Using smart objects in a virtual universe to conserve computing resources

• US 8,341,640 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2012
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hamilton, Rick A. II, Moskowitz, Paul A., O'Connell, Brian M., Pickover, Clifford A., Seaman, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhao, Bing
• Application Number:
  US13/352,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20120117233A1
• Time in Patent Office: 343 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 718/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Described herein are some embodiments that use smart objects in a virtual universe to conserve computing resources. Some embodiments describe a first object that detects an indication to reduce resource usage of a computing resource that supports a virtual universe. Some embodiments further describe reducing, based on detection of the indication to reduce resource usage, display quality of the first virtual object according to an order of degrees of display quality reduction that corresponds to one or more degrees of resource reduction required for the computing resource. Further, some embodiments describe a second virtual object that is not reduced in display quality while simultaneously the first virtual object is reduced in display quality.

Claims

1. A method for conserving resource consumption by a virtual universe, the method comprising the steps of:

each of a plurality of virtual objects of the virtual universe detecting an indication to reduce the resource consumption by one or more degrees of resource reduction required for a computing resource that supports the virtual universe;

a first virtual object, of the plurality of virtual objects, selecting a first setting encoded in the first virtual object, in response to said detecting the indication to reduce the resource consumption, wherein said first setting encoded in the first virtual object indicates a displayable characteristic of the first virtual object;

the first virtual object calling instructions referenced by the first setting, wherein the instructions are associated with the displayable characteristic of the first virtual object, wherein the instructions referenced by the first setting are called based on an order of degrees of display quality reduction that corresponds to the one or more degrees of resource reduction required for the computing resource;

the first virtual object reducing display quality for the displayable characteristic of the first virtual object in the order of the degrees of display quality reduction in response to said calling the instructions referenced by the first setting, wherein the first virtual object consumes less of the computing resource for the displayable characteristic of the first virtual object than if the display quality of the displayable characteristic of the first virtual object were to be reduced according to instructions referenced by a second setting encoded in the first virtual object;

a second virtual object, of the plurality of virtual objects, selecting a third setting encoded in the second virtual object, in response to said detecting the indication to reduce the resource consumption, wherein said third setting encoded in the second virtual object indicates that the displayable characteristics of the second virtual object are not to be reduced in display quality; and

the first virtual object being rendered in the order of the degrees of display quality reduction according to the first setting encoded in the first virtual object while, concurrently and independently, the second virtual object is rendered with no reduction in display quality according to the third setting encoded in the second virtual object.

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

the first virtual object detecting that the first virtual object is of a first category of object;

the first virtual object selecting the first setting encoded in the first virtual object in response to said detecting that the first virtual object is of the first category of object and in response to said detecting the indication to reduce the resource consumption;

the second object detecting that the second virtual object is a second category of object different from the first category of object; and

the second virtual object selecting the third setting encoded in the second virtual object in response to said detecting that the second virtual object is of the second category of object and in response to said detecting the indication to reduce the resource consumption.

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

the first virtual object determining that a usage of the computing resource rises above a specific usage level;

the first virtual object calling a first portion of the instructions referenced by the first setting, wherein the first portion of the instructions referenced by the first setting corresponds to a first portion of the one or more degrees of the resource reduction required for the computing resource;

after the first virtual object calls the first portion of the instructions referenced by the first setting, the first virtual object determining that usage of the computing resource remains above the specific usage level; and

the first virtual object calling a second portion of the instructions referenced by the first setting, wherein the second portion of the instructions referenced by the first setting is associated with the displayable characteristic of the first virtual object, wherein the second portion of the instructions referenced by the first setting corresponds to a second portion of the degrees of the resource reduction required for the computing resource, in response to determining that the computing resource remains above the specific usage level, until the usage of the computing resource falls below the specific usage level.

