EXPLICIT USE OF USER CONTEXT OBJECTS IN A VIRTUAL UNIVERSE

• US 20090300493A1
• Filed: 05/27/2008
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Keller, Neal M., Hamilton, Rick A. II, O'Connell, Brian M., Pickover, Clifford A., Walker, Keith R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,799,787 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

An approach that facilitates explicit use of user context objects in a virtual universe is described. In one embodiment, there is a user context object tool that includes a user context object retrieving component configured to retrieve the plurality of user context objects for presentation to the avatar. A user context object selection and modification component is configured to receive a user context object selection and any desired modifications made to the user context object selection. A user context object permissions component is configured to permit the avatar to interact with the virtual universe in accordance with the user context object selection.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating use of a plurality of user context objects determined for an avatar that is online in a virtual universe, comprising:

presenting the plurality of user context objects to the avatar;

receiving a user context object selection from the avatar, wherein the user context object selection contains one of the plurality of user context objects determined for the avatar and any desired modifications made to the user context object selected by the avatar; and

permitting the avatar to interact with the virtual universe in accordance with the user context object selection.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the presenting of the plurality of user context objects to the avatar includes retrieving the plurality of user context objects from an inventory of the avatar that contains items belonging to the avatar.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the presenting of the plurality of user context objects to the avatar includes deriving the plurality of user context objects from at least one of inventory items belonging to the avatar, teleportation history of the avatar, motion history of the avatar or social tagging behavior exhibited by the user of the avatar in the real world.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the deriving of the plurality of user context objects comprises using unsupervised and supervised machine learning techniques, wherein the unsupervised machine learning technique clusters avatar data according to a distance metric to determine user context objects, associated attributes and values for the attributes and updates the user context objects, associated attributes and values as more avatar data becomes available, wherein the supervised machine learning technique uses avatar selections in response to a presentation of query search results as training data to identify further user context objects, associated attributes and values for use in future queries made from an avatar.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the modifications include changes to attribute values associated with the selected user context object that describe behavioral, search and informational needs of the avatar.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the permitting of the avatar to interact with the virtual universe includes performing a search within the virtual universe for a resource that is in accordance with the user context object selection.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the permitting of the avatar to interact with the virtual universe includes applying the user context object selection to a robot avatar that is configured to allow the avatar to interact anonymously and semi-autonomously within the virtual universe.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the permitting of the avatar to interact with the virtual universe includes providing an opportunity for the avatar to interact within the virtual universe with altered avatar characteristics.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the permitting of the avatar to interact with the virtual universe includes receiving presence-based marketing opportunities while on-line in the virtual universe.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the permitting of the avatar to interact with the virtual universe includes applying the user context object selection to an avatar sub-type of the avatar that is configured to allow the avatar to have different characteristics for different business and social interactions within the virtual universe.

11. A method for performing a search for a resource in a virtual universe using selectable and modifiable user context objects, comprising:

presenting a plurality of user context objects determined for an avatar that is online in the virtual universe;

receiving a user context object selection from the avatar, wherein the user context object selection contains one of the plurality of user context objects determined for the avatar and any desired modifications made to the selected user context object;

receiving a query from the avatar; and

performing a resource search for the query in accordance with the selected user context object.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the presenting of the plurality of user context objects to the avatar includes retrieving the plurality of user context objects from an inventory of the avatar that contains items belonging to the avatar.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the presenting of the plurality of user context objects to the avatar includes deriving the plurality of user context objects from at least one of inventory items belonging to the avatar, teleportation history of the avatar, motion history of the avatar or social tagging behavior exhibited by the user of the avatar in the real world.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the modifications include changes to attribute values associated with the selected user context object that describe behavioral, search and informational needs of the avatar.

15. The method according to claim 11, further comprising providing results from the search to a robot avatar that is configured to allow the avatar to interact anonymously and semi-autonomously within the virtual universe in response to a modification made by the avatar to the selected user context object.

16. The method according to claim 11, further comprising providing advertisements along with search results in response to a modification made by the avatar to the selected user context object, wherein the advertisements relate to the selected user context object.

17. The method according to claim 11, further comprising using avatar selections in response to a presentation of query search results as training data to identify further user contexts, associated attributes and values for use in future queries.

18. A computer system for facilitating use of a plurality of user context objects determined for an avatar that is online in a virtual universe, comprising:

at least one processing unit;

memory operably associated with the at least one processing unit; and

a user context object tool storable in memory and executable by the at least one processing unit, the tool comprising;

a user context object retrieving component configured to retrieve the plurality of user context objects for presentation to the avatar;

a user context object selection and modification component configured to receive a user context object selection and any desired modifications made to the user context object selection; and

a user context object permissions component configured to permit the avatar to interact with the virtual universe in accordance with the user context object selection.

19. The computer system according to claim 18, wherein the user context object permissions component of the user context object tool is configured to permit one of performing a user context search within the virtual universe for a resource, applying the user context object selection to a robot avatar that is configured to allow the avatar to interact anonymously and semi-autonomously within the virtual universe, providing an opportunity for the avatar to interact within the virtual universe with altered avatar characteristics, receiving presence-based marketing opportunities while on-line in the virtual universe, or allowing the avatar to have different characteristics for different business and social interactions within the virtual universe.

20. A computer-readable medium storing computer instructions, which when executed, enables a computer system to facilitate use of a plurality of user context objects determined for an avatar that is online in a virtual universe, the computer instructions comprising:

presenting the plurality of user context objects to the avatar;

receiving a user context object selection from the avatar, wherein the user context object selection contains one of the plurality of user context objects determined for the avatar and any desired modifications made to the selected user context object; and

permitting the avatar to interact with the virtual universe in accordance with the user context object selection.

21. The computer-readable medium according to claim 20, wherein the modifications include changes to attribute values associated with the selected user context object that describe behavioral, search and informational needs of the avatar.

22. The computer-readable medium according to claim 20, wherein the permitting of the avatar to interact with the virtual universe includes instructions for one of performing a user context search within the virtual universe for a resource, applying the user context object selection to a robot avatar that is configured to allow the avatar to interact anonymously and semi-autonomously within the virtual universe, providing an opportunity for the avatar to interact within the virtual universe with altered avatar characteristics, receiving presence-based marketing opportunities while on-line in the virtual universe, or allowing the avatar to have different characteristics for different business and social interactions within the virtual universe.

23. The computer-readable medium according to claim 20, further comprising instructions for implementing the facilitation of the plurality of user context objects in the computer system as a service within the virtual universe.

24. The computer-readable medium according to claim 23, further comprising instructions for charging a fee to a virtual universe service provider of the virtual universe, the avatar using the plurality of user context objects, a virtual universe resource provider or a party representing the virtual universe resource provider.

25. A method for deploying a user context object tool for use in a computer system that facilitates use of a plurality of user context objects determined for an avatar that is online in a virtual universe, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure operable to;

present the plurality of user context objects to the avatar;

receive a user context object selection from the avatar, wherein the user context object selection contains one of the plurality of user context objects determined for the avatar and any desired modifications made to the selected user context object; and

permit the avatar to interact with the virtual universe in accordance with the user context object selection.