MANAGEMENT OF VIRTUAL UNIVERSE ITEM RETURNS

• US 20090307110A1
• Filed: 06/09/2008
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hamilton, Rick A. II, Pickover, Clifford A., Bhogal, Kulvir S., Li, Jenny S., Betzler, Boas
• Granted Patent: US 8,099,338 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

The present invention relates to relates to the management of virtual universe item returns. A method for in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: initiating a return of a item by a user in a virtual universe; granting control of the return of the item to a return agency, the return agency submitting a return request on behalf of the user to a vendor associated with the item; upon approval of the return request by the vendor, sending instructions to the user to destroy the item; and upon confirmation of the destruction of the item by the user, crediting the user for the return.

Claims

1. A method for managing an item return in a virtual universe, comprising:

initiating a return of an item by a user in a virtual universe;

granting control of the return of the item to a return agency, the return agency submitting a return request on behalf of the user to a vendor associated with the item;

upon approval of the return request by the vendor, sending instructions to the user to destroy the item; and

upon confirmation of the destruction of the item by the user, crediting the user for the return.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the return agency is affiliated with a plurality of different vendors.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the item is a virtual, non-depleting item.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the return of the item further comprises:

verifying an identity of the item;

verifying condition of the item; and

verifying user ownership of the item.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the return agency validates a condition of the item.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the destruction of the item further comprises:

disabling the item and all instances thereof within the virtual universe.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein crediting the user for the return further comprises:

charging the user a processing fee.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the return agency performs at least one of the following:

identifying the vendor of the item to be returned;

identifying a return policy of the vendor for the item to be returned;

ensuring that the item is being returned within a period of time allotted by the vendor;

applying any processing fees that the vendor has associated with the item;

ensuring that the item is deemed returnable by the vendor;

applying partial credit for the item if the item is not in its full capacity;

refusing to return the item if the item is regarded as damaged, as defined by the vendor; and

keeping a return record of each item in a database.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein granting control of the return of the item to the return agency further comprises:

providing the user an option to use the return agency;

granting access control to the return agency for accessing the item from an inventory of the user during a duration of the return process;

enabling the return agency to validate an authenticity and condition of the item; and

generating a virtual item identifier for the item.

10. A system for managing an item return in a virtual universe, comprising:

a system for initiating a return of an item by a user in a virtual universe;

a system for granting control of the return of the item to a return agency, the return agency submitting a return request on behalf of the user to a vendor associated with the item;

a system for sending instructions to the user to destroy the item, upon approval of the return request by the vendor; and

a system for crediting the user for the return, upon confirmation of the destruction of the item by the user.

11. A program product stored on a computer readable medium, which when executed, manages an item return in a virtual universe, the computer readable medium comprising program code for:

initiating a return of an item by a user in a virtual universe;

granting control of the return of the item to a return agency, the return agency submitting a return request on behalf of the user to a vendor associated with the item;

sending instructions to the user to destroy the item, upon approval of the return request by the vendor; and

crediting the user for the return, upon confirmation of the destruction of the item by the user.

12. The program product of claim 11, wherein the return agency is affiliated with a plurality of different vendors.

13. The program product of claim 11, wherein the item is a virtual, non-depleting item.

14. The program product of claim 11, wherein initiating the return of the item further comprises:

verifying an identity of the item;

verifying condition of the item; and

verifying user ownership of the item.

15. The program product of claim 11, wherein the return agency validates a condition of the item.

16. The program product of claim 11, wherein the destruction of the item further comprises:

disabling the item and all instances thereof within the virtual universe.

17. The program product of claim 11, wherein crediting the user for the return further comprises:

charging the user a processing fee.

18. The program product of claim 11, wherein the return agency performs at least one of the following:

identifying the vendor of the item to be returned;

identifying a return policy of the vendor for the item to be returned;

ensuring that the item is being returned within a period of time allotted by the vendor;

applying any processing fees that the vendor has associated with the item;

ensuring that the item is deemed returnable by the vendor;

applying partial credit for the item if the item is not in its full capacity;

refusing to return the item if the item is regarded as damaged, as defined by the vendor; and

keeping a return record of each item in a database.

19. The program product of claim 11, wherein granting control of the return of the item to the return agency further comprises:

providing the user an option to use the return agency;

granting access control to the return agency for accessing the item from an inventory of the user during a duration of the return process;

enabling the return agency to validate an authenticity and condition of the item; and

generating a virtual item identifier for the item.

20. A method for deploying an application for managing an item return in a virtual universe, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;

initiate a return of an item by a user in a virtual universe;

grant control of the return of the item to a return agency, the return agency submitting a return request on behalf of the user to a vendor associated with the item;

send instructions to the user to destroy the item, upon approval of the return request by the vendor; and

credit the user for the return, upon confirmation of the destruction of the item by the user.