Patent Application
20110010636
This invention relates generally to virtual environments and more specifically to providing personalized control of characteristics of a virtual universe establishment.
Virtual universes or virtual worlds are computer-based simulated environments intended for its users or residents to inhabit and interact via avatars, which are personas or representations of the users of the virtual universes and generally take the form of two-dimensional or three-dimensional human or fantastical representations of a person's self. These types of virtual universes are now most common in massively multiplayer online games such as Second Life which is a trademark of Linden Research in the United States, other countries or both. Avatars in these types of virtual universes, which can number well over a million, have a wide range of business and social experiences. These avatars create, manipulate and buy and sell every aspect of their virtual lives. It is common in some of these virtual universes to exchange millions of US dollars on a monthly basis in support of these virtual experiences. As a result, these virtual universes provide a fertile ground for improving upon the experience that a resident via its avatar may have while visiting a virtual universe establishment and contemplating whether to purchase items.
In one embodiment, there is a method for providing personalized control of a characteristic of a virtual universe establishment. In this embodiment, the method comprises: receiving a specified establishment characteristic preference from a visiting resident for interacting with the virtual universe establishment; and changing the establishment characteristic of the virtual universe establishment in accordance with the received establishment characteristic preference.
In a second embodiment, there is a computer system providing personalized control of a characteristic of a virtual universe establishment. In this embodiment, the system comprises at least one processing unit and memory operably associated with the at least one processing unit. A virtual universe establishment characteristic control tool is storable in memory and executable by the at least one processing unit. The virtual universe establishment characteristic control tool comprises an establishment characteristic preference component configured to receive from a visiting resident a specified establishment characteristic preference for interacting with the virtual universe establishment. An establishment characteristic change component is configured to change the characteristic of the virtual universe establishment in accordance with the received establishment characteristic.
In a third embodiment, there is a computer-readable medium storing computer instructions, which when executed, enables a computer system to provide personalized control of a characteristic of a virtual universe establishment. In this embodiment, the computer instructions comprise: receiving from a visiting resident a specified establishment characteristic preference for interacting with the virtual universe establishment; and changing the establishment characteristic of the virtual universe establishment in accordance with the received establishment characteristic preference.
In a fourth embodiment, there is a method for deploying a virtual universe establishment characteristics control tool for use in a computer system that facilitates personalized control of a characteristic of a virtual universe establishment. In this embodiment, a computer infrastructure is provided and is operable to: receive from a visiting resident a specified establishment characteristic preference for interacting with the virtual universe establishment; and change the establishment characteristic of the virtual universe establishment in accordance with the received establishment characteristic preference.
Embodiments of this invention are directed to a technique for providing personalized control of characteristics of a virtual universe establishment. As used herein a virtual universe establishment is any established location within a virtual universe where residents or users of the universe can interact and experience a virtual world via their avatars. In the description that follows, a virtual universe establishment is a virtual retail store, however, the scope of this invention is suitable for use in other virtual world establishments where it may be desirable to provide personalized control of the establishment. Other examples of a virtual universe establishment may include streets, thoroughfares, complexes, educational institutions and museums. Personalized controlled of the characteristics of an establishment enables residents of the universe and proprietors of virtual retail stores to control certain characteristics of the establishment. An illustrative but non-exhaustive listing of characteristics that can be personalized include appearance of the establishment such as store architecture, style, decor, location, product selection, product pricing and audio themes. In one particular embodiment, a characteristic preference can be specified manually by a resident or a proprietor of the virtual universe store. In another embodiment, characteristic preferences for a resident can be learned and generated automatically. In still another embodiment, characteristic preferences can be specified through tags that associate to a predetermined preference for interacting with the virtual universe store.
A virtual region database 52 stores information on all of the specifics in the virtual region 18 that the virtual region management component 50 is managing. In one embodiment, for very large virtual universes, one server 16 may be responsible for managing one particular virtual region 18 within the universe. In other embodiments, it is possible that one server 16 may be responsible for handling one particular land within the virtual region 18.
