SHARING VIRTUAL SPACE IN A VIRTUAL UNIVERSE

• US 20100161456A1
• Filed: 12/22/2008
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hamilton, Rick A. II, Boss, Gregory J., Kendzierski, Michael D., Pickover, Clifford A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,533,596 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

An approach that provides sharing of the same virtual space by a plurality of avatars in a virtual universe by grouping the avatars belonging the virtual space and isolating each group. In one embodiment, there is an isolating tool, including a grouping component configured to group each of the plurality of avatars belonging to defined virtual space according to predefined grouping criteria. The isolating tool further includes an isolating component configured to isolate each group within each of the plurality of virtual spaces based on the grouping.

Claims

1. A method for isolating a plurality of avatars belonging to a virtual space in a virtual universe, comprising:

accessing a predefined grouping method associated with the virtual space;

accessing grouping information associated with each of the plurality of avatars belonging to the virtual space based the predefined grouping method;

grouping each of the plurality of avatars belonging to the virtual space according to the predefined grouping method and grouping information; and

isolating each of the plurality of avatars belonging to the virtual space based on the grouping.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein accessing grouping information comprises accessing metadata associated with each of the plurality of avatars.

3. The method according to claim 1, the isolating each of the plurality of groups belonging to the virtual space comprises applying transparency properties to each of the plurality of groups.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising rendering the virtual content belonging to the virtual space based on the isolating of each of the plurality of groups.

5. The method according to claim 4 further comprising rendering the interaction of virtual content belonging to the virtual space based on a predefined interaction method.

6. The method according to claim 1 further comprising charging a fee for isolating each of the plurality of avatars belonging to the virtual space.

7. A computer system for isolating a plurality of avatars belonging to a virtual space in a virtual universe, comprising:

at least one processing unit;

memory operably associated with the at least one processing unit; and

an isolating tool storable in memory and executable by the at least one processing unit, the isolating tool comprising;

a grouping component configured to access a predefined grouping method associated with the virtual space and grouping information associated with each of the plurality of avatars and group each of a plurality of avatars belonging to the virtual space according to the predefined grouping method and grouping information; and

an isolating component configured to isolate a plurality of avatars belonging to the virtual space based on the grouping.

8. The computer system according to claim 7, the grouping component configured to access grouping information comprises accessing metadata associated with each of the plurality of avatars belonging to the virtual space.

9. The computer system according to claim 7, the rendering component configured to isolate each of the plurality of groups belonging to the virtual space by applying transparency properties to each of the plurality of groups belonging to the virtual space.

10. The computer system according to claim 7 further comprising a rendering component configured to render the virtual content belonging to the virtual space based on the isolating of each of the plurality of groups belonging to the virtual space.

11. The computer system according to claim 10, the rendering component configured to render the interaction of virtual content belonging to the virtual space based on a predefined interaction method.

12. The computer system according to claim 7 further comprising a transaction component for charging an isolating fee for isolating each of the plurality of avatars belonging to the virtual space.

13. A computer-readable medium storing computer instructions, which when executed, enables a computer system to provide isolating of a plurality of avatars in a virtual space, the computer instructions comprising:

accessing a predefined grouping method associated with the virtual space and grouping information associated with each of the plurality of avatars;

grouping each of the plurality of avatars belonging to the virtual space according to the predefined grouping method and grouping information; and

isolating each of the plurality of avatars belonging to the social space based on the grouping.

14. The computer-readable medium according to claim 13 further comprising wherein accessing grouping information comprises accessing metadata associated with each of the plurality of avatars.

15. The computer-readable medium according to claim 13, the isolating of each of the plurality of avatars belonging to the virtual spaces comprises applying transparency properties to each of the plurality of groups.

18. The computer-readable medium according to claim 13 further comprising instructions for charging an isolating fee for isolating each of the plurality of avatars belonging to the virtual space.

16. The computer-readable medium according to claim further comprising instructions for rendering the virtual content belonging to the virtual space based on the isolating of each of the plurality of groups.

17. The computer-readable medium according to claim 16, the rendering of the interaction of virtual content belonging to the virtual space based on a predefined interaction method.

19. A method for deploying an isolating tool for use in a computer system that provides isolating of a plurality of avatars belonging to a virtual space, the method comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure operable to;

access a predefined grouping method and grouping information associated with each of the plurality of avatars belonging to the virtual space;

group each of a plurality of avatars belonging to a virtual space according to the predefined grouping method and grouping information; and

isolate each of the plurality of groups belonging to the virtual space based on the grouping.

20. The computer infrastructure according to claim 19 wherein further operable to access grouping information comprising metadata associated with each of the plurality of avatars belonging to the virtual space.

21. The computer infrastructure according to claim 19 further operable to isolate each of the plurality of groups belonging to the virtual space by applying transparency properties to each of the plurality of groups.

22. The computer infrastructure according to claim 19 further operable to render the virtual content belonging to the virtual space based on the isolating of each of the plurality of groups.

23. The computer infrastructure according to claim 22 further operable to render interaction among the virtual content belonging to the virtual space based on a predefined interaction method.

24. The computer infrastructure according to claim 19 further operable to charge an isolating fee for isolating each of the plurality of avatars belonging to the virtual space.