Systems, methods, and computer program products for accessing, leasing, relocating, constructing and modifying internet sites within a multi-dimensional virtual reality environment
First Claim
1. A system for accessing plurality of Internet sites, comprising:
- means for displaying on a user computer said plurality of Internet sites as a multi-dimensional virtual environment, said virtual environment including at least one respective virtual site for each one of said plurality of Internet sites, wherein the virtual sites have a geographic relationship in the displayed multi-dimensional virtual environment which is different from a geographic relationship of the plurality of Internet sites, said displaying means comprising;
means for retrieving Internet site data from the user computer; and
means for retrieving Internet site data from an Internet site corresponding to a respective virtual site;
navigating means, responsive to user inputs, for moving a reference through the displayed multi-dimensional virtual environment, and for accessing selected ones of said Internet sites via respective virtual sites in the displayed multi-dimensional virtual environment, said navigating means comprising;
means for allowing a user to adjust speed, distance, and elevation of the reference relative to virtual sites during navigation of said multi-dimensional virtual environment; and
caching means for reducing time required for a user to receive Internet site data, said caching means comprising;
means for assigning data transfer priorities to a plurality of virtual sites within a predetermined vicinity of a field of view of the reference;
means for initiating transfer of data related to an Internet site to said caching means based on a data transfer priority assigned to a respective virtual site before a user activates said Internet site via said respective virtual site; and
means for receiving and storing transferred data related to an Internet site.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention facilitates viewing, organizing, and optimizing Internet sites. A multi-dimensional virtual environment includes one or more respective virtual sites for each Internet site. Users are given the ability to explore the virtual environment and access Internet site data and services via respective virtual site(s). Transfer of data related to an Internet and virtual site includes assigning a transfer priority to each virtual site based on the user'"'"'s location within the virtual environment, and transferring data based on the assigned priority. Users are provided with the ability to lease portions of the virtual environment, to create and modify the appearance and functionality of virtual sites on leased portions, to assign Internet site data and services to virtual sites, and to relocate virtual sites within the virtual environment.
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Citations
69 Claims
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1. A system for accessing plurality of Internet sites, comprising:
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means for displaying on a user computer said plurality of Internet sites as a multi-dimensional virtual environment, said virtual environment including at least one respective virtual site for each one of said plurality of Internet sites, wherein the virtual sites have a geographic relationship in the displayed multi-dimensional virtual environment which is different from a geographic relationship of the plurality of Internet sites, said displaying means comprising; means for retrieving Internet site data from the user computer; and means for retrieving Internet site data from an Internet site corresponding to a respective virtual site; navigating means, responsive to user inputs, for moving a reference through the displayed multi-dimensional virtual environment, and for accessing selected ones of said Internet sites via respective virtual sites in the displayed multi-dimensional virtual environment, said navigating means comprising; means for allowing a user to adjust speed, distance, and elevation of the reference relative to virtual sites during navigation of said multi-dimensional virtual environment; and caching means for reducing time required for a user to receive Internet site data, said caching means comprising; means for assigning data transfer priorities to a plurality of virtual sites within a predetermined vicinity of a field of view of the reference; means for initiating transfer of data related to an Internet site to said caching means based on a data transfer priority assigned to a respective virtual site before a user activates said Internet site via said respective virtual site; and means for receiving and storing transferred data related to an Internet site. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for accessing a plurality of Internet sites, comprising:
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means for displaying on a user computer said plurality of Internet sites as a multi-dimensional virtual environment, said virtual environment including at least one respective virtual site for each one of said plurality of Internet sites, wherein the virtual sites have a geographic relationship in the displayed multi-dimensional virtual environment which is different from a geographic relationship of the plurality of Internet sites, said displaying means comprising; means for retrieving Internet site data from the user computer; and means for retrieving Internet site data from an Internet site corresponding to a respective virtual site; navigating means, responsive to user inputs, for moving a reference through the displayed multi-dimensional virtual environment, and for accessing selected ones of said Internet sites via respective virtual sites in the displayed multi-dimensional virtual environment; and leasing means, responsive to user requests, for allowing a user to lease portions of the displayed multi-dimensional virtual environment within a field of view of the reference, said leasing means comprising; means for identifying one or more portions of the virtual environment that are available for leasing; means for determining a lease rate for the identified one or more portions of the virtual environment available for leasing; means for communicating acceptance of a lease rate for a respective portion of the virtual environment available for leasing to an owner of the respective virtual environment portion; and means for communicating information about a user lease of one or more portions of the virtual environment to other users. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A computer program product for accessing a plurality of Internet sites, the computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having computer readable program code means embodied in the medium, the computer readable program code means comprising:
