Participation profiles of virtual world players

• US 8,060,829 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2005
• Issued: 11/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Jung, Edward K.Y., Levien, Royce A., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, Jr., John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Takele, Meseker
• Application Number:
  US11/107,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20060235790A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,405 Days
• Field of Search: 715/757, 715/753, 715/754, 715/756, 715/758, 715/759, 705/39
• US Class Current: 715/757
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/006 based on simulated virtual individual or collective life forms, e.g. social simulations or particle swarm optimisation [PSO]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

A method and system provides arrangements creating a relationship between a real-world entity and a virtual world environment. A participant or player can participate in various virtual world activities including transactions to acquire virtual products, virtual services, and/or virtual items of value. Feedback may be provided and records kept regarding the virtual world activities and transactions. The participant or player may also have an opportunity of engaging in related real-world activities and transactions. In some implementations, multiple players at different locations can be involved in the virtual world and real-world activities and transactions. Some embodiments include arrangements for real-world informational data to be made available in the virtual world environment to a participant or player, based on virtual world activities related to a topic of interest to a real-world entity. Other embodiments provide for making a profile record for use by a real-world entity, wherein the profile record may include particular types of participation activity by a participant or player in the virtual world environment.

Claims

1. A method of providing virtual world participation information to real-world entities, comprising:

making a profile record that provides information concerning one or more types of participation activity by a player or participant in a virtual world environment, further including making a record indicating whether or not the particular type of virtual world participation activity related to the category of possible interest to the real-world entity is a programmed participation activity or an optional participation activity chosen by the player or participant;

comparing a particular type of virtual world participation activity with a category of possible interest to a real-world entity; and

communicating the profile record to the real-world entity to enable possible follow-up contact with the player or participant by or on behalf of the real-world entity, based on results of the comparing that indicate the particular type of virtual world participation is related to the category of possible interest.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

making a record of a real-world identity of the player or participant, which record includes a real-world address associated with the player or participant to enable possible follow-up contact with the player or participant by or on behalf of the real-world entity.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

making a record of a virtual world identity of the player or participant, which record includes a virtual world address associated with the player or participant to enable possible follow-up contact with the player or participant by or on behalf of the real-world entity.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said making the profile record includes:

making a record indicating one or more of the following virtual world parameters associated with the player or participant, which parameters may be related to the category of possible interest to the real-world entity;

detection period, frequency of particular types of participation activity, extent of particular types of participation activity, time periods of particular types of participation activity, other related virtual world participation activities, privacy classification of player or participant, group or individual identity of player or participant, and virtual world usage metric of player or participant.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said making the record of the real-world identity includes making the record of one or more of the following types of real-world identity characteristics which may be related to the category of possible interest to the real-world entity:

real-world name, real-world postal address, real-world email address, real-world age, real-world gender, real-world languages known, real-world educational level, real-world demographic profile, identity photographs, marital status, family members, friends, social network, real-world interests, real-world hobbies, products owned, wish lists, career, personality attributes, behavioral attributes, academic level, real-world activity profile, group memberships, organization affiliations, websites, and website shopping cart contents.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein said making the record of the virtual world identity includes making the record of one or more of the following types of virtual world identity characteristics which may be related to the category of possible interest to the real-world entity:

virtual world name, virtual world message address, virtual world character identity, virtual world avatar, virtual world role, virtual world demographic profile, virtual world memberships, clan affiliations, guild affiliations, aliases, disguises, friends, social networks, item inventory, wish lists, activity history, participation frequencies, purchases, sales, agenda, quest, goals, permissions, personality attributes, behavioral attributes, and academic level.