation.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing a third incentive associated with a claimed second user profile of the user profiles.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a homepage associated with the first user profile of the user profiles.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing homepage tools to customize the homepage.

18. The method of claim 1 in a form of a machine-readable medium embodying a set of instructions that, when executed by a machine, causes the machine to perform the method of claim 1.

19. A system, comprising:

a geo-spatial environment;

a community network module of the geo-spatial environment, to include user profiles, each user profile of the user profiles to include a specific geographic location;

a character expression module of the geo-spatial environment to generate character expressions associated with the user profiles;

a map module of the geo-spatial environment to include map data which serves as a basis to render a three-dimensional map view in the geo-spatial environment which identifies at least some residences, businesses, and civic structures having specific geographic locations; and

a display module of the geo-spatial environment to generate a display view of the three-dimensional map view embodied by the community network, a first user profile of the user profiles, and a first character expression of the character expressions associated with the first user profile of the user profiles represented at a location in the three-dimensional map view associated with the specific geographic location of the first user profile of the user profiles, and simultaneously to represent other user profiles adjacent to the first user profile of the user profiles in the three-dimensional map view.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a wiki profile module of the geo-spatial environment to generate in the display view a wiki profile associated with a user profile of the user profiles.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising an append module to generate, with the at least one wiki profile, content associated with the at least one wiki profile.

22. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

an incentive module of the geo-spatial environment to enable creation of a second character expression associated with a second user profile of the user profiles, display of the second character expression in conjunction with a wiki profile associated with the second user profile, and incentives associated with at least one of the creation of the second character expression, generation of an invitation to claim the second user profile of the user profiles, and a claim of the second user profile of the user profiles.

23. The system of claim 19, further comprising a character expression tool module of the geo-spatial environment to customize a character expression of the character expressions associated with a user profile of the user profiles.

24. The system of claim 19, further comprising an element module of the geo-spatial environment to provide elements to customize the character expression of the character expressions.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the character expression further comprises at least one of a representation of an indoor space, a representation of an outdoor space, and an avatar.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the representation of the indoor space comprises a three-dimensional representation of a room.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the elements to customize the three-dimensional representation of a room are selected from a group comprising a physical object, a color, a pattern, a background, a furnishing, a person, an avatar, artwork, a diploma, a work accomplishment document, a trophy, a poster, a picture, and a photograph.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the representation of the outdoor space comprises a three-dimensional representation of at least one of a garden, a park, and an outdoor venue.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the elements to customize the three-dimensional representation of the at least one of a garden, a park, and an outdoor venue are selected from a group comprising a physical object, a color, a pattern, a background, a flower, a plant, a tree, a sky, a cloud, a sun, a rainbow, a body of water, a person, an avatar, an animal, a physical structure, and a transportation vehicle.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein the elements to customize the avatar are selected from a group comprising a physical characteristic, a personal feature, a facial expression, a physical pose, a clothing item, and an accessory.

31. The system of claim 19, further comprising a commerce transaction module of the geo-spatial environment to generate a commerce transaction associated with a character expression of the character expressions.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the commerce transaction further comprises an online payment transaction to purchase a use of elements in the character expression.

33. The system of claim 19, further comprising a homepage module of the geo-spatial environment to generate a homepage associated with the first user profile of the user profiles.

34. The system of claim 33, further comprising a homepage tool module to provide homepage tools to customize the homepage.

35. A geo-spatial environment, comprising:

a first instruction set to enable a community network, to include a map database associated with map data and a user database associated with user profiles, each user profile of the user profiles associated a specific geographic location identifiable in the map data; and

a second instruction set integrated with the first instruction set to generate a character expression associated with a first user profile of the user profiles; and

a third instruction set integrated with the first instruction set and the second instruction set to display a three-dimensional map view embodied by the community network, the first user profile of the user profiles, the character expression, and simultaneously to represent other user profiles adjacent to the first user profile of the user profiles in the three-dimensional map view, wherein the first user profile is displayed at a location in the three-dimensional map view associated with the specific geographic location of the first user profile.

36. The geo-spatial environment of claim 35, further comprising a fourth instruction set integrated with the first instruction set and the second instruction set and the third instruction set to provide elements and character expression tools to customize character expressions.

37. The geo-spatial environment of claim 35, further comprising a fifth instruction set to enable creation and customization of a homepage associated with a user profile of the user profiles.