Avatar aggregation in a virtual universe

• US 8,281,240 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2007
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Finn, Peter G., Hamilton, Rick A. II, Pickover, Clifford A., Seaman, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chow, Doon
• Assistant Examiner(s): KUMAR, ANIL N
• Application Number:
  US11/843,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20090055754A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,867 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 715/706
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3272 Games involving multiple players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

An approach that aggregates avatars that are online in a virtual universe into an aggregated avatar is described. In one embodiment, there is an avatar identification component configured to identify a plurality of avatars that are online in the virtual universe. An avatar aggregation component is configured to aggregate the plurality of avatars into an aggregated avatar representative of the plurality avatars.

Claims

1. A method, performed on a computer system, for aggregating avatars that are online in a virtual universe, the method comprising:

using the computer system to perform the following;

identifying a plurality of avatars that are online in the virtual universe;

aggregating the plurality of avatars into an aggregated avatar representative of the plurality avatars that enables the avatars to keep together while navigating to locations in the virtual universe and interact with each other without being subject to performance degradation of the virtual universe, wherein the aggregated avatar is a composite avatar that comprises each of the plurality of avatars bound together, wherein individual visible characteristics associated with each avatar of the plurality of bound avatars that form the aggregated avatar is visibly discernible to other avatars that are online in the virtual universe; and

enabling the aggregated avatar to have decision making capabilities for the plurality of avatars that comprise the aggregated avatar, wherein decisions are made by at least one of a designated avatar that has been designated by the plurality of avatars to make decisions on behalf of the aggregated avatar, a vote taken from the plurality of avatars that is representative of a decision made by the aggregated avatar or through group actions derived from an intent analysis of the plurality of avatars, wherein the intent analysis comprises determining a percentage of the plurality of avatars that have a common desire to do a certain action, and selecting the action that represents a majority of the plurality of avatars desire to do the certain action.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the aggregated avatar is a single composite avatar.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving an indication that the identified plurality of avatars have expressed a desire for aggregation.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising determining whether to grant permission for aggregating the plurality of avatars into the aggregated avatar.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising removing an avatar from the aggregated avatar.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising receiving an indication that the avatar desired to be removed from the aggregated avatar.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising removing a group of avatars from the aggregated avatar.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising permitting selected avatars within the aggregated avatar to communicate with each other, without other avatars within and outside the aggregated avatar from viewing communications.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising teleporting the aggregated avatar to another region within the virtual universe.

10. A computer system for use in a virtual universe, comprising:

at least one processor;

memory operably associated with the at least one processing unit; and

an avatar aggregation tool for use in a virtual universe that is storable in memory and executable by the at least one processing unit, the avatar aggregation tool comprising;

an avatar identification component configured to identify a plurality of avatars that are online in the virtual universe; and

an avatar aggregation component configured to aggregate the plurality of avatars into an aggregated avatar representative of the plurality avatars that enables the avatars to keep together while navigating to locations in the virtual universe and interact with each other without being subject to performance degradation of the virtual universe, wherein the aggregated avatar is a composite avatar that comprises each of the plurality of avatars bound together, wherein individual visible characteristics associated with each avatar of the plurality of bound avatars that form the aggregated avatar is visibly discernible to other avatars that are online in the virtual universe, wherein the avatar aggregated component is further configured to enable the aggregated avatar to have decision making capabilities for the plurality of avatars that comprise the aggregated avatar, wherein decisions are made by at least one of a designated avatar that has been designated by the plurality of avatars to make decisions on behalf of the aggregated avatar, a vote taken from the plurality of avatars that is representative of a decision made by the aggregated avatar or through group actions derived from an intent analysis of the plurality of avatars, wherein the intent analysis comprises determining a percentage of the plurality of avatars that have a common desire to do a certain action, and selecting the action that represents a majority of the plurality of avatars desire to do the certain action.

11. The computer system according to claim 10, wherein the aggregated avatar is a single composite avatar.

12. The computer system according to claim 10, wherein the avatar aggregation component is further configured to receive an indication that the identified plurality of avatars have expressed a desire for aggregation.

