SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AVATAR CLONING

• US 20130305185A1
• Filed: 07/19/2013
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Nicol, William Bruce II, Bokor, Brian Ronald, Haggar, Peter Frederick, House, Daniel Edward, Smith, Andrew Bryan
• Granted Patent: US 9,164,664 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Avatar cloning in a virtual world may include receiving an input indicating that a user desires to access a cloning feature and allowing a cloned avatar to be cloned from the user'"'"'s avatar.

Claims

1. A system for avatar cloning in a virtual world, the system comprising:

a processor;

a module operable on the processor for receiving an input indicating a user desires to access a cloning feature to clone an avatar of the user;

a module operable on the processor for presenting a graphical user interface that comprises an option for the user to predefine actions for a cloned avatar of the avatar of the user to perform in the virtual world, the predefined actions for the cloned avatar of the avatar of the user to perform being different from and occurring simultaneously with the current activity of the avatar, wherein the predefined action for the cloned avatar of the avatar of the user to perform and the current activity of the avatar occur at separate locations in the virtual world;

a module operable on the processor for allowing the cloned avatar of the user to be cloned from the avatar of the user;

a module operable on the processor for presenting a split screen comprising at least two portions that are split from each other to permit the user to control either the avatar of the user on a first portion of the split screen or the clone of the avatar of the user on a second portion of the split screen; and

a module operable on the processor for identifying between the cloned avatar of the user in the second portion and the avatar of the user in the first portion which one is currently being actively controlled by the user, wherein the cloned avatar of the user and the avatar of the user are located in different portions of the virtual world;

wherein the split screen comprises a first tool bar that is shared by the at least two portions and a second tool bar that is smaller than the first tool bar and positioned and used only in the second portion of the split screen, wherein the second tool bar comprises an indicator of the current actions of the cloned avatar and is configured to allow the user to directly control the actions of the cloned avatar.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a module for presenting a graphical user interface to the user to allow the user to clone the avatar of the user.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a module for recording any virtual world observations and interactions of the at least one cloned avatar in response to configuring the cloned avatar to record any virtual world observations and interactions for replay to the user.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the predefined actions are automatically performable by the cloned avatar in response to a predetermined condition occurring.

5. The system of claim 3, further comprising a module for notifying the user in response to occurrence of a predetermined condition associated with the cloned avatar to permit user interaction and control.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a module for allowing the user to clone a plurality of cloned avatars from the avatar of the user.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a module for allowing a preset maximum permitted number of cloned avatars of the user to be preset.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a module for:

notifying the user in response to receiving a request from the user to clone the avatar of the user and the number of previously cloned avatars of the user being at the preset maximum permitted number of cloned avatars of the user; and

denying the request from the user to clone the avatar of the user in response to receiving the request from the user to clone the avatar of the user and the number of previously cloned avatars of the user being at the preset maximum number of cloned avatars.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a module for automatically associating any predefined functionality with each cloned avatar.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a module for distinguishing between the cloned avatar and the avatar of the user via a label.

11. A system for avatar cloning in a virtual world, the system comprising:

a processor;

a module operable on the processor for receiving a request from a user to clone an avatar corresponding to the user;

a module operable on the processor for receiving input from the user predefining actions for the cloned avatar to perform in the virtual world, the predefined actions for the cloned avatar of the avatar of the user to perform being different from and occurring simultaneously with the current activity of the avatar, wherein the predefined action for the cloned avatar of the avatar of the user to perform and the current activity of the avatar occur at separate locations in the virtual world;

a module operable on the processor for cloning the avatar of the user to form at least one cloned avatar in response to receiving the request from the user to clone the avatar of the user; and

a module operable on the processor for presenting a split screen comprising at least two portions that are split from each other to permit the user to control either the avatar of the user on a first portion of the split screen or the clone of the avatar of the user on a second portion of the split screen; and

a module operable on the processor for identifying which one of the cloned avatar of the user and the avatar of the user is currently being actively controlled by the user, wherein the cloned avatar of the user and the avatar of the user are located in different portions of the virtual world;

wherein the split screen comprises a first tool bar that is shared by the at least two portions and a second tool bar that is smaller than the first tool bar and positioned and used only in the second portion of the split screen, wherein the second tool bar comprises an indicator of the current actions of the cloned avatar and is configured to allow the user to directly control the actions of the cloned avatar.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a module for:

allowing the user to define at least one action performable by the at least one cloned avatar in response to at least one predetermined condition being fulfilled;

notifying the user in response to the at least one predetermined condition being fulfilled; and

executing the action in response to the at least one predetermined condition being fulfilled.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising a module for;

allowing a maximum permitted number of cloned avatars of the user'"'"'s avatar to be preset;

denying the user'"'"'s request to clone the user'"'"'s avatar in response to a total number of previously cloned avatars of the user'"'"'s avatar being at the preset maximum permitted number of cloned avatars; and

notifying the user of the denial of the user'"'"'s request in response to the total number of previously cloned avatars of the user'"'"'s avatar being at the preset maximum permitted number of cloned avatars.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising a module for:

detecting a predetermined condition with any clones possibly requiring interaction by the user;

notifying the user in response to detecting predetermined condition; and

allowing the user to control the cloned avatar associated with the detected predetermined condition.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising a module for recording any virtual world observations and interactions of the at least one cloned avatar in response to configuring the cloned avatar to record any virtual world observations and interactions for replay to the user.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising a module for distinguishing between the at least one cloned avatar and the user'"'"'s avatar.

17. The system of claim 11, further comprising a module for automatically associating any predefined functionality with each cloned avatar.

18. A computer program product for avatar cloning in a virtual world, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable computer program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured to receive a request to clone an original avatar of a user;

computer readable program code configured to present a graphical user interface to allow the user to clone the original avatar of the user;

computer readable program code configured to allow control of the clone of the original avatar of the user, wherein the clone is controllable by at least one of;

computer readable program code configured to associate a predefined functionality with the clone for the clone to perform automatically while the user controls the original avatar, the predefined functionality for the clone to perform being different from and occurring simultaneously with the current activity of the original avatar, wherein the predefined functionality for the clone to perform and the current activity of the original avatar occur at separate locations in the virtual world;

computer readable program code configured to present a split screen comprising a first portion and a second portion that is split from the first portion to permit the user to control either the original avatar of the user on the first portion of the split screen or the clone of the original avatar of the user on the second portion of the split screen; and

computer readable program code configured to identify on the split screen which avatar is currently being actively controlled by the user;

wherein the split screen comprises a first tool bar that is shared by the at least two portions and a second tool bar that is smaller than the first tool bar and positioned and used only in the second portion of the split screen, wherein the second tool bar comprises an indicator of the current actions of the cloned avatar and is configured to allow the user to directly control the actions of the cloned avatar.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising a locator map to represent a relative location of the avatar of the user and the cloned avatar of the user.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising computer readable program code configured to charge a subscription fee to the user based on a number of cloned avatars of the user.