Managing objectionable material in 3D immersive virtual worlds

• US 8,151,191 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2007
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Nicol, William B. II
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHANTANA ANGKOOL, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US11/952,598
• Publication Number:
  US 20090150778A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,579 Days
• Field of Search: 715/230, 715/706, 715/757
• US Class Current: 715/706
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• 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 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5586 for enforcing rights or rules, e.g. to prevent foul play
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/006 based on simulated virtual individual or collective life forms, e.g. social simulations or particle swarm optimisation [PSO]

Abstract

A method of and system for managing objectionable content in a virtual world associates a tag with an attribute associated with an avatar in the virtual world. The method places a limitation on the avatar in the virtual world based upon information in the tag while the tagged attribute is associated with the avatar.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an input through a computer input device from a first user that is controlling a first avatar in a virtual world, the input configured to tag an attribute of a second avatar in the virtual world, wherein the attribute is defined to be at least one of an attribute that the first user does not want to view in the virtual world and an attribute that the first user is not allowed to view in the virtual world based on a parental control, wherein the attribute comprises at least one of clothing, body gesture and language of the second avatar;

associating the tag with the attribute of the second avatar in the virtual world;

placing a limitation on the second avatar in the virtual world in response to associating the tag with the attribute of the second avatar, wherein the placing of the limitation comprises, responsive to the second avatar attempting to enter a field of view of the first avatar, blocking the second avatar from entering the field of view of the first avatar in the virtual world; and

notifying a second user that is controlling the second avatar regarding the associating of the tag with the attribute.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein placing the limitation on the second avatar in the virtual world comprises:

responsive to second avatar attempting to enter a field of view of at least one avatar representing a member of a class of users, blocking the second avatar from entering the field of view of the at least one avatar.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein placing the limitation on the second avatar in the virtual world comprises:

responsive to second avatar attempting to enter a field of view of the first avatar in a specified situation, blocking the second avatar from entering the field of view of the first avatar.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the attribute comprises clothing, wherein placing the limitation on the second avatar in the virtual world comprises:

responsive to the second avatar attempting to enter a field of view of the first avatar, changing the clothing of the second avatar prior to the second avatar entering the field of view of the first avatar.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the attribute comprises clothing, wherein the method comprises:

notifying at least one of a creator and a seller of the clothing regarding the associating of the tag with the attribute.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein placing the limitation on the second avatar in the virtual world comprises:

notifying the first user that is controlling the first avatar of an approach by the second avatar in the virtual world; and

,

enabling the first user to control the second avatar.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said control comprises:

blocking the second avatar from entering a field of view of the first avatar in the virtual world.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said control comprises:

changing said attribute prior to entry of the second avatar into a field of view of the first avatar in the virtual world.

9. A computer program product for providing content and services, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer usable program code embodied therewith the computer usable program code comprising a computer usable program code configured to;

receive an input through a computer input device from a first user that is controlling a first avatar in a virtual world, the input configured to tag an attribute of a second avatar in the virtual world, wherein the attribute is defined to be at least one of an attribute that the first user does not want to view in the virtual world and an attribute that the first user is not allowed to view in the virtual world based on a parental control, wherein the attribute comprises at least one of clothing, body gesture and language of the second avatar;

associate the tag with the attribute of the second avatar in the virtual world;

place a limitation on the second avatar in the virtual world in response to associating the tag with the attribute of the second avatar, wherein the computer usable program code configured to place of the limitation comprises,

responsive to the second avatar attempting to enter a field of view of the first avatar, computer program code configured to block the second avatar from entering the field of view of the first avatar in the virtual world; and

notify a second user that is controlling the second avatar regarding the associating of the tag with the attribute.

10. The computer program product as claimed in claim 9, wherein the computer usable program code configured to place of the limitation on the second avatar in the virtual world comprises:

computer usable program code configured to, responsive to second avatar attempting to enter a field of view of at least one avatar representing a member of a class of users, block the second avatar from entering the field of view of the at least one avatar.

11. The computer program product as claimed in claim 9, wherein the computer usable program code configured to place the limitation on the second avatar in the virtual world comprises:

computer usable program code configured to, responsive to second avatar attempting to enter a field of view of the first avatar in a specified situation, block the second avatar from entering the field of view of the first avatar.