Controlling and using virtual universe wish lists

• US 8,214,335 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2010
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hamilton, Rick A. II, Kozloski, James R., O'Connell, Brian M., Pickover, Clifford A., Seaman, James W., Walker, Keith R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Filipczyk, Marc
• Application Number:
  US12/793,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20110010270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 707/655, 707/757, 707/803, 707/999.006, 707/620, 707/805, 715/757, 709/216
• US Class Current: 707/655
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0627 using item specifications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

Described herein are processes and devices that control and use virtual universe wish lists. One of the devices described is a virtual wish list device. The virtual wish list device determines an item in a virtual universe that is a desired by an avatar. The virtual wish list device designates the item as a desired item in a wish list. The wish list may be stored in the avatar'"'"'s virtual universe inventory. The wish list device determines details about the desired item, such as whether the item is desired in the virtual universe or in the real world. The wish list device stores the details about the desired item in the wish list. The virtual wish list device may use the details to conduct transactions related to the desired item.

Claims

1. A method for gifting an instance of a virtual object in a virtual universe, the method comprising the steps of:

a computer detecting a selection of the virtual object in the virtual universe by a first avatar in response to a first user input, wherein the first avatar is controlled by a user associated with a first user account of a virtual universe computer network, wherein the virtual universe comprises a three-dimensional computer simulated environment where the first avatar represents the user as an inhabitant of the virtual universe, wherein said computer simulated environment is controlled by one or more processors in the virtual universe computer network, and wherein the selection indicates a desire by the user for the virtual object;

the computer designating the virtual object in a wish list for the first avatar in response to the step of the computer detecting the selection of the virtual object by the first avatar, wherein the wish list includes a listing of desired objects by the first avatar available from the virtual universe, and wherein the listing of desired objects are stored in a first data store unit associated with the first user account, said first data store unit accessible via the virtual universe computer network;

the computer determining, in response to the step of the computer designating of the virtual object in the wish list, that a second avatar in the virtual universe possesses the instance of the virtual object in a second data store unit associated with a second user account of the virtual universe computer network;

the computer notifying the second avatar in the virtual universe of the selection of the virtual object by the first avatar in response to the step of the computer determining that the second avatar possesses the instance of the virtual object;

the computer detecting a request by the second avatar, via second user input, to gift the instance of the virtual object to the first avatar in response to the step of the computer notifying the second avatar of the selection of the virtual object by the first avatar; and

the computer transferring the instance of the virtual object from the second data store unit associated with the second avatar to the first data store unit associated with the first avatar in response to the step of the computer detecting the request by the second avatar to provide the instance of the virtual object to the first avatar.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

the computer determining information about the virtual object; and

the computer storing the information about the virtual object in the wish list.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of the computer analyzing the information from the wish list to generate market research.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of:

the computer using the information for one or more of the computer determining that the second avatar possesses the instance of the virtual object, the computer notifying the second avatar of the selection of the virtual object by the first avatar, the computer detecting the request by the second avatar to gift the instance of the virtual object to the first avatar, and the computer transferring the instance of the virtual object from the second data store unit associated with the second avatar to the first data store unit associated with the first avatar.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of the computer determining the information about the virtual object comprises the computer determining one or more of a universally unique identifier of the virtual object, a database identification number associated with the virtual object, a name of a manufacturer that created the virtual object, a date of designating the virtual object in the wish list, a characteristic of the virtual object, coordinates of a virtual merchant that sells a copy of the virtual object, a name of the user, an image of the first avatar, a mailing address for the user, demographic information for the user, identifying features of the virtual object, and notations made by the user regarding the virtual object.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

the computer determining that the first avatar is a customer of the second avatar, wherein the second avatar is a virtual universe vendor within the virtual universe, and wherein the step of the computer notifying the second avatar in the virtual universe of the selection of the virtual object by the first avatar is further in response to the step of the computer determining that the first avatar is a customer of the second avatar.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

the computer sending an electronic message to a retail vendor contact outside of the virtual universe;

the computer detecting a request by the retail vendor contact to provide a voucher for a real-world version of the virtual world object to the user; and

the computer providing the retail vendor contact with a mailing address for the user so that the retail vendor contact can send the voucher to the mailing address.

