Controlling and using virtual universe wish lists

• US 7,792,801 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2007
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hamilton, II, Rick A., O'Connell, Brian M., Seaman, James W., Kozloski, James R., Walker, Keith R., Pickover, Clifford A.
• Primary Examiner(s): FILIPCZYK, MARCIN R
• Application Number:
  US11/871,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20090100076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 3, 707/6, 707/10, 707100-102, 707200-203, 707/620, 707/803, 707/805, 707/640, 707/655, 709/216, 709/217, 703/13, 703/21, 703/22, 715/757, 717/100, 718/1, 718/100
• US Class Current: 707/655
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0627 using item specifications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

Described herein are processes and devices that control and use virtual universe wish lists. One of the devices described is a virtual wish list device. The virtual wish list device determines an item in a virtual universe that is a desired by an avatar. The virtual wish list device designates the item as a desired item in a wish list. The wish list may be stored in the avatar'"'"'s virtual universe inventory. The wish list device determines details about the desired item, such as whether the item is desired in the virtual universe or in the real world. The wish list device stores the details about the desired item in the wish list. The virtual wish list device may use the details to conduct transactions related to the desired item.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a selection of a virtual world object in a virtual world by a first avatar in response to a first user input, wherein the first avatar is controlled by a first user associated with a first user account on a virtual world computer network, wherein the virtual world comprises a three-dimensional computer simulated environment where avatars interact as inhabitants of the virtual world, said computer simulated environment controlled by one or more processors in the virtual world computer network, and wherein the selection indicates a desire by the first avatar for an instance of the virtual world object;

storing a description of the virtual world object in a wish list for the first avatar in response to the detecting the selection of the virtual world object by the first avatar, wherein the wish list includes a listing of desired objects by the first avatar from the virtual world, wherein the listing of desired objects are stored in a data store unit associated with the first user account on the virtual world computer network,

notifying a second avatar in the virtual world of the description of the virtual world object in response to the selection of the virtual world object by the first avatar, wherein the second avatar is controlled by a second user associated with a second user account via the virtual world computer network;

detecting a request by the second avatar, via a second user input, to purchase the instance of the virtual world object for the first avatar, wherein the second user input is associated with user control of the second avatar via the virtual world computer network;

generating a clone of the virtual world object, wherein the clone of the virtual world object is a data object with characteristics of the virtual world object, said data object configured for storage in one or more of the first user account and the second user account via the virtual world computer network;

purchasing the clone of the virtual world object responsive to the detecting the request by the second avatar to purchase the instance of the virtual world object for the first avatar; and

providing the clone of the virtual world object for transfer to the first user account associated with the first avatar in response to the purchasing the clone of the virtual world object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional computer simulated environment comprises a three-dimensional virtual-world landscape on which the avatars are graphical representations of users as the inhabitants of the virtual world.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the clone of the virtual world object in an avatar inventory for the first avatar responsive to said purchasing the clone of the virtual world object, wherein said storing the clone of the virtual world object in the avatar inventory for the first avatar includes storing a unique universal identifier of the data object in a memory storage location associated with the avatar inventory for the first user account.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the description of the virtual world object includes unique identification data of the virtual world object.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein notifying the second avatar in the virtual world of the description of the virtual world object includes:

determining that the second avatar is authorized by the first avatar to access the wish list; and

presenting the wish list to the second avatar via a graphical user interface for the virtual world.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining unique identification data of the virtual world object;

identifying real-world instance of the virtual world object using the unique identification data;

presenting a depiction of the real-world instance of the virtual world object to the second avatar;

detecting a selection by the second avatar of the real-world instance of the virtual world object; and

processing a purchase transaction for the real-world instance of the virtual world object responsive to said detecting the selection by the second avatar of the real-world instance of the virtual world object.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting the request by the second avatar, via the second user input, to purchase the clone of the virtual world object for the first avatar includes:

determining that the virtual world object does not have a unique universal identifier;

analyzing the virtual world object;

determining a first property that identifies the virtual world object based, at least in part, on said analyzing the virtual world object;

searching the virtual world for additional virtual world objects with second properties that are similar to the first property, wherein the additional virtual world objects are available for purchase,

presenting a listing of the additional virtual world objects to the second avatar, wherein the listing of the additional virtual world objects includes a representation of the clone of the virtual world object, and

detecting a selection of the representation of the clone of the virtual world object by the second avatar.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a notation from the first avatar that specifies a desired characteristic for the clone of the virtual world object;

searching the virtual world for an additional virtual world object that possesses the desired characteristic;

finding the additional virtual world object; and

presenting an indication of the additional virtual world object to the second avatar as a depiction of the clone of the virtual world object.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the notation includes one or more of a ranking of desirability for the virtual world object, descriptions of a hair style for the first avatar, descriptions of an article of clothing for the first avatar, a set price that the first avatar does not want others to exceed when purchasing the clone of the virtual world object, a desired quantity of the virtual world object, a land marker that specifies coordinates in the virtual world where the clone of the virtual world object may be purchased, and differences between one or more desired characteristics and one or more existing characteristics of the virtual world object.

