Disposition of component virtual property rights

• US 20090043604A1
• Filed: 07/31/2008
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC A Limited Liability Corporation of The State of Delaware
• Inventors: Rinaldo, John D. JR., Lord, Robert W., Levien, Royce A., Jung, Edward K. Y., Malamud, Mark A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,566,111 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A method and system provides transactions and arrangements in virtual world environments. A user can participate in transactions to acquire virtual property and related virtual rights. In some implementations, real-world and virtual parties can be involved in possible transfers of various types of virtual property and virtual property rights.

Claims

1. A method of arranging a possible transfer of one or more virtual world objects, comprising:

providing a virtual object that has one or more components;

allowing an authorization by or on behalf of a donor party for making a conditional transfer of a particular property right respecting the virtual object to a recipient; and

confirming that the conditional transfer is not inconsistent with an aspect or attribute or element of the virtual object to be transferred.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said providing the virtual object includes:

selecting a designated virtual object that has a capacity to be transferable.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said selecting the designated virtual object includes:

selecting a composite virtual object having two or more multiple components that are inseparable from each other.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said selecting the designated virtual object includes:

selecting a composite virtual object having independent multiple components.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said allowing the authorization includes:

allowing the authorization for the conditional transfer of the particular property right for the composite virtual object, wherein the independent multiple components are transferable together to the recipient.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said allowing the authorization includes:

allowing the authorization for the conditional transfer of the particular property right for the composite virtual object, wherein certain of the independent multiple components are transferable separately to multiple recipients, respectively.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein selecting the selecting the designated virtual object includes:

selecting a composite virtual object having two or more multiple components, one of which includes multiple units.

8. The method claim 1 wherein said confirming that the property right is not inconsistent includes:

confirming that the authorization provides the conditional transfer to the recipient having a required aspect or attribute or element necessary for receiving the property right.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said confirming includes:

confirming that the recipient has one or more of the following types of required virtual aspects or attributes or elements;

level access, experience token, skill level, enabling state, capability, related virtual right, related characteristic, related character trait, related character ability, stated belief, stated intention, correlated personality, designated mood, certain emotional trait, particular possession, correlated item, compatible object, prior conduct, group membership, non-group membership, citizenship, non-citizenship, subject to restriction, subject to supervisory authority, subject to rating scheme, subject to law, subject to regulation, commitment to future conduct, third party oversight, related virtual property, virtual real estate, currently active character, and currently a participant in virtual world.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said allowing the authorization for making the conditional transfer includes:

implementing a permanent transfer based at least in part upon confirming a real-world death or other real-world disqualification of the donor party as at least a partial basis for making the conditional transfer.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said allowing the authorization for making the conditional transfer includes:

implementing a permanent or temporary transfer based at least in part upon confirming a virtual world death or demise or disability or other applicable disqualification of a virtual character associated with the donor party.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said allowing the authorization includes:

receiving the authorization via a real-world communication from a real-world entity.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein said allowing the authorization includes:

receiving the authorization via a virtual world communication from a virtual world entity.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

maintaining a record regarding the conditional transfer.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said maintaining the record includes:

maintaining the record to be accessible in the virtual world environment to a virtual world entity or to its agent.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein said maintaining the record includes:

maintaining the record to be accessible in a real-world environment to a real-world entity or to its agent.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein said maintaining the record includes:

making the record accessible to one or more of the following;

owner of virtual-world environment, operator of virtual world environment, real-world donor party, party selected by donor party, agent of donor party, recipient, party selected by recipient, approved representative of real-world donor party, approved representative of virtual world donor party, approved representative of recipient, secondary beneficiary, contingent beneficiary, joint beneficiary, parent of recipient who is a minor, guardian of recipient who is a minor, officer of recipient entity, and officer of recipient group.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein said allowing the authorization for making the conditional transfer includes:

implementing the transfer based at least in part upon receiving something of virtual world value from or on behalf of the donor party.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein said allowing the authorization for making the conditional transfer includes:

implementing the transfer based at least in part upon receiving something of real-world value from or on behalf of the donor party.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein said confirming that the conditional transfer is not inconsistent includes:

confirming a demise or dissolution or disqualification of a virtual world setting or group related to the particular property right regarding the virtual object.

24. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

implementing the conditional transfer to one of the following types of recipient;

real-world person, real-world person under eighteen years of age, real-world person over eighteen years of age, real-world family, real-world group, real-world organization, real-world entity, real-world third party, virtual character, virtual group, virtual player, virtual world participant, virtual world owner, virtual world operator, virtual world third party, virtual group at a virtual world location or setting, real-world group in a particular real-world location, real-world group in a particular real-world region, active participant at particular real-world time, active participant at particular virtual world time, and another virtual character of donor party.

25. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

making the conditional transfer to a virtual escrow agent or a real-world escrow agent prior to implementing the conditional transfer to the recipient.

26. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

requiring something of real-world or virtual world value from or on behalf of the recipient prior to implementing the conditional transfer to the recipient.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein said providing the virtual object includes:

providing one or more of the following types of independent or composite virtual world objects;

composite virtual character, virtual character name, virtual character trait, character attribute, composite avatar, virtual skill, virtual key, access right, value token, virtual currency, experience points, level access, virtual property, virtual real property, virtual personal property, property right, contractual right, email account, password, key, location, site, history, log, activity log, chat log, messages, message log, list, companion list, contact list, address list, item, modified item, item component, disguise, clothing, clothing component, accessory, weapon, tool, vehicle, magical power, decoration, inventory, store credit, virtual charge account, virtual role, virtual position, group membership, all virtual rights of donor, and total asset accumulation of donor.

11. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

23. (canceled)

28. A computerized system comprising:

one or more computer programs on media having encoded instructions for creating a virtual world environment;

a first database record for identifying a particular property right in composite virtual object in the virtual world environment, wherein the identified property right is subject to a conditional transferable right;

a module configured to facilitate implementing a disposition of the conditional transferable right from a donor party to a designated successor party; and

a second database record of a real-world or virtual world term or condition required for the disposition to occur, which record includes one or more transfer requirements regarding an aspect or attribute or element or characteristic of the composite virtual object.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein said first database record includes an identification of the composite virtual object having two or more multiple components inseparable from each other;

and wherein said module is configured to implement transfer of the multiple components together to the designated successor party.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein said first database record includes an identification of the composite virtual object having two or more independent multiple components;

and wherein said module is configured to implement transfer of the independent multiple components to multiple designated successor parties, respectively.

31. The system of claim 28 wherein said module is configured to implement a permanent transfer based on confirmation of a real-world death or disqualification of the donor party.

32. The system of claim 28 wherein said module is configured to implement a permanent or temporary transfer based on confirmation of a virtual world death or demise or disability or other applicable disqualification of a virtual character associated with the donor party.

33. The system of claim 28 wherein said first or second database record includes:

a record of one or more adverse claims made in response to a virtual world notification of a pending disposition of the conditional transferable right to the designated successor party.

35. The system of claim 28 wherein said second database record includes one or more of the following types of transfer requirements:

secondary beneficiary, group beneficiary, charitable beneficiary, joint beneficiaries, real-world party donor to be anonymous, disclose identity of real-world donor only after confirmation of death, subject to contingency, contingent on type of death or disqualification of real-world donor, contingent on type of death or demise or disability or disqualification of virtual world donor, contingent on successor having attribute, contingent on successor not having attribute, contingent on successor having certain item, contingent on successor not having certain item, contingent on successor having related item, contingent on successor having right to acquire related item, contingent on successor having right to inherit related item, conditional transfer based on successor party'"'"'s age, conditional transfer based on successor party'"'"'s education, conditional transfer based on successor party'"'"'s marital status, transfer conditional upon acceptance by successor party;

transfer conditional upon timely acceptance, transfer conditional upon inspection by successor party, collective transfer of all virtual property rights of real-world party donor, transfer of multiple versions of the subject matter of the property right;

authorize duplicate virtual attributes or aspects to be transferred;

collective transfer of all virtual property rights to respective designated beneficiaries, transfer voided if successor party deceased, further transferability not authorized;

transfer to occur at given date even if real-world party donor still alive;

transfer conditional upon approval of third party;

transfer made to trustee on behalf of successor party, transfer made to trustee on behalf of beneficiary;

liquidating virtual world property right prior to transfer, obtaining liquidated virtual world value as subject of transfer, and obtaining liquidated real-world value as subject of transfer.

36. The system of claim 28 wherein said first or second database record includes a record of one or more of the following types of informational data:

authorization for transferring, date of authorization, identity of designated successor party, identity of property right to be transferred, secondary beneficiary, transfer requirements, transfer fee, and required third party approval.

37. The system of claim 28 wherein said first or second database record is configured to be accessible in the virtual world environment to one or more of the following:

owner of virtual-world environment, operator of virtual-world environment, real-world party donor, party selected by donor, agent of donor, designated successor party, party selected by successor party, approved representative of real-world party donor, approved representative of designated successor party, secondary beneficiary, contingent beneficiary, joint beneficiary, parent of successor who is a minor, guardian of successor who is a minor, officer of successor entity, and officer of successor group.

38. The system of claim 28 wherein said first or second database record is configured to be accessible in a real-world environment to one or more of the following:

owner of virtual-world environment, operator of virtual-world environment, real-world party donor, party selected by donor, agent of donor, designated successor party, party selected by successor party, approved representative of real-world party donor, approved representative of designated successor party, secondary beneficiary, contingent beneficiary, joint beneficiary, parent of successor who is a minor, guardian of successor who is a minor, officer of successor entity, and officer of successor group.

39. The system of claim 28 wherein said first or second database record includes informational data that relates to an authorized transfer of a property right regarding one or more of the following types of independent or composite virtual aspects or attributes or elements:

virtual character, virtual character name, virtual character trait, character attribute, composite avatar, virtual skill, virtual key, access right, value tokens, virtual currency, experience points, level access, virtual property, virtual real property, virtual personal property, property right, contractual right, email account, password, key, location, site, history, log, activity log, chat log, messages, message log, list, companion list, contact list, address list, item, modified item, item component, disguise, clothing, clothing component, accessory, weapon, tool, vehicle, magical power, decoration, inventory, store credit, virtual charge account, virtual role, virtual position, group membership, all virtual rights of donor, and total asset accumulation of donor.

34. (canceled)

40. A computer program product comprising media having encoded instructions for executing a computerized process, wherein the process comprises:

providing a virtual world environment where a virtual character is enabled to acquire a particular property right in an individual or composite virtual object;

facilitating an arrangement to implement a conditional future transfer of the virtual property right from a donor party to a designated successor party, which conditional future transfer is contingent upon one or more transfer requirements for an aspect or attribute or element or characteristic of the composite virtual object; and

making a record of the arrangement to transfer.

45. The computer program product of claim 40 wherein said establishing a confirmation includes:

confirming one or more of the following types of real-world or virtual world requirements as a pre-condition to completing the transfer to the successor party or recipient;

recipient'"'"'s traits, recipient'"'"'s characteristics, recipient'"'"'s capability, possessions of recipient, correlated items of recipient, recipient'"'"'s relinquishment of non-compatible object, recipient'"'"'s acquisition of compatible object, context of transfer, circumstances of donor party'"'"'s disqualification, prior conduct of donor party, future real-world conduct of recipient, future virtual world conduct of recipient, restricted future use of property right, required type of future use of property right, third party oversight of property right, and resolution of adverse claim.

48. The computer program product of claim 40 wherein said making the record includes:

making a record of one or more of the following types of informational data;

authorization for transferring, date of authorization, identity of designated successor party, identity of virtual property right to be transferred, secondary beneficiary, transfer requirements, transfer fee, and required third party approval.

49. The computer program product of claim 40 wherein said process is encoded on storage and/or signal transmission media accessible to multiple virtual world patrons having logon capabilities at different locations.

50. The computer program product of claim 40 wherein said process is encoded on storage and/or signal transmission media capable of functional operation on localized computer apparatus accessible to an individual virtual world patron.

53. The computer program product of claim 40 wherein said process includes:

sending a notification of a preliminary requirement prior to implementing a transfer of the virtual world property right to a recipient.

54. The computer program product of claim 53 wherein said sending the notification includes:

sending a notification to the donor party and/or to the recipient and/or to their respective representatives, which notification includes one or more of the following types of real-world or virtual world preliminary requirements;

verification of identity of recipient;

verification of recipient'"'"'s age, consent by recipient virtual world participation agreement, consent by recipient to retain the virtual world property right for given period of time;

consent by recipient to pay transfer fee;

payment of fee;

consent by real-world third party;

consent by virtual world third party;

consent by real-world group;

consent by virtual world group;

recipient'"'"'s trait;

recipient'"'"'s characteristic, recipient'"'"'s capability;

possessions of recipient;

correlated items of recipient;

recipient'"'"'s relinquishment of non-compatible object;

recipient acquisition of compatible object;

context of transfer;

circumstances of donor party'"'"'s disqualification;

prior conduct of donor party;

stated intention of donor party;

prior statement of recipient;

recipient'"'"'s stated belief;

recipient'"'"'s stated intention;

recipient'"'"'s past real-world behavior;

recipient'"'"'s past virtual world behavior;

recipient'"'"'s real-world citizenship;

recipient'"'"'s virtual world citizenship;

recipient'"'"'s real-world financial status;

recipient'"'"'s virtual world financial status;

recipient'"'"'s compliance with real-world law;

recipient being subject to real-world statute;

future real-world conduct of recipient;

future virtual world conduct of recipient;

restricted future use of property right;

third party oversight of property right; and

resolution of adverse claim.

41-44. -44. (canceled)

46-47. -47. (canceled)

51-52. -52. (canceled)