System and Methods for Monitoring and Controlling the Actions of an Avatar in a Virtual Environment

• US 20090069084A1
• Filed: 09/12/2007
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 10Vox Entertainment, Inc.
• Original Assignee: 10Vox Entertainment, Inc.
• Inventors: Reece, Alex D., Kolinski, Kevin, Bagby, Darrell, Cheshire, Dean R.
• Application Number:
  US11/854,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20090069084A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• 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 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• 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 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar

Abstract

An Internet-based computer application displayed on a multimedia video display system that records and compiles statistics based upon the interactions of an avatar, representing a gamer, within a virtual environment. The avatar is able to act in the virtual environment by controlling, manipulating, operating, or otherwise interacting with objects and other avatars within the virtual environment. Within the virtual environment, an avatar is presented with pre-determined options controlled by variables set by the computer application for each possible interaction. The actions of the avatar are recorded in at least one database. The application can compile the data and provide summary statistics regarding the avatar'"'"'s performance within the virtual environment. An interface screen can be used to view the summary statistics and alter the variables to change or adjust the options available to an avatar for interaction with objects in the virtual environment.

Claims

1. An Internet-based computer application on a storage medium that, when executed, instructs one or more processors to:

establish parameters for the operation of the application on a video display system;

display on the video display system a virtual environment observable by at least one user, said virtual environment comprising;

at least one avatar controllable by the at least one user;

at least one object within the virtual environment that the avatar can interact with or manipulate according to at least one computer-selected action, as determined by the established parameters, wherein the object and the computer-selected action have associated therewith at least one tag corresponding to one or more object or action categories or subcategories;

record within a database the tag associated with each object encountered by an avatar and each response or action taken by the avatar with regard to the object in the virtual environment;

compile the data within the database; and

display on a video display system a control interface comprising,

at least one the established parameters,

at least one statistical result from the compiled data, and

at least one selection mechanism capable of changing the at least one established parameter.

2. The computer application, according to claim 1, further comprising at least one proprietary code that initiates the transmission of instructions to the processor from the computer application.

3. The computer application, according to claim 1, further comprising at least one proprietary code that instructs the processor to display the control interface.

4. The computer application, according to claim 1, wherein the video display system is a computer connected to the Internet.

5. The computer application, according to claim 1, wherein the storage medium is at least one Internet accessible web server.

6. The computer application, according to claim 1, wherein the proprietary code is printed on a tag attached to the toy or its packaging.

7. The computer application, according to claim 1, wherein the at least one statistical results comprises:

scoring for each academic discipline, level of question difficulty, difficulty escalation over time, percentage correct for each discipline on prior difficulty levels, comparison of percentage correct to discipline difficulty level, subject of highest proficiency, subject of lowest proficiency, comparative difficulty level/percentage complete, total questions answered, questions answered in each subject area, overall standing compared to other players, discipline difficulty level, percentage correct on each attempted difficulty level, percentage of improvement, comparative standings with other garners, or standing in age range.

8. An entertainment system comprising:

at least one toy;

at least one proprietary code associated with the toy;

at least one video display device connected to a communication network; and

a computer application stored on at least one server and accessible by the video display device through the communication network, that when executed by the proprietary code received through the communication network from the video display device, will,

establish parameters for the operation by a user of the computer application on the video display device;

display on the video display device a virtual environment comprising;

at least one avatar controllable by the at least one user; and

at least one object within the virtual environment that the avatar can interact with or manipulate according to at least one computer-selected action, as determined by the established parameters, wherein the object and the computer-selected action have associated therewith at least one tag corresponding to one or more object or action categories or subcategories;

record within a database the tag associated with each object encountered by an avatar and each response or action taken by the avatar with regard to said object in the virtual environment;

compile the data in the database; and

display on a video display system a control interface comprising,

at least one of the established parameters,

at least one statistical result of the compiled data, and

at least one selection mechanism capable of changing the at least one established parameter.

9. The entertainment system of claim 8, wherein the toy and the avatar have the same or similar appearance.

10. The entertainment system of claim 8, wherein the proprietary code comprises printed information affixed to the toy.

11. The entertainment system of claim 10, wherein the printed information is contained on a hang tag attached to the toy.

12. The entertainment system of claim 8, wherein the at least one video display device is a computer connected to the Internet.