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computer readable program code means for displaying on a user computer said plurality of Internet sites as a multi-dimensional virtual environment, said virtual environment including at least one respective virtual site for each one of said plurality of Internet sites, wherein the virtual sites have a geographic relationship in the displayed multi-dimensional virtual environment which is different from a geographic relationship of the plurality of Internet sites, said displaying means comprising; computer readable program code means for retrieving Internet site data from the user computer; and computer readable program code means for retrieving Internet site data from an Internet site corresponding to a respective virtual site; computer readable program code means, responsive to user inputs, for moving a reference through the displayed multi-dimensional virtual environment, and for accessing selected ones of said Internet sites via respective virtual sites in the displayed multi-dimensional virtual environment, comprising; computer readable program code means for allowing a user to adjust speed, distance, and elevation of the reference relative to virtual sites during navigation of said multi-dimensional virtual environment; and computer readable program code means for reducing time required for a user to receive Internet site data, comprising; computer readable program code means for assigning data transfer priorities to a plurality of virtual sites within a predetermined vicinity of a field of view of the reference; computer readable program code means for initiating transfer of data related to an Internet site based on a data transfer priority assigned to a respective virtual site before a user activates said Internet site via said respective virtual site; and computer readable program code means for receiving and storing transferred data related to an Internet site. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A computer program product for accessing a plurality of Internet sites, the computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having computer readable program code means embodied in the medium, the computer readable program code means comprising:
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computer readable program code means for displaying on a user computer said plurality of Internet sites as a multi-dimensional virtual environment, said virtual environment including at least one respective virtual site for each one of said plurality of Internet sites, wherein the virtual sites have a geographic relationship in the displayed multi-dimensional virtual environment which is different from a geographic relationship of the plurality of Internet sites, said displaying means comprising; computer readable program code means for retrieving Internet site data from the user computer; and computer readable program code means for retrieving Internet site data from an Internet site corresponding to a respective virtual site; computer readable program code means, responsive to user inputs, for moving a reference through the displayed multi-dimensional virtual environment, and for accessing selected ones of said Internet sites via respective virtual sites in the displayed multi-dimensional virtual environment; and computer readable program code means, responsive to user requests, for allowing a user to lease portions of the displayed multi-dimensional virtual environment within a field of view of the reference, comprising; computer readable program code means for identifying one or more portions of the virtual environment that are available for leasing; computer readable program code means for determining a lease rate for the identified one or more portions of the virtual environment available for leasing; computer readable program code means for communicating acceptance of a lease rate for a respective portion of the virtual environment available for leasing to an owner of the respective virtual environment portion; and computer readable program code means for communicating information about a user lease of one or more portions of the virtual environment to other users. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A method of accessing a plurality of Internet sites, the method comprising the steps of:
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displaying on a user computer said plurality of Internet sites as a multi-dimensional virtual environment, said virtual environment including at least one respective virtual site for each one of said plurality of Internet sites, wherein the virtual sites have a geographic relationship in the displayed multi-dimensional virtual environment which is different from a geographic relationship of the plurality of Internet sites; responsive to user inputs, moving a reference through the displayed multi-dimensional virtual environment, and accessing selected ones of said Internet sites via respective virtual sites in the displayed multi-dimensional virtual environment, comprising; adjusting speed, distance, and elevation of the reference relative to virtual sites during navigation of said multi-dimensional virtual environment; and caching Internet site data, comprising; assigning data transfer priorities to a plurality of virtual sites within a predetermined vicinity of a field of view of the reference; initiating transfer of data related to an Internet site based on a data transfer priority assigned to a respective virtual site before a user activates said Internet site via said respective virtual site; and receiving and storing transferred data related to an Internet site. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. A method for accessing a plurality of Internet sites, the method comprising the steps of:
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displaying on a user computer said plurality of Internet sites as a multi-dimensional virtual environment, said virtual environment including at least one respective virtual site for each one of said plurality of Internet sites, wherein the virtual sites have a geographic relationship in the displayed multi-dimensional virtual environment which is different from a geographic relationship of the plurality of Internet sites, comprising; retrieving Internet site data from the user computer; and retrieving Internet site data from an Internet site corresponding to a respective virtual site; responsive to user inputs, moving a reference through the displayed multi-dimensional virtual environment, and accessing selected ones of said Internet sites via respective virtual sites in the displayed multi-dimensional virtual environment; and leasing portions of the displayed multi-dimensional virtual environment within a field of view of the reference, comprising; identifying one or more portions of the virtual environment that are available for leasing; determining a lease rate for the identified one or more portions of the virtual environment available for leasing; communicating acceptance of a lease rate for a respective portion of the virtual environment available for leasing to an owner of the respective virtual environment portion; and communicating information about a user lease of one or more portions of the virtual environment to other users. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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Specification