Guest management in an online multi-player virtual reality game

• US 8,167,724 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2008
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pfaqutruma Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Gary S. Shuster
• Inventors: Shuster, Gary Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Richards, N Drew
• Assistant Examiner(s): SINGAL, ANKUSH K
• Application Number:
  US12/332,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20090150418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• Field of Search: 463 29- 42
• US Class Current: 463/42
• 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 13/71 using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/75 Enforcing rules, e.g. detecting foul play or generating lists of cheating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5586 for enforcing rights or rules, e.g. to prevent foul play
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

A guest management method and system for an online multi-player virtual realty environment or social networking site. A network interface receives guest access requests from guest clients and input data from a plurality of remotely-located clients. The input data is operative to control avatars associated with the clients in a modeled virtual reality environment. A memory holds program instructions for determining whether the guest access is associated with a member client. If the guest access request is associated with the member client, then the guest client is allowed to access the virtual reality environment via a guest avatar. The guest avatar'"'"'s movements in the virtual reality environment are restricted based on a location of a member avatar controlled by the associated member client. For example, the guest avatar may only be permitted to move within an area that is bounded by a perimeter about the member avatar.

Claims

1. A guest-management system in an online multiplayer virtual reality environment comprising:

a network interface disposed to receive a guest access request for a guest client and input data from a plurality of remotely-located clients, the input data operative to control avatars associated with the remotely-located clients in a modeled virtual reality environment;

a memory holding program instructions operable for;

determining whether the guest client is sharing a user account with a member client;

if the guest client is sharing the user account with the member client, allowing the guest client to provide input data operative to control a guest avatar'"'"'s movements in the modeled virtual reality environment;

applying one or more restrictions on the guest avatar'"'"'s movements in the modeled virtual reality environment relative to a location of a member avatar controlled by the member client in the modeled virtual reality environment and based on whether the guest client is sharing the user account with the member client; and

a processor, in communication with the memory and the network interface, configured for operating the program instructions.

2. The guest-management system of claim 1 further comprising a database of guest access permits shared by respective member clients.

3. The guest-management system of claim 1, further comprising receiving a guest access request for the guest client from the member client.

4. The guest-management system of claim 1, further comprising receiving a guest access request from the guest client.

5. The guest-management system of claim 1, wherein the restrictions further prevent the guest client from utilizing ancillary functions, such as chat, instant messaging, in-game mail, and avatar gestures and facial expressions.

6. The guest-management system of claim 2, wherein the guest client is sharing a user account with the member client if the guest access request corresponds to one of the guest access permits.

7. A computer-implemented method for providing guest management in an online multiplayer virtual reality environment comprising:

using input data at a computer server to control one or more avatars in a multi-user modeled virtual reality environment, the avatars each being associated with a respective one of remotely-located clients;

receiving a guest access request for a guest client;

determining, using the computer server, whether the guest client is sharing a user account with a member client;

allowing the guest client to provide input data operative to control a guest avatar in the modeled virtual reality environment based on determining that the guest client is sharing the user account with the member client; and

applying restrictions on the guest avatar'"'"'s movements in the virtual reality environment relative to a location of a member avatar of the member client in the virtual reality environment and based on whether the guest client is sharing the user account with the member client.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining whether the guest client is sharing a user account with a member client comprises determining whether the member client is logged into the modeled virtual reality environment.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the restrictions are defined by an area bounded by a perimeter about the member avatar and wherein the guest avatar is permitted to move within the area.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the restrictions are based a direction of movement of the member avatar.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising outputting modeling data developed from at least the input data to the multiple remote clients, the modeling data configured to cause display of the animated depiction of the virtual reality environment.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the guest avatar is not permitted to move outside the area.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the restrictions are continuously redefined with the member avatar'"'"'s movements in the modeled virtual reality environment.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising moving the guest avatar to the area if the guest avatar'"'"'s movements violate the restrictions.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the guest avatar is permitted to move in the direction of movement of the member avatar.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the guest avatar is permitted to move within an area bounded by a predefined angle relative to the direction of movement of the member avatar.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with instructions operative to cause a computer to perform the steps of:

receiving input data at a host from multiple remote clients for coordinating a multi-user virtual reality process;

receiving a guest access request for a guest client;

determining whether the guest client is sharing a user account with a member client;

allowing the guest client to provide input data operative to control a guest avatar in the modeled virtual reality environment based on determining that the guest client is sharing the user account with the member client; and

applying restrictions on the guest avatar'"'"'s movements in the virtual reality environment relative to a location of a member avatar of the member client in the virtual reality environment and based on whether the guest client is sharing the user account with the member client.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 further encoded with instructions operative to cause a computer to provide a notification to the guest client of the restrictions on the guest avatar'"'"'s movements.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 further encoded with instructions operative to cause a computer to determine whether the guest avatar'"'"'s movements violate the restrictions.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 further encoded with instructions operative to cause a computer to output modeling data developed from at least the input data to the multiple remote clients, the modeling data configured to cause display of the animated depiction of the virtual reality environment.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 further encoded with instructions operative to cause a computer to continuously provide information relating to the guest avatar'"'"'s location relative to the member avatar.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 further encoded with instructions operative to cause a computer to provide a warning to the guest client when the guest avatar moves outside the restrictions.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 further encoded with instructions operative to cause a computer to notify the guest client of a violation if the guest avatar'"'"'s movements violate the restrictions.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 further encoded with instructions operative to cause a computer to tally a number of times the guest avatar'"'"'s movements violate the restrictions.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24 further encoded with instructions operative to cause a computer to terminate the guest client'"'"'s access if the number of violations exceeds a predetermined number.