Tracking a participant loss in a virtual world

• US 20090132296A1
• Filed: 10/30/2008
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Rinaldo, John D. JR., Lord, Robert W., Jung, Edward K.Y., Levien, Royce A., Malamud, Mark A.
• Application Number:
  US12/290,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20090132296A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/4
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

Embodiments include an apparatus, device, system, computer-program product, and method. In an embodiment, a system includes a virtual world in which a participant may participate. The system also includes a covered-loss detection module operable to identify an occurrence of a defined loss in the virtual world suffered by the participant. The defined loss is described in an agreement that includes an obligation of a protection entity to provide a benefit to the participant upon an occurrence in the virtual world of the defined loss.

Claims

1-32. -32. (canceled)

33. A system comprising:

a computing system couplable to a network and operable to interact with at least two participants via the network;

a program module operable to manage a virtual world; and

a query module operable to respond to a benefit inquiry corresponding to a claimed occurrence of a defined loss in the virtual world by a participant of the at least two participants (hereafter referred to as “

the participant”

).

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the defined loss in the virtual world includes:

a defined loss described in an agreement that includes;

an obligation of a protection entity to provide a benefit to the participant upon an occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the defined loss includes:

a preselected loss of at least two preselected losses.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein the query module includes:

a query module operable to confirm the occurrence of a participant-claimed occurrence of a defined loss.

37. The system of claim 33, wherein the query module includes:

a query module operable to deny the occurrence of a claimed occurrence of a defined loss.

38. The system of claim 33, wherein the query module includes:

a query module operable to facilitate a provision of the benefit to the participant for a claimed occurrence of the defined loss.

39. The system of claim 33, wherein the query module includes:

a query module operable to report a confirmation decision related to the occurrence of the participant claimed occurrence of a defined loss.

40. The system of claim 33, further including:

a tracking module operable to monitor the virtual world for an occurrence of the defined loss.

41-52. -52. (canceled)

53. A method comprising

interacting with at least two participants via a computing system couplable to a network and operable to interact with the at least two participants via the network;

managing a virtual world via a program module operable to manage the virtual world; and

responding to a benefit inquiry via a query module operable to respond to the benefit inquiry corresponding to a claimed occurrence of a defined loss in the virtual world by a participant of the at least two participants (hereafter referred to as “

the participant”

).

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the responding to a benefit inquiry via a query module operable to respond to the benefit inquiry corresponding to a claimed occurrence of a defined loss in the virtual world by a participant of the at least two participants includes:

responding to a benefit inquiry via a query module operable to respond to the benefit inquiry corresponding to a claimed occurrence of a defined loss in the virtual world by a participant of the at least two participants wherein the defined loss in the virtual world includes a defined loss described in an agreement that includes an obligation of a protection entity to provide a benefit to the participant upon an occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world.

55. The method of claim 53, wherein the responding to a benefit inquiry via a query module operable to respond to the benefit inquiry corresponding to a claimed occurrence of a defined loss in the virtual world by a participant of the at least two participants includes:

responding to a benefit inquiry via a query module operable to respond to the benefit inquiry corresponding to a claimed occurrence of a defined loss in the virtual world by a participant of the at least two participants wherein the defined loss includes a preselected loss of at least two preselected losses.

56. The method of claim 53, wherein the responding to a benefit inquiry via a query module operable to respond to the benefit inquiry corresponding to a claimed occurrence of a defined loss in the virtual world by a participant of the at least two participants includes:

confirming the occurrence of a participant-claimed occurrence of a defined loss.

57. The method of claim 53, wherein the responding to a benefit inquiry via a query module operable to respond to the benefit inquiry corresponding to a claimed occurrence of a defined loss in the virtual world by a participant of the at least two participants includes:

denying the occurrence of a claimed occurrence of a defined loss.

58. The method of claim 53, wherein the responding to a benefit inquiry via a query module operable to respond to the benefit inquiry corresponding to a claimed occurrence of a defined loss in the virtual world by a participant of the at least two participants includes:

facilitating a provision of the benefit to the participant for a claimed occurrence of a defined loss.

