Real-world profile data for making virtual world contacts

• US 20070130001A1
• Filed: 11/18/2005
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Jung, Edward, Malamud, Mark, Lord, Robert, Levien, Royce, Rinaldo, John
• Application Number:
  US11/283,551
• Publication Number:
  US 20070130001A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.120
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof

Abstract

A method and system provides arrangements creating a relationship between a real-world entity and a virtual world environment. A virtual world patron can participate in various virtual world activities and transactions. Feedback may be provided and records kept regarding the virtual world activities and transactions. The virtual world patron may be a possible recipient of a real-world consequence or benefit based on a virtual world occurrence. In some instances confirmation of an awarded real-world benefit may be provided via a communication interconnection. Real-world profile data may be used in connection with promotional activities in a virtual world environment.

Claims

1. A method of making a particular benefit available to a party, comprising:

obtaining profile data relating to one or more current or prospective clientele of a real-world entity;

establishing a possible real-world benefit correlated with the profile data; and

making an arrangement for the possible real-world benefit to be made available to the clientele in connection with the clientele'"'"'s participation in a virtual world environment.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said obtaining profile data includes:

obtaining real-world profile data regarding a purchase of a type of product or service by the clientele from the real-world entity.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said obtaining profile data includes;

obtaining real-world profile data regarding demographics of the clientele.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said making the arrangement includes:

making the arrangement with one or more of the following parties;

virtual world owner, virtual world operator, player, character, third party, real-world entity, participant, group, entity with virtual world oversight, entity designated by clientele, parent of clientele, oversight authority, supervisory entity, certification entity, and entity with relationship to clientele.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said making the arrangement includes:

making the possible real-world benefit available within a program incorporated in the virtual world environment.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said making the arrangement includes:

making the possible real-world benefit available within a program operating separately from the virtual world environment.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving confirmation of an awarded real-world benefit via a communication interconnection.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said receiving the award confirmation data includes:

receiving award confirmation data using one or more of the following communication interconnection techniques;

wireless transmission, cable, wired connection, telephonic transmission, email, virtual world storage media, virtual world database, virtual world website, mobile memory device, public database, shared database, hardcopy delivery, private storage medium, company storage medium, public storage medium, encoded message, deferred transmission, aggregated transmission, store-and-forward transmission, cached transmission, point-to-point transmission, direct transmission, broadcast, and business data interchange.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

assenting to one or more virtual world pre-conditions as at least a partial basis for awarding the possible real-world benefit to the clientele or its associated virtual character.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said assenting to the one or more virtual world pre-conditions includes:

delegating authorization to a virtual world owner or operator or other third party to select the one or more virtual world pre-conditions for awarding the possible real-world benefit.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said assenting to the one or more virtual world pre-conditions includes:

establishing one or more virtual world pre-conditions selected by or on behalf of the real-world entity.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said assenting to the one or more virtual world pre-conditions includes:

approving a virtual world pre-condition that is related to the real-world benefit.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein said assenting to the one or more virtual world pre-conditions includes:

approving a virtual world pre-condition that is not related to the real-world benefit.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein said assenting to the one or more virtual world pre-conditions includes:

approving a virtual world pre-condition that is related to the profile data.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein said assenting to the one or more virtual world pre-conditions includes:

approving a virtual world pre-condition that is not related to the profile data.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

approving a pre-condition as at least a partial basis for awarding the possible real-world benefit to the clientele, which pre-condition includes requiring the clientele to give something of real-world value or virtual world value.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said approving the pre-condition includes:

approving the pre-condition wherein the clientele gives something of real-world or virtual world value to a real-world entity that provides the real-world benefit.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein said approving the pre-condition includes:

approving the pre-condition wherein the clientele gives something of real-world or virtual world value to an owner or operator of the virtual world environment.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein said making the arrangement includes:

requiring no pre-condition for awarding the real-world benefit to the clientele.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein said making the arrangement includes:

making two or more different real-world benefits available to the clientele; and

allowing the clientele to make a selection from among the two or more different real-world benefits.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein said establishing the real-world benefit includes:

establishing the real-world benefit that is capable of transfer from an original recipient to another real-world or virtual world party.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein said obtaining the profile data includes:

obtaining one or more of the following type of relevant factors applicable to the clientele;

membership, affiliation, subscription, affinity, similarity, demography, categorization, taxonomy, status, condition, health, mobility, communication interface, network linkage, skill, experience, aptitude, trait, personality, characteristics, interests, and relationships.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said establishing the possible real-world benefit includes:

