Arrangements for interactivity between a virtual universe and the world wide web

• US 8,245,241 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2007
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hamilton, Rick A. II, O'Connell, Brian M., Pickover, Clifford A., Walker, Keith R.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, VAN H
• Application Number:
  US11/866,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20090089364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,778 Days
• Field of Search: 719/310, 719/318, 709/224, 709/246
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method for interaction between a web browser and virtual environment applications is disclosed. The method can include creating an attribute file or a cookie file in a virtual universe application and in browser applications, then sharing such files between these applications to enhance a user experience. Both the browser applications and the virtual universe applications can search for the attribute files in numerous locations including local memory, web based memory and even a third party service provider via the Internet.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

a server computer hosting a graphical virtual environment for display on a client computer;

subsequent to the client computer connecting to the server computer, the server computer monitoring actions of an avatar controlled by the client computer;

the server computer determining that the avatar has come into contact with an area or object of the graphical virtual environment that is associated with a specified website, and in response, the server computer requesting access to a cookie stored on the client computer by a computer hosting the specified website;

the server computer accessing one or more cookies from the client computer, wherein the one or more cookies were previously stored on the client computer by a computer hosting a website, and wherein one of the one or more cookies is the cookie stored on the client computer by the computer hosting the specified website; and

the server computer modifying content within the graphical virtual environment based on data in the one or more cookies.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of the server computer associating each of the one or more cookies with one of a universal unique identifier, an avatar representing a user of the client computer, a region within the graphical virtual environment, and an object within the graphical virtual environment.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of the server computer identifying a subsequent connection between the client computer and the server computer and, in response, the server computer searching for the one or more cookies on a remote computer, wherein the remote computer maps cookies received from the client computer to objects within the graphical virtual environment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of the server computer modifying the content within the graphical virtual environment based on the data in the one or more cookies comprises the steps of:

the server computer determining preferences of a user of the client computer based on the one or more cookies; and

the server computer customizing regions of the graphical virtual environment displayed on the client computer to match the preferences of the user.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

in response to an action taken by a user of the client computer in the graphical virtual environment, the server computer storing a cookie on the client computer, wherein the cookie stored by the server computer is accessible to the computer hosting the website when the client computer is connected to the computer hosting the website.

6. A computer system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices and program instructions which are stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to host on the computer system a graphical virtual environment for display on a client computer;

program instructions to, subsequent to the client computer connecting to the computer system, monitor actions of an avatar controlled by the client computer;

program instructions to determine that the avatar has come into contact with an area or object of the graphical virtual environment that is associated with a specified website, and in response, request access to a cookie stored on the client computer by a computer hosting the specified website;

program instructions to access at least one cookie from the client computer, wherein the at least one cookie was stored on the client computer by a computer hosting a website, and wherein one of the at least one cookie is the cookie stored on the client computer by the computer hosting the specified website; and

program instructions to customize one or more features of the graphical virtual environment for display on the client computer based on data in the at least one cookie.

7. The computer system of claim 6, 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, to associate the at least one cookie with one of a universal unique identifier, an avatar representing a user of the client computer, a region within the graphical virtual environment, and an object within the graphical virtual environment.

8. The computer system of claim 6, 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, to, in response to an action taken by a user of the client computer in the graphical virtual environment, store a cookie on the client computer, wherein the stored cookie is accessible to the computer hosting the website when the client computer is connected to the computer hosting the website.

9. A computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to host a graphical virtual environment for display on a client computer;

program instructions to, subsequent to connecting to the client computer, monitor actions of an avatar controlled by the client computer;

program instructions to determine that the avatar has come into contact with an area or object of the graphical virtual environment that is associated with a specified website, and in response, request access to a cookie stored on the client computer by a computer hosting the specified website;

program instructions to access one or more cookies from the client computer, wherein the one or more cookies were previously stored on the client computer by a computer hosting a website, and wherein one of the one or more cookies is the cookie stored on the client computer by the computer hosting the specified website; and

program instructions to customize content within the graphical virtual environment for the client computer based on data in the one or more cookies.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to associate each of the one or more cookies with one of a universal unique identifier, an avatar representing a user of the client computer, a region within the graphical virtual environment, and an object within the graphical virtual environment.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to, in response to an action taken by a user of the client computer in the graphical virtual environment, store a cookie on the client computer, wherein the stored cookie is accessible to the computer hosting the website when the client computer is connected to the computer hosting the website.