Systems and methods for the design and use of virtual emblems

• US 8,990,715 B1
• Filed: 11/07/2011
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maslow Six Entertainment, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Maslow Six Entertainment, Inc.
• Inventors: Harp, Derek R., Gregory-Brown, Bengt L., Marfice, Joseph P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Riegler, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): KLICOS, NICHOLAS GEORGE
• Application Number:
  US13/290,955
• Time in Patent Office: 1,233 Days
• Field of Search: 715/763, 715/706
• US Class Current: 715/763
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/75 Enforcing rules, e.g. detecting foul play or generating lists of cheating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/006 based on simulated virtual individual or collective life forms, e.g. social simulations or particle swarm optimisation [PSO]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1025 of avatars

Abstract

A virtual space may be provided to users. In views of the virtual space, avatars may represent users engaging in the virtual space. Individual avatars may be visually associated with emblems in view of the virtual space. Systems and methods to guide a user through the design of an emblem may include determinations whether an emblem under design is visually distinct from other emblems and/or compliant with a set of design rules for emblems.

Claims

1. A system configured to guide the design of an emblem by a user in a virtual space, the system comprising:

one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules comprising;

a virtual space module configured to determine view information for transmissions to client computing platforms associated with users that facilitate presentation of views of a virtual space to the users on the client computing platforms, wherein the virtual space is common among the users, wherein individual users are represented in the virtual space by avatars, wherein individual ones of the avatars include one or more objects within the virtual space that represent a virtual character, wherein individual ones of the avatars are visually associated with distinct emblems, and wherein the virtual space module is configured to facilitate customization of individual ones of the avatars by individual ones of the users based on selections by the individual users;

a design module configured to receive one or more selections selected from an offered set of user-selectable design options, the one or more selections being received from the users, wherein the one or more selections, responsive to selection, define emblems for the users;

a design rule module configured to determine whether non-textual aspects of emblems being defined through the received selections from the users are in compliance with a set of design rules for non-textual aspects of emblems wherein the set of design rules facilitate identification of combinations of selections that are selectable from the offered set of user-selectable design options but are not in compliance with the set of design rules for non-textual aspects of emblems, wherein the set of design rules includes rules related to;

(i) disallowed color combinations that are not in compliance with the set of design rules for non-textual aspects of emblems,

(ii) disallowed combinations of selectable objects that are not in compliance with the set of design rules for non-textual aspects of emblems, and

(iii) disallowed spatial arrangements of multiple objects that are not in compliance with the set of design rules for non-textual aspects of emblems; and

a distinctiveness module configured to determine whether non-textual aspects of emblems being defined by the users via the design module are visually distinct from a set of designs of emblems;

wherein the virtual space module is further configured such that, responsive to a determination by the distinctiveness module that non-textual aspects of a first emblem being defined by a first user via the design module are visually distinct, and responsive to a determination by the design rule module that non-textual aspects of the first emblem are in compliance, the first emblem is visually associated with an avatar of the first user in views of the virtual space such that the first emblem is entirely spatially distinct from the avatar of the first user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the design module is configured to generate a design interface for presentation to individual users on the client computing platforms, wherein the design interface for the first user comprises the offered set of user-selectable design options for the first emblem being defined by the first user, and wherein the design module is configured to receive the one or more selections through the design interface.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of design rules include one or more rules related to one or more of:

allowed color combinations that are in compliance with the set of design rules for non-textual aspects of emblems,

allowed combinations of selectable objects that are in compliance with the set of design rules for non-textual aspects of emblems, and

allowed spatial arrangements of multiple objects that are in compliance with the set of design rules for non-textual aspects of emblems.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising a user account module configured to manage user accounts including account information of users, wherein individual user accounts are associated with individual users in the virtual space, and wherein individual ones of the avatars are based on the account information of an individual user account.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the set of design rules include one or more rules based on one or both of account information of the first user and/or a theme of the virtual space.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the offered set of design options is based on at least one of account information of the first user and a theme of the virtual space.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of designs of emblems corresponds to emblems in a plurality of distinct virtual spaces.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the virtual space module is further configured to implement the first emblem defined by the first user based on a theme of a virtual space.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the design module is further configured to present an indicator to the first user, wherein the indicator indicates whether non-textual aspects of the first emblem being defined by the first user is determined to be visually distinct from the set of designs of emblems by the distinctiveness module.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the design interface generated by the design module, responsive to a determination by the distinctiveness module that non-textual aspects of the first emblem being defined by the first user are not visually distinct, further comprises one or more suggested design options that, if adopted by the first user, would cause non-textual aspects of the first emblem to be visually distinct from the set of designs of emblems.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein visual association of the first emblem with the avatar of the first user in view of the virtual space is furthermore responsive to a determination that the first emblem being defined by the first user is determined to be inoffensive.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual space module is configured to visually associate the first emblem with the avatar of the first user such that the first emblem is presented as a separate visual field from the avatar of the first user within views of the virtual space.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual space module is configured to visually associate the first emblem with the avatar of the first user such that the first emblem does not occupy any virtual space that is occupied by the avatar of the first user within views of the virtual space.

