ACQUISITION OF AVATAR REWARDS THROUGH ADVERTISEMENT EXPOSURE

• US 20090048918A1
• Filed: 08/16/2007
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dawson, Christopher J., Hamilton, Rick A. II, Pickover, Clifford A., Seaman, James W.
• Application Number:
  US11/839,612
• Publication Number:
  US 20090048918A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.260
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/61 using advertising information
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/67 adaptively or by learning from player actions, e.g. skill level adjustment or by storing successful combat sequences for re-use
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5506 using advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5513 involving billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/57 details of game services offered to the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6027 using adaptive systems learning from user actions, e.g. for skill level adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

The present invention relates to the acquisition of virtual and/or tangible avatar rewards through advertisement exposure. A method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: viewing advertising content within the virtual environment; and providing a reward to the avatar for viewing the advertising content.

Claims

1. A method for providing rewards to an avatar, comprising:

viewing advertising content within the virtual environment; and

providing a reward to the avatar for viewing the advertising content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the viewing of advertising content is selected from the group consisting of actively viewing the advertising content and passively viewing the advertising content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the reward is selected from the group consisting of a virtual reward usable in the virtual environment and a tangible reward usable by an end-user controlling the avatar.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

depositing the reward in an inventory of the avatar.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting the award to the avatar for acceptance; and

depositing the reward in an inventory of the avatar upon acceptance of the award by the avatar.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting the reward based on at least one of an interest of the avatar and items already present in an inventory of the avatar.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the reward is selected from the group consisting of a predetermined reward and a randomly chosen reward.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

depositing the reward in an on-line shopping cart for purchase by an end-user controlling the avatar.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

teleporting the reward to a location within the virtual environment.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending the reward to a real-world location.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a reward to the avatar for viewing the advertising content is selected from the group consisting of:

providing the reward to the avatar a single time, regardless of a number of times the avatar views the advertising content;

providing the same reward to the avatar each time avatar views the advertising content;

providing a different reward to the avatar each time avatar views the advertising content; and

providing a menu to the avatar, wherein the avatar can select the reward from the menu.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the reward comprises a number of points;

and wherein the avatar can redeem the points to obtain a desired virtual or real-world reward.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the reward is contextual and relevant to a current environment of the avatar.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the avatar can host advertising content of a sponsor.

15. A system for providing rewards to an avatar, comprising:

a system for viewing advertising content within the virtual environment; and

a system for providing a reward to the avatar for viewing the advertising content.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the system for viewing advertising content is selected from the group consisting of a system for actively viewing the advertising content and a system for passively viewing the advertising content.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the reward is selected from the group consisting of a virtual reward usable in the virtual environment and a tangible reward usable by an end-user controlling the avatar.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a system for depositing the reward in an inventory of the avatar.

19. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a system for presenting the award to the avatar for acceptance; and

a system for depositing the reward in an inventory of the avatar upon acceptance of the award by the avatar.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a system for selecting the reward based on at least one of an interest of the avatar and items already present in an inventory of the avatar;

wherein the reward is selected from the group consisting of a predetermined reward and a randomly chosen reward.

21. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a system for depositing the reward in an on-line shopping cart for purchase by an end-user controlling the avatar.

22. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a system for teleporting the reward to a location within the virtual environment.

23. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a system for sending the reward to a real-world location.

24. The system of claim 15, wherein the system for providing a reward to the avatar for viewing the advertising content is selected from the group consisting of:

a system for providing the reward to the avatar a single time, regardless of a number of times the avatar views the advertising content;

a system for providing the same reward to the avatar each time avatar views the advertising content;

a system for providing a different reward to the avatar each time avatar views the advertising content; and

a system for providing a menu to the avatar, wherein the avatar can select the reward from the menu.

25. The system of claim 15, wherein the reward comprises a number of points, the system further comprising:

a system for redeeming the points to obtain a desired virtual or real-world reward.

26. The system of claim 15, wherein the reward is contextual and relevant to a current environment of the avatar.

27. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a system for allowing the avatar to host advertising content of a sponsor.

28. A program product stored on a computer readable medium, which when executed, provides rewards to an avatar, the computer readable medium comprising program code for:

viewing advertising content within the virtual environment; and

providing a reward to the avatar for viewing the advertising content.

29. A method for deploying an application for providing rewards to an avatar, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;

view advertising content within the virtual environment; and

provide a reward to the avatar for viewing the advertising content.

29-1. A method for deploying an application for providing rewards to an avatar, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;

view advertising content within the virtual environment; and

provide a reward to the avatar for viewing the advertising content