VIRTUAL UNIVERSE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT ASSISTANCE
First Claim
1. A method for enabling virtual universe users to find and engage subject matter experts within a virtual universe, comprising:
- defining a subject matter expert conduit within a virtual universe, the conduit comprising a communication medium;
an avatar of a user engaging the conduit, the engaging indicating a subject matter expert search term;
the conduit searching a data storage in communication with the conduit for a tag relevant to the search term;
the conduit identifying and locating an expert-avatar tagged with the relevant tag; and
the conduit enabling the user to directly communicate with the identified and located expert-avatar through the conduit communication medium entirely within the virtual universe without the user directly engaging a resource outside of the virtual universe or without requiring the user to engage in a communication interface outside of the virtual universe.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods, devices and systems are provided for enabling virtual universe users to find and engage subject matter experts within a virtual universe by defining a virtual universe subject matter expert conduit within the virtual universe. A virtual universe user avatar engages the conduit and a user indicates a subject matter expert search term. A data storage is searched for a tag relevant to the search term, and an expert-avatar is identified and located through the relevant tag. The user is enabled to directly communicate with the identified expert-avatar through a conduit communication medium entirely within the virtual universe, without requiring the user to engage a resource outside of the virtual universe or without requiring the user to engage an interface outside of the virtual universe.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for enabling virtual universe users to find and engage subject matter experts within a virtual universe, comprising:
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defining a subject matter expert conduit within a virtual universe, the conduit comprising a communication medium; an avatar of a user engaging the conduit, the engaging indicating a subject matter expert search term; the conduit searching a data storage in communication with the conduit for a tag relevant to the search term; the conduit identifying and locating an expert-avatar tagged with the relevant tag; and the conduit enabling the user to directly communicate with the identified and located expert-avatar through the conduit communication medium entirely within the virtual universe without the user directly engaging a resource outside of the virtual universe or without requiring the user to engage in a communication interface outside of the virtual universe. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A service for enabling virtual universe users to find and engage subject matter experts within a virtual universe, comprising:
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providing a computer infrastructure configured to; define a subject matter expert conduit within the virtual universe, the conduit configured to receive a subject matter expert search term from an engagement of the conduit by an avatar of a user; search a data storage in communication with the conduit for a tag relevant to the search term; identify and locate an expert-avatar tagged with the relevant tag; and enable the user to directly communicate with the identified and located expert-avatar through a conduit avatar communication medium entirely within the virtual universe without the user directly engaging a resource outside of the virtual universe or without requiring the user to engage in an interface outside of the virtual universe. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for enabling virtual universe users to find and engage subject matter experts within a virtual universe, comprising:
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producing computer executable program code; storing the code on a computer readable medium; and providing the program code to be deployed and executed on a computer system, the program code comprising instructions which, when executed on the computer system, cause the computer system to; define a virtual universe subject matter expert conduit within the virtual universe, the conduit configured to receive a subject matter expert search term from an engagement of the conduit by an avatar of a user; search a data storage in communication with the conduit for a tag relevant to the search term; identify and locate an expert-avatar tagged with the relevant tag; and enable the user to directly communicate with the identified and located expert-avatar through a conduit avatar communication medium entirely within the virtual universe without the user directly engaging a resource outside of the virtual universe or without requiring the user to engage in an interface outside of the virtual universe. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A programmable device comprising:
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a processing means; a memory in communication with the processing means comprising a subject matter expert identifier logic component, a subject matter expert locator logic component, a subject matter expert communication system logic component and a subject matter expert datastore logic component; and a network interface in communication with the processing means and the memory; wherein the processing means is configured to define a subject matter expert conduit within the virtual universe; wherein the subject matter expert locator component is configured to receive a subject matter expert search term from an engagement of the conduit by an avatar of a virtual universe user and search a data storage means in communication with the network interface for a tag relevant to the search term; wherein the subject matter expert locator component is configured to identify and locate an expert-avatar tagged with the relevant tag; and wherein the subject matter expert communication system component is configured to enable the user avatar to directly communicate with the identified expert-avatar through a conduit avatar communication medium entirely within the virtual universe without the user directly engaging a resource outside of the virtual universe or without requiring the user to engage in an interface outside of the virtual universe. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification