Computer-implemented system and method for home page customization and e-commerce support

• US 20070002057A1
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IMVU Incorporated (IMVU)
• Original Assignee: IMVU Incorporated (IMVU)
• Inventors: Danzig, Matt, Gosling, Marcus, Harvey, William, Guymon, Vernon, Ries, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 7,342,587 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/473
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 player location
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6018 where the game content is authored by the player, e.g. level editor or by game device at runtime, e.g. level is created from music data on CD
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

A computer-implemented system and method for home page customization and e-commerce support is disclosed. The present invention relates to avatar home pages and the combination of a home page customization service with an e-commerce marketplace through which users can purchase home page decorations made by third party developers. Various embodiments include a “chat now” online matching system and a real-time map showing the geographical location of users in an online community.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

automatically generating and hosting user home pages containing pictures of avatars that users can customize to represent themselves.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 further including providing pictures of 2D avatars that users have customized by combining 2D clothing options and body customization options using a separate application or web service.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 further including providing 2D pictures of 3D avatars that users have customized by combining 3D clothing options and body customization options using a separate application.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the separate application used to customize 3D avatars also includes communication facilities that allow users to instant message each other in a visual environment that displays the participants as the 3D avatars that the users have customized to represent themselves.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 further including providing an application to enable users to chat or instant message with other users whom they may not already know by either (a) automatically matching users who indicate they want to chat or instant message with an automatically selected match, or (b) allowing users to initiate a chat or instant message with another user from the user home page that contains pictures of the user'"'"'s avatar or from a list or directory of users that shows pictures of those users'"'"' avatars in combination with optional other information such as the users'"'"' avatar names or the users'"'"' real world locations.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 further including providing a component allowing users to record screen images (snapshots) taken of the application'"'"'s visual environment displaying the users'"'"' avatars, and to upload such screen images to the home page hosting service as the pictures that represent the users on their home pages.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 further including providing an application to enable users to save the 2D pictures of their customized 3D avatars to a storage medium in a form that they can upload to other web services or applications to represent themselves, such as uploading icons to represent themselves in forums or online communities or as buddy icons to represent themselves on instant message applications.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the user home pages or a set of other web pages display the real world geographical location of the users.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the home page hosting service records what users have viewed a home page and optionally displays a subset of such users on the viewed home page as “

visitors.”

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the home page hosting service displays the visitors by showing pictures of their avatars, in combination with optional other information such as their avatar name.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the home page hosting service displays the visitors'"'"' real world geographical location on the home page by showing markers on a visual map displayed on the home page.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein markers show pictures of the respective avatars, in combination with optional other information such as their avatar name, when a visitor of the home page holds the mouse cursor over the marker.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the home page hosting service enables users to designate other users as their “

friends,” and

displays a subset of such friends on the viewed home page.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the home page hosting service displays the friends by showing pictures of their avatars, in combination with optional other information such as their avatar name.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the home page hosting service displays the friends'"'"' real world geographical location on the home page by showing markers on a visual map displayed on the home page.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein markers show pictures of the respective avatars, in combination with optional other information such as their avatar name, when a visitor of the home page holds the mouse cursor over the marker.

17. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the home page hosting service enables users to post messages on other users'"'"' home pages and displays the messages or a subset of the messages on the other users'"'"' home pages.

18. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the home page hosting service visually identifies the senders of the messages by showing pictures of their avatars, in combination with optional other information such as their avatar name.

19. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein messages can be private or public, such that private messages are visible on the receiver'"'"'s home page only by the receiver and public messages are visible on the receiver'"'"'s home page by the receiver and other visitors who view the page.

20. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein users can select and give a gift to the receiver along with a message.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20 wherein the gift is a 3D clothing option or body customization option that the receiver can use to further customize his avatar.

22. The method as claimed in claim 20 wherein the gift is a decoration object that the receiver can use to customize his home page.

23. The method as claimed in claim 22 wherein the decoration object contains a 2D screen image that the receiver can position on his home page.

24. The method as claimed in claim 22 wherein the decoration object contains multi-media effects such as animations or sounds that the user can add to his home page.

25. The method as claimed in claim 22 wherein the decoration object contains interactive elements that the receiver can customize.

26. The method as claimed in claim 25 wherein the interactive elements include messages or links that the receiver can define and that show up when a visitor to the home page holds the mouse cursor over or clicks on the decoration object.

27. The method as claimed in claim 22 wherein the decoration object displays the name or avatar picture of the giver of the decoration object.

28. The method as claimed in claim 27 wherein the displayed name or avatar picture of the giver of the decoration object is displayed automatically when a visitor to the home page holds the mouse cursor over the decoration object.

29. The method as claimed in claim 22 wherein the decoration object has a limited duration lifetime after which it is automatically removed from the home page by the hosting service.

30. A method comprising:

providing a combination of a home page customization service and e-commerce marketplace service, that combination enabling users to customize their home pages with decoration objects that the users purchase or receive as gifts from other users who have purchased them from an online marketplace of decoration objects made by a plurality of third party developers and submitted by the developers to the marketplace service through a process that automatically gives the developers incentives for the sale of their objects to other users.

31. The method as claimed in claim 30 wherein the decoration object contains a 2D screen image that the user can position on his home page.

32. The method as claimed in claim 30 wherein the decoration object contains multi-media effects such as animations or sounds that the user can add to his home page.

33. The method as claimed in claim 30 wherein the decoration object contains interactive elements that the receiver can customize.

34. The method as claimed in claim 33 wherein the interactive elements include messages or links that the receiver can define and that show up when a visitor to the home page holds the mouse cursor over or clicks on the decoration object.

35. The method as claimed in claim 30 wherein the decoration object displays the name or avatar picture of the giver of the decoration object if such decoration object was given to the user as a gift.

36. The method as claimed in claim 35 wherein the displayed name or avatar picture of the giver of the decoration object is displayed automatically when a visitor to the home page holds the mouse cursor over the decoration object.

37. The method as claimed in claim 30 wherein the decoration object has a limited duration lifetime after which it is automatically removed from the home page by the hosting service.

38. The method as claimed in claim 30 further including providing a submission process through which developers add decoration objects to the marketplace, in combination with the purchase process through which a user purchases a decoration object for himself or as a gift, remunerates the developer with a portion of the currency or virtual currency denomination with which the user purchased the decoration object.