AMELIORATION OF UNSOLICITED ADVERTISEMENTS IN A VIRTUAL UNIVERSE THROUGH AVATAR TRANSPORT OFFERS

• US 20090228355A1
• Filed: 03/07/2008
• Published: 09/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dawson, Christopher J., Hamilton, Rick A. II, Pickover, Clifford A., Gusler, Carl P.
• Application Number:
  US12/044,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20090228355A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.730
• 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 13/61 using advertising information
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5506 using advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

An approach that ameliorates an offer of transport to a virtual region within the virtual universe for exposure to an unsolicited advertisement is described. In one embodiment, there is a transport invitation detection component configured to detect an offer of transport to a virtual region within the virtual universe for exposure to an unsolicited advertisement. An advertisement analysis component is configured to determine whether to present the offer of transport to an avatar targeted to receive the unsolicited advertisement.

Claims

1. A method for ameliorating an offer of transport that a first avatar online in a virtual universe receives from a second avatar online in the virtual universe for teleporting to another virtual region within the virtual universe for exposure to an unsolicited advertisement, comprising:

detecting that the second avatar has sent the first avatar the offer of transport to the virtual region for exposure to the unsolicited advertisement; and

determining whether to present the offer of transport to the first avatar.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising collecting information on the second avatar.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the collecting of information on the second avatar comprises retrieving information relating to the second avatar that comprises at least one of immediately available information, historical information or information ascertained through an independent source.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising analyzing the collected information on the second avatar.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising collecting information on the virtual region that is presented in the offer of transport.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising retrieving information on the virtual region that comprises at least one of publicly available information and information immediately ascertained through a visit to the virtual region.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising analyzing the collected information on the virtual region.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising collecting information on the second avatar and information on the virtual region that is presented in the offer of transport.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising analyzing the collected information on the second avatar and the virtual region in accordance with a predetermined set of rules.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising discarding the offer of transport in response to a determination that the offer of transport is unsuitable to present to the first avatar.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising presenting the offer of transport with additional information to aid the first avatar in deciding whether to accept the offer of transport in response to a determination that the offer of transport is suitable to present to the first avatar.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising presenting the offer of transport to the first avatar in response to a determination that the offer of transport is suitable to present to the first avatar.

13. An advertising amelioration tool for use in a virtual universe, comprising:

a transport invitation detection component configured to detect an offer of transport to a virtual region within the virtual universe for exposure to an unsolicited advertisement; and

an advertisement analysis component configured to determine whether to present the offer of transport to an avatar targeted to receive the unsolicited advertisement.

14. The advertising amelioration tool according to claim 13, further comprising an information collection component configured to collect information on an avatar responsible for generating the offer of transport and information on the virtual region that is presented in the offer of transport.

15. The advertising amelioration tool according to claim 14, wherein the information collection component is configured to retrieve information on the avatar responsible for the offer that comprises at least one of immediately available information, historical information or information ascertained through an independent source.

16. The advertising amelioration tool according to claim 14, wherein the information collection component is configured to retrieve information on the virtual region that comprises at least one of publicly available information and information immediately ascertained through a visit to the virtual region.

17. The advertising amelioration tool according to claim 14, wherein the advertisement analysis component is configured to analyze the information collected on the offering avatar and the virtual region in accordance with a predetermined set of rules

18. The advertising amelioration tool according to claim 13, further comprising an advertisement discarding component configured to discard the offer of transport in response to a determination that the offer of transport is unsuitable to present to the targeted avatar.

19. The advertising amelioration tool according to claim 13, further comprising an advertisement presenting component configured to present the offer of transport to the targeted avatar with additional information to aid in deciding whether to accept the offer of transport, wherein the advertisement presenting component presents the offer of transport with additional information in response to a determination that the offer of transport is suitable to present to the targeted avatar.

20. The advertising amelioration tool according to claim 13, further comprising an advertisement presenting component configured to present the offer of transport to the targeted avatar in response to a determination that the offer of transport is suitable to present to the targeted avatar.

21. A computer-readable medium storing computer instructions, which when executed, enables a computer system to ameliorate an offer of transport made to a first avatar online in a virtual universe from a second avatar online in the virtual universe for teleporting to another virtual region within the virtual universe for exposure to an unsolicited advertisement, the computer instructions comprising:

detecting that the second avatar has sent the first avatar the offer of transport to the virtual region for exposure to the unsolicited advertisement;

receiving the offer of transport to the virtual region for exposure to the unsolicited advertisement from the second avatar; and

determining whether to present the offer of transport to the first avatar.

22. The computer-readable medium according to claim 21, further comprising instructions for collecting information on the second avatar and information on the virtual region that is presented in the offer of transport.

23. The computer-readable medium according to claim 22, wherein the collecting of information on the second avatar comprises instructions for retrieving information on the second avatar that comprises at least one of immediately available information, historical information or information ascertained through an independent source.

24. The computer-readable medium according to claim 22, comprises instructions for retrieving information on the virtual region that comprises at least one of publicly available information and information immediately ascertained through a visit to the virtual region.

25. A method for deploying an advertising amelioration tool for use in a computer system that ameliorates an offer of transport that a first avatar online in a virtual universe receives from a second avatar online in the virtual universe for teleporting to another virtual region within the virtual universe for exposure to an unsolicited advertisement, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure operable to;

detect that the second avatar has sent the first avatar the offer of transport to the virtual region for exposure to the unsolicited advertisement; and

determine whether to present the offer of transport to the first avatar.