Tracking a participant loss in a virtual world

• US 20090198604A1
• Filed: 10/30/2008
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Rinaldo, John D. JR., Lord, Robert W., Jung, Edward K.Y., Levien, Royce A., Malamud, Mark A.
• Application Number:
  US12/290,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20090198604A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/35
• 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 2300/5586 for enforcing rights or rules, e.g. to prevent foul play
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/575 for trading virtual items
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

Embodiments include an apparatus, device, system, computer-program product, and method. In an embodiment, a system includes a virtual world in which a participant may participate. The system also includes a covered-loss detection module operable to identify an occurrence of a defined loss in the virtual world suffered by the participant. The defined loss is described in an agreement that includes an obligation of a protection entity to provide a benefit to the participant upon an occurrence in the virtual world of the defined loss.

Claims

1-40. -40. (canceled)

41. A method comprising:

identifying an occurrence in a virtual world of a loss defined in an agreement, the virtual world including a virtual world operable to interact with a plurality of participants over a network, and the agreement including an obligation of a protection entity to provide a benefit to a participant of at least two participants (hereafter referred to as “

the participant”

) upon an occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world; and

responding to a benefit claim corresponding to a purported occurrence of a loss suffered by the participant in the virtual world based at least in part on the identified occurrence in the virtual world of a loss defined in the agreement.

42. The method of claim 41, further including:

monitoring the virtual world for the occurrence of a loss defined in the agreement.

43. The method of claim 41, further including:

managing the virtual world.

44. The method of claim 41, further including:

accepting a participant input operating a character in the virtual world.

45. A computer program product, comprising:

(a) program instructions operable to perform a process in a computer system, the process comprising;

receiving a claim for a benefit based upon a purported occurrence in a virtual world of a defined loss described in an agreement and suffered by a participant of at least two participants (hereafter referred to as “

the participant”

), the virtual world being operable to interact with at the least two participants over a network, and the agreement including an obligation of a protection entity to provide the benefit to the participant a upon an occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world;

verifying the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world; and

responding to the claim for a benefit based upon the verifying the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world; and

(b) a computer-readable signal-bearing medium bearing the program instructions.

46. The computer program product of claim 45, wherein the responding to the claim for the benefit based upon the verifying the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world includes:

responding that the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world is verified.

47. The computer program product of claim 45, wherein the responding to the claim for the benefit based upon the verifying the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world includes:

responding that the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world is verified and the claim is allowed.

48. The computer program product of claim 45, wherein the responding to the claim for the benefit based upon the verifying the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world includes:

responding that the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world is not verified.

49. The computer program product of claim 45, wherein the verifying the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world includes:

correlating the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world and a computing machine identified occurrence of the defined loss experienced by the participant in the virtual world.

50. The computer program product of claim 49, wherein the correlating the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world and a computing machine identified occurrence of the defined loss experienced by the participant in the virtual world includes:

correlating the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world and a computing machine monitored occurrence of the defined loss experienced by the participant in the virtual world.

51. The computer program product of claim 45, wherein the computer-readable signal-bearing medium includes

a computer storage medium.

52. The computer program product of claim 45, wherein the computer-readable signal-bearing medium includes:

a communication medium.

53. A system comprising:

means for identifying an occurrence in a virtual world of a loss defined in an agreement, the virtual world including a virtual world operable to interact with a plurality of participants over a network, and the agreement including an obligation of a protection entity to provide a benefit to a participant of at least two participants (hereafter referred to as “

the participant”

) upon an occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world; and

means for responding to a benefit claim corresponding to a purported occurrence of a loss suffered by the participant in the virtual world based at least in part on the identified occurrence in the virtual world of a loss defined in the agreement.

54. The system of claim 53, further including:

means for monitoring the virtual world for the occurrence of a loss defined in the agreement.

55. The system of claim 53, further including:

means for managing the virtual world.

56. The system of claim 53, further including:

means for accepting a participant input operating a character in the virtual world.

57. A system comprising:

circuitry for identifying an occurrence in a virtual world of a loss defined in an agreement, the virtual world including a virtual world operable to interact with a plurality of participants over a network, and the agreement including an obligation of a protection entity to provide a benefit to a participant of at least two participants (hereafter referred to as “

the participant”

) upon an occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world; and

circuitry for responding to a benefit claim corresponding to a purported occurrence of a loss suffered by the participant in the virtual world based at least in part on the identified occurrence in the virtual world of a loss defined in the agreement.

