Providing location information within a virtual world

• US 8,082,245 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2008
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bates, Cary L, Day, Paul R
• Primary Examiner(s): BOCCIO, VINCENT F
• Application Number:
  US12/208,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20100076970A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 715/706, 715/757, 707/999.003, 707/999.004, 707/999.005
• US Class Current: 707/724
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/305 for providing a graphical or textual hint to the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5533 using program state or machine event data, e.g. server keeps track of the state of multiple players on in a multiple player game

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for providing information describing locations to users of an immersive virtual environment. In one embodiment, patterns of locations visited by various users of the virtual environment may be stored in a searchable data structure(s). Further, characteristics of the location visits may be used to determine whether a given location visit was favorable for each user. Subsequently, locations visited by a current user may be matched to one of the stored patterns of locations. The matching pattern may then be used to provide favorability information describing other locations available to the current user. The favorability information may be presented to the user as graphical indications visible within the user'"'"'s view of the virtual environment.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving data describing visits to virtual locations by users of a virtual world, wherein each user is represented by a respective avatar within the virtual world;

identifying, based on the received data, a group of users sharing one or more common characteristics;

determining, based on the received data, a plurality of virtual locations visited by all members of the group of users;

determining, based on the received data, a respective favorability rating of each of the plurality of virtual locations, wherein each favorability rating is an aggregate measure of how favorable the visits to the respective virtual location of the plurality of virtual locations were to the group of users; and

storing a location pattern in a searchable data structure, wherein the location pattern comprises at least;

(i) a description of the plurality of virtual locations, and (ii) the determined favorability rating of each of the plurality of virtual locations.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the data describing visits to virtual locations comprises at least one of:

(i) a location identifier, (ii) a duration of the visit, and (iii) one or more activities performed by a user visiting a given virtual location.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein identifying a group of users sharing one or more common characteristics comprises identifying users having visited at least a predefined number of the same virtual locations.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein identifying a group of users sharing one or more common characteristics comprises identifying users included in a predefined group of users.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining a favorability rating of each of the plurality of virtual locations is based on the duration of the visits to the respective virtual location.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining a favorability rating of each of the plurality of virtual locations is based on one or more activities performed during each of the visits to the respective virtual location.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

matching a plurality of virtual locations visited by a subsequent user to at least some virtual locations described in the location pattern.

8. A computer-readable storage medium including a program, which when executed on a processor performs an operation, the operation comprising:

receiving data describing visits to virtual locations by users of a virtual world, wherein each user is represented by a respective avatar within the virtual world;

identifying, based on the received data, a group of users sharing one or more common characteristics;

determining, based on the received data, a plurality of virtual locations visited by all members of the group of users;

determining, based on the received data, a respective favorability rating of each of the plurality of virtual locations, wherein each favorability rating is an aggregate measure of how favorable the visits to the respective virtual location of the plurality of virtual locations were to the group of users; and

storing a location pattern in a searchable data structure, wherein the location pattern comprises at least;

(i) a description of the plurality of virtual locations, and (ii) the determined favorability rating of each of the plurality of virtual locations.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the data describing visits to virtual locations comprises at least one of:

(i) a location identifier, (ii) a duration of the visit, and (iii) one or more activities performed by a user visiting a given virtual location.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein identifying a group of users sharing one or more common characteristics comprises identifying users having visited at least a predefined number of the same virtual locations.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein identifying a group of users sharing one or more common characteristics comprises identifying users included in a predefined group of users.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein determining a favorability rating of each of the plurality of virtual locations is based on the duration of the visits to the respective virtual location.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein determining a favorability rating of each of the plurality of virtual locations is based on one or more activities performed during each of the visits to the respective virtual location.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, the operation further comprising:

matching a plurality of virtual locations visited by a subsequent user to at least some virtual locations described in the location pattern.

15. A system, comprising:

a database;

a processor; and

a memory containing a program, which when executed by the processor is configured to perform an operation, the operation comprising;

receiving data describing visits to virtual locations by users of a virtual world, wherein each user is represented by a respective avatar within the virtual world;

identifying, based on the received data, a group of users sharing one or more common characteristics;

determining, based on the received data, a plurality of virtual locations visited by all members of the group of users;

determining, based on the received data, a respective favorability rating of each of the plurality of virtual locations, wherein each favorability rating is an aggregate measure of how favorable the visits to the respective virtual location of the plurality of virtual locations were to the group of users; and

storing a location pattern in a searchable data structure, wherein the location pattern comprises at least;

(i) a description of the plurality of virtual locations, and (ii) the determined favorability rating of each of the plurality of virtual locations.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the data describing visits to virtual locations comprises at least one of:

(i) a location identifier, (ii) a duration of the visit, and (iii) one or more activities performed by a user visiting a given virtual location.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein identifying a group of users sharing one or more common characteristics comprises identifying users having visited at least a predefined number of the same virtual locations.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein identifying a group of users sharing one or more common characteristics comprises identifying users included in a predefined group of users.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein determining a favorability rating of each of the plurality of virtual locations is based on the duration of the visits to the respective virtual location.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein determining a favorability rating of each of the plurality of virtual locations is based on one or more activities performed during each of the visits to the respective virtual location.