System and method for providing recognized offline modification of a virtual asset

• US 20090177717A1
• Filed: 12/31/2008
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Groundspeak, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Groundspeak, Inc.
• Inventors: Dodson, Scott Charles, Meehan, Patrick Carson, Alvord, Elias C., Irish, Jeremy A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,838,540 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32

Abstract

A computer-implemented system and method for providing recognized offline modification of a virtual asset are provided. A virtual asset that includes parameters that each have intrinsic significance within a virtual environment defined exclusively by a central server is identified. Qualitative rules including characteristics of the parameters are defined. The virtual asset is stored on storage media offline from the central server. Proposed changes to at least one of the parameters of the virtual asset applied by a client application are maintained and are stored on the storage media The virtual asset is authenticated on behalf of the central server through an asset authority. When authenticated, each proposed change is evaluated against the characteristics of the parameters as defined in the qualitative rules and only those proposed changes that are satisfactory are accepted.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for providing recognized offline modification of a virtual asset, comprising:

a database, comprising;

at least one virtual asset comprising parameters that each have intrinsic significance within a virtual environment defined exclusively by a central server; and

qualitative rules comprising characteristics of the parameters of the virtual asset;

storage media offline from the central server, comprising;

a copy of the virtual asset; and

proposed changes to at least one of the parameters of the virtual asset applied by a client application and stored on the storage media; and

an asset authority, comprising

an authentication module authenticating the virtual asset on behalf of the central server; and

an evaluation module evaluating each proposed change, when authenticated, against the characteristics of the parameters as defined in the qualitative rules,

wherein only those proposed changes that are satisfactory are accepted.

2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a certificate of authenticity comprising a unique identifier stored as part of the virtual asset on the storage media,

wherein the unique identifier is verified by the evaluation module against virtual asset information maintained by the asset authority.

3. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a unique identifier registered to the virtual asset on the central server; and

a copy of the unique identifier stored as part of the virtual asset on the storage media,

wherein the unique identifier is verified by the evaluation module against virtual asset information maintained by the asset authority.

4. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

within the qualitative rules, canonical changes that are applicable to the parameters comprised in the virtual asset,

wherein each proposed change is matched to the canonical change of the matching parameter, and any such proposed change that fail as match one or more of the canonical changes are rejected.

5. A system according to claim 4, further comprising:

one or more of the canonical changes defined as permissible by the client application,

wherein any of the proposed changes that fail as one or more of the authorized canonical changes are rejected.

6. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an authorization code periodically issued to the virtual asset from the asset authority;

a copy of the authorization code stored as part of the virtual asset on the storage media,

wherein the authorization code is checked for expiration against authentication code information maintained by the asset authority.

7. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a user identifier registered to the virtual asset on the central server,

wherein user information is accepted by the evaluation module during authentication, and the user information is verified by the evaluation module against the user identifier maintained by the asset authority.

8. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a unique identifier bound to the storage media comprising tamper resistant features.

9. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a trust hierarchy comprising;

a highest level of trust for the virtual asset to the central server; and

levels of trust under the highest trust level to one or more delegated trust authorities,

wherein any of the proposed changes that originate from a client application that is not one of the delegated trust authorities are rejected.

10. A computer-implemented method for providing recognized offline modification of a virtual asset, comprising:

identifying a virtual asset comprising parameters that each have intrinsic significance within a virtual environment defined exclusively by a central server;

defining qualitative rules comprising characteristics of the parameters;

storing the virtual asset on storage media offline from the central server;

maintaining proposed changes to at least one of the parameters of the virtual asset applied by a client application and stored on the storage media;

authenticating the virtual asset on behalf of the central server through an asset authority; and

when authenticated, evaluating each proposed change against the characteristics of the parameters as defined in the qualitative rules and accepting only those proposed changes that are satisfactory.

11. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

forming a certificate of authenticity, comprising

storing a unique identifier as part of the virtual asset on the storage media; and

verifying the unique identifier against virtual asset information maintained by the asset authority.

12. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

registering a unique identifier to the virtual asset on the central server;

storing the unique identifier as part of the virtual asset on the storage media; and

verifying the unique identifier against virtual asset information maintained by the asset authority.

13. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

within the qualitative rules, defining canonical changes that are applicable to the parameters comprised in the virtual asset;

matching each proposed change to the canonical change of the matching parameter; and

rejecting any such proposed change that fail as match one or more of the canonical changes.

14. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

authorizing one or more of the canonical changes as permissible by the client application; and

rejecting any of the proposed changes that fail as one or more of the authorized canonical changes.

15. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

periodically issuing an authorization code to the virtual asset from the asset authority;

storing the authorization code as part of the virtual asset on the storage media; and

checking the authorization code for expiration against authentication code information maintained by the asset authority.

16. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

registering a user identifier to the virtual asset on the central server;

accepting user information during authentication; and

verifying the user information against the user identifier maintained by the asset authority.

17. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

binding a unique identifier to the storage media comprising tamper resistant features.

18. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

establishing a trust hierarchy comprising;

assigning a highest level of trust for the virtual asset to the central server; and

assigning levels of trust under the highest trust level to one or more delegated trust authorities; and

rejecting any of the proposed changes that originate from a client application that is not one of the delegated trust authorities.