RULE-BASED CONTENT FILTERING IN A VIRTUAL UNIVERSE

• US 20100332997A1
• Filed: 06/26/2009
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: O'Connell, Brian M., Moskowitz, Paul A., Hamilton, Rick A. II, Pickover, Clifford A., Walker, Keith R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,918,728 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/757
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

A system that enables individuals or companies to allow an avatar'"'"'s transits and communications within a virtual universe. The system enables the selection of regions and/or content. Additionally, companies can use this system to prevent accidental communication of proprietary material. Also provided are a method and a computer readable medium containing a program product including the method to enable individuals or companies to allow an avatar'"'"'s transits and communications within a virtual universe.

Claims

1. A method for filtering content in a virtual universe (VU) by a computer apparatus, comprising:

receiving a request by said apparatus for content exposure restrictions for an avatar in the VU;

generating a set of rules by said apparatus that reflect the content exposure restrictions;

tagging the avatar by said apparatus with at least one tag;

comparing by said apparatus an action attempted by the avatar to the set of rules; and

determining by said apparatus whether the action will be allowed based on the set of rules and the at least one tag.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

setting a rating by said apparatus for a region of the VU; and

preventing access by said apparatus to the region by the avatar if the rating exceeds a maximum allowable region rating established for the avatar.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

setting a rating by said apparatus for content in the VU; and

preventing access by said apparatus to the content by the avatar if the rating exceeds a maximum allowable content rating established for the avatar.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising establishing by said apparatus a virtual shield around content that the avatar is prevented from accessing.

5. The method of claim 1, the at least one tag being selected from a group consisting of:

an age, a content type, and a maximum allowable rating.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing by said apparatus the set of rules and the at least one tag in a database.

7. A system for filtering content in a virtual universe (VU), comprising:

a request processing module for receiving a request for content exposure restrictions for an avatar in the VU;

a rules processing module for generating a set of rules that reflect the content exposure restrictions;

a tagging processing module for tagging the avatar with at least one tag;

a comparison processing module for comparing an action attempted by the avatar to the set of rules; and

a decision processing module for determining whether the action will be allowed based on the set of rules and the at least one tag, wherein said modules are components of said computer apparatus.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a rating processing module for setting a rating for a region of the VU; and

a region access processing module for preventing access to the region by the avatar if the rating exceeds a maximum allowable region rating established for the avatar.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a content processing module for setting a rating for content in the VU; and

a content access processing module for preventing access to the content by the avatar if the rating exceeds a maximum allowable content rating established for the avatar.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a shield processing module for establishing a virtual shield around content that the avatar is prevented from accessing.

11. The system of claim 7, the at least one tag being selected from a group consisting of:

an age, a content type, and a maximum allowable rating.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a storing processing module for storing the set of rules and the at least one tag in a database.

13. A computer readable medium containing a program product for filtering content in a virtual universe (VU), the computer readable medium comprising program code for causing a computer apparatus to perform the steps of:

receive a request for content exposure restrictions for an avatar in the VU;

generate a set of rules that reflect the content exposure restrictions;

tag the avatar with at least one tag;

compare an action attempted by the avatar to the set of rules; and

determine whether the action will be allowed based on the set of rules and the at least one tag,

wherein said steps are executed by said computer apparatus.

14. The computer readable medium containing the program product of claim 13, the computer readable medium further comprising program code for causing the computer to perform the steps of:

set a rating for a region of the VU; and

prevent access to the region by the avatar if the rating exceeds a maximum allowable region rating established for the avatar.

15. The computer readable medium containing the program product of claim 14, the computer readable medium further comprising program code for causing the computer to perform the steps of:

set a rating for content in the VU; and

prevent access to the content by the avatar if the rating exceeds a maximum allowable content rating established for the avatar.

16. The computer readable medium containing the program product of claim 15, the computer readable medium further comprising program code for causing the computer apparatus to establish a virtual shield around content that the avatar is prevented for accessing.

17. The computer readable medium containing the program product of claim 13, the at least one tag being selected from a group consisting of:

an age, a content type, and a maximum allowable rating.

18. The computer readable medium containing the program product of claim 13, the computer readable medium further comprising program code for causing the computer apparatus to store the set of rules and the at least one tag in a database.

19. A method for deploying a system for filtering content in a virtual universe (VU), comprising:

providing a computer apparatus infrastructure to;

receive a request for content exposure restrictions for an avatar in the VU;

generate a set of rules that reflect the content exposure restrictions;

tag the avatar with at least one tag;

compare an action attempted by the avatar to the set of rules; and

determine whether the action will be allowed based on the set of rules and the at least one tag,

wherein said steps are executed by said computer apparatus.

20. The method of claim 19, the at least one tag being selected from a group consisting of:

an age, a content type, and a maximum allowable rating.