METHOD TO MONITOR USER TRAJECTORIES WITHIN A VIRTUAL UNIVERSE

• US 20090217171A1
• Filed: 02/21/2008
• Published: 08/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: King.com, Ltd (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: King.com, Ltd (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Hamilton, Rick A. II, O'Connell, Brian M., Pickover, Clifford A., Walker, Keith R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,595,632 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/736
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/535 for monitoring, e.g. of user parameters, terminal parameters, application parameters, network parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/634 for replaying partially or entirely the game actions since the beginning of the game
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method to monitor user trajectories within a virtual universe. A method for monitoring a user trajectory of any avatar in a virtual universe may include recording an activity of an avatar within a virtual universe, and then rendering the recording as a visible path. The activity may include movement, duration at a coordinate, time between coordinates, and/or angle of positioning of the avatar. The invention, for example, reminds an avatar a reminder as to where he/she has traversed in the past; shows paths that their team or family members have traversed; and/or gives an indication of popular paths taken by avatars.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a user trajectory in a virtual universe, comprising:

recording an activity of at least one avatar within a virtual universe; and

rendering the recording as a visible path.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring at least one region for an activity of the least one avatar.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the recording further comprises recording coordinates of movement of the at least one avatar.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the visible path is a map view.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the recording is done by one of:

user selection or anonymously.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising forwarding the visible path to a third party.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one avatar is a group of avatars.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising verifying if the activity is conducted at a specific location.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the activity is one of:

a movement, duration at a coordinate, time between coordinates, or angle of positioning.

10. A system for monitoring a user trajectory in a virtual universe, comprising:

a system for recording an activity of at least one avatar within a virtual universe; and

a system for rendering the recording as a visible path.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a system for monitoring at least one region for an activity of the least one avatar.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the system for recording further comprises a system for recording coordinates of movement of the at least one avatar.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the visible path is a map view.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the system for recording operates by one of:

user selection or anonymously.

15. The system of claim 10, further comprising a system for forwarding the visible path to a third party.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one avatar is a group of avatars.

17. The system of claim 10, further comprising a system for verifying if the activity is conducted at a specific location.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the activity is one of:

a movement, duration at a coordinate, time between coordinates, or angle of positioning.

19. A program product stored on a computer readable medium, which when executed, monitors a user trajectory in a virtual universe, the computer readable medium comprising program code for:

recording an activity of at least one avatar within a virtual universe; and

rendering the recording as a visible path.

20. A method for deploying an application for monitoring a user trajectory in a virtual universe, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;

record an activity of at least one avatar within a virtual universe; and

render the recording as a visible path.