METHOD FOR IMPROVING QUEUE EXPERIENCE IN A THREE-DIMENSIONAL VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT

• US 20090138807A1
• Filed: 11/26/2007
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pelleg, Dan, Fuhrmann, Oded
• Granted Patent: US 7,882,443 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/757
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6623 for animating a group of characters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

A method improving a customers experience in a queue located in a three-dimensional virtual environment is provided. The method includes the creation of computer controlled pseudo avatars that are added and removed from queues to create the perception that the queues are moving. A conversational avatar is further provided to engage the customer avatars in conversation.

Claims

1. A method for improving the experience of a user waiting in a queue in a three-dimensional online environment, the method comprising:

defining a visual three-dimensional virtual environment having avatars representing human customers, computer customers, human servers and computer servers

defining a plurality of queues in the virtual environment, wherein each queue includes a group of human customer avatars, computers customer avatars;

detecting a new customer avatar entering one of the queues;

determining the number of avatars ahead of the new customer avatar in the selected queue; and

adding computer avatars to the non selected queues such that the non-selected queues have more avatars than the queue selected by the new customer avatar to create the perception that the selected queue will have a shorter wait time.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of adding computer avatars to the selected queue behind the new customer avatar.

3. A method for improving the experience of a user waiting in a queue in an virtual environment, the method comprising:

providing a virtual environment having at least two queues;

detecting a new user avatar entering the virtual environment;

determining the new user avatar'"'"'s preferences;

providing a server avatar for each queue wherein the visual appearance of at least one of the server avatars matches the new user avatar'"'"'s server preference;

allowing the new user avatar to select a queue; and

,

adding computer avatars to the non-selected queue until the non-selected queue has more human customer avatars and computer avatars than the selected queue.

4. A method for improving the experience of a user waiting in a queue in an online environment, the method comprising:

defining a visual three-dimensional virtual environment having avatars representing human customers, computer customers, human servers and computer servers defining a plurality of queues in the online environment, wherein each queue includes a group of human customer avatars, computers customer avatars;

detecting a new customer avatar entering one of the queues;

defining a conversational computer avatar; and

initiating communication between the new customer avatar and the conversational avatar.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of:

determining the number of avatars ahead of the new customer avatar in the selected queue;

adding computer avatars to the non selected queues such that the non-selected queues have more avatars than the selected queue; and

, adding one or more computer avatars to the selected queue behind the new customer avatar.