Inventory item expiration and renewal in a virtual universe

• US 8,041,614 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2008
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bhogal, Kulvir S., Hamilton, II, Rick A., Pickover, Clifford A., SAND, ANNE R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Champagne, Luna
• Application Number:
  US12/203,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20100057591A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

The present invention relates to inventory item expiration and renewal in a virtual universe. A method for in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention provides at least one item in the inventory of an avatar with metadata specifying whether the item must be renewed and how often. Instructions are obtained regarding a renewal of the item and the item is renewed based on the instructions.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically managing non-static items in an inventory in a virtual universe, comprising:

providing, using at least one computer device, at least one non-static item in the inventory of an avatar with metadata specifying that the non-static item must be renewed and the frequency of renewal, wherein the avatar is a graphical representation of a humanoid in the virtual universe, and wherein the non-static item is a virtual possession of the avatar;

obtaining instructions using the at least one computer hardware device regarding a renewal of the non-static item, wherein the non-static item is registered with a source of the non-static item and the non-static item contacts the source to obtain the instructions, wherein the source is a supplier/manufacturer within the virtual universe, wherein the virtual universe is an interactive simulated environment accessed by multiple users through an online interface;

sending a message regarding the renewal of the non-static item from the source to the non-static item; and

renewing the non-static item based on the instructions using at least one computer device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining instructions further comprises:

the source of the non-static item querying the non-static item to audit a usage of the non-static item.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining that the non-static item is being used in at least one of a prohibited area or a manner outside a term of use for the non-static item; and

providing the determination to the source of the non-static item.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

recommending additional items to the avatar in response to the audit.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

charging the avatar for non-static item use in response to the audit.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein renewing the non-static item further comprises:

the avatar teleporting to a predetermined location in the virtual universe; and

renewing the non-static item at the predetermined location.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the predetermined location comprises at least one of:

a purchase location in the virtual universe;

a landmark of the source of the non-static item in the virtual universe;

or a region or island in the virtual universe.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein renewing the non-static item further comprises:

paying a renewal fee.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a reminder regarding the renewal of the non-static item.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the reminder further comprises at least one of changing a graphical characteristic of the non-static item or sending a teleport invitation from the source of the non-static item to the avatar.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing non-static item renewal, update, and usage data for the non-static item.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the non-static item renewal, update, and usage data comprises at least one of:

how often the non-static item has been used or removed from the inventory;

all locations in which the non-static item has been used;

any modifications made to the non-static item;

or other items in the inventory that the non-static item has been used with.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the renewing includes:

notifying the avatar of a purchase requirement in response to an expiration of a trial period of a “

try before you buy”

offer.

14. A system comprising:

at least one computing device configured to dynamically manage non-static items in an inventory in a virtual universe by performing a method, comprising;

providing at least one non-static item in the inventory of an avatar with metadata specifying that the non-static item must be renewed and the frequency of renewal, wherein the avatar is a graphical representation of a humanoid in the virtual universe, and wherein the non-static item is a virtual possession of the avatar;

obtaining instructions using the at least one computer hardware device regarding a renewal of the non-static item, wherein the non-static item is registered with a source of the non-static item and the non-static item contacts the source to obtain the instructions, wherein the source is a supplier/manufacturer within the virtual universe, wherein the virtual universe is an interactive simulated environment accessed by multiple users through an online interface;

sending a message regarding the renewal of the non-static item from the source to the non-static item; and

renewing the non-static item based on the instructions.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the obtaining instructions further comprises:

querying the non-static item to audit a usage of the non-static item.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the renewing the non-static item further comprises:

teleporting the avatar to a predetermined location in the virtual universe; and

renewing the non-static item at the predetermined location;

wherein the predetermined location comprises at least one of;

a purchase location in the virtual universe;

a landmark of the source of the non-static item in the virtual universe;

or a region or island in the virtual universe.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the renewing the non-static item further comprises:

paying a renewal fee.

18. The system of claim 14, the method further comprising:

providing a reminder regarding the renewal of the non-static item.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the reminder further comprises at least one:

of changing a graphical characteristic of the non-static item;

or sending a teleport invitation from the source of the non-static item to the avatar.

20. The system of claim 14, the method further comprising:

providing non-static item renewal, update, and usage data for the non-static item.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the non-static item renewal, update, and usage data comprises at least one of:

how often the non-static item has been used or removed from the inventory;

all locations in which the non-static item has been used;

any modifications made to the non-static item;

or other items in the inventory that the non-static item has been used with.

22. A program product stored on a computer readable storage medium, which when executed, dynamically manages non-static items in an inventory in a virtual universe, the computer readable storage medium comprising program code for:

providing at least one non-static item in the inventory of an avatar with metadata specifying that the non-static item must be renewed and the frequency of renewal, wherein the avatar is a graphical representation of a humanoid in the virtual universe, and wherein the non-static item is a virtual possession of the avatar;

obtaining instructions using the at least one computer hardware device regarding a renewal of the non-static item, wherein the non-static item is registered with a source of the non-static item and the non-static item contacts the source to obtain the instructions, wherein the source is a supplier/manufacturer within the virtual universe, wherein the virtual universe is an interactive simulated environment accessed by multiple users through an online interface;

sending a message regarding the renewal of the non-static item from the source to the non-static item; and

renewing the non-static item based on the instructions.

23. A method for deploying an application for dynamically managing non-static items in an inventory in a virtual universe, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure including at least one computer device configured for;

providing at least one non-static item in the inventory of an avatar with metadata specifying that the non-static item must be renewed and the frequency of renewal, wherein the avatar is a graphical representation of a humanoid in the virtual universe, and wherein the non-static item is a virtual possession of the avatar;

obtaining instructions using the at least one computer hardware device regarding a renewal of the non-static item, wherein the non-static item is registered with a source of the non-static item and the non-static item contacts the source to obtain the instructions, wherein the source is a supplier/manufacturer within the virtual universe, wherein the virtual universe is an interactive simulated environment accessed by multiple users through an online interface;

sending a message regarding the renewal of the non-static item from the source to the non-static item; and

renewing the non-static item based on the instructions.