TAGGING VIRTUAL CURRENCY

• US 20090132416A1
• Filed: 11/21/2007
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Porter, Erik, Booth, Ernest A., Titus, Tobin R.
• Application Number:
  US11/943,625
• Publication Number:
  US 20090132416A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/44
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

Technologies are described herein for providing tagging virtual currency and processing payments made by the virtual currency. In an example, a virtual currency unit is received as payment for a good or service. Whether the virtual currency unit is associated with a tag is determined. Upon determining that the virtual currency unit is associated with a tag, whether the tag permits a utilization of the virtual currency unit as payment for the good or service is determined. Upon determining that the tag permits the utilization of the virtual currency unit as payment for the good or service, the payment of the virtual currency unit for the good or service is processed. Upon determining that the tag prohibits the utilization of the virtual currency unit as payment for the good or service, the payment of the virtual currency unit for the good or service is denied.

Claims

1. A method for processing a payment made by virtual currency, the method comprising:

receiving a virtual currency unit as payment for a good or service;

determining whether the virtual currency unit is associated with a tag;

upon determining that the virtual currency unit is associated with the tag, determining whether the tag permits a utilization of the virtual currency unit as payment for the good or service;

upon determining that the tag permits the utilization of the virtual currency unit as payment for the good or service, processing the payment of the virtual currency unit for the good or service; and

upon determining that the tag prohibits the utilization of the virtual currency unit as payment for the good or service, denying the payment of the virtual currency unit for the good or service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a virtual currency unit as payment for a good or service comprises receiving the virtual currency unit as payment for a virtual good or virtual service sold by a virtual store within a virtual world.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the tag comprises a schema identifying permissible uses of the virtual currency unit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the tag comprises a schema identifying impermissible uses of the virtual currency unit.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the tag comprises extensible markup language (XML).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein upon determining that the virtual currency unit is associated with a tag, the method further comprises processing the payment of the virtual currency unit for the good or service.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the payment of the virtual currency unit for the good or service comprises processing the payment of the virtual currency unit for the good or service in accordance with predefined rules of a virtual world.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising upon processing the payment of the virtual currency unit for the good or service, notifying a virtual store selling the good or service that the payment has been processed.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising upon denying the payment of the virtual currency unit for the good or service, notifying a virtual store selling the good or service that the payment has been denied.

10. 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.

11. A method for tagging virtual currency, the method comprising:

receiving an input of an amount of virtual currency;

generating a virtual currency unit based on the amount of virtual currency;

receiving an input of at least one attribute controlling a utilization of the virtual currency unit in a virtual world;

generating a tag based on the at least one attribute controlling the utilization of the virtual currency unit in the virtual world; and

associating the virtual currency unit with the tag.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving an input of an amount of virtual currency comprises:

receiving an amount of real currency for purchasing the virtual currency unit; and

determining the amount of virtual currency based on the amount of real currency and an exchange rate.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving an input of at least one attribute controlling a utilization of the virtual currency unit in a virtual world comprises receiving an input of at least one attribute indicating a permissible way to utilize the virtual currency unit in the virtual world.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein receiving an input of at least one attribute indicating a permissible way to utilize the virtual currency unit in the virtual world comprises receiving a selection of a virtual store at which the virtual currency unit is permitted to be utilized to purchase goods or services.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving an input of at least one attribute controlling a utilization of the virtual currency unit in a virtual world comprises receiving an input of at least one attribute indicating an impermissible way to utilize the virtual currency unit in the virtual world.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving an input of at least one attribute indicating an impermissible way to utilize the virtual currency unit in the virtual world comprises receiving a selection of a no cash option prohibiting an exchange of the virtual currency unit for an amount of real currency.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein generating a tag based on the at least one attribute controlling the utilization of the virtual currency unit in the virtual world comprises generating a schema containing the at least one attribute.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein associating the virtual currency unit with the tag comprises inserting into the schema a pointer to the virtual currency unit.

19. 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 11.

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

provide for sale a virtual good or virtual service by way of a virtual store in a virtual world;

receive a virtual currency unit as payment for the virtual good or virtual service, the virtual currency unit corresponding to an amount of virtual currency;

determine whether the virtual currency unit is associated with a tag, the tag containing at least one attribute controlling a utilization of the virtual currency unit;

upon determining that the virtual currency unit is associated with the tag, determine whether the at least one attribute permits the utilization of the virtual currency unit as payment for the virtual good or virtual service;

upon determining that the at least one attribute permits the utilization of the virtual currency unit as payment for the virtual good or virtual service, process the payment of the virtual currency unit for the virtual good or virtual service; and

upon determining that the at least one attribute prohibits the utilization of the virtual currency unit as payment for the virtual good or virtual service, deny the payment of the virtual currency unit for the virtual good or virtual service.