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

a third virtual object of the plurality of virtual objects detecting that the third virtual object is of the first category of object in response to detecting the indication to reduce the resource consumption;

the third virtual object selecting a fourth setting encoded in the third virtual object, in response to said detecting that the third virtual object is of the first category of object, wherein said fourth setting encoded in the third virtual object indicates a displayable characteristic of the third virtual object that is different from the displayable characteristic of the first virtual object;

the third virtual object calling additional instructions associated with the displayable characteristic of the third virtual object, wherein the additional instructions are called based on the order of degrees of display quality reduction that corresponds to the one or more degrees of resource reduction required for the computing resource;

the third virtual object reducing display quality for the displayable characteristic of the third virtual object in the order of the degrees of display quality reduction in response to said calling the additional instructions associated with the displayable characteristic of the third virtual object, and wherein the third virtual object consumes less of the computing resource for the displayable characteristic of the third virtual object than if the display quality of the displayable characteristic of the third virtual object were to be reduced according to instructions referenced by a fifth setting encoded in the third virtual object; and

a computer rendering the third virtual object in accordance with the fourth setting encoded in the third virtual object while the computer renders the first virtual object in accordance with the first setting encoded in the first virtual object.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of the each of the plurality of virtual objects of the virtual universe detecting the indication to reduce the resource consumption by one or more degrees of resource reduction required for the computing resource comprises one or more of detecting an over usage of the computing resource, detecting an occurrence of a busy period in the virtual universe, detecting a performance degradation in at least a portion of the virtual universe, detecting an occurrence of an error of the computing resource, detecting a hardware component failure of the computing resource, detecting a memory over usage of the computing resource, detecting a clock cycle maximization of the computing resource, detecting a bandwidth diminishment of data for the computing resource, and detecting that the computing resource is being used inefficiently.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of reducing the display quality for the displayable characteristic of the first virtual object in the order of the degrees of display quality reduction proportionally to the one or more degrees of resource reduction required for the computing resource that supports the virtual universe.

7. A computer program product for conserving resource consumption by a virtual universe, the computer program product comprising:

one or more machine-readable tangible storage devices;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to detect, by each of a plurality of virtual objects of the virtual universe, an indication to reduce the resource consumption by one or more degrees of resource reduction required for a computing resource that supports the virtual universe;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to select, by a first virtual object of the plurality of virtual objects, a first setting encoded in the first virtual object, in response to the first virtual objects detecting the indication to reduce the resource consumption, wherein said first setting encoded in the first virtual object indicates a displayable characteristic of the first virtual object;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to reduce, by the first virtual object, display quality for the displayable characteristic of the first virtual object based on an order of degrees of display quality reduction that corresponds to the one or more degrees of resource reduction required for the computing resource in response to selection of the first setting encoded in the first virtual object, wherein the first virtual object consumes less of the computing resource for the displayable characteristic of the first virtual object than if the display quality of the displayable characteristic of the first virtual object were to be reduced according to instructions referenced by a second setting encoded in the first virtual object;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to select, by a second virtual object of the plurality of virtual objects, a third setting encoded in the second virtual object, in response to the second virtual object detecting the indication to reduce the resource consumption;

wherein said third setting encoded in the second virtual object indicates that the displayable characteristics of the second virtual object are not to be reduced in display quality; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to render the first virtual object in the order of the degrees of display quality reduction according to the first setting encoded in the first virtual object and to, concurrently and independently, render the second virtual object with no reduction in display quality according to the third setting encoded in the second virtual object.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to detect, by the first virtual object, that the first virtual object is of a first category of object;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to select, by the first virtual object, the first setting encoded in the first virtual object in response to detection that the first virtual object is of the first category of object and in response to said detection of the indication to reduce the resource consumption;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to detect, by the second virtual object, that the second virtual object is a second category of object different from the first category of object; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to select, by the second virtual object, the third setting encoded in the second virtual object in response to detection that the second virtual object is of the second category of object and in response to said detection of the indication to reduce the resource consumption.

