Risk mitigation in a virtual world

• US 8,096,882 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2005
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Jung, Edward K. Y., Levien, Royce A., Lord, Robert W., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, Jr., John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall, Arthur O.
• Application Number:
  US11/191,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20060178217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,365 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463 9- 13, 463/16, 463/20, 463/25, 463/29, 463 40- 42, 463 30- 33, 273/145.R, 273/147, 273/141.A, 273454-456, 273460-461, 705/35, 705/36.R, 705/37, 705/14, 705/26, 705/42, 705/77, 902/10, 902/23, 709203-207, 709217-219, 709/225, 709/FOR.106, 709/FOR.115, 709/FOR.122, 709/FOR.130, 709/FOR.131, 709/FOR.132, 709/FOR.141, 709/FOR.148, 709/FOR.149, 709/FOR.153, 340/7.1, 340/7.2, 340/7.21, 340/7.28, 340/311.1, 340/311.2, 340/426.21, 340/572, 340/825.29, 340/825.44, 715/744, 715/758, 704/E15.047
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation
• 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 computer-simulated environment wherein a participant is able to take part. The system also includes a risk management element of the computer-simulated environment, and a computer storage medium operable to save a record of the arrangement.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

(a) circuitry programmed or structured to perform particular functions pursuant to instructions of a program comprising computer-readable instructions operable to manage a virtual world configured to interact with at least two avatar players over a network;

(b) circuitry programmed or structured to perform particular functions pursuant to a risk mitigation module operable to facilitate an arrangement that includes a risk distribution entity providing a benefit to an avatar player of the at least two avatar players upon an occurrence of a defined loss in the virtual world in exchange for a consideration that includes a virtual item having a substantial value and being provided by the avatar player of the at least two avatar players and in compliance with the terms of the arrangement, wherein the risk distribution entity includes an entity that distributes a virtual world risk of the defined loss among a plurality of avatar players;

(i) wherein the defined loss in the virtual world is a defined loss of the avatar player; and

(ii) wherein the risk mitigation module is operable to facilitate at least one of forming the arrangement, facilitating an interaction between the avatar player of the at least two avatar players and the risk distribution entity, creating the arrangement, negotiating a term of the arrangement, revising the arrangement, and resolving of disputes related to the arrangement; and

(c) a computer storage medium operable to save a record of the arrangement.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least two avatar players includes:

at least two avatar players who control their respective virtual identity in the virtual world.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least two avatar players who control their respective virtual identity in the virtual world include:

at least two avatar players who control their respective virtual identity having at least one attribute in the virtual world.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one attribute includes:

at least one of an attribute native to the virtual world, an attribute acquired from a source not native to the virtual world, an attribute created by another avatar player of the at least two avatar players, an attribute created by a third party, a weapon, a property, an asset, and/or an item.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the network includes:

at least one of a private computer network or a public computer network.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the network includes:

the Internet.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the risk mitigation module operable to facilitate an arrangement includes:

a risk mitigation module operable to facilitate at least one of, transferring the consideration, transferring a right of the avatar player of the at least two avatar players in the arrangement, memorializing the arrangement, and notifying regarding matters relevant to the arrangement.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the risk distribution entity includes:

an avatar player risk distribution entity.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the avatar player risk distribution entity includes:

at least one of a real-world entity, a real-world entity engaged in a business of entering into contracts similar to the arrangement, a person, an individual, a virtual-world entity, a virtual-world entity engaged in a business of entering into contracts similar to the arrangement, a fictional risk distribution entity, or an avatar of the virtual world.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the risk distribution entity includes:

a non-avatar player risk distribution entity.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the non-avatar player risk distribution entity includes:

at least one of a provider of the virtual world, an operator of the virtual world, or a person associated with the virtual world.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the providing a benefit to an avatar player of the at least two avatar players includes:

