METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SPLITTING VIRTUAL UNIVERSES INTO DISTINCT ENTITIES

• US 20090125819A1
• Filed: 11/08/2007
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pickover, Clifford Alan, O'Connell, Brian Marshall, Walker, Keith Raymond, Hamilton, Rick Allen II, Harrison, Steven Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,140,982 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/757
• 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 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5533 using program state or machine event data, e.g. server keeps track of the state of multiple players on in a multiple player game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality

Abstract

Systems and methods for allowing an administrator or program to select a region or set of avatars in a virtual universe grid for splitting into another, separate and distinct virtual universe grid. If a region is selected, all of the avatars and virtual universe resources associated with the region are locked, their data is retrieved, and another separate virtual universe grid is commanded to create and insert the avatars and resources in it. If avatars are selected, all of the resources, scripts, histories, and information regarding the selected avatars are retrieved, and the avatars are locked in the source universe. Then, another, separate virtual universe grid is commanded to create universe user identifiers for the avatars, and they are inserted into the separate VU grid. Cleanup includes deleting the region and/or avatars from the first (source) virtual universe grid.

Claims

1. A method for splitting an existing virtual universe context by designating one or more regions to separate from the existing virtual universe comprising the steps of:

providing a user interface through which an administrator selects region edges within a first virtual universe grid;

instructing said first virtual universe grid to lock avatars, resources, scripts, and other universe assets within or associated with said selected region in order 10 prevent any avatars entering or exiting said selected region, and in order to prevent any changes to an environment within said selected region;

retrieving context data for said selected region from said first virtual universe grid, storing said context data in a temporary table;

commanding said first virtual universe grid to delete all avatars, resources, scripts, and other universe assets within or associated with said selected region;

invoking a creation operation in a second virtual universe grid to establish a second virtual universe grid which is new, empty or blank; and

instructing said second virtual universe grid to insert avatars, resources, scripts, context states and other universe assets corresponding to context data stored in said temporary table, thereby establishing a virtual universe grid separate and distinct from said first virtual universe grid, and replicating said selected region of said first virtual universe grid.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said user interface comprises a remote interface via a web browser.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said steps of selecting region edges comprises a cut-and-paste graphical user interface paradigm.

4. The method as set forth in claim 3 wherein said cut-and-paste paradigm comprises downloading and rendering a map form representation of said first virtual universe to said user interface.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of locking comprises automatically teleporting any avatars which are in said selected region at a time of the lock.

6. An article of manufacture for splitting an existing virtual universe context by designating one or more regions to separate from the existing virtual universe, the article comprising:

a computer readable medium suitable for encoding computer programs; and

one or more computer programs encoded by said computer readable medium configured to cause a processor to perform the steps of;

(a) providing a user interface through which an administrator selects region edges within a first virtual universe grid;

(b) instructing said first virtual universe grid to lock avatars, resources, scripts, and other universe assets within or associated with said selected region in order to prevent any avatars entering or exiting said selected region, and in order to prevent any changes to an environment within said selected region;

(c) retrieving context data for said selected region from said first virtual universe grid, storing said context data in a temporary table;

(d) commanding said first virtual universe grid to delete all avatars, resources, scripts, and other universe assets within or associated with said selected region;

(e) invoking a creation operation in a second virtual universe grid to establish a second virtual universe grid which is new, empty or blank; and

(f) instructing said second virtual universe grid to insert avatars, resources, scripts, context slates and other universe assets corresponding to context data stored in said temporary table, thereby establishing a virtual universe grid separate and distinct from said first virtual universe grid, and replicating said selected region of said first virtual universe grid.