9. The computer program product of claim 7 further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to determine, by the first virtual object, that a usage of the computing resource rises above a specific usage level;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to execute, by the first virtual object, a first portion of the program instructions referenced by the first setting to reduce the display quality for the displayable characteristic of the first virtual object, wherein the first portion of the program instructions referenced by the first setting to reduce the display quality for the displayable characteristic of the first virtual object corresponds to a first portion of the one or more degrees of the resource reduction required for the computing resource;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to determine, by the first virtual object, that usage of the computing resource remains above the specific usage level after execution of the first portion of the program instructions referenced by the first setting to reduce the display quality for the displayable characteristic of the first virtual object; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to, by the first virtual object, execute one or more additional portions of the program instructions referenced by the first setting until the usage of the computing resource falls below the specific usage level in response to determination that the computing resource remains above the specific usage level, wherein the one or more additional portions of the program instructions referenced by the first setting to reduce the display quality for the displayable characteristic of the first virtual object correspond to one or more additional portions of the one or more degrees of the resource reduction required for the computing resource.

10. The computer program product of claim 7 further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to detect, by a third virtual object of the plurality of virtual objects, that the third virtual object is of the first category of object in response to detection of the indication to reduce the resource consumption;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to select, by the third virtual object, a fourth setting encoded in the third virtual object, in response to detection that the third virtual object is of the first category of object, wherein said fourth setting encoded in the third virtual object indicates a displayable characteristic of the third virtual object that is different from the displayable characteristic of the first virtual object;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to reduce, by the third virtual object, display quality for the displayable characteristic of the third virtual object in the order of the degrees of display quality reduction, in response to selection of the fourth setting by the third virtual object, wherein the third virtual object consumes less of the computing resource for the displayable characteristic of the third virtual object than if the display quality of the displayable characteristic of the third virtual object were to be reduced according to instructions referenced by a fifth setting encoded in the third virtual object; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to render the third virtual object in accordance with the fourth setting encoded in the third virtual object and simultaneously render the first virtual object in accordance with the first setting encoded in the first virtual object.

11. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the program instructions to detect the indication to reduce the resource consumption one or more of detect an over usage of the computing resource, detect an occurrence of a busy period in the virtual universe, detect a performance degradation in at least a portion of the virtual universe, detect an occurrence of an error of the computing resource, detect a hardware component failure of the computing resource, detect a memory over usage of the computing resource, detect a clock cycle maximization of the computing resource, detect a bandwidth diminishment of data for the computing resource, and detect that the computing resource is being used inefficiently.

12. The computer program product of claim 7 further comprising program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to reduce the display quality for the displayable characteristic of the first virtual object based on the order of the degrees of display quality reduction that corresponds to the one or more degrees of resource reduction required reduces the display quality for the displayable characteristic of the first virtual object proportionally to the one or more degrees of resource reduction required for the computing resource that supports the virtual universe.

13. A computer system for conserving resource consumption by a virtual universe, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more machine-readable memories and one or more machine-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, by each of a plurality of virtual objects of the virtual universe, an indication to reduce the resource consumption by one or more degrees of resource reduction required for a computing resource that supports the virtual universe;

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 associated with a first virtual object of the plurality of virtual objects, to select a first setting encoded in the first virtual object, in response to detection of the indication to reduce the resource consumption, wherein said first setting encoded in the first virtual object indicates a displayable characteristic of the first 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 associated with the first virtual object, to reduce display quality for the displayable characteristic of the first virtual object based on an order of degrees of display quality reduction that corresponds to the one or more degrees of resource reduction required for the computing resource in response to selection of the first setting encoded in the first virtual object, wherein the first virtual object consumes less of the computing resource for the displayable characteristic of the first virtual object than if the display quality of the displayable characteristic of the first virtual object were to be reduced according to instructions referenced by a second setting encoded in the first 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 associated with a second virtual object of the plurality of virtual objects, to select a third setting encoded in the second virtual object, in response to detection of the indication to reduce the resource consumption, wherein said third setting encoded in the second virtual object indicates that the displayable characteristics of the second virtual object are not to be reduced in display quality; 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 render the first virtual object in the order of the degrees of display quality reduction according to the first setting encoded in the first virtual object and to, concurrently and independently, render the second virtual object with no reduction in display quality according to the third setting encoded in the second virtual object.

