Preferred name presentation in online environments
First Claim
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1. A method for providing an appropriate user identity, said method comprising:
- obtaining an association between a first user and at least two name identifications for the first user, wherein each name identification of the at least two name identifications is an email alias of the user for email messaging in an email virtual environment, an instant messaging alias of the user for instant messaging in an instant messaging virtual environment, or an online gaming alias of the user for messaging in an online gaming virtual environment, and wherein each name identification of the at least two name identifications is for a different virtual environment of a plurality of disparate virtual environments comprising the email virtual environment, the instant messaging virtual environment, and the online gaming virtual environment;
enabling a name conversion agent having target information and user defined rules related to use of the at least two name identifications;
determining, by said name conversion agent using said target information, said user defined rules, and said association between the first user and the at least two name identifications for the first user, an appropriate user name identification of the at least two name identifications for use in sending an email or instant message by the first user from an online gaming virtual environment with which the first user interacts to an email or instant messaging virtual environment for a second user, the online gaming virtual environment and the email or instant messaging virtual environment being different virtual environments of the plurality of disparate virtual environments, wherein the determined user name identification is a different name identification than a currently active name identification for the first user in the online gaming virtual environment, and wherein the determined name identification is for a different virtual environment of the plurality of disparate virtual environments than the online gaming virtual environment; and
associating the determined user name identification with the email or instant message from the online gaming virtual environment to the email or instant messaging virtual environment, wherein the message is sent from the online gaming virtual environment to the email or instant messaging virtual environment, and wherein the associating converts sender identity information of the email or instant message from the currently active name identification for the first user in the online gaming virtual environment to the determined name identification.
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Abstract
The present invention allows an on-line user to specify the name by which that user is known when communicating with other target users, regardless of the name under which the sending user is currently logged-in. The invention also provides a mechanism to block messages from sending parties that are not willing to divulge their real identity.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for providing an appropriate user identity, said method comprising:
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obtaining an association between a first user and at least two name identifications for the first user, wherein each name identification of the at least two name identifications is an email alias of the user for email messaging in an email virtual environment, an instant messaging alias of the user for instant messaging in an instant messaging virtual environment, or an online gaming alias of the user for messaging in an online gaming virtual environment, and wherein each name identification of the at least two name identifications is for a different virtual environment of a plurality of disparate virtual environments comprising the email virtual environment, the instant messaging virtual environment, and the online gaming virtual environment; enabling a name conversion agent having target information and user defined rules related to use of the at least two name identifications; determining, by said name conversion agent using said target information, said user defined rules, and said association between the first user and the at least two name identifications for the first user, an appropriate user name identification of the at least two name identifications for use in sending an email or instant message by the first user from an online gaming virtual environment with which the first user interacts to an email or instant messaging virtual environment for a second user, the online gaming virtual environment and the email or instant messaging virtual environment being different virtual environments of the plurality of disparate virtual environments, wherein the determined user name identification is a different name identification than a currently active name identification for the first user in the online gaming virtual environment, and wherein the determined name identification is for a different virtual environment of the plurality of disparate virtual environments than the online gaming virtual environment; and associating the determined user name identification with the email or instant message from the online gaming virtual environment to the email or instant messaging virtual environment, wherein the message is sent from the online gaming virtual environment to the email or instant messaging virtual environment, and wherein the associating converts sender identity information of the email or instant message from the currently active name identification for the first user in the online gaming virtual environment to the determined name identification. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer program product for providing an appropriate user identity, the computer program product comprising:
one or more computer readable non-transitory storage devices and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, the program instructions comprising; program instructions to obtain an association between a first user and at least two name identifications for the first user, wherein each name identification of the at least two name identifications is an email alias of the user for email messaging in an email virtual environment, an instant messaging alias of the user for instant messaging in an instant messaging virtual environment, or an online gaming alias of the user for messaging in an online gaming virtual environment, and wherein each name identification of the at least two name identifications is for a different virtual environment of a plurality of disparate virtual environments comprising the email virtual environment, the instant messaging virtual environment, and the online gaming virtual environment; program instructions to enable a name conversion agent having target information and user defined rules related to use of said at two name identifications; program instructions to determine, by the name conversion agent using the target information, the user defined rules and the association between the first user and the at least two name identifications for the first user, an appropriate user name identification of the at least two name identifications for use in sending an email or instant message by the first user from an online gaming virtual environment with which the first user interacts to an email or instant messaging virtual environment for a second user, the online gaming virtual environment and the email or instant messaging virtual environment being different virtual environments of the plurality of disparate virtual environments, wherein the determined user name identification is a different name identification than a currently active name identification for the first user in the online gaming virtual environment, and wherein the determined name identification is for a different virtual environment of the plurality of disparate virtual environments than the online gaming virtual environment; and program instructions to associate the determined user name identification with the email or instant message from the online gaming virtual environment to the email or instant messaging virtual environment, wherein the message is sent from the online gaining virtual environment to the email or instant messaging virtual environment, and wherein the associating converts sender identity information of the email or instant message from the currently active name identification for the first user in the online gaming virtual environment to the determined name identification. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A computer system for facilitating providing an appropriate user identity in association with messaging in a virtualized universe environment, the computer system comprising:
one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by the at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, the program instructions comprising; program instructions to obtain an association between a first user and at least two name identifications for the first user, wherein each name identification of the at least two name identifications is an email alias of the user for email messaging in an email virtual environment, an instant messaging alias of the user for instant messaging in an instant messaging virtual environment, or an online gaming alias of the user for messaging in an online gaming virtual environment, and wherein each name identification of the at least two name identifications is for a different virtual environment of a plurality of disparate virtual environments comprising the email virtual environment, the instant messaging virtual environment, and the online gaming virtual environment; program instructions to enable a name conversion agent having target information and user defined rules for the at two name identifications; program instructions to determine, by the name conversion agent using the target information, the user defined rules, and the association between the first user and the at least two name identifications for the first user, an appropriate user name identification of the at least two name identifications for use in sending an email or instant message by the first user from an online gaming virtual environment with which the first user interacts to an email or instant messaging virtual environment for a second user, the online gaming virtual environment and the email or instant messy in virtual environment being different virtual environments of the plurality of disparate virtual environments, wherein the determined user name identification is a different name identification than a currently active name identification for the first user in the online gaming virtual environment, and wherein the determined name identification is for a different virtual environment of the plurality of disparate virtual environments than the online gaming virtual environment; and program instructions to associate the determined user name identification with the email or instant message from the online gaming virtual environment to the email or instant messaging virtual environment, wherein the message is sent from the online gaming virtual environment to the email or instant messaging virtual environment, and wherein the associating converts sender identity information of the email or instant message from the currently active name identification for the first user in the online gaming virtual environment to the determined name identification. - View Dependent Claims (18)
Specification