PROVIDING ADVERTISING IN A VIRTUAL WORLD

• US 20090094106A1
• Filed: 10/09/2007
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zhigu Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Porter, Erik, Booth, Ernest A., Titus, Tobin R., Carnahan, Jeffrey D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,606,634 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.23
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions

Abstract

Technologies are described herein for providing advertising in a virtual world. An inventory list identifying a plurality of virtual objects is provided. A selection of one or more virtual objects from the inventory is received. An advertisement list identifying a plurality of advertisements is further provided. A selection of one or more advertisements from the advertisement list is further received. The selection of advertisements is placed on the selection of virtual objects in the virtual world.

Claims

1. A method for providing advertising in a virtual world, the method comprising:

providing an inventory list identifying a plurality of virtual objects;

receiving a selection of one or more virtual objects from the inventory list;

providing an advertisement list identifying a plurality of advertisements;

receiving a selection of one or more advertisements from the advertisement list; and

placing the selection of advertisements on the selection of virtual objects in the virtual world.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a criterion; and

generating the inventory list identifying virtual objects satisfying the criterion.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the criterion comprises a location in the virtual world.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a selection of one or more virtual objects from the inventory list comprises receiving a category corresponding to a plurality of virtual objects from the inventory list.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the advertisement list with advertisements uploaded by a given advertiser.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a selection of one or more advertisements from the advertisement list comprises receiving a category corresponding to a plurality of advertisements from the advertisement list.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving payment for the selection of advertisements.

8. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of claim 1.

9. A method for providing advertising in a virtual world, the method comprising:

providing an inventory search interface to enter or select a first criterion and a second criterion;

generating an inventory list identifying virtual objects satisfying the first criterion and participants satisfying the second criterion;

generating an advertisement list identifying advertisements uploaded by a given advertiser;

receiving a selection of one or more virtual objects and one or more participants from the inventory list;

receiving a selection of one or more advertisements from the advertisement list;

associating each of the selection of advertisements to at least one of the selection of participants; and

placing the selection of advertisements onto the selection of virtual objects in the virtual world in accordance with the association between the selection of advertisements and the selection of participants.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the criterion comprises a location in the virtual world.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving a selection of one or more virtual objects from the inventory list comprises receiving a category corresponding to a plurality of virtual objects from the inventory list.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving a selection of one or more advertisements from the advertisement list comprises receiving a category corresponding to a plurality of advertisements from the advertisement list.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the category comprises one or more of text, picture, audio, and video.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising providing a payment interface to receive payment for the selection of advertisements.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein placing the selection of advertisements onto the selection of virtual objects in the virtual world comprises in response to receiving payment for the selection of advertisements, placing the selection of advertisements onto the selection of virtual objects in the virtual world.

16. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of claim 9.

17. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

provide, by way of a network, an inventory search interface to enter or select a criterion;

receive the criterion;

generate an inventory list identifying virtual objects satisfying the criterion;

transmit the inventory list over the network;

receive a selection of one or more virtual objects from the inventory list;

provide, by way of the network, an advertisement upload interface to upload advertisements;

receive one or more uploaded advertisements;

generate an advertisement list identifying advertisements uploaded by a given advertiser;

transmit the advertisement list over the network;

receive a selection of one or more advertisements from the advertisement list;

provide, by way of the network, a payment interface;

receive payment for the selection of advertisements through the payment interface; and

place the selection of advertisements on the selection of virtual objects in a virtual world.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein to transmit the advertisement list over the network, the computer-readable medium has further computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

provide, by way of the network, an advertisement access interface requesting a login and a password;

receive the login and the password;

verifying whether the login and the password correspond to the given advertiser; and

in response to verifying that the login and the password correspond to the given advertiser, transmit the advertisement list over the network.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein to receive a selection of virtual objects from the inventory list the computer-readable medium has further computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to receive a category corresponding to a plurality of virtual objects from the inventory list.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein to receive a selection of one or more advertisements from the advertisement list, the computer-readable medium has further computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to receive a category corresponding to a plurality of advertisements from the advertisement list.