13. The entertainment system according to claim 8, wherein the at least one statistical result comprises:

scoring for each academic discipline, level of question difficulty, difficulty escalation over time percentage correct for each discipline on prior difficulty levels, comparison of percentage correct to discipline difficulty level, subject of highest proficiency, subject of lowest proficiency, comparative difficulty level/percentage complete, total questions answered, questions answered in each subject area, overall standing compared to other players, discipline difficulty level, percentage correct on each attempted difficulty level, percentage of improvement, comparative standings with other gamers, or standing in age range.

14. A method for presenting an Internet-based virtual world to a user for entertainment and education, said method comprising,

obtaining a toy having associated therewith at least one proprietary code,

utilizing a video display system having connection to the Internet to access a web server containing thereon a computer application for instructing one or more processors to generate a virtual world viewable on the video display device;

and

inputting the at least one proprietary code, through the Internet connection, to the web server to initiate instruction of the one or more processors to,

display on the video display system the virtual world observable by at least one user, said virtual world comprising;

at least one avatar controlled by the at least one user; and

at least one object within the virtual environment that the avatar can interact with or manipulate according to at least one computer-selected action as determined by the established parameters, wherein the object and the computer-selected action have associated therewith at least one tag corresponding to one or more object or action categories or subcategories;

record data within a database relating to each action of the avatar with regard at least one object in the virtual environment;

compile the data;

display on the video display system a control interface comprising,

at least one established parameter,

at least one statistical result of the compiled data, and

at least one selection mechanism capable of changing at least one established parameter.

15. The method, according to claim 14, further comprising at least one proprietary code for instructing the processor to display the control interface.

16. The method, according to claim 14, wherein the video display system is a personal computer.

17. The method, according to claim 14, wherein the results obtained from compiling data recorded in the database comprise:

scoring for each academic discipline, level of question difficulty, difficulty escalation over time, percentage correct for each discipline on prior difficulty levels, comparison of percentage correct to discipline difficulty level, subject of highest proficiency, subject of lowest proficiency, comparative difficulty level/percentage complete, total questions answered, questions answered in each subject area, overall standing compared to other players, discipline difficulty level, percentage correct on each attempted difficulty level, percentage of improvement, comparative standings with other garners, or standing in age range.

18. A method for obtaining and presenting statistical information pertaining to the virtual actions of an avatar in response to virtual objects within a virtual environment, said method comprising:

categorizing each object within the virtual environment into at least one object category;

labeling each object with a tag representing the at least one object category;

categorizing each possible action of the avatar relative to each object within the virtual environment into at least one action category;

labeling each possible action with a tag representing the at least one action category;

recording within a database the respective tag of each object encountered by an avatar and each action selected by the avatar for responding to the object;

compiling the data within the database to obtain statistical information; and

presenting the results of the compiled data on the video display device.

19. The method, according to claim 18, further comprising at least one subcategory for labeling at least one object with a tag.

20. The method, according to claim 18, further comprising at least one subcategory for labeling at least one action with a tag.

21. The method, according to claim 18, wherein the results obtained from compiling data recorded in the database comprise:

scoring for each academic discipline, level of question difficulty, difficulty escalation over time, percentage correct for each discipline on prior difficulty levels, comparison of percentage correct to discipline difficulty level, subject of highest proficiency, subject of lowest proficiency, comparative difficulty level/percentage complete, total questions answered, questions answered in each subject area, overall standing compared to other players, discipline difficulty level, percentage correct on each attempted difficulty level, percentage of improvement, comparative standings with other gamers, or standing in age range.

22. The method, according to claim 18, wherein the compiled data comprises information pertaining to current level of question difficulty, difficulty escalation, percentage correct for each discipline on prior difficulty levels, comparison of performance between current and past difficulty levels, subject of highest proficiency, subject of lowest proficiency, comparative difficulty level/percentage complete, total questions answered, questions answered in each subject area, and overall standing compared to other gamers.

23. The method, according to claim 22, wherein the compiled data is presented in the form of graphical reports, scores, ratings, and comparisons viewable by the video display device.

24. The method, according to claim 18, further comprising a control interface for displaying the statistical results.

25. The method, according to claim 18, wherein object categories are selected from the group consisting of:

subject matter, academic discipline, grade level, and difficulty level.