SOCIAL PLATFORM

• US 20130246942A1
• Filed: 03/14/2012
• Published: 09/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: MERRIFIELD, Lane, PRIEBE, Lancelot Darren
• Granted Patent: US 10,147,146 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/757
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1124 Determining motor skills
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/16 Devices for psychotechnics using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/67 adaptively or by learning from player actions, e.g. skill level adjustment or by storing successful combat sequences for re-use
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/798 for assessing skills or for ranking players, e.g. for generating a hall of fame computing the game score A63F13/46
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/10 with measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/26 the game being influenced by physiological parameters A63F2250/1031 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/30 Monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/34 Recording or statistical evaluation of computer activity, e.g. of down time, of input/output operation ; Recording or statistical evaluation of user activity, e.g. usability assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3409 for performance assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3438 monitoring of user actions tracking the activity of the user H04L67/535
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/40 of characters, e.g. humans, animals or virtual beings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4015 where at least one of the additional parallel sessions is real time or time sensitive, e.g. white board sharing, collaboration or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for providing a social platform for a user. In one embodiment, activity of the user is monitored in a virtual environment. A profile is generated for the user, based on the monitored activity. A social element of the virtual environment is modified for the user, based on the generated profile.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

monitoring activity of a user in one or more virtual environments;

generating a profile of the user, based on the monitored activity, wherein the profile comprises at least one of an activity profile, a developmental profile, and a geographical profile; and

by operation of one or more computer processors and based on the generated profile, modifying, for the user, a social element of at least a first one of the virtual environments, wherein the social element is specific to the user.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein modifying the social element comprises:

identifying, for the user, a spawn point in the first virtual environment, wherein the spawn point is proximate to a threshold count of other users having a similar profile as the user; and

positioning an avatar for the user at the identified spawn point, responsive to receiving, from the user, at least one of an indication to enter the first virtual environment and an indication to re-spawn the avatar.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

subsequent to modifying the social element, measuring an extent to which the user is interacting with avatars in the virtual environment; and

further modifying the social element in the first virtual environment, based on the measured extent.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the social element comprises how many avatars are present or visible to the user in a predefined area in the first virtual environment.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the social element comprises how much information regarding social interactions is presented to the user.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the social element comprises a layout in which information regarding the first virtual environment is presented to the user.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the social element comprises how many relationship degrees for which avatars are present or visible to the user in a predefined area in the first virtual environment, and wherein the monitored activity is at least one of anonymized or aggregated based on a predetermined user privacy setting.

8. A computer-readable storage medium containing a program which, when executed, performs an operation comprising:

monitoring activity of a user in one or more virtual environments;

generating a profile of the user, based on the monitored activity, wherein the profile comprises at least one of an activity profile, a developmental profile, and a geographical profile; and

by operation of one or more computer processors when executing the program and based on the generated profile, modifying, for the user, a social element of at least a first one of the virtual environments, wherein the social element is specific to the user.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein modifying the social element comprises:

identifying, for the user, a spawn point in the first virtual environment, wherein the spawn point is proximate to a threshold count of other users having a similar profile as the user; and

positioning an avatar for the user at the identified spawn point, responsive to receiving, from the user, at least one of an indication to enter the first virtual environment and an indication to re-spawn the avatar.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the operation further comprises:

subsequent to modifying the social element, measuring an extent to which the user is interacting with avatars in the virtual environment; and

further modifying the social element in the first virtual environment, based on the measured extent.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the social element comprises how many avatars are present or visible to the user in a predefined area in the first virtual environment.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the social element comprises how much information regarding social interactions is presented to the user.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the social element comprises a layout in which information regarding the first virtual environment is presented to the user.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the social element comprises how many relationship degrees for which avatars are present or visible to the user in a predefined area in the first virtual environment, and wherein the monitored activity is at least one of anonymized or aggregated based on a predetermined user privacy setting.

15. A system, comprising:

one or more computer processors; and

a memory containing a program which, when executed by the one or more computer processors, is configured to perform an operation comprising;

monitoring activity of a user in one or more virtual environments;

generating a profile of the user, based on the monitored activity, wherein the profile comprises at least one of an activity profile, a developmental profile, and a geographical profile; and

based on the generated profile, modifying, for the user, a social element of at least a first one of the virtual environments, wherein the social element is specific to the user.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein modifying the social element comprises:

identifying, for the user, a spawn point in the first virtual environment, wherein the spawn point is proximate to a threshold count of other users having a similar profile as the user; and

positioning an avatar for the user at the identified spawn point, responsive to receiving, from the user, at least one of an indication to enter the first virtual environment and an indication to re-spawn the avatar.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the operation further comprises:

subsequent to modifying the social element, measuring an extent to which the user is interacting with avatars in the virtual environment; and

further modifying the social element in the first virtual environment, based on the measured extent.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the social element comprises how many avatars are present or visible to the user in a predefined area in the first virtual environment.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the social element comprises how much information regarding social interactions is presented to the user.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the social element comprises a layout in which information regarding the first virtual environment is presented to the user.