7. A system configured to guide the design of an emblem by a user in a virtual space, the system comprising:

one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules comprising;

a virtual space module configured to determine view information for transmissions to client computing platforms associated with users that facilitate presentation of views of a virtual space to the users on the client computing platforms, wherein the virtual space is common among the users, wherein individual users are represented in the virtual space by avatars, wherein individual ones of the avatars are visually associated with distinct emblems;

a design module configured to receive one or more selections selected from an offered set of user-selectable design options, the one or more selections being received from the users, wherein the one or more selections, responsive to selection, define emblems for the users;

a design rule module configured to determine whether non-textual aspects of emblems being defined through the received selections from the users are in compliance with a set of design rules for non-textual aspects of emblems, wherein the set of design rules facilitate identification of combinations of selections that are selectable from the offered set of user-selectable design options but are not in compliance with the set of design rules for non-textual aspects of emblems, wherein the set of design rules includes rules related to;

(i) disallowed color combinations that are not in compliance with the set of design rules for non-textual aspects of emblems,

(ii) disallowed combinations of selectable objects that are not in compliance with the set of design rules for non-textual aspects of emblems, and

(iii) disallowed spatial arrangements of multiple objects that are not in compliance with the set of design rules for non-textual aspects of emblems; and

a distinctiveness module configured to determine whether non-textual aspects of emblems being defined by the users via the design module are visually distinct from a set of designs of emblems based on at least a predetermined number of design differences, wherein the predetermined number is two or greater,

wherein the virtual space module is further configured such that, responsive to a determination by the distinctiveness module that non-textual aspects of a first emblem being defined by a first user via the design module are visually distinct, and responsive to a determination by the design rule module that non-textual aspects of the first emblem are in compliance, the first emblem is visually associated with an avatar of the first user in views of the virtual space such that the first emblem is entirely spatially distinct from the avatar of the first user.

13. A computer-implemented method for guiding the design of an emblem by a user in a virtual space, the method being implemented in a computer system comprising one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules, the method comprising:

determining view information for transmission to client computing platforms associated with users that facilitate presentation of views of a virtual space to the users on the client computing platforms, wherein the virtual space is common among the users, wherein individual users are represented in the virtual space by avatars, wherein individual ones of the avatars are visually associated with distinct emblems;

facilitating customization of individual ones of the avatars by individual ones of the users based on selection by the individual users;

generating a design interface for presentation to individual users, wherein the design interface is configured to receive one or more selections selected from an offered set of user-selectable design options, the one or more selections being received from the users, wherein the one or more selections, responsive to selection, define emblems for the users;

determining whether non-textual aspects of emblems being defined through the received selections from the users are in compliance with a set of design rules for emblems, wherein the set of design rules facilitate identification of combinations of selections that are selectable from the offered set of user-selectable design options but are not in compliance with the set of design rules for non-textual aspects of emblems, wherein the set of design rules includes rules related to;

(i) disallowed color combinations that are not in compliance with the set of design rules for non-textual aspects of emblems,

(ii) disallowed combinations of selectable objects that are not in compliance with the set of design rules for non-textual aspects of emblems, and

(iii) disallowed spatial arrangements of multiple objects that are not in compliance with the set of design rules for non-textual aspects of emblems;

determining whether non-textual aspects of emblems being defined by the users are visually distinct from a set of designs of emblems; and

responsive to a determination that non-textual aspects of a first emblem being defined by a first user are in compliance and that non-textual aspects of the first emblem are visually distinct, visually associating the first emblem with an avatar of the first user in views of the virtual space such that the first emblem is entirely spatially distinct from the avatar of the first user.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the design interface generated for presentation to the first user comprises:

the offered set of user-selectable design options for the emblems being defined by the first user.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the set of design rules include one or more rules related to one or more of:

allowed color combinations that are in compliance with the set of design rules for non-textual aspects of emblems,

allowed combinations a set of selectable objects that are in compliance with the set of design rules for non-textual aspects of emblems, and

allowed spatial arrangements of multiple objects that are in compliance with the set of design rules for non-textual aspects of emblems.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising managing user accounts including account information of users, wherein individual user accounts are associated with individual users in the virtual space, and wherein individual ones of the avatars are based on the account information of an individual user account.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the set of design rules include one or more rules based on one or both of account information of the first user and/or a theme of the virtual space.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the offered set of design options is based on at least one of account information of the first user and a theme of the virtual space.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein determining whether non-textual aspects of emblems being defined by the users are visually distinct from a set of designs of emblems is based on at least a predetermined number of design differences, wherein the predetermined number is two or greater.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the set of designs of emblems corresponds to emblems in a plurality of distinct virtual spaces.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the virtual space module is further configured to implement the first emblem defined by the first user based on a theme of a virtual space.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

presenting an indicator to the first user, wherein the indicator indicates whether non-textual aspects of the first emblem being defined by the first user are determined to be visually distinct.

23. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

responsive to a determination that non-textual aspects of the first emblem being defined by the first user are not visually distinct, presenting the first user with one or more suggested design options that, if adopted by the first user, would cause non-textual aspects of the first emblem to be visually distinct.

24. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining whether the first emblem being defined by the first user is inoffensive;

wherein visually associating the first emblem with the avatar of the first user in view of the virtual space is furthermore responsive to a determination that the first emblem being defined by the first user is inoffensive.

25. A computer-implemented method for defining emblems by users of a virtual space such that the emblems are visually distinct from a set of designs of emblems, wherein individual users are represented in the virtual space by avatars, wherein individual ones of the avatars are visually associated with distinct emblems, the method being implemented in a computer system comprising one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules, the method comprising:

facilitating customization of individual ones of the avatars for individual ones of the users based on selection by the individual users;

presenting a first user with an offered set of user-selectable design options for a first emblem being defined by the first user;

receiving one or more selections of user-selectable design options from the offered set of user-selectable design options;

determining whether non-textual aspects of emblems being defined through the received one or more selections from the first user are in compliance with a set of design rules for emblems, wherein the set of design rules facilitate identification of combinations of selections that are selectable from the offered set of user-selectable design options but are not in compliance with the set of design rules for non-textual aspects of emblems, wherein the set of design rules includes rules related to;

(i) disallowed color combinations that are not in compliance with the set of design rules for non-textual aspects of emblems,

(ii) disallowed combinations of selectable objects that are not in compliance with the set of design rules for non-textual aspects of emblems, and

(iii) disallowed spatial arrangements of multiple objects that are not in compliance with the set of design rules for non-textual aspects of emblems;

determining whether non-textual aspects of the first emblem being defined by the first user are visually distinct from a set of designs of emblems based on at least a predetermined number of design differences;

responsive to a determination that the non-textual aspects of the first emblem being defined by the first user are not visually distinct from a set of designs of emblems based on at least a predetermined number of design differences, determining one or more suggested design options for the first emblem being defined that, if adopted by the first user, would cause the non-textual aspects of the first emblem to be visually distinct from a set of designs of emblems based on at least a predetermined number of design differences, wherein the predetermined number of design differences is at least two; and

presenting the first user with one or more design options including the one or more suggested design options for the first emblem being defined.

26. A computer-implemented method for defining emblems by users of a virtual space such that the emblems are in compliance with a set of design rules for emblems, wherein individual users are represented in the virtual space by avatars, wherein individual ones of the avatars are visually associated with distinct emblems, the method being implemented in a computer system comprising one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules, the method comprising:

facilitating customization of individual ones of the avatars for individual ones of the users based on selection by the individual users;

presenting a first user with an offered set of user-selectable design options for a first emblem being defined by the first user;

receiving one or more selections of user-selectable design options from the offered set of user-selectable design options;

determining whether non-textual aspects of the first emblem being defined by the first user are in compliance with a first set of design rules pertaining to color combinations, combinations of selectable objects, and spatial arrangements of multiple objects, wherein the first set of design rules facilitate identification of combinations of user-selectable design options that are selectable from the offered set of user-selectable design options but are not in compliance with the first set of design rules;

determining whether non-textual aspects of the first emblem being defined by the first user are in compliance with a second set of design rules pertaining to one or more divisions of one or more components of the first emblem being defined by the first user, wherein the second set of design rules facilitate identification of combinations of selections that are selectable from the offered set of user-selectable design options but are not in compliance with the second set of design rules;

responsive to one or more of a determination that non-textual aspects of the first emblem are;

not in compliance with the first set of design rules, or

not in compliance with the second set of design rules,

determining one or more suggested design options for the first emblem being defined that, if adopted by the first user, would cause non-textual aspects of the first emblem to be in compliance with the first and second set of design rules; and

presenting the first user with the one or more design options including the one or more suggested design options for the first emblem being defined.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 26, further comprising:

determining whether the first emblem being defined by the first user is inoffensive;

responsive to a determination that the first emblem being defined by the first user is not inoffensive, determining one or more suggested inoffensiveness design options for the first emblem being defined that, if adopted by the first user, would cause the first emblem to be determined to be inoffensive;

presenting the first user with the one or more design options including the one or more suggested inoffensiveness design options for the first emblem being defined.