Secure virtual marketplace for virtual objects and services
First Claim
1. A method for distributing virtual objects, comprising:
- maintaining a list of virtual objects, each virtual object represented by data;
maintaining data format information for each of a plurality of virtual environment systems, the data format information for a virtual environment system specifying a format that data must have to be processable by the virtual environment system;
maintaining form information for virtual objects in the list of virtual objects, the form information for a virtual object specifying a form of the object for a given virtual environment system, wherein the form of a virtual objects depends on the virtual environment system with which the virtual object interacts;
receiving a request to distribute one or more virtual objects from the list of virtual objects, the request identifying the virtual objects to be distributed and the virtual environment system with which the virtual objects are to interact;
formatting, in accordance with the data format information and the request, data representing the one or more virtual objects to be distributed; and
distributing the one or more virtual objects.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus implementing a technique for providing a secured virtual marketplace. In general, in one aspect, the technique includes maintaining a list of virtual objects as well as data format information for each of a plurality of virtual environment systems. Each virtual object is represented by data. The data format information for a virtual environment system specifies a format that data must have to be processable by the virtual environment system. The techniques includes receiving a request to distribute one or more virtual objects from the list of virtual objects, the request identifying the virtual objects to be distributed and the virtual environment system with which the virtual objects are to interact. The technique includes formatting, in accordance with the data format information and the request, data representing the one or more virtual objects to be distributed and further includes distributing the one or more virtual objects.
325 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method for distributing virtual objects, comprising:
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maintaining a list of virtual objects, each virtual object represented by data; maintaining data format information for each of a plurality of virtual environment systems, the data format information for a virtual environment system specifying a format that data must have to be processable by the virtual environment system; maintaining form information for virtual objects in the list of virtual objects, the form information for a virtual object specifying a form of the object for a given virtual environment system, wherein the form of a virtual objects depends on the virtual environment system with which the virtual object interacts; receiving a request to distribute one or more virtual objects from the list of virtual objects, the request identifying the virtual objects to be distributed and the virtual environment system with which the virtual objects are to interact; formatting, in accordance with the data format information and the request, data representing the one or more virtual objects to be distributed; and distributing the one or more virtual objects. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A virtual marketplace system, the system comprising:
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a database configured to maintain a list of virtual objects and to maintain ownership information, wherein the owner ship information specifies an owner for each virtual object, the database being further configured to maintain data format information for virtual environment systems, the data format information for a virtual environment system specifying a data format recognizable by the virtual environment system; and a server configured for interaction with the database, with two or more virtual environment systems and with users, the interaction including receiving a trade request from a first user and a second user to trade virtual objects in the list of virtual objects, wherein the server is operable to access the database and verify that the first and second users are owners of their respective virtual objects, and further operable to change the ownership information in the database in accordance with the trade request, the interaction further including receiving a distribute request to distribute the exchanged virtual objects for interaction with a first of the two or more virtual environment systems, wherein the server is operable to retrieve the virtual objects and corresponding data format information from the data base, format the virtual objects in accordance with the data format information, and distribute the formatted virtual objects to the first virtual environment system. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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30. A computer-program product, tangibly stored on machine-readable medium, for distributing virtual objects, the product comprising instructions operable to cause a processor to:
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store a list of virtual objects, each virtual object being defined by data processable to generate the virtual object; store data format information for each of a plurality of virtual environment systems, the data format information for a virtual environment system specifying a format that data defining a virtual object must have in order to be processable by the virtual environment system to generate the virtual object; receive a request to distribute a first virtual object to a first virtual environment system, the request identifying the first virtual object and the first virtual environment system, the first virtual object being one of the virtual objects on the list of virtual objects, the first virtual environment system being one of the plurality of virtual environment systems, wherein data defining the first virtual object includes data defining a first form of the first virtual object and data defining a second form of the first virtual object, the first form being different from the second form; select one of the forms of the first virtual object, the selection being based on which of the plurality of virtual environment systems was identified in the request to distribute the first virtual object; format, in accordance with the data format information for the first virtual environment system, data defining the first virtual object; and send the formatted data to the first virtual environment system. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification