Controlling communications with proximate avatars in virtual world environment
First Claim
1. A method performed by a processor, the method comprising:
- enabling access to a virtual world environment within which a first avatar is associated with a first user;
identifying, in the virtual world environment, a virtual world location corresponding to the first avatar;
identifying, with at least one processor, at least one virtual world entity that is proximate to the virtual world location;
accessing criteria related to the first avatar;
accessing profile information related to the virtual world entity;
comparing, with at least one processor, the criteria to the profile information;
determining, based on the comparison results, whether the virtual world entity meets the criteria; and
disabling, when it is determined that the virtual world entity fails to meet the criteria, communications between the first avatar and the virtual world entity.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A first user'"'"'s avatar in a virtual world environment may be controlled by using a virtual world application enabling access to a virtual world environment within which the first user has an avatar associated with the first user. A virtual world location corresponding to the first avatar is identified. At least one second avatar proximate to the virtual world location is identified. Filtering information is accessed. Profile information related to the second avatar is accessed. Filtering information is compared to the accessed profile information. Based on the comparison results, a metric related to the second avatar is determined. The metric is related to a threshold. It is determined whether relating the metric to the threshold supports enabling communications between the first and second avatars, and if so, communications to be exchanged between the first and second avatars are enabled.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method performed by a processor, the method comprising:
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enabling access to a virtual world environment within which a first avatar is associated with a first user; identifying, in the virtual world environment, a virtual world location corresponding to the first avatar; identifying, with at least one processor, at least one virtual world entity that is proximate to the virtual world location; accessing criteria related to the first avatar;
accessing profile information related to the virtual world entity;comparing, with at least one processor, the criteria to the profile information; determining, based on the comparison results, whether the virtual world entity meets the criteria; and disabling, when it is determined that the virtual world entity fails to meet the criteria, communications between the first avatar and the virtual world entity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for controlling communications in a virtual world environment, the system comprising:
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a memory device that stores a set of programmable instructions; and at least one processor that executes the set of programmable instructions to; enable access to a virtual world environment within which a first avatar is associated a the first user; identify, in the virtual world environment, a virtual world location corresponding to the first avatar; identify at least one virtual world entity that is proximate to the virtual world location; access criteria related to the first avatar;
access profile information related to the virtual world entity;compare the criteria to the profile information;
determine, based on the comparison results, a metric related to the virtual world entity;determine whether the metric exceeds a threshold; and
enable, when it is determined that the metric exceeds the threshold, communications to be exchanged between the first avatar and the virtual world entity. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A non-transitory storage medium that stores a computer program, the computer program comprising instructions that when executed on at least one processor cause the program to:
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enable access to a virtual world environment within which a first avatar is associated a the first user; identify, in the virtual world environment, a virtual world location corresponding to the first avatar; identify at least one virtual world entity that is proximate to the virtual world location; access filtering information related to the first avatar; access profile information related to the virtual world entity;
compare the filtering information to the profile information;determine, based on the comparison results, a metric related to the virtual world entity; determine whether the metric exceeds a threshold; and enable, when it is determined that the metric exceeds the threshold, communications to be exchanged between the first avatar and the virtual world entity. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification