Method and system for self-service manufacture and sale of customized virtual goods

• US 8,185,450 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2008
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: McVey, Susan Stanford
• Primary Examiner(s): Levine, Adam
• Assistant Examiner(s): CIVAN, ETHAN D
• Application Number:
  US12/138,377
• Publication Number:
  US 20090312104A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/26.5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/045 using payment protocols involving tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/351 Virtual cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/26 for printing, stamping, franking, typing or teleprinting apparatus ticket printing or the like apparatus G07F17/42

Abstract

A computer program product is provided. The computer program product includes a computer useable medium having a computer readable program. The computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to receive first customization request data and second customization request data for a virtual object to be purchased by a user in a virtual world computing environment. Further, the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to encode the first customization request data and the second customization request data into a value. In addition, the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to invoke an instantiation of the virtual object such that the virtual object has a customizable component.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising a computer useable storage medium having a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

receive first customization request data corresponding to a first customizable component of a virtual object in a virtual world computing environment and second customization request data corresponding to a second customizable component for the virtual object, the first customizable component being distinct from the second customizable component, the virtual object being purchased by a user in a virtual world computing environment;

encode the first customization request data and the second customization request data into a value;

invoke an instantiation of the virtual object such that the virtual object has the first customizable component and the second customizable component; and

send the value to the virtual object so that a first customizable feature routine in the virtual object extracts the first customization request data, without the second customization request data, from the value to customize the first customizable component of the virtual object according to the first customization request data and so that a second customizable feature routine in the virtual object extracts the second customization request data, without the first customization request data, from the value to customize the second customizable component of the virtual object according to the second customization request data.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the value is an integer value.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the value is a numerical value.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the first customization request is a request of a color of the virtual object.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the first customization request is a request of a style of the virtual object.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the first customization request is a request of a size dimension of the virtual object.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the first customization request is a request of a shape of the virtual object.

8. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the virtual object is purchased by the user in the virtual world computing environment from a virtual vending machine.

9. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the user has a virtual character in the virtual world computing environment.

10. A method comprising:

receiving first customization request data corresponding to a first customizable component of a virtual object in a virtual world computing environment and second customization request data corresponding to a second customizable component for the virtual object, the first customizable component being distinct from the second customizable component, the virtual object being purchased by a user in a virtual world computing environment;

encoding, with a processor, the first customization request data and the second customization request data into a value;

invoking an instantiation of the virtual object such that the virtual object has athe first customizable component and the second customizable component; and

sending the value to the virtual object so that a first customizable feature routine in the virtual object extracts the first customization request data, without the second customization request data, from the value to customize the first customizable component of the virtual object according to the first customization request data and so that a second customizable feature routine in the virtual object extracts the second customization request data, without the first customization request data, from the value to customize second the customizable component of the virtual object according to the second customization request data.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the value is an integer value.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the value is a numerical value.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the first customization request is a request of a color of the virtual object.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first customization request is a request of a style of the virtual object.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the first customization request is a request of a size dimension of the virtual object.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the first customization request is a request of a shape of the virtual object.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the virtual object is purchased by the user in the virtual world computing environment from a virtual vending machine.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the user has a virtual character in the virtual world computing environment.

19. A system comprising:

a reception module that receives first customization request data corresponding to a first customizable component of a virtual object in a virtual world computing environment and second customization request data corresponding to a second customizable component for the virtual object, the first customizable component being distinct from the second customizable component, the virtual object being purchased by a user in a virtual world computing environment;

a processor for encoding the first customization request data and the second customization request data into a value;

an instantiation module that invokes an instantiation of the virtual object such that the virtual object has a the first customizable component and the second customizable component; and

a transmission module configured to send the value to the virtual object so that a first customizable feature routine in the virtual object extracts the first customization request data, without the second customization request data, from the value to customize the first customizable component of the virtual object according to the first customization request data and so that a second customizable feature routine in the virtual object extracts the second customization request data, without the first customization request data, from the value to customize the second customizable component of the virtual object according to the second customization request data.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the value is an integer value.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the value is a numerical value.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the virtual object to be purchased by the user in the virtual world computing environment is from a virtual vending machine.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the user has a virtual character in the virtual world computing environment.