System and Method for Bridging Communication Services Between Virtual Worlds and the Real World

• US 20100125800A1
• Filed: 11/20/2008
• Published: 05/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wei, Bin, Renger, Bernard S., Basso, Andrea, Jana, Rittwik, Gibbon, David C., Chen, Yih-Farn, Di Fabbrizio, Giuseppe
• Granted Patent: US 8,560,955 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/757
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5533 using program state or machine event data, e.g. server keeps track of the state of multiple players on in a multiple player game
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A system includes a gateway operative to couple the system to a user. The system further includes a first infolet coupled to the gateway, and operative to couple the system to a first virtual world application, a second infolet coupled to the gateway and to the first infolet, and operative to couple the system to a real world application. The system is operable to obtain first information requested by the user from the second infolet and send the first information to the virtual world application through the first infolet.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a gateway operative to couple the system to a user;

a first infolet coupled to the gateway, and operative to couple the system to a first virtual world application; and

a second infolet coupled to the gateway and to the first infolet, and operative to couple the system to a first real world application;

wherein the system is operable to;

obtain first information requested by the user from the second infolet; and

send the first information to the virtual world application through the first infolet.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the second infolet includes a content archive for providing the user with search results on archived content, wherein the content archive includes content from the virtual world application.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the system is further operable to:

obtain second information requested by the user from the content archive; and

send the second information to the user.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein:

the virtual world application is operable to locate a first avatar in the virtual world application associated with the user; and

the system is further operable to;

request second information from the second infolet based upon the location of the first avatar in the virtual world; and

send the second information to the user.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein:

the virtual world application is operable to locate a second avatar in the virtual world application; and

the system is further operable to send third information to the user, wherein the third information comprises the location of the second avatar.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the system is further operable to:

locate the user;

request third information from the second infolet based upon the location of the user, wherein the third information comprises content from the virtual world application; and

send the third information to the avatar through the first infolet.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the system is further operable to:

request fourth information from the first infolet, wherein the fourth information comprises information regarding trade conducted by the user in the virtual world application, and wherein further the trade in the virtual world application is conducted in a virtual currency that is exchangeable for real currency; and

billing an account associated with the user, wherein the billing is conducted in the real currency, and the amount of the billing is based upon the amount of trade in the virtual world application conducted by the user.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the gateway is adapted to couple the system to the user through a plurality of data protocols.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a third infolet coupled to the gateway, and operative to couple the system to a second virtual world application; and

wherein the system is further operable to;

obtain second information requested by the user from the third infolet; and

send the second requested information to the second virtual world application through the third infolet.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

a fourth infolet coupled to the gateway, to the first infolet, the second infolet, and the third infolet, and operative to couple the system to a second real world application; and

wherein the system is operable to;

obtain third information requested by the user from the fourth infolet; and

send the third information;

to the first virtual world application through the first infolet; and

to the second virtual world application through the third infolet.

11. A method of bridging between a real world and a virtual world comprising:

receiving first information related to a first action of a user of a virtual world application;

in response to receiving the first information, determining a first preference for the user;

in response to determining the first preference, searching a content archive containing content items from the virtual world application for a particular content item that relates to the preference; and

sending second information to the user indicating that the virtual world contains the particular content item.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the first information comprises information regarding the location of the user.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first information comprises information from a social networking site.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

receiving second information related to a second action of a user of a virtual world application;

in response to receiving the second information, determining a second preference for the user;

in response to determining the first and second preferences, searching a content archive containing content items from the virtual world application for a particular content item that relates to the first and second preferences; and

sending a third information to the user indicating that the virtual world contains the particular content.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein sending the third information to the user comprises sending the third information to a network-connected device associated with the user.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the third information comprises streaming media content.

17. A method of bridging between a virtual world and a real world comprising:

receiving first information related to an action of an avatar in a virtual world application;

in response to receiving the first information, determining a virtual world preference for a user associated with the avatar;

in response to determining the virtual world preference, searching a content archive containing content items from the real world for a particular content item that relates to the preference; and

sending second information to the user indicating that the real world contains the particular content item.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the first information comprises information regarding the location of the avatar in the virtual world application.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein sending the second information comprises sending the second information to a network-connected device associated with the user.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the second information comprises streaming media content.