Discerning and displaying relationships between avatars
First Claim
1. A method of discerning and displaying information regarding a relationship between at least two avatars in a virtual universe environment, the method comprising:
- determining whether a first avatar and a second avatar have at least one relationship with one or more common avatars in response to an indication of the first avatar initiating an interaction within the virtual universe with the second avatar, wherein the at least one relationship comprises;
a common acquaintance comprising at least a third avatar distinct from the first avatar and the second avatar, and a level of trust corresponding to the third avatar based on at least one prior interaction within the virtual world between the third avatar and one of the first or the second avatar, wherein the level of trust is set by the one of the first or the second avatar;
in the case that the first and second avatars have at least one relationship with at least the third avatar, displaying, within the virtual universe, information regarding the at least one relationship with the third avatar to at least one of the first and second avatar, the displaying including displaying, within the virtual universe, an indication of a third avatar and a level of trust corresponding to the third avatar, wherein the indication of a level of trust includes an indicia affirming that the third avatar is not trusted or an indicia confirming that the third avatar is trusted; and
determining if the third avatar is currently online in the virtual universe.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates generally to virtual universe environments and, more particularly, to discerning and displaying information regarding relationships between two or more avatars in a virtual universe environment. In one embodiment, the invention includes determining whether a first avatar and a second avatar have at least one relationship with one or more common avatars in response to the first avatar initiating an interaction with the second avatar, and in the case that the first and second avatars have at least one relationship with at least one common avatar, displaying information regarding the relationship with the common avatar to at least one of the first and second avatar.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of discerning and displaying information regarding a relationship between at least two avatars in a virtual universe environment, the method comprising:
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determining whether a first avatar and a second avatar have at least one relationship with one or more common avatars in response to an indication of the first avatar initiating an interaction within the virtual universe with the second avatar, wherein the at least one relationship comprises;
a common acquaintance comprising at least a third avatar distinct from the first avatar and the second avatar, and a level of trust corresponding to the third avatar based on at least one prior interaction within the virtual world between the third avatar and one of the first or the second avatar, wherein the level of trust is set by the one of the first or the second avatar;in the case that the first and second avatars have at least one relationship with at least the third avatar, displaying, within the virtual universe, information regarding the at least one relationship with the third avatar to at least one of the first and second avatar, the displaying including displaying, within the virtual universe, an indication of a third avatar and a level of trust corresponding to the third avatar, wherein the indication of a level of trust includes an indicia affirming that the third avatar is not trusted or an indicia confirming that the third avatar is trusted; and determining if the third avatar is currently online in the virtual universe. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for discerning and displaying information regarding a relationship between at least two avatars in a virtual universe environment, the system comprising:
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at least one computer device for performing a method including; determining whether a first avatar and a second avatar have at least one relationship with one or more common avatars, wherein the at least one relationship comprises;
a common acquaintance comprising at least a third avatar distinct from the first avatar and the second avatar, and a level of trust corresponding to the third avatar based on at least one prior interaction within the virtual world between the third avatar and one of the first or the second avatar, wherein the level of trust is set by the one of the first or the second avatar;displaying, within the virtual universe, information regarding the at least one relationship with at least the third avatar to at least one of the first and second avatar, the displaying including displaying, within the virtual universe, an indication of a third avatar and a level of trust corresponding to the third avatar, wherein the indication of a level of trust includes an indicia affirming that the third avatar is not trusted or an indicia confirming that the third avatar is trusted; and determining if the third avatar is currently online in the virtual universe. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A program product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, which when executed, discerns and displays information regarding a relationship between at least two avatars in a virtual universe environment, by performing a method comprising:
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determining whether a first avatar and a second avatar have at least one relationship with one or more common avatars, wherein the at least one relationship comprises;
a common acquaintance comprising at least a third avatar distinct from the first avatar and the second avatar, and a level of trust corresponding to the third avatar based on at least one prior interaction within the virtual world between the third avatar and one of the first or the second avatar, wherein the level of trust is set by the one of the first or the second avatar;displaying, within the virtual universe, information regarding the at least one relationship with at least the third avatar to at least one of the first and second avatar, the displaying including displaying, within the virtual universe, an indication of a third avatar and a level of trust corresponding to the third avatar, wherein the indication of a level of trust includes an indicia affirming that the third avatar is not trusted or an indicia confirming that the third avatar is trusted; and determining if the third avatar is currently online in the virtual universe. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method for deploying an application for discerning and displaying information regarding a relationship between at least two avatars in a virtual universe environment, comprising:
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providing a computer infrastructure being operable to; determine whether a first avatar and a second avatar have at least one relationship with one or more common avatars, wherein the at least one relationship comprises;
a common acquaintance comprising at least a third avatar distinct from the first avatar and the second avatar, and a level of trust corresponding to the third avatar based on at least one prior interaction within the virtual world between the third avatar and one of the first or the second avatar, wherein the level of trust is set by the one of the first or the second avatar; anddisplay, within the virtual universe, information regarding the at least one relationship with at least third avatar to at least one of the first and second avatar, the displaying including displaying, within the virtual universe, an indication of a third avatar and a level of trust corresponding to the third avatar, wherein the indication of a level of trust includes an indicia affirming that the third avatar is not trusted or an indicia confirming that the third avatar is trusted; and determining if the third avatar is currently online in the virtual universe.
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Specification