13. The computer system according to claim 12, wherein the avatar aggregation component is further configured to determine whether to grant permission for aggregating the plurality of avatars into the aggregated avatar.

14. The computer system according to claim 10, wherein the avatar aggregation component is further configured to remove an avatar from the aggregated avatar.

15. The computer system according to claim 14, wherein the avatar aggregation component is further configured to receive an indication that the avatar desired to be removed from the aggregated avatar.

16. The computer system according to claim 10, wherein the avatar aggregation component is further configured to remove a group of avatars from the aggregated avatar.

17. The computer system according to claim 10, further comprising an avatar aggregation communication component configured to permit selected avatars within the aggregated avatar to communicate with each other, without other avatars within and outside the aggregated avatar from viewing communications.

18. The computer system according to claim 10, further comprising an avatar aggregation teleporting component configured to teleport the aggregated avatar to another region within the virtual universe.

19. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer instructions, which when executed, enables a computer system to aggregate avatars that are online in a virtual universe, the computer instructions comprising:

identifying a plurality of avatars that are online in the virtual universe;

aggregating the plurality of avatars into an aggregated avatar representative of the plurality avatars that enables the avatars to keep together while navigating to locations in the virtual universe and interact with each other without being subject to performance degradation of the virtual universe, wherein the aggregated avatar is a composite avatar that comprises each of the plurality of avatars bound together, wherein individual visible characteristics associated with each avatar of the plurality of bound avatars that form the aggregated avatar is visibly discernible to other avatars that are online in the virtual universe; and

enabling the aggregated avatar to have decision making capabilities for the plurality of avatars that comprise the aggregated avatar, wherein decisions are made by at least one of a designated avatar that has been designated by the plurality of avatars to make decisions on behalf of the aggregated avatar, a vote taken from the plurality of avatars that is representative of a decision made by the aggregated avatar or through group actions derived from an intent analysis of the plurality of avatars, wherein the intent analysis comprises determining a percentage of the plurality of avatars that have a common desire to do a certain action, and selecting the action that represents a majority of the plurality of avatars desire to do the certain action.

20. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 19, wherein the aggregated avatar is a single composite avatar.

21. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 19, further comprising instructions for receiving an indication that the identified plurality of avatars have expressed a desire for aggregation.

22. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 19, further comprising instructions for determining whether to grant permission for aggregating the plurality of avatars into the aggregated avatar.

23. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 19, further comprising instructions for removing an avatar from the aggregated avatar.

24. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 23, further comprising instructions for receiving an indication that the avatar desired to be removed from the aggregated avatar.

25. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 19, further comprising instructions for removing a group of avatars from the aggregated avatar.

26. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 19, further comprising instructions for permitting selected avatars within the aggregated avatar to communicate with each other, without other avatars within and outside the aggregated avatar from viewing communications.

27. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 19, further comprising instructions for teleporting the aggregated avatar to another region within the virtual universe.

28. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 19, further comprising instructions for charging a service fee for aggregating the plurality of avatars into the aggregated avatar.

29. A method for deploying an avatar aggregation tool for use in a computer system that aggregates avatars that are online in a virtual universe, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure operable to;

identify a plurality of avatars that are online in the virtual universe;

aggregate the plurality of avatars into an aggregated avatar representative of the plurality avatars that enables the avatars to keep together while navigating to locations in the virtual universe and interact with each other without being subject to performance degradation of the virtual universe, wherein the aggregated avatar is a composite avatar that comprises each of the plurality of avatars bound together, wherein individual visible characteristics associated with each avatar of the plurality of bound avatars that form the aggregated avatar is visibly discernible to other avatars that are online in the virtual universe; and

enable the aggregated avatar to have decision making capabilities for the plurality of avatars that comprise the aggregated avatar, wherein decisions are made by at least one of a designated avatar that has been designated by the plurality of avatars to make decisions on behalf of the aggregated avatar, a vote taken from the plurality of avatars that is representative of a decision made by the aggregated avatar or through group actions derived from an intent analysis of the plurality of avatars, wherein the intent analysis comprises determining a percentage of the plurality of avatars that have a common desire to do a certain action, and selecting the action that represents a majority of the plurality of avatars desire to do the certain action.