10. A computer program product for purchasing an instance of a virtual world object associated with a wish list in a virtual world, the computer program product comprising:

a machine readable medium including a mechanism for storing information readable by a computer comprising a processor;

first program instructions to detect a first selection, by a first avatar in response to a first user input, of the virtual world object presented in the virtual world, wherein the first avatar is a representation of a first user account associated with a virtual world computer network, wherein the virtual world is a three-dimensional computer simulated environment where avatars interact as inhabitants of the virtual world, said three-dimensional computer simulated environment controlled by one or more processors in the virtual world computer network, and wherein the first selection indicates a desire by the first avatar for the instance of the virtual world object;

second program instructions to associate with a wish list a representation of the instance of the virtual world object that is available for purchase responsive to said detecting the first selection of the virtual world object by the first avatar, wherein the wish list includes a listing of desired objects by the first avatar from the virtual world, wherein the listing of desired objects are stored in a data store unit associated with the first user account on the virtual world computer network;

third program instructions to determine that a second avatar is authorized by the first avatar to access the wish list, wherein the second avatar is a representation of a second user account associated with the virtual world computer network,

fourth program instructions to present the wish list to the second avatar via the virtual world computer network;

fifth program instructions to detect a second selection by the second avatar, via a second user input, of the representation of the instance of the virtual world object, wherein the second user input is associated with user control of the second avatar via the virtual world computer network;

sixth program instructions to transact a purchase of the instance of the virtual world object using virtual world funds belonging to the second avatar responsive to said detecting the second selection by the second avatar of the representation of the instance of the virtual world object;

seventh program instructions to generate a clone of the virtual world object using identification data from the virtual world object, wherein the clone of the virtual world object is a data object with characteristics of the virtual world object, said data object configured for storage in one or more of the first user account and the second user account via the virtual world computer network; and

eighth program instructions to transfer the clone of the virtual world object to an inventory for the first avatar; and

wherein

the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth program instructions are stored on the machine readable medium.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 further comprising:

ninth program instructions to determine a unique identifier for the virtual world object;

tenth program instructions to search a database to find a parent object that is assigned to the unique identifier, wherein the parent object has at least one property necessary to generate the clone of the virtual objects; and

eleventh program instructions to generate the clone of the virtual world object using the at least one property from the parent object, and wherein

the ninth, tenth and eleventh program instructions are stored on the machine readable medium.

12. The computer program product of claim 10 further comprising:

ninth program instructions to determine from the identification data a location within the virtual world of a vendor avatar that sells the instance of the virtual world object; and

tenth program instructions to transport the second avatar to the location so that the second avatar can transact a purchase of the instance of the virtual world object from the vendor avatar, and wherein

the ninth and tenth program instructions are stored on the machine readable medium.

13. The computer program product of claim 10 further comprising:

ninth program instructions to determine a first unique identifier that was previously assigned to the virtual world object;

tenth program instructions to generate a second unique identifier for the clone of the virtual world object;

eleventh program instructions to assign the second unique identifier to the clone of the virtual world object to distinguish the clone of the virtual world object from all other objects in the virtual world; and

twelfth program instructions to copy the first unique identifier to the clone of the virtual world object as a reference to the virtual world object, and wherein

the ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth program instructions are stored on the machine readable medium.

14. The computer program product of claim 10 further comprising:

ninth program instructions to determine a first classification assigned to the virtual world object;

tenth program instructions to modify characteristics of the clone of the virtual world object to a degree that the clone of the virtual world object is classified by a second classification;

eleventh program instructions to assign the second classification to the clone of the virtual world object; and

twelfth program instructions to store the first classification in a classification history for the clone of the virtual world object, and wherein

the ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth program instructions are stored on the machine readable medium.

