System and method for automatically informing internet users of other users having similar interests in virtual space

• US 20020026477A1
• Filed: 08/31/2001
• Published: 02/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gomid Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Gomid Incorporated
• Inventors: Choi, Won Tai
• Application Number:
  US09/944,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20020026477A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A system and a method automatically inform Internet users in a 3-D virtual reality environment of other users having similar interests by using the information of the users. The system for determining a second user who has similar interests with a first user'"'"'s information in a virtual space includes a calculation part for calculating a similarity between the first user and the second user, and a determining part. The calculation part monitors whether there is the second user in a predetermined distance from the first user in the virtual space, and calculates an information similarity between the first and second users by using the users'"'"' information stored in a storage part of the is virtual space. The determining part determines whether the first user is similar to the second user or not.

Claims

1. A system for automatically informing a first user in a virtual space of a second user having similar interests, the system comprising:

means for calculating a similarity between the first and second users, which monitors whether there is the second user in a predetermined distance from the first user in the virtual space, and calculates a similarity between the first user and the second user by using the users'"'"' information stored in a storage part of the virtual space; and

means for determining whether or not the first user is similar to the second user based on the similarity or not.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for guiding information of the second user to the first user when it is determined that the first user is similar to the second user.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the users'"'"' information is comprised of public information and confidential information, which are updated by a user'"'"'s selection.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the similarity is calculated by using public information of the first user and the second user.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the guiding means guides the second user to the first user in real time when the similarity between the second user and the first user is above a predetermined value.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein, if there are at least two second users in the predetermined distance from the first user, the similarity is calculated in a predetermined order of said at least two second users.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the calculating means and the determining means are performed by a proxy agent that performs a predetermined action on behalf of the first user while the first user navigates the virtual space.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the proxy agent includes:

a controller for controlling the public information of the first user from the storage part;

a calculator for calculating the similarity on the basis of the public information and a predetermined similarity calculation algorithm; and

a communication part for communicating with a proxy agent of the second user.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein the calculating step and the determining step are performed by a proxy agent that performs a predetermined action on behalf of the first user while the first user navigates the virtual space.

9. A method for automatically informing a first user in a virtual space of a second user having similar interests, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring whether there is the second user in a predetermined distance from the first user in the virtual space;

calculating, if there is the second user in the predetermined distance from the first user, a similarity between the first user and the second user by using the users'"'"' information stored in a storage part of the virtual space; and

determining whether the first user is similar to the second user on the basis of the similarity.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of:

guiding information of the second user to the first user when it is determined that the first user is similar to the second user.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the user'"'"'s information is comprised of public information and confidential information, which are updated by a selection of each user.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the similarity is calculated by using public information of the first user and public information of the second user.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the guiding step guides the second user to the first user in real time when the similarity between the first user and the second user is above a predetermined value.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein, if there are at least two second users in a predetermined distance from the first user, the calculating step sequentially calculates the similarity in a predetermined order of said at least two second users.