Providing a common virtual item repository in a virtual space

• US 8,972,369 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2013
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Vignocchi, John G., Bunker, Jeffrey, Neber, Manfred, Gosztyla, Jeffrey, Liddell, Chad, Fisher, Marcus, Leavitt, Troy, Bals, Jared, Blackburn, John, Lowe, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Yen, Syling
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABRAHAM, AHMED M
• Application Number:
  US13/752,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20140181062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 348/22, 348/26, 707/705, 707/710, 707/736, 715/757
• US Class Current: 707/705
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/188 Virtual file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]

Abstract

Virtual items may be unlocked in a virtual space responsive to physical token detection. A common virtual item repository may be provided in the virtual space. Once unlocked, a given virtual item may be accessible to multiple characters in the virtual space via the virtual item repository. Customization of a virtual space may be facilitated. The customization may be based on the virtual items accessible via the virtual item repository.

Claims

1. A system configured to provide a common virtual item repository in a virtual space, the system comprising:

one or more processors configured to execute computer program instructions, the computer program instructions comprising;

a space component configured to implement the virtual space to determine views of the virtual space; and

a virtual item repository component configured to present a virtual item repository within the virtual space such that the virtual item repository is visually represented as an object at a location within the virtual space, the virtual item repository being depicted as holding a plurality of virtual items, the virtual item repository being configured to provide access by a plurality of characters to individual ones of the plurality of virtual items depicted as being held by the virtual item repository such that a given virtual item is accessed by one single character at a given time, the plurality of characters including a first character and a second character depicted within the virtual space, the plurality of virtual items including a first virtual item associated with the first character and a second virtual item associated with the second character, the first virtual item being accessible to the second character via the virtual item repository only after the first character has relinquished the first virtual item, and the second virtual item being accessible to the first character via the virtual item repository only after the second character has relinquished the second virtual item;

wherein the first virtual item is associated with the first character based on a first theme shared by the first virtual item and the first character, the second virtual item is associated with the second character based on a second theme shared by the second virtual item and the second character, and the first theme is different than the second theme.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of virtual items include one or both of an accessory or a virtual good.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein a given character accessing a given virtual item includes the given character utilizing the given virtual item.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein a given character must be located proximally with the visual representation of the virtual item repository in order to access individual ones of the plurality of virtual items.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein individual ones of the plurality of virtual items made accessible by the virtual item repository are accessible to a given character via an inventory associated with the given character.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual item repository is configured such that a given virtual item is accessed by one single character at a given time.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the one single character must relinquish the given virtual item in order for the given virtual item to be accessed by another character.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual item repository is configured such that a given virtual item is accessed by two or more characters at a given time.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein responsive to the first character accessing the second virtual item via the virtual item repository and the second character accessing the first virtual item via the virtual item repository, the first character and the second character perceive the virtual space differently.

10. A computer-implemented method to provide a common virtual item repository in a virtual space, the method being performed by one or more processors configured to execute computer program instructions, the method comprising:

implementing, using one or more processors, the virtual space to determine views of the virtual space; and

presenting, using one or more processors, a virtual item repository within the virtual space such that the virtual item repository is visually represented as an object at a location within the virtual space, the virtual item repository being depicted as holding a plurality of virtual items, the virtual item repository being configured to provide access by a plurality of characters to individual ones of the plurality of virtual items depicted as being held by the virtual item repository such that a given virtual item is accessed by one single character at a given time, the plurality of characters including a first character and a second character depicted within the virtual space, the plurality of virtual items including a first virtual item associated with the first character and a second virtual item associated with the second character, the first virtual item being accessible to the second character via the virtual item repository only after the first character has relinquished the first virtual item, and the second virtual item being accessible to the first character via the virtual item repository only after the second character has relinquished the second virtual item;

wherein the first virtual item is associated with the first character based on a first theme shared by the first virtual item and the first character, the second virtual item is associated with the second character based on a second theme shared by the second virtual item and the second character, and the first theme is different than the second theme.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of virtual items include one or both of an accessory or a virtual good.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein a given character accessing a given virtual item includes the given character utilizing the given virtual item.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein a given character must be located proximally with the visual representation of the virtual item repository in order to access individual ones of the plurality of virtual items.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein individual ones of the plurality of virtual items made accessible by the virtual item repository are accessible to a given character via an inventory associated with the given character.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the virtual item repository is configured such that a given virtual item is accessed by one single character at a given time.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the one single character must relinquish the given virtual item in order for the given virtual item to be accessed by another character.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the virtual item repository is configured such that a given virtual item is accessed by two or more characters at a given time.