Method of and System for Managing Objectionable Material in 3D Immersive Virtual Worlds

• US 20090150778A1
• Filed: 12/07/2007
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Nicol, William B. II
• Granted Patent: US 8,151,191 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/706
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• 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 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5586 for enforcing rights or rules, e.g. to prevent foul play
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/006 based on simulated virtual individual or collective life forms, e.g. social simulations or particle swarm optimisation [PSO]

Abstract

A method of and system for managing objectionable content in a virtual world associates a tag with an attribute associated with an avatar in the virtual world. The method places a limitation on the avatar in the virtual world based upon information in the tag while the tagged attribute is associated with the avatar.

Claims

1. A method of managing objectionable content in a virtual world, which comprises:

associating a tag with an attribute associated with an avatar in a virtual world; and

,

placing a limitation on said avatar in said virtual world based upon information in said tag.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said attribute includes an article of clothing worn by said avatar.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said information in said tag includes information that said attribute is offensive to a particular user.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said information in said tag includes information that said attribute is offensive to a class of users.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said information in said tag includes information that said attribute is inappropriate in a specified situation.

6. The method as claimed in claim1, wherein:

said limitation includes blocking said avatar from entering a field of view of a user into said virtual world.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said limitation includes blocking said avatar from entering a field of view of a member of a class of users into said virtual world.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said limitation includes changing said attribute to a non-offending attribute prior to entry of said avatar into a field of view of a user.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said limitation includes blocking said avatar from entering an area where a specified situation exits.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

notifying said avatar of said tag and said information.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

notifying a creator of said article of said tag and said information.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said limitation comprises:

notifying a user of an approach by said avatar; and

,

enabling said user to control said avatar.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said control comprises:

blocking said avatar from entering a field of view of said user.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said control comprises:

changing said attribute to a non-offending attribute prior to entry of said avatar into a field of view of said user.

15. A virtual world system, which comprises:

means for associating a tag with an attribute associated with an avatar in a virtual world; and

,

means for placing a limitation on said avatar in said virtual world based upon information in said tag.

16. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

said information includes information that said attribute is inappropriate.

17. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

said limitation includes blocking said avatar from approaching a user.

18. An article of manufacture for implementing a method of providing content and services, which comprises:

a computer readable medium having computer readable code thereon, said computer readable code comprising;

instructions for associating a tag with an attribute associated with an avatar in a virtual world; and

,

instructions for placing a limitation on said avatar in said virtual world based upon information in said tag.