PROVIDING LOCATION BASED INFORMATION IN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT

• US 20100036823A1
• Filed: 08/05/2008
• Published: 02/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Jones, Angela Richards, Lyle, Ruthie D., Cannon, Ulysses L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,468,178 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: N/A
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

A method, information processing system, and virtual environment, provide location information to users in the virtual environment. A first user is determined to be communicating with a second user in a virtual environment. One of the first user and the second user is determined to have entered a character set substantially matching a keyword in a database entry. Location information associated with the keyword is identified. The location information indicates a location within the virtual environment. The location information is linked to the character set. The character set is visually changed to indicate to the first user and the second user that location information has been linked to the character set.

Claims

1. A method for providing location information to users in a virtual environment, the method comprising:

determining that a first user is communicating with a second user in a virtual environment;

determining that one of the first user and the second user has entered a character set substantially matching a keyword in a database entry;

identifying location information associated with the keyword, wherein the location information indicates a location within the virtual environment;

linking the location information to the character set; and

visually changing the character set to indicate to the first user and second user that location information has been linked to the character set.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that at least one of the first user and the second user has selected the character set that has been visually changed; and

transporting the at least one of the first user that the second user to the location within the virtual environment corresponding to the location information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that at least one of the first user and the second user has placed cursor at least substantially near the character set that has been visually changed;

displaying a window that hovers substantially near the character set that has been substantially changed; and

displaying the location information in the window.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that at least one of the first user and the second user has placed a relocation character set at least one of immediately before and immediately after the character set;

determining that the at least one of the first user and the second user has selected the character set that has been visually changed; and

transporting both the first user and the second user to the location corresponding to the location information in response to the character set being selected and the relocation character set being at least one of immediately before and immediately after the character set.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that one of the first user and the second user has entered a character set substantially matching a keyword in a database entry, further comprises:

analyzing a set of associative lookup entries in the database associated with one of the first user and the second user that has entered the character set, wherein the set of associative lookup entries comprises keywords defined by the one of the first user and the second user that has entered the character set.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that one of the first user and the second user has entered a character set substantially matching a keyword in a database entry, further comprises:

analyzing a set of associative lookup entries in the database associated with a region that one of the first user and the second user that has entered the character set is currently in, wherein the set of associative lookup entries comprises keywords associated with the region.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein linking the location information to the character set further comprising:

hyperlinking the location information to the character set.

8. An information processing system for hosting at least a portion of a virtual environment, comprising:

a memory;

a processor communicatively coupled to the memory;

at least a portion of a virtual environment; and

a user interaction manager communicatively coupled to the memory, the processor, and the at least a portion of the virtual environment, wherein the user interaction manager is adapted to;

determine that a first user is communicating with a second user in a virtual environment;

determine that one of the first user and the second user has entered a character set substantially matching a keyword in a database entry;

identify location information associated with the keyword, wherein the location information indicates a location within the virtual environment;

link the location information to the character set; and

visually change the character set to indicate to the first user and the second user that location information has been linked to the character set.

9. The information processing system of claim 8, wherein the user interaction manager is further adapted to:

determine that at least one of the first user and the second user has selected the character set that has been visually changed; and

transport the at least one of the first user that the second user to the location within the virtual environment corresponding to the location information.

10. The information processing system of claim 8, wherein the user interaction manager is further adapted to:

determine that at least one of the first user and the second user has placed cursor at least substantially near the character set that has been visually changed;

display a window that hovers substantially near the character set that has been substantially changed; and

display the location information in the window.

11. The information processing system of claim 8, wherein the user interaction manager is further adapted to:

determine that at least one of the first user and the second user has placed a relocation character set at least one of immediately before and immediately after the character set;

determine that the at least one of the first user and the second user has selected the character set that has been visually changed; and

transport both the first user and the second user to the location corresponding to the location information in response to the character set being selected and the relocation character set being at least one of immediately before and immediately after the character set.

12. The information processing system of claim 8, wherein the user interaction manager is further adapted to determine that one of the first user and the second user has entered a character set substantially matching a keyword in a database entry by:

analyzing a set of associative lookup entries in the database associated with one of the first user and the second user that has entered the character set, wherein the set of associative lookup entries comprises keywords defined by the one of the first user and the second user that has entered the character set.

13. The information processing system of claim 8, wherein the user interaction manager is further adapted to determine that one of the first user and the second user has entered a character set substantially matching a keyword in a database entry by:

analyzing a set of associative lookup entries in the database associated with a region that one of the first user and the second user that has entered the character set is currently in, wherein the set of associative lookup entries comprises keywords associated with the region.

14. The information processing system of claim 8, wherein the user interaction manager is further adapted to link the location information to the character set by

hyperlinking the location information to the character set.

15. A virtual environment comprising:

a first user;

a second user; and

a user interaction manager communicatively coupled to the first user and the second user, wherein the user interaction manager is adapted to;

determine that a first user is communicating with a second user in a virtual environment;

determine that one of the first user and the second user has entered a character set substantially matching a keyword in a database entry;

identify location information associated with the keyword, wherein the location information indicates a location within the virtual environment;

link the location information to the character set; and

visually change the character set to indicate to the first user and the second user that location information has been linked to the character set.

16. The virtual environment of claim 15, wherein the user interaction manager is further adapted to:

determine that at least one of the first user and the second user has selected the character set that has been visually changed; and

transport the at least one of the first user that the second user to the location within the virtual environment corresponding to the location information.

17. The virtual environment of claim 15, wherein the user interaction manager is further adapted to:

determine that at least one of the first user and the second user has placed a cursor at least substantially near the character set that has been visually changed;

display a window that hovers substantially near the character set that has been substantially changed; and

display the location information in the window.

18. The virtual environment of claim 15, wherein the user interaction manager is further adapted to:

determine that at least one of the first user and the second user has placed a relocation character set at least one of immediately before and immediately after the character set;

determine that the at least one of the first user and the second user has selected the character set that has been visually changed; and

transport both the first user and the second user to the location corresponding to the location information in response to the character set being selected and the relocation character set being at least one of immediately before and immediately after the character set.

19. The virtual environment of claim 15, wherein the user interaction manager is further adapted to determine that one of the first user and the second user has entered a character set substantially matching a keyword in a database entry by:

analyzing a set of associative lookup entries in the database associated with one of the first user and the second user that has entered the character set, wherein the set of associative lookup entries comprises keywords defined by the one of the first user and the second user that has entered the character set.

20. The virtual environment of claim 15, wherein the user interaction manager is further adapted to determine that one of the first user and the second user has entered a character set substantially matching a keyword in a database entry by:

analyzing a set of associative lookup entries in the database associated with a region that one of the first user and the second user, that has entered the character set, is currently in, wherein the set of associative lookup entries comprises keywords associated with the region.