Virtual world escrow environment

• US 20060178180A1
• Filed: 07/19/2005
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Lord, Robert W., Jung, Edward K.Y., Levien, Royce A., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, John D. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US11/185,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20060178180A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

In one aspect, a method related to conducting virtual world transactions. In addition to the foregoing, other method and system and program product aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present application.

Claims

1. A virtual reality environment comprising:

a simulated world wherein a participant is enabled to select a destination and/or activity and/or event;

a user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement as a grantor participant, as a depository participant, as at least one depository item available for deposit pursuant to the escrow arrangement, and/or as a grantee participant;

a value system wherein a potential depository value is attributed to one or more depository items and a potential condition/event value is attributed to a performance of a condition and/or the happening of an event, wherein the one or more depository items are to be delivered by a grantor to a depository prior to the performance of the condition and/or the happening of the event, and wherein the one or more depository items are to be delivered by the depository to a grantee upon the performance of the condition and/or the happening of the event; and

a memory device capable of keeping a record of the escrow arrangement.

2. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables participation of the participant through one or more real world agents.

3. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables participation of the participant through one or more simulated world agents, wherein the one or more simulated world agents represent respective real-world agents.

4. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables participation of the participant through one or more agents in the simulated world, wherein the one or more simulated world agents represent no respective real-world agents.

5. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables participation of the grantor participant through a grantor character in the simulated world.

6. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables participation of the depository participant through a depository character in the simulated world.

7. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables participation of the participant through at least one depository item character in the simulated world.

8. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables participation of the grantee participant through a grantee character in the simulated world.

9. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables the participant to participate in the escrow arrangement, the escrow arrangement including a simulated grantor character in the simulated world, wherein the simulated grantor character represents no real-world grantor participant.

10. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables the participant to participate in the escrow arrangement, the escrow arrangement including a simulated depository character in the simulated world, wherein the simulated depository character represents no real-world depository participant.

11. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables the participant to participate in the escrow arrangement, the escrow arrangement including a simulated grantee character in the simulated world, wherein the simulated grantee character represents no real-world grantee participant.

12. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables the participant to participate in the escrow arrangement, the escrow arrangement including a deposit of a real-world depository item by the grantor with the depository.

13. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables the participant to participate in the escrow arrangement, the escrow arrangement including a deposit of a simulated world depository item by the grantor with the depository.

14. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables the participant to participate in the escrow arrangement, the escrow arrangement including a deposit of the at least one depository item by the grantor with the depository, wherein the at least one depository item includes evidence of a grantor performance of a condition and/or a grantor happening of an event.

15. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables the participant to participate in the escrow arrangement, the escrow arrangement including a performance of a real-world condition.

16. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables the participant to participate in the escrow arrangement, the escrow arrangement including a performance of a simulated world condition.

17. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables the participant to participate in the escrow arrangement, the escrow arrangement including a non-performance of a real-world condition.

18. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables the participant to participate in the escrow arrangement, the escrow arrangement including a non-performance of a simulated world condition.

19. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables the participant to participate in the escrow arrangement, the escrow arrangement including a happening of a real-world event.

20. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables the participant to participate in the escrow arrangement, the escrow arrangement including a happening of a simulated world event.

21. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables the participant to participate in the escrow arrangement, the escrow arrangement including a non-happening of a real-world event.

22. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables the participant to participate in the escrow arrangement, the escrow arrangement including a non-happening of a simulated world event.

23. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables the participant to participate in the escrow arrangement, the escrow arrangement including a pre-specified time frame during which the performance of the condition and/or the happening of the event must occur to obligate the delivery of the at least one depository item by the depository to the grantee.

24. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables the participant to participate in the escrow arrangement, the escrow arrangement including a pre-specified time frame outside of which the performance of the condition and/or the happening of the event obligates the return of the at least one depository item by the depository to the grantor.

25. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables the participant to participate in the escrow arrangement, the escrow arrangement including a delivery of a real-world depository item by the depository to the grantee.

26. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables the participant to participate in the escrow arrangement, the escrow arrangement including a delivery of a simulated world depository item by the depository to the grantee.

27. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables the participant to participate in the escrow arrangement, the escrow arrangement including a delivery of a notification from the depository to the grantee of a receipt by the depository of the at least one depository item, wherein the at least one depository item includes evidence of a grantor performance of a condition and/or a grantor happening of an event.

28. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables the participant to participate in the escrow arrangement, the escrow arrangement including a return of a real-world depository item by the depository to the grantor.

29. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables the participant to participate in the escrow arrangement, the escrow arrangement including a return of a simulated world depository item by the depository to the grantor.

30. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables the participant to participate in the escrow arrangement, the escrow arrangement including a delivery of a barter item by the grantee to the grantor and/or to a real-world third-party receiver as the performance of the condition and/or the happening of the event.

31. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables the participant to participate in the escrow arrangement, the escrow arrangement including a delivery of a barter item by the grantee to the grantor and/or to a simulated-world third-party receiver as the performance of the condition and/or the happening of the event, wherein the simulated-world third-party receiver represents a real-world receiver participant.

32. The environment of claim 1, wherein the user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement further comprises:

a user interface communication link that enables the participant to participate in the escrow arrangement, the escrow arrangement including a delivery of a barter item by the grantee to the grantor and/or to a simulated-world third-party receiver as the performance of the condition and/or the happening of the event, wherein the simulated-world third-party receiver represents no real-world receiver participant.

33. The environment of claim 1, wherein the value system further comprises:

a real-world value for the potential depository value of a real-world depository item.

34. The environment of claim 1, wherein the value system further comprises:

a simulated world value for the potential depository value of a real-world depository item.

35. The environment of claim 1, wherein the value system further comprises:

a real-world value for the potential depository value of a simulated depository item.

36. The environment of claim 1, wherein the value system further comprises:

a simulated world value for the potential depository value of a simulated depository item.

37. The environment of claim 1, wherein the value system further comprises:

a real-world value for the potential condition/event value.

38. The environment of claim 1, wherein the value system further comprises:

a simulated world value for the potential condition/event value.

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165. A system related to a virtual reality environment, the system comprising:

circuitry for a simulated world wherein a participant is enabled to select a destination and/or activity and/or event;

circuitry for a user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement as a grantor participant, as a depository participant, as at least one depository item available for deposit pursuant to the escrow arrangement, and/or as a grantee participant;

circuitry for a value system wherein a potential depository value is attributed to one or more depository items and a potential condition/event value is attributed to a performance of a condition and/or the happening of an event, wherein the one or more depository items are to be delivered by a grantor to a depository prior to the performance of the condition and/or the happening of the event, and wherein the one or more depository items are to be delivered by the depository to a grantee upon the performance of the condition and/or the happening of the event; and

circuitry for a memory device capable of keeping a record of the escrow arrangement.

166. A system related to a virtual reality environment, the system comprising:

means for a simulated world wherein a participant is enabled to select a destination and/or activity and/or event;

means for a user interface communication link that enables the participant to have access to the simulated world and participate in an escrow arrangement as a grantor participant, as a depository participant, as at least one depository item available for deposit pursuant to the escrow arrangement, and/or as a grantee participant;

means for a value system wherein a potential depository value is attributed to one or more depository items and a potential condition/event value is attributed to a performance of a condition and/or the happening of an event, wherein the one or more depository items are to be delivered by a grantor to a depository prior to the performance of the condition and/or the happening of the event, and wherein the one or more depository items are to be delivered by the depository to a grantee upon the performance of the condition and/or the happening of the event; and

means for a memory device capable of keeping a record of the escrow arrangement.