correlating the possible real-world benefit based at least in part on establishing the clientele'"'"'s nexus with an aforesaid type of relevant factors.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein said establishing the possible real-world benefit available includes:

correlating the possible real-world benefit based at least in part on establishing the clientele'"'"'s non-involvement or void with respect to an aforesaid type of relevant factors.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein said obtaining real-world profile data includes:

obtaining information regarding one or more of the following real-world profile data elements related to the clientele;

account, calendar date, item, product, apparatus, service, vehicle, and communication device; and

wherein said making the arrangement includes correlating the possible real-world benefit based at least in part on determining an attribute or value of an aforesaid real-world profile data element.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said correlating the possible real-world benefit includes:

establishing a category or type or brand or source or location or specific identity of the aforesaid type of profile data elements.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein said obtaining real-world profile data includes:

obtaining information regarding one or more of the following real-world profile data elements related to the clientele;

account, calendar date, item, product, apparatus, service, vehicle, and communication device; and

wherein said making the arrangement includes correlating the possible real-world benefit based at least in part on determining an existence or non-existence of an aforesaid real-world profile data element.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein said making the arrangement includes:

confirming a schedule for making the possible real-world benefit available in the virtual world environment, wherein the schedule is set or established by one or more of the following;

real-world entity, agent of real-world entity, third party, virtual world owner, and virtual world operator.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein said confirming the schedule includes:

confirming the schedule for making a notification or an award of the possible real-world benefit.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein said confirming the schedule includes:

confirming a real-world time of day or real-world calendar schedule for making the possible real-world benefit available in the virtual world environment.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein said confirming the schedule includes:

confirming a virtual world setting or activity or topic or event for making the possible real-world benefit available in the virtual world environment.

32. The method of claim 28 wherein said confirming the schedule includes:

confirming the schedule selected at least in part based on correlation with the profile data.

33. A method of providing a real-world opportunity, comprising:

obtaining real-world profile data for one or more persons;

selecting a possible real-world benefit, which possible real-world benefit is correlated with information in the real-world profile data;

identifying a virtual world environment in which the one or more persons participate; and

making an arrangement for offering the possible real-world benefit in the virtual world environment.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein said making the arrangement includes:

making the arrangement for incorporating a notification or award of the possible real-world benefit within a program incorporated in the virtual world environment.

35. The method of claim 33 wherein said making the arrangement includes:

making the arrangement for incorporating a notification or award of the possible real-world benefit within a program operating separately from the virtual world environment.

36. The method of claim 33 wherein said making the arrangement includes:

making the arrangement for providing notification or award of the possible real-world benefit during a period when the virtual world patron is logged onto the virtual world environment.

37. The method of claim 33 wherein said making the arrangement includes:

making the arrangement with one or more of the following parties;

virtual world owner, virtual world operator, player, character, third party, real-world entity, participant, group, entity with virtual world oversight, entity designated by person, parent of person, oversight authority, supervisory entity, certification entity, and entity with relationship to person.

38. The method of claim 33 wherein said obtaining real-world profile data includes:

obtaining the real-world profile data from one or more of the following parties;

virtual world owner, virtual world operator, player, character, third party, real-world entity, participant, group, entity with virtual world oversight, entity designated by person, parent of person, oversight authority, supervisory entity, certification entity, and entity with relationship to person.

39. The method of claim 33 wherein said making the arrangement includes:

assenting to one or more of the following techniques for virtual world notification or award of the possible real-world benefit;

popup message, message from avatar, audio message, audiovisual message, text message, animated display, cartoon figure, response to query, award message based on virtual world achievement, congratulations message, item delivery, item transfer, transaction offer, menu prompt, hyperlink display, downloaded informational file, virtual character activation, placed virtual object, changeable virtual object, indicia overlay, symbol addition, symbol overlay, user interface affordance modification, virtual object color, virtual object motion, and object recognition.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein said assenting to the one or more techniques of virtual world notification or award includes:

confirming the one or more techniques involve a virtual world setting or activity or topic or event or schedule related to the real-world profile data.

41. The method of claim 39 wherein said assenting to the one or more techniques of virtual world notification or award includes:

delegating authorization to a virtual world owner or operator or other third party to select the technique for virtual world notification or award of the possible real-world benefit.

42. The method of claim 39 wherein said assenting to the one or more techniques of virtual world notification or award includes:

establishing the technique of virtual world notification or award selected by or on behalf of the real-world entity.

43. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

receiving a confirmation of an awarded real-world benefit.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein said receiving the confirmation includes:

receiving the confirmation encoded on one or more of the following type of records;

flash memory, magnetic memory, optical memory, optical/magnetic memory, disk, card, mobile device, database, volatile memory, permanent memory, local memory, remote memory, in-game inventory, character profile, in-game inventory, character profile, and patron profile.

45. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

receiving award confirmation data using one or more of the following communication interconnection techniques;

wireless transmission, cable, wired connection, telephonic transmission, email, virtual world storage media, virtual world database, virtual world website, mobile memory device, public database, shared database, hardcopy delivery, personal storage medium, public storage medium, encoded message, deferred transmission, aggregated transmission, store-and-forward transmission, cached transmission, point-to-point transmission, direct transmission, broadcast, and business data interchange.

46. The method of claim 33 wherein said obtaining real-world profile data includes:

obtaining information regarding one or more of the following real-world profile data elements related to the one or more persons;

account, calendar date, item, product, apparatus, service, vehicle, and communication device.

47. The method of claim 46 wherein said selecting the possible real-world benefit includes:

correlating the possible real-world benefit based at least in part on determining a category or type or brand or source or location or specific identity of the aforesaid type of real-world profile data elements.

48. The method of claim 33 wherein said obtaining the profile data includes:

obtaining one or more of the following type of relevant factors applicable to the one or more persons;

membership, affiliation, subscription, affinity, similarity, demography, categorization, taxonomy, status, condition, health, mobility, communication interface, network linkage, skill, experience, aptitude, trait, personality, characteristics, interests, and relationships.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein said selecting the possible real-world benefit includes:

correlating the possible real-world benefit based at least in part on establishing a virtual world patron'"'"'s nexus or non-involvement with an aforesaid type of relevant factors.

50. The method of claim 33 wherein said selecting the possible real-world benefit includes:

selecting the possible real-world benefit that is capable of being transferred to another real-world or virtual world party.

51. A system of making one or more real-world benefits available, comprising:

a data record of profile information for current or prospective clientele;

a listing of one or more real-world benefits correlated with the profile information;

a real-world entity that is a provider of the one or more real-world benefits; and

a program module authorized by the real-world entity for making the one or more real-world benefits available in a selected virtual world environment.

52. The system of claim 51 wherein said program module includes:

program instructions for implementing a technique of virtual world notification or award of the one or more real-world benefits in the selected virtual world environment, wherein the technique involves a virtual world setting or activity or topic or event or schedule related to the profile information.

53. The system of claim 51 wherein said program module includes:

program instructions for generating an award confirmation to the clientele or its associated virtual character.

54. The system of claim 51 wherein said program module includes:

program instructions for generating an award confirmation to the real-world entity that is a provider of the one or more real-world benefits

55. The system of claim 54 further comprising:

a communication interconnection configured to receive and process the award confirmation, wherein the communication interconnection incorporates one or more of the following techniques;

wireless transmission, cable, wired connection, telephonic transmission, email, virtual world storage media, virtual world database, virtual world website, mobile memory device, public database, shared database, hardcopy delivery, personal storage medium, public storage medium, encoded message, deferred transmission, aggregated transmission, store-and-forward transmission, cached transmission, point-to-point transmission, direct transmission, broadcast, and business data interchange.

56. A computer program product comprising:

a) program instructions configured to perform a process that associates information in a computer system, the process including

identifying one or more persons that are current or potential patrons of a real-world entity,

listing real-world profile data related to the one or more persons,

listing one or more real-world benefits provided by the real-world entity,

correlating the one or more real-world benefits with the one or more persons as a basis for making a possible benefit available in a virtual world environment; and

b) computer readable media for encoding the instructions, which computer readable media includes a storage medium or a transmission medium.

57. The computer program product of claim 56 wherein said process further includes:

providing a virtual world notification or a virtual world award of the one or more real-world benefits to a virtual character associated with the one or more persons.

58. The computer program product of claim 56 wherein said process further includes:

generating an award confirmation.

59. The computer program product of claim 58 wherein said process feature of generating the award confirmation includes:

encoding the award confirmation on one or more of the following types of records;

flash memory, magnetic memory, optical memory, optical/magnetic memory, disk, card, mobile device, database, volatile memory, permanent memory, local memory, remote memory, in-game inventory, character profile, in-game inventory, character profile, and patron profile.