Avatar-based technical networking system

• US 8,560,482 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2010
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alphaport, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Alphaport, Inc.
• Inventors: Miranda, Anthony John, Jones, Jennifer, Miranda, Rosella, Miranda, Giuseppe G.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, ALAN S
• Application Number:
  US12/961,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20110137844A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,043 Days
• Field of Search: 706/47, 707/600
• US Class Current: 706/47
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/283 Multi-dimensional databases or data warehouses, e.g. MOLAP or ROLAP
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/02 Knowledge representation; Symbolic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/025 Extracting rules from data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A virtual technical networking architecture is disclosed that allows a user to locate resources, seek expertise and collaborate with identified experts located within a virtual city in order to mentor, teach and resolve problems or fill a need. The virtual city offers a gaming technology environment to users, wherein the users and experts are depicted as avatars within the virtual city and different levels of expertise and different affiliations are identified by different avatar accessories. The virtual city connects users for learning and problem resolution and also recognizes the accomplishments of experts and memorializes these accomplishments in the virtual city. Accordingly, an entire city of experts in a wide variety of fields can be built, that brings large groups of people and resources together for intellectual capital and knowledge management. The virtual city can then be used to educate, train and disseminate information.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented virtual technical networking system, comprising:

a virtual city comprising an office and at least one expert building;

at least one avatar representing a user of the networking system;

at least one avatar representing an expert of the networking system;

an open forum that can host a collaboration between the user and the expert, wherein multiple observers and participants can view the collaboration; and

wherein the collaboration comprises problem-solving between the user and the expert and a knowledge artifact is created from the collaboration, wherein the knowledge artifact comprises documents, videos, or presentations; and

a library that houses all knowledge artifacts created based on a user/expert collaboration in un-editable format.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the office provides the at least one user and at least one expert with options to function in the virtual city.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one expert building comprises at least one expert from a particular taxonomy of disciplines.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one expert can be placed within more than one expert building within the virtual city, depending on the at least one expert'"'"'s background, taxonomy of disciplines or level of expertise.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one avatar representing an expert of the networking system comprises different avatar accessories.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the different avatar accessories represent different levels of expertise and different affiliations or professions.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the different avatar accessories represent results of accomplishments or awards that the expert has achieved within the virtual city.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the collaboration also comprises artificial intelligence to deduce facts or replace an absent expert.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the system becomes more knowledgeable and intelligent as number of knowledge artifacts stored in the library increases.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the system is capable of performing searches and queries against data of varying types and from various resources.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the system is a computer-implemented, massively-distributed, virtual environment that is capable of:

automatically recovering from network, processor, and memory failures;

automatically distributing workload;

automatically synchronizing with added components; and

automatically utilizing failover.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a hall of fame that recognizes the accomplishments of the at least one expert and memorializes these accomplishments.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the office comprises expert resource links that allows a user access to a list of existing experts and specific feedback about the expert'"'"'s activities and previous collaboration, or allows a new expert to complete a profile and become an expert in the virtual city.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the office comprises user resource links that allows a user access to a list of existing users within the virtual city, allows a new user to create a profile and become a member of the virtual city, allows a user to type a question and review a proposed list of experts to provide a solution, or allows a user to review feedback options and provide information metrics.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the office comprises a resources link that provides access to a library of the virtual city.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the office comprises a human resources link that allows the at least one expert to request status and review feedback received from previous collaborations and information metrics.

17. A computer-implemented virtual networking method for a user, using a processor coupled to a memory, comprising:

entering a virtual city;

seeking expertise from at least one expert within the virtual city;

reviewing at least one expert to provide a solution;

selecting at least one expert;

selecting at least one form of collaboration;

collaborating with the at least one expert;

determining if a solution is achieved via collaboration with the at least one expert;

providing user feedback; and

creating at least one knowledge artifact, wherein the knowledge artifact comprises documents, videos, or presentations.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

obtaining a list of all available experts;

determining whether to review all experts or to select at least one group of experts to review;

if a user determines to select at least one group of experts to review, then selecting a discipline from at least one taxonomy or entering hall of fame to review inductees;

reviewing properties and feedback of selected at least one group of experts; and

collaborating with an expert chosen from the at least one group of experts.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

entering a library of the virtual city;

selecting a discipline from at least one taxonomy;

typing at least one search question;

reviewing resources;

collaborating with an expert;

reviewing feedback options;

selecting feedback options; and

providing feedback metrics.

20. A computer-implemented virtual networking method for becoming an expert, using a processor coupled to a memory, comprising:

entering a virtual city as a new expert;

completing a profile;

completing a taxonomy on the expert'"'"'s relevant expertise, disciplines, organizations, or fields;

selecting at least one expert building to be a part of;

founding a new expert building if there are no expert buildings relating to the new expert'"'"'s expertise;

selecting at least one form of available collaboration; and

completing a non-disclosure agreement to complete the profile.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving and reviewing at least one user request;

preparing for a collaboration;

locating any necessary resources;

collaborating with a user;

creating a knowledge artifact if a solution is achieved, wherein the knowledge artifact comprises documents, videos, or presentations;

requesting expert collaboration with another expert if a solution is not achieved;

inviting observers;

entering an open forum that allows multiple observers and participants to view a collaboration;

holding the collaboration;

creating a knowledge artifact from the collaboration;

creating information metrics for an expert based on the collaboration; and

requesting and viewing an expert'"'"'s status.