59. The method of claim 53, wherein the responding to a benefit inquiry via a query module operable to respond to the benefit inquiry corresponding to a claimed occurrence of a defined loss in the virtual world by a participant of the at least two participants includes:

reporting a confirmation decision related to the occurrence of the participant claimed occurrence of a defined loss.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein the reporting a confirmation decision related to the occurrence of the participant claimed occurrence of a defined loss includes:

reporting a confirmation decision related to the occurrence of the participant claimed occurrence of a defined loss, the confirmation decision including at least one of confirming the occurrence of a defined loss, denying the occurrence of a defined loss, or requesting more information.

61. The method of claim 53, further including:

monitoring the virtual world for an occurrence of the defined loss.

62. A system comprising:

means for interacting with at least two participants;

means for managing a virtual world; and

means for responding to a benefit inquiry corresponding to a claimed occurrence of a defined loss in the virtual world by a participant of the at least two participants (hereafter referred to as “

the participant”

).

63. The system of claim 62, wherein the means for responding to a benefit inquiry corresponding to a claimed occurrence of a defined loss in the virtual world by a participant of the at least two participants includes:

means for responding to a benefit inquiry via a query module operable to respond to the benefit inquiry corresponding to a claimed occurrence of a defined loss in the virtual world by a participant of the at least two participants wherein the defined loss includes a preselected loss of at least two preselected losses.

64. The system of claim 62, wherein the means for responding to a benefit inquiry corresponding to a claimed occurrence of a defined loss in the virtual world by a participant of the at least two participants includes:

means for responding to a benefit inquiry via a query module operable to respond to the benefit inquiry corresponding to a claimed occurrence of a defined loss in the virtual world by a participant of the at least two participants wherein the defined loss includes a preselected loss of at least two preselected losses.

65. The system of claim 62, wherein the means for responding to a benefit inquiry corresponding to a claimed occurrence of a defined loss in the virtual world by a participant of the at least two participants includes:

means for confirming the occurrence of a participant-claimed occurrence of a defined loss.

66. The system of claim 62, wherein the means for responding to a benefit inquiry corresponding to a claimed occurrence of a defined loss in the virtual world by a participant of the at least two participants includes:

means for denying the occurrence of a claimed occurrence of a defined loss.

67. The system of claim 62, wherein the means for responding to a benefit inquiry corresponding to a claimed occurrence of a defined loss in the virtual world by a participant of the at least two participants includes:

means for facilitating a provision of the benefit to the participant for a claimed occurrence of a defined loss.

68. The system of claim 62, wherein the means for responding to a benefit inquiry corresponding to a claimed occurrence of a defined loss in the virtual world by a participant of the at least two participants includes:

means for reporting a confirmation decision related to the occurrence of the participant claimed occurrence of a defined loss.

69. The system of claim 68, wherein the means for reporting a confirmation decision related to the occurrence of the participant claimed occurrence of a defined loss includes:

means for reporting a confirmation decision related to the occurrence of the participant claimed occurrence of a defined loss, the confirmation decision including at least one of confirming the occurrence of a defined loss, denying the occurrence of a defined loss, or requesting more information.

70. The system of claim 62, further including:

means for monitoring the virtual world for an occurrence of the defined loss.

71. A system comprising:

circuitry for interacting with at least two participants;

circuitry for managing a virtual world; and

circuitry for responding to a benefit inquiry corresponding to a claimed occurrence of a defined loss in the virtual world by a participant of the at least two participants (hereafter referred to as “

the participant”

).

72. A computer program product comprising:

a signal bearing medium bearing;

one or more instructions for interacting with at least two participants;

one or more instructions for managing a virtual world; and

one or more instructions for responding to a benefit inquiry corresponding to a claimed occurrence of a defined loss in the virtual world by a participant of the at least two participants (hereafter referred to as “

the participant”

).