14. The computer system of claim 13 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 associated with the first virtual object, to detect that the first virtual object is of a first category of 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 associated with the first virtual object, to select the first setting encoded in the first virtual object in response to detection that the first virtual object is of the first category of object and in response to said detection of the indication to reduce the resource consumption;

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 associated with the second virtual object, to detect that the second virtual object is a second category of object different from the first category of object; 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 associated with the second virtual object, to select the third setting encoded in the second virtual object in response to detection that the second virtual object is of the second category of object and in response to said detection of the indication to reduce the resource consumption.

15. The computer system of claim 13 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 associated with the first virtual object, to determine that a usage of the computing resource rises above a specific usage level;

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 associated with the first virtual object, to execute a first portion of the program instructions referenced by the first setting to reduce the display quality for the displayable characteristic of the first virtual object, wherein the first portion of the program instructions referenced by the first setting to reduce the display quality for the displayable characteristic of the first virtual object corresponds to a first portion of the one or more degrees of the resource reduction required for the computing resource;

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 associated with the first virtual object, to determine that usage of the computing resource remains above the specific usage level after execution of the first portion of the program instructions referenced by the first setting to reduce the display quality for the displayable characteristic of the first virtual object; 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 associated with the first virtual object, to, in response to determination that the computing resource remains above the specific usage level, execute one or more additional portions of the program instructions referenced by the first setting until the usage of the computing resource falls below the specific usage level, wherein the one or more additional portions of the program instructions referenced by the first setting to reduce the display quality for the displayable characteristic of the first virtual object correspond to one or more additional portions of the one or more degrees of the resource reduction required for the computing resource.

16. The computer system of claim 13 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 associated with a third virtual object of the plurality of virtual objects, to detect that the third virtual object is of the first category of object in response to detection of the indication to reduce the resource consumption;

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 associated with the third virtual object, to select a fourth setting encoded in the third virtual object, in response to detection that the third virtual object is of the first category of object, wherein said fourth setting encoded in the third virtual object indicates a displayable characteristic of the third virtual object that is different from the displayable characteristic of the first 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 associated with the first virtual object, to reduce display quality for the displayable characteristic of the third virtual object in the order of the degrees of display quality reduction, in response to selection of the fourth setting by the third virtual object, wherein the third virtual object consumes less of the computing resource for the displayable characteristic of the third virtual object than if the display quality of the displayable characteristic of the third virtual object were to be reduced according to instructions referenced by a fifth setting encoded in the third virtual object; 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 render the third virtual object in accordance with the fourth setting encoded in the third virtual object and simultaneously render the first virtual object in accordance with the first setting encoded in the first virtual object.

17. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the program instructions to detect the indication to reduce the resource consumption one or more of detect an over usage of the computing resource, detect an occurrence of a busy period in the virtual universe, detect a performance degradation in at least a portion of the virtual universe, detect an occurrence of an error of the computing resource, detect a hardware component failure of the computing resource, detect a memory over usage of the computing resource, detect a clock cycle maximization of the computing resource, detect a bandwidth diminishment of data for the computing resource, and detect that the computing resource is being used inefficiently.

18. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the 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 reduce the display quality for the displayable characteristic of the first virtual object based on the order of the degrees of display quality reduction that corresponds to the one or more degrees of resource reduction required reduces the display quality for the displayable characteristic of the first virtual object proportionally to the one or more degrees of resource reduction required for the computing resource that supports the virtual universe.