SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HUMAN IDENTIFICATION PROOF FOR USE IN VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS
First Claim
1. A method for verifying an avatar owner as a human user of an avatar in a virtual world, said method comprising:
- providing, by a server device, a communication system for establishing a virtual world environment in which users may interact through avatars, representing each one or more users visually, in said virtual world environment;
enabling, via client devices associated with one or more users, said users to interact through their said representing avatars, said client devices and server device communicating over a network;
receiving request for challenging an avatar in said virtual world environment to determine whether said avatar is controlled by an application program user via a client device;
identifying, in response to said challenging, a user client device associated with a challenged avatar;
generating, for receipt at a user client device, a HIP message to detect a human user versus an application program user controlling a suspect avatar;
sending to said user client device a HIP message, said HIP message requiring an response from said user;
determining, from said response, whether said user is an application program user (bot) or a human user; and
,preventing, at said server device, said challenged avatar from further interaction in said virtual world environment, or performing any other punitive action, when said challenged avatar is determined to be a bot.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
System, method and computer program product for verifying an avatar owner as a human user of an avatar in a virtual world environment in which humans interact through avatars via client devices in network communication with a server device. A request for challenging an avatar in the virtual world environment is received to determine whether that avatar is controlled by an application program user (bot). A user client device associated with a challenged avatar is identified and a Human Identification Proof (HIP) message for detecting a human user versus a bot controlling the challenged avatar is generated and communicated, for receipt at the identified user client device. It is determined from the response, whether the user is a bot or a human user. If a challenged avatar is determined to be a bot, then the server device prevents the challenged avatar from further interaction in the virtual world environment.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for verifying an avatar owner as a human user of an avatar in a virtual world, said method comprising:
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providing, by a server device, a communication system for establishing a virtual world environment in which users may interact through avatars, representing each one or more users visually, in said virtual world environment; enabling, via client devices associated with one or more users, said users to interact through their said representing avatars, said client devices and server device communicating over a network; receiving request for challenging an avatar in said virtual world environment to determine whether said avatar is controlled by an application program user via a client device; identifying, in response to said challenging, a user client device associated with a challenged avatar; generating, for receipt at a user client device, a HIP message to detect a human user versus an application program user controlling a suspect avatar; sending to said user client device a HIP message, said HIP message requiring an response from said user; determining, from said response, whether said user is an application program user (bot) or a human user; and
,preventing, at said server device, said challenged avatar from further interaction in said virtual world environment, or performing any other punitive action, when said challenged avatar is determined to be a bot. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for verifying an avatar owner as a human user of an avatar in a virtual world, said system comprising:
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a server device for establishing a virtual world environment in which users may interact through avatars, representing each one or more users visually, in said virtual world environment a plurality of client devices, each of said plurality corresponding to an avatar present in the virtual world and representing a user, each client device having an interface means operable by users, for enabling said users to interact through their said representing avatars in said virtual world environment, said client devices and server device communicating over a network connection; said server device maintaining a list of present avatars interacting in said virtual world environment and corresponding information for identifying client computing devices operating to control said present avatars; and
,said server device for providing computer-implemented functions for receiving request for challenging an avatar in said virtual world environment to determine whether said avatar is controlled by an application program user via a client device, said server device identifying, in response to said challenging, a user client device associated with a challenged avatar; said server device providing computer-implemented functions for generating, for receipt at a user client device over a network connection, a HIP message to detect a human user versus an application program user controlling a challenged avatar, said server device sending to said user client device a HIP message, said HIP message requiring an response from said user; means for determining, from said response provided, whether said user is an application program user (bot) or a human user; and
,said server device providing computer-implemented functions for preventing, at said server device, said challenged avatar from further interaction in said virtual world environment, or performing any other punitive action, when a bot is determined to control said challenged avatar. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for verifying an avatar interacting in a virtual world environment represents a human user, said method steps comprising:
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providing, by a server device, a communication system for establishing a virtual world environment in which users may interact through avatars, representing each one or more users visually, in said virtual world environment; enabling, via client devices associated with one or more users, said users to interact through their said representing avatars, said client devices and server device communicating over a network; and
,receiving request for challenging an avatar in said virtual world environment to determine whether said avatar is controlled by an application program user via a client device; identifying, in response to said challenging, a user client device associated with a challenged avatar; generating, for receipt at a user client device, a HIP message to detect a human user versus an application program user controlling a challenged avatar; sending to said user client device a HIP message, said HIP message requiring an response from said user; determining, from said response, whether said user is an application program user (bot) or a human user; and
,preventing, at said server device, said challenged avatar from further interaction in said virtual world environment, or performing any other punitive action, when said challenged avatar is determined to be a bot.
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Specification