APPARATUS AND METHOD OF ON-LINE TRANSACTION
First Claim
1. An entertainment device comprising:
- a display device arranged to generate for display a representation of an online virtual environment, and to generate for display within said representation of the online virtual environment at least one avatar corresponding to users of at least one remote entertainment device interacting with the online virtual environment;
a data communications device operable to receive respective configuration data for at least one of said avatars that determines their appearance, and operable to receive identification data identifying purchasable items visibly associated with a respective avatar;
a query device operableto initiate a query of a first avatar in response to a user'"'"'s avatar encountering the first avatar within the online virtual environment, the first avatar corresponding to a user of one of the remote entertainment devices and the user'"'"'s avatar corresponding to a user of the entertainment device andto identify to the user of the entertainment device purchasable items visibly associated with said first avatar;
wherein the data communications device is operable to transmit a purchase initiation request identifying an item for purchase, selected in response to a purchasable item visibly associated with said first avatar.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An entertainment device includes a display generator arranged to generate for display a representation of an online virtual environment, and to generate for display within said representation of the online virtual environment at least one avatars corresponding to users of at least one remote entertainment devices interacting with the online virtual environment. A data communications arrangement is operable to receive respective configuration data for at least one of the avatars that determines their appearance, and is operable to receive data identifying purchasable items visibly associated with a respective avatar; a query arrangement operable to initiate a query of an avatar and to identify to a user of the entertainment device purchasable items visibly associated with the avatar; and in which the data communications arrangement is operable to transmit a purchase initiation request identifying an item for purchase, selected in response to a purchasable item visibly associated with the queried avatar.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An entertainment device comprising:
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a display device arranged to generate for display a representation of an online virtual environment, and to generate for display within said representation of the online virtual environment at least one avatar corresponding to users of at least one remote entertainment device interacting with the online virtual environment; a data communications device operable to receive respective configuration data for at least one of said avatars that determines their appearance, and operable to receive identification data identifying purchasable items visibly associated with a respective avatar; a query device operable to initiate a query of a first avatar in response to a user'"'"'s avatar encountering the first avatar within the online virtual environment, the first avatar corresponding to a user of one of the remote entertainment devices and the user'"'"'s avatar corresponding to a user of the entertainment device and to identify to the user of the entertainment device purchasable items visibly associated with said first avatar; wherein the data communications device is operable to transmit a purchase initiation request identifying an item for purchase, selected in response to a purchasable item visibly associated with said first avatar. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A server for administering an online virtual environment, the server comprising:
a data communications device operable to transmit to an entertainment device connected to the online virtual environment configuration data that determines the appearance of at least one avatar associated with further entertainment devices connected to said online virtual environment, and operable to transmit, in response to a user'"'"'s avatar encountering a first avatar within the online environment, data identifying purchasable items visibly associated with the first avatar corresponding to a user of one of the further entertainment devices. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of online transaction, the method comprising the steps of:
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connecting an entertainment device to an online virtual environment populated by at least one avatars representing other users of the online virtual environment; receiving respective configuration data for said at least one avatar that determines their appearance; identifying in response to a user'"'"'s avatar encountering a first avatar within the online virtual environment, purchasable items visibly associated with first avatar, the first avatar corresponding to one of the other users of the online environment, and the user'"'"'s avatar corresponding to a user of the entertainment device; and transmitting to a server a purchase initiation request identifying an item for purchase selected in response to a purchasable item visibly associated with the first avatar. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A computer readable storage medium comprising:
a computer readable code for executing on a computer causing a display device to generate for display a representation of an online virtual environment, and to generate for display within said representation of the online virtual environment at least one avatar corresponding to users of at least one remote entertainment device interacting with the online virtual environment; a data communications device to receive respective configuration data for at least one of said avatars that determines their appearance, and operable to receive identification data identifying purchasable items visibly associated with a respective avatar; a query device to initiate a query of a first avatar in response to a user'"'"'s avatar encountering the first avatar with the online virtual environment, the first avatar corresponding to a user of one of the remote entertainment devices and the user'"'"'s avatar corresponding to a user of the entertainment device, and to identify to the user of the entertainment device purchasable items visibly associated with said first avatar; the data communications device transmitting a purchase initiation request identifying an item for purchase, selected in response to a purchasable item visibly associated with said first avatar.
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20. A computer readable storage medium comprising:
a computer readable code for executing on a computer causing a data communications device to transmit to an entertainment device connected to the online virtual environment configuration data that determines the appearance of at least one avatar associated with further entertainment devices connected to said online virtual environment, and to transmit, in response to a user'"'"'s avatar encountering a first avatar within the online environment, data identifying purchasable items visibly associated with the first avatar corresponding to a user of one of the further entertainment devices.
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21. A computer readable storage medium comprising:
a computer readable code for executing on a computer wherein the computer connects an entertainment device to an online virtual environment populated by at least one avatars representing other users of the online virtual environment; receives respective configuration data for said at least one avatar that determines their appearance; identifies, in response to a user'"'"'s avatar encountering a first avatar within the online virtual environment, purchasable items visibly associated with first avatar, the first avatar corresponding to one of the other users of the online environment, and the user'"'"'s avatar corresponding to a user of the entertainment device; and transmits to a server a purchase initiation request identifying an item for purchase selected in response to a purchasable item visibly associated with the first avatar.
Specification