providing a virtual-world benefit to the avatar player of the at least two avatar players.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the providing a benefit to an avatar player of the at least two avatar players includes:

providing a real-world benefit to the avatar player of the at least two avatar players.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the providing a benefit to an avatar player of the at least two avatar players includes:

providing a compensation to the avatar player of the at least two avatar players.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the providing a benefit to an avatar player of the at least two avatar players includes:

providing an agreed upon benefit to the avatar player of the at least two avatar players.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the providing a benefit to an avatar player of the at least two avatar players includes:

providing a predetermined benefit to the avatar player of the at least two avatar players.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the providing a benefit to an avatar player of the at least two avatar players includes:

providing a benefit determined relative to a circumstance existing at an occurrence of the loss.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the providing a benefit to an avatar player of the at least two avatar players includes:

providing a benefit that is a function of an avatar player of the at least two avatar players attribute and/or an environmental attribute measured at an occurrence of the loss.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the providing benefit to an avatar player of the at least two avatar players includes:

providing an attribute replacement to the avatar player of the at least two avatar players.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the providing an attribute replacement to an avatar player of the at least two avatar players includes:

providing at least one of a replacement of an attribute, a resurrection of a virtual identity of the avatar player of the at least two avatar players in the virtual world, a replacement of a virtual-world property, a payment of a virtual-world fine, and a satisfaction of a virtual-world punishment.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the loss includes:

a determinable contingency.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the loss includes:

at least one of loss occurring by reason of a harm, an injury, a death of the avatar player of the at least two avatar players, a death of another avatar player, a damage, a casualty, a disability, and an imposed punitive obligation.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the loss includes:

a loss relative to a subject matter of the arrangement in which the avatar player of the at least two avatar players has an interest.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the consideration includes:

a virtual-world consideration.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the virtual-world consideration includes:

a virtual-world money.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the virtual-world consideration includes:

at least one of an attribute, a right, a body part, a weapon, or a token.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein the consideration includes:

a real-world consideration.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the real-world consideration includes:

a real-world money.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein the consideration includes:

a consideration provided by another avatar player of the at least two avatar players.

30. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer storage medium operable to save a record of the arrangement includes:

a computer storage medium operable to save at least one of a record of a conveyance of the consideration to the protection entity, a record of the avatar player of the at least two avatar players assenting to the arrangement, a record of the risk distribution entity'"'"'s assent to the arrangement, a record of an occurrence of the loss, or a record of any provision of the benefit.

31. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer storage medium operable to save a record of the arrangement includes:

a computer storage medium.

32. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a monetary module operable to manage a medium of exchange in the virtual world expressed as a virtual-world currency unit.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the virtual-world currency unit includes:

a virtual-world currency having a value in the virtual world and facilitating an exchange for goods and services.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the virtual-world currency having a value in the virtual world and facilitating an exchange for goods and services includes:

a virtual-world currency having a value in the virtual world and usable as at least one of the consideration and the benefit.

35. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual-world further comprises:

a native virtual-world medium of exchange expressed as a native virtual-world currency unit having a value in the virtual world; and

the system further comprises a monetary module coupled with the virtual world, subject to control of another avatar player of the at least two avatar players, and operable to manage a secondary virtual-world medium of exchange expressed as a secondary virtual-world currency unit having a value in the virtual world and facilitating at least one of the benefit and the consideration.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the monetary module coupled with the virtual world includes:

a monetary module coupled with the virtual world and subject to control of the virtual world.

37. The system of claim 35, wherein the monetary module coupled with the virtual world includes:

a monetary module coupled with the virtual world and subject to control of another avatar player of the at least two avatar players.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the monetary module coupled with the virtual world and subject to control of another avatar player of the at least two avatar players includes:

a monetary module coupled with the virtual world and subject to control of an avatar player risk distribution entity.

39. The system of claim 35, wherein the secondary virtual world currency includes:

a secondary virtual world currency having a value in another virtual world.