USER DRIVEN TRANSACTIONS THROUGH REFERRED VIRTUAL BUSINESS OBJECT

• US 20100179871A1
• Filed: 01/15/2009
• Published: 07/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation, ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Haggar, Peter F., Nicol, William B. II, House, Daniel E., Dawson, Christopher J., Bokor, Brian R., Smith, Andrew B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,606,628 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.340
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

Providing traceability in a Virtual Business Object (VBO) may include generating a VBO comprising components and actions that may be performed using the VBO, attaching traceability information regarding an avatar to the VBO and providing the VBO to the avatar. Also, a network entity configured to access a virtual world environment may include a network interface configured to provide access to the virtual world environment and a controller configured to perform a transaction with an avatar in the virtual world environment, generate a Virtual Business Object (VBO) related to the transaction, attach traceability information regarding the avatar to the VBO, and provide the VBO to the avatar.

Claims

1. A method for providing traceability in a Virtual Business Object (VBO) comprising:

generating a VBO comprising components and actions that may be performed using the VBO;

attaching traceability information regarding a first avatar to the VBO; and

providing the VBO to the first avatar.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising performing a transaction with a second avatar responsive to an action being received from a second VBO and providing compensation to the first avatar responsive to the completed transaction, the second VBO being created from the VBO.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein providing compensation to the first avatar comprises providing at least one of money, a coupon, a product, a discount on a future purchase, points, a referral status, and a gift to the first avatar.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising providing additional compensation to the first avatar for each completed transaction with at least one third avatar initiated from at least one third VBO, each at least one third VBO being created from the VBO.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the second VBO is a partial version of the VBO.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the second transaction comprises a purchase of one of a product and a service associated with the VBO.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein the action comprises a request for more information regarding one of a product and a service associated with the VBO and sending additional information regarding the one of the product and the service associated with the VBO.

8. The method according to claim 2, further comprising updating the second VBO with additional information related to the second transaction upon completion of the second transaction.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the additional information comprises at least one of warranty information, shipping information, payment information and sales receipt information.

10. The method according to claim 2, further comprising receiving the traceability information regarding the first avatar from the second VBO enabling the providing of the compensation to the first avatar responsive to the completed transaction.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the VBO is generated by an enterprise service provider.

12. A network entity configured to access a virtual world environment comprising:

a network interface configured to provide access to the virtual world environment; and

a controller configured to;

perform a transaction with a first avatar in the virtual world environment;

generate a Virtual Business Object (VBO) related to the transaction;

attach traceability information regarding the first avatar to the VBO; and

provide the VBO to the first avatar.

13. The network entity according to claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to perform a second transaction with a second avatar responsive to an action being received from a second VBO and provide compensation to the first avatar responsive to the completed second transaction, the second VBO being created from the VBO.

14. The network entity according to claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to provide additional compensation to the first avatar for each completed transaction with at least one third avatar initiated from at least one third VBO, each at least one third VBO being created from the VBO.

15. The network entity according to claim 13, wherein the second transaction comprises a purchase of one of a product and service associated with the VBO.

16. The network entity according to claim 13, wherein the action comprises a request for more information regarding one of a product and service associated with the VBO and sending additional information regarding the one of a product and the service associated with the VBO.

17. The network entity according to claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to update the second VBO with additional information related to the second transaction upon completion of the second transaction.

18. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer useable program code embodied therewith, the computer useable program code comprising:

computer useable program code configured to generate a VBO comprising components and actions that may be performed using the VBO;

computer useable program code configured to attach traceability information regarding a first avatar to the VBO; and

computer useable program code configured to provide the VBO to the first avatar.

19. The computer program product according to claim 18, further comprising computer useable program code configured to perform a second transaction with a second avatar responsive to an action being initiated from a second VBO and computer useable program code configured to provide compensation to the first avatar responsive to the completed transaction.

20. The computer program product according to claim 19, further comprising computer useable program code configured to update the second VBO with additional information related to the second transaction upon completion of the second transaction.