58. A computer program product comprising:

signal bearing medium bearing

one or more instructions for identifying an occurrence in a virtual world of a loss defined in an agreement, the virtual world including a virtual world operable to interact with a plurality of participants over a network, and the agreement including an obligation of a protection entity to provide a benefit to a participant of at least two participants (hereafter referred to as “

the participant”

) upon an occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world; and

one or more instructions for responding to a benefit claim corresponding to a purported occurrence of a loss suffered by the participant in the virtual world based at least in part on the identified occurrence in the virtual world of a loss defined in the agreement.

59. A method comprising:

receiving a claim for a benefit based upon a purported occurrence in a virtual world of a defined loss described in an agreement and suffered by a participant of at least two participants (hereafter referred to as “

the participant”

), the virtual world being operable to interact with at the least two participants over a network, and the agreement including an obligation of a protection entity to provide the benefit to the participant a upon an occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world;

verifying the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world; and

responding to the claim for a benefit based upon the verifying the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein the responding to the claim for the benefit based upon the verifying the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world includes:

responding that the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world is verified.

61. The method of claim 59, wherein the responding to the claim for the benefit based upon the verifying the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world includes:

responding that the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world is verified and the claim is allowed.

62. The method of claim 59, wherein the responding to the claim for the benefit based upon the verifying the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world includes:

responding that the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world is not verified.

63. The method of claim 59, wherein the verifying the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world includes:

correlating the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world and a computing machine identified occurrence of the defined loss experienced by the participant in the virtual world.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein the correlating the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world and a computing machine identified occurrence of the defined loss experienced by the participant in the virtual world includes:

correlating the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world and a computing machine monitored occurrence of the defined loss experienced by the participant in the virtual world.

65. A system comprising:

means for receiving a claim for a benefit based upon a purported occurrence in a virtual world of a defined loss described in an agreement and suffered by a participant of at least two participants (hereafter referred to as “

the participant”

), the virtual world being operable to interact with at the least two participants over a network, and the agreement including an obligation of a protection entity to provide the benefit to the participant a upon an occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world;

means for verifying the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world; and

means for responding to the claim for a benefit based upon the verifying the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world.

66. The system of claim 65, wherein the means for responding to the claim for the benefit based upon the verifying the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world includes:

means for responding that the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world is verified.

67. The system of claim 65, wherein the means for responding to the claim for the benefit based upon the verifying the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world includes:

means for responding that the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world is verified and the claim is allowed.

68. The system of claim 65, wherein the means for responding to the claim for the benefit based upon the verifying the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world includes:

means for responding that the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world is not verified.

69. The system of claim 65, wherein the means for verifying the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world includes:

means for correlating the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world and a computing machine identified occurrence of the defined loss experienced by the participant in the virtual world.

70. The system of claim 69, wherein the means for correlating the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world and a computing machine identified occurrence of the defined loss experienced by the participant in the virtual world includes:

means for correlating the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world and a computing machine monitored occurrence of the defined loss experienced by the participant in the virtual world.

71. A system comprising:

circuitry for receiving a claim for a benefit based upon a purported occurrence in a virtual world of a defined loss described in an agreement and suffered by a participant of at least two participants (hereafter referred to as “

the participant”

), the virtual world being operable to interact with at the least two participants over a network, and the agreement including an obligation of a protection entity to provide the benefit to the participant a upon an occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world;

circuitry for verifying the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world; and

circuitry for responding to the claim for a benefit based upon the verifying the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world.

72. A system comprising:

a signal bearing medium bearing;

one or more instructions for receiving a claim for a benefit based upon a purported occurrence in a virtual world of a defined loss described in an agreement and suffered by a participant of at least two participants (hereafter referred to as “

the participant”

), the virtual world being operable to interact with at the least two participants over a network, and the agreement including an obligation of a protection entity to provide the benefit to the participant a upon an occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world;

one or more instructions for verifying the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world; and

one or more instructions for responding to the claim for a benefit based upon the verifying the purported occurrence of the defined loss in the virtual world.