8. A computer system for using a virtual wish list in a virtual universe, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories and one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to detect a selection of a virtual object in the virtual universe by a first avatar in response to a first user input, wherein the first avatar is controlled by a first user and is associated with a first user account of a virtual universe computer network;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to detect an indication by the first avatar of a service associated with the virtual object in response to a second user input by the first user, wherein the virtual universe comprises a three-dimensional computer simulated environment where the first avatar represents the first user as an inhabitant of the virtual universe, wherein said computer simulated environment is controlled by at least one of the one or more processors, and wherein the indication of the service associated with the virtual object indicates a desire by the first user to receive the service associated with the virtual object;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to store the indication of the service in a virtual wish list, wherein the virtual wish list is stored in an inventory for the first avatar, wherein the virtual wish list includes a listing of desired services by the first avatar available from the virtual universe and wherein the listing of desired services are stored in a data store unit associated with the inventory for the first avatar;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to detect an indication by a second avatar to view the virtual wish list subsequent to storing the indication of the service in the virtual wish list;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to present the indication of the service in the virtual wish list to the second avatar;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to detect a request by the second avatar to purchase the service for the first avatar in response to presenting the indication of the service in the virtual wish list to the second avatar;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to transact a purchase by the second avatar for the service in response to detecting the request by the second avatar to purchase the service for the first avatar; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to provide the service to the first avatar in the virtual universe in response to detecting the request by the second avatar to purchase the service for the first avatar.

9. The computer system of claim 8 further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to generate a voucher for the service in response to the purchase by the second avatar for the service; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to provide the voucher to the first avatar.

10. The computer system of claim 9 further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to teleport the second avatar to a location associated with a virtual vendor in the virtual universe that sells the service in response to the request by the second avatar to purchase the service.

11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the service is redeemable by the first avatar at the location of the virtual vendor.

12. A computer program product for teleporting within a virtual universe to obtain versions of a virtual object associated with a wish list in the virtual universe, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices including a mechanism for storing information readable by a computer comprising one or more processors;

first program instructions to detect a selection of the virtual object in the virtual universe by a first avatar in response to a user input, wherein the first avatar is controlled by a user associated with a user account of a virtual universe computer network, wherein the virtual universe comprises a three-dimensional computer simulated environment where the first avatar represents the user as an inhabitant of the virtual universe, wherein said computer simulated environment is controlled by the one or more processors, and wherein the selection indicates a desire by the user for a version of the virtual object;

second program instructions to designate the virtual object in the wish list for the first avatar in response to detecting the selection of the virtual object by the first avatar, wherein the wish list includes a listing of desired objects by the first avatar available from the virtual universe, and wherein the listing of desired objects are stored in a data store unit associated with the first user account, said data store unit accessible via the virtual universe computer network;

third program instructions to notify a second avatar in the virtual universe of the selection of the virtual object by the first avatar in response to designating the virtual object in the wish list;

fourth program instructions to detect a request by the second avatar to purchase a version of the virtual object on behalf of the first avatar; and

fifth program instructions to teleport the second avatar to a location in the virtual universe to purchase the version of the virtual object, is in response to detecting the request by the second avatar to purchase the version of the virtual object on behalf of the first avatar; and

wherein the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth program instructions are stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices.

13. The computer program product of claim 12 further comprising:

sixth program instructions to detect a third avatar in the virtual universe that sells the version of the virtual object, wherein the third avatar is at the location in the virtual universe; and

wherein the sixth program instructions are stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising:

seventh program instructions to detect a purchase by the second avatar from the third avatar of the version of the virtual object, wherein the version of the virtual object is a copy of the virtual object usable by the first avatar; and

eighth program instructions to transfer the copy of the virtual object to an inventory for the first avatar; and

wherein the seventh and eighth program instructions are stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices.

15. The computer program product of claim 12 further comprising:

sixth program instructions to detect a third avatar in the virtual universe that sells the version of the virtual world object as a real-world product similar to the virtual object, wherein the third avatar is at the location in the virtual universe;

seventh program instructions to detect a purchase by the second avatar from the third avatar of the real-world product; and

eighth program instructions to initiate transfer of the real-world product to a physical address associated with the user of the virtual universe; and

wherein the sixth, seventh, and eighth program instructions are stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices.

16. The computer program product of claim 12 further comprising:

sixth program instructions to determine information about the virtual object, said information comprising one or more of identifying features of the virtual object and notations made by the user regarding the virtual object; and

seventh program instructions to store the information in the wish list; and

wherein the sixth and seventh program instructions are stored on the at least one of the one or more storage devices.