15. A system comprising:

a processor unit;

a bus coupled with the processor;

a network interface coupled with the bus; and

a virtual universe control module configured to

detect a first selection, by a first avatar in response to a first user input, of a virtual world object presented in a virtual world, wherein the first avatar is a representation of a first user account associated with a virtual world computer network, wherein the virtual world is a three-dimensional computer simulated environment where avatars interact with one another as inhabitants of the virtual world, said three-dimensional computer simulated environment controlled by one or more processors in the virtual world computer network and wherein the first selection indicates a desire by the first avatar for an instance of the virtual world object,

present to a second avatar, responsive to said detecting the first selection by the first avatar of the virtual world object, a graphical representation of the instance of the virtual world object on a wish list, wherein the wish list includes a graphical listing of desired objects by the first avatar from the virtual world, wherein the graphical listing of desired objects is stored in a data store unit associated with the first user account on the virtual world computer network, and wherein the second avatar is a representation of a second user account associated with the virtual world computer network,

detect a second selection from the wish list, by the second avatar, via a second user input, of the graphical representation of the instance of the virtual world object,

detect that a clone of the virtual world object exists in a virtual world inventory, wherein the clone of the virtual world object is a data object with characteristics of the virtual world object, said data object configured for storage in one or more of the first user account and the second user account via the virtual world computer network;

transact a purchase of the clone of the virtual world object from the virtual world inventory using financial information associated with the second avatar, wherein said purchase of the clone of the virtual world object is responsive to the second selection from the wish list, by the second avatar, of the graphical representation of the instance of the virtual world object, and

transfer the clone of the virtual world object to the first avatar.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the virtual universe control module is further configured to:

determine that the first avatar touches the virtual world object within the virtual world;

present an interface for the virtual world object responsive to the first avatar touching the virtual world object, wherein the interface includes at least one option to request the instance of the virtual world object;

determine that the first avatar selects the at least one option;

generate a graphic that represents the virtual world object responsive to the first avatar selecting the at least one option;

obtain notes from the first avatar about desired characteristics of the virtual world object; and

present the graphic and the notes on the wish list.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the virtual universe control module is further configured to:

determine historical information about past interaction between the first avatar and the virtual world object; and

use the historical information to market products to one or more of the first avatar and the second avatar.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the virtual universe control module is further configured to:

determine an electronic address for a social contact of the first user account associated with the first avatar; and

send an electronic message to the electronic address, wherein the electronic message includes content that indicates the selection by the first avatar of the virtual world object.

19. A method comprising:

detecting a first selection of a first virtual world object in a virtual world by a first avatar in response to a first user input, wherein the first avatar is a representation of a first user account associated with a virtual world computer network, wherein the virtual world is a three-dimensional computer simulated environment where avatars interact with one another as inhabitants of the virtual world, said three-dimensional computer simulated environment controlled by one or more processors in the virtual world computer network, wherein the first selection indicates a desire by the first avatar for the virtual world object, and wherein the first avatar can interact with the first virtual world object within the virtual world;

presenting to the first avatar a listing of sub-objects associated with the first virtual world object responsive to said detecting the selection of the first virtual world object in the virtual world by the first avatar;

detecting a second selection, by the first avatar in response to a second user input associated with the first avatar, of a second virtual world object from the listing of sub-objects;

associate with a wish list a representation of the second virtual world object that is available for purchase responsive to said detecting the second selection of the second virtual world object by the first avatar, wherein the wish list includes a listing of desired objects by the first avatar from the virtual world, wherein the listing of desired objects are stored in a data store unit associated with the first user account on the virtual world computer network;

presenting to a second avatar a representation of the second virtual world object that is available for purchase, wherein the second avatar is a representation of a second user account associated with the virtual world computer network;

detecting a third selection by the second avatar, in response to a third user input, of the representation of the second virtual world object, wherein the third user input is associated with user control of the second avatar via the virtual world computer network;

generating a clone of the second virtual world object using identification data from the virtual world object, wherein the clone of the second virtual world object is a data object with characteristics of the second virtual world object, said data object configured for storage in one or more of the first user account and the second user account via the virtual world computer network;

purchasing the clone of the second virtual world object using virtual world funds from the second avatar, wherein said purchasing the clone of the second virtual world object is responsive to said detecting the selection by the second avatar of the representation of the second virtual world object; and

transferring the clone of the second virtual world object to an inventory for the first avatar responsive to said purchasing the clone of the second virtual world object using the virtual world funds from the second avatar.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first virtual world object presents audio, wherein the second virtual object is a sound file of the audio, and wherein the clone of the second virtual world object is a copy of the sound file.