AVATAR CLONING IN A VIRTUAL WORLD

• US 20090199095A1
• Filed: 02/01/2008
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, Andrew Bryan, Haggar, Peter Frederick, House, Daniel Edward, Bokor, Brian Ronald, Nicol, William Bruce II
• Granted Patent: US 8,584,024 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/704
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Avatar cloning in a virtual world may include receiving an input indicating that a user desires to access a cloning feature and allowing a cloned avatar to be cloned from the user'"'"'s avatar.

Claims

1. A method for avatar cloning in a virtual world, comprising:

receiving an input indicating a user desires to access a cloning feature; and

allowing a cloned avatar to be cloned from the user'"'"'s avatar.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a graphical user interface to the user to allow the user to clone the user'"'"'s avatar.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing the user to predefine actions for the cloned avatar to perform in the virtual world.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the predefined actions are automatically performable by the cloned avatar in response to a predetermined condition occurring.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising notifying the user in response to occurrence of a predetermined condition associated with the cloned avatar to permit user interaction and control.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing the user to clone a plurality of cloned avatars from the user'"'"'s avatar.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising allowing a maximum permitted number of cloned user'"'"'s avatars to be preset.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

notifying the user in response to receiving a request from the user to clone the user'"'"'s avatar and the number of previously cloned user'"'"'s avatars being at the preset maximum permitted number of cloned user'"'"'s avatars; and

denying the user'"'"'s request to clone the user'"'"'s avatar in response to receiving the request from the user to clone the user'"'"'s avatar and the number of previously cloned user'"'"'s avatars being at the preset maximum number of cloned user'"'"'s avatars.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting the cloned avatar in the virtual world on a display device while simultaneously presenting the user'"'"'s avatar in the virtual world on the same display device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing the user to configure the cloned avatar to record at least a portion of any interactions of the cloned avatar in the virtual world.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising distinguishing between the cloned avatar and the user'"'"'s avatar.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising identifying which of the user'"'"'s avatar and the user'"'"'s cloned avatar is actively being controlled by the user.

13. A method for avatar cloning in a virtual world, comprising:

receiving a request from a user to clone an avatar corresponding to the user; and

cloning the user'"'"'s avatar to form at least one cloned avatar in response to receiving the request from the user to clone the user'"'"'s avatar.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

allowing the user to define at least one action performable by the at least one cloned avatar in response to at least one predetermined condition being fulfilled;

notifying the user in response to the at least one predetermined condition being fulfilled; and

executing the action in response to the at least one pre-determined condition being fulfilled.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising;

allowing a maximum permitted number of cloned avatars of the user'"'"'s avatar to be preset;

denying the user'"'"'s request to clone the user'"'"'s avatar in response to a total number of previously cloned avatars of the user'"'"'s avatar being at the preset maximum permitted number of cloned avatars; and

notifying the user of the denial of the user'"'"'s request in response to the total number of previously cloned avatars of the user'"'"'s avatar being at the preset maximum permitted number of cloned avatars.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

detecting a predetermined condition with any clones possibly requiring interaction by the user;

notifying the user in response to detecting predetermined condition; and

allowing the user to control the cloned avatar associated with the detected predetermined condition.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising recording any virtual world observations and interactions of the at least one cloned avatar in response to configuring the cloned avatar to record any virtual world observations and interactions for replay to the user.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising distinguishing between the at one cloned avatar and the user'"'"'s avatar.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising automatically associating any predefined functionality with each cloned avatar.

20. A method for avatar cloning in a virtual world, comprising:

receiving a request to clone a user'"'"'s original avatar;

presenting a graphical user interface to allow the user to clone the user'"'"'s original avatar;

allowing control of the clone of the user'"'"'s original avatar, wherein the clone is controllable by at least one of;

associating a predefined functionality with the clone for the clone to run automatically while the user controls the original avatar; and

presenting a split screen to permit the user to control both avatars.