7. A system for splitting an existing virtual universe context by designating one or more regions to separate from the existing virtual universe comprising:

a user interface portion of a virtual universe system through which an administrator selects region edges within a first virtual universe grid;

an instruction sent by a controller portion of a virtual universe system to said first virtual universe grid to lock avatars, resources, scripts, and other universe assets within or associated with said selected region in order to prevent any avatars entering or exiting said selected region, and in order to prevent any changes to an environment within said selected region;

a portion of context data for said selected region from said first virtual universe grid, retrieved and stored in a temporary table by said controller portion;

a command sent by said controller portion to said first virtual universe grid to delete all avatars, resources, scripts, and other universe assets within or associated with said selected region;

an invocation initiated by said controller portion of a creation operation in a second virtual universe grid to establish a second virtual universe grid which is new, empty or blank; and

an instruction sent by said controller portion to said second virtual universe grid to insert avatars, resources, scripts, context states and other universe assets corresponding to context data stored in said temporary table, thereby establishing a virtual universe grid separate and distinct from said first virtual universe grid, and replicating said selected region of said first virtual universe grid.

8. The system as set forth in claim 7 wherein said user interface comprises a remote interface via a web browser.

9. The system as set forth in claim 7 wherein said user interface is configured to allow selecting region edges through aa cut-and-paste graphical user interface paradigm.

10. The system as set forth in claim 9 wherein said cut-and-paste paradigm comprises a map form representation of said first virtual universe to said user interface.

11. The system as set forth in claim 7 wherein said locking instruction comprises an instruction to teleport any avatars which are in said selected region at a time of the lock.

12. A method for splitting an existing virtual universe context by designating one or more avatars to be separated from the existing virtual universe comprising the steps of:

selecting one or more avatars from a first virtual universe grid;

instructing said first virtual universe grid to lock user accounts associated with said selected avatars in order to prevent avatar or inventory modification to said selected avatars;

retrieving and storing account, avatar, and inventory data, for said locked avatars from said first virtual universe grid;

commanding a second virtual universe grid, distinct from said first virtual universe grid, to generate one or more new universe user identifiers corresponding to said stored data; and

commanding said second virtual universe grid to insert said selected avatars into said second virtual universe grid.

13. The method as set forth in claim 12 wherein said step of commanding insertion of avatars further comprises commanding said second virtual universe grid to perform an operation selected from the group of updating a notice board and updating a web site statistics.

14. The method as set forth in claim 12 wherein said step of selecting avatars comprises automatic selection of avatars based on a condition or analysis selected from the group of selecting avatars which own land or buildings within a designated virtual universe region, selecting avatars which have been located within a designated virtual universe region for a minimum period of time, avatars which have exceeded an activity threshold, avatars which have failed to meet an activity threshold, avatars which have been designated as reputable, avatars which have been designated as disreputable, avatars for users who have expended a minimum amount of fees, and avatars associated with a group of avatars.

15. The method as set forth in claim 12 wherein said step of retrieving account, avatar, and inventory data, for said locked avatars from said first virtual universe grid comprises retrieving history and scripts associated with said locked avatars.

16. A system for splitting an existing virtual universe context by designating one or more avatars to be separated from the existing virtual universe comprising:

a user interface portion of a virtual universe system configured to allow a user to select one or more avatars from a first virtual universe grid;

an instruction issued by a controller portion of said first virtual universe grid to lock user accounts associated with said selected avatars in order to prevent avatar or inventory modification to said selected avatars;

a block of account, avatar, and inventory data, for said locked avatars from said first virtual universe grid, retrieved and stored by said controller portion in a temporary table;

a command sent from said controller portion to a second virtual universe grid, distinct from said first virtual universe grid, to generate one or more new universe user identifiers corresponding to said stored data; and

a command sent from said controller portion to said second virtual universe grid to insert said selected avatars into said second virtual universe grid.

17. The system as set forth in claim 16 wherein said insertion command further comprises a command to said second virtual universe grid to perform an operation selected from the group of updating a notice board and updating a web site statistics.

18. The system as set forth in claim 16 wherein user interface is further configured to select avatars automatically based on a condition or analysis selected from the group of selecting avatars which own land or buildings within a designated virtual universe region, selecting avatars which have been located within a designated virtual universe region for a minimum period of time, avatars which have exceeded an activity threshold, avatars which have failed to meet an activity threshold, avatars which have been designated as reputable, avatars which have been designated as disreputable, avatars for users who have expended a minimum amount of fees, and avatars associated with a group of avatars.

19. The system as set forth in claim 16 wherein said retrieved account, avatar, and inventory data comprises retrieved history and scripts associated with said locked avatars.