A virtual universe establishment characteristics control tool 53 enables residents and virtual universe proprietors to change the characteristics of virtual universe establishments situated throughout the virtual universe 12 to a version that is more suitable for allowing one to enjoy their shopping experience in the virtual universe or make it conducive for attracting potential shoppers to an establishment for shopping. For example, the virtual universe establishment characteristics control tool 53 can enable a user or virtual universe proprietor to personalize items including but not limited to store architecture, style, decor, location, product selection, product pricing and audio themes. The virtual universe establishment characteristics control 53 can make changes to the characteristics of a virtual universe establishment based on a manual selection specified by an avatar or a proprietor, or can make changes automatically based on learned shopping behavior of an avatar, or changes can be specified through tags that associate to a predetermined preference. As an example of one of these embodiments, a resident may be at a virtual mall and may have a desire to have the virtual shops in the mall take on the 1930s era. The virtual universe establishment characteristics control tool 53 would receive this selection and change the characteristics of the mall and its shops to take on the 1930 era. As a result, the décor, style and products of the shops can be from the 1930s and priced accordingly to 1930 prices. Below is a more detailed discussion of the virtual universe establishment characteristics control tool 53 and how it performs the above-mentioned functions.
As shown in
Databases 62 and 64 contain information on the avatars of the users that reside in the virtual universe 12. In one embodiment, database 62 contains information such as all of the avatars that a user may have, the profile of each avatar, avatar characteristics (e.g., appearance, voice and movement features) while database 64 contains an inventory of items that they own, and these inventory items may be bought, sold, traded, etc., during operation of the virtual universe. Items in a typical inventory may include clothing, virtual pets, vehicles, electronic media (e.g., music files), or other possessions. Those skilled in the art will recognize that this listing of inventory items is illustrative of possible items and is not exhaustive. For example, other inventory items may include graphics files, sound files, animations, electronic documents, video files, avatar accessories, avatar body parts, avatar tools or other objects, avatar gestures, automated avatars, calling cards, landmarks (such as bookmarked locations) or other geographical information, items in a lost and found folder, note cards, photos and photo albums, scripts (e.g. macros to perform actions), textures, deleted items, or any other type of item.
Each inventory item may represent a piece of executable code or other data which may be rendered in some fashion to the user during a session in the virtual universe. Clothing inventory, for example, may be rendered as clothing for the user's avatar while a virtual dog, in another example, may render as an automated avatar that follows the user's avatar within the virtual universe. In other embodiments, inventory items may be represented as non-executable data that may be used by the virtual universe to render the inventory item for the user when needed. The contents of a user's inventory are typically displayed in a hierarchical manner similar to an operating system's display of folders, subfolders, and files within a files system.
As virtual universes become more mainstream within a business setting, it is conceivable that users will want to have public and private inventories for their avatar in order to protect unwanted invasion of confidential and proprietary information. Therefore, in one embodiment, the database 62 may contain public and private inventories in order to account for various business and social encounters that need to be shielded from unauthorized parties.
Those skilled in the art will recognize that databases 58-64 may contain additional information if desired. Although the above information is shown in
An avatar transport component 66 enables users to transport, which as mentioned above, allows avatars to transport through space from one point to another point, instantaneously. As a result, an avatar could for example travel from a business region to an entertainment region to hear a concert. Moving from one point or virtual region to another point could ultimately affect the inventory items that an avatar could use in a particular location. For example, if the avatar was leaving work from the business district with some proprietary information then the transformation tool of this invention could transform the proprietary information to a newspaper. In this example, well-known encryption/decryption techniques can be used in the transformation of documentation.
An avatar management component 68 keeps track of what online avatars are doing while in the virtual universe. For example, the avatar management component 68 can track where the avatar presently is in the virtual universe, what activities it is performing or has recently performed. An illustrative but non-exhaustive list of activities can include shopping, eating, talking, recreating, etc.
Because a typical virtual universe has a vibrant economy, the server array 14 has functionalities that are configured to manage the economy. In particular, a universe economy management component 70 manages transactions that occur within the virtual universe between avatars. In one embodiment, the virtual universe 12 will have their own currency that users pay for with real-life money. The users can then take part in commercial transactions for their avatars through the universe economy management component 70. For example, an avatar might want to pay for a service that provides this automatic inventory item transformation. In this case, the avatar would make the purchase of this service using the virtual universe currency. In some instances, the user (i.e., the resident) may want to take part in a commercial transaction that benefits him or her and not their avatar. In this case, a commercial transaction management component 72 allows the user to participate in the transaction. For example, while walking around a commercial zone, an avatar may see a pair of shoes that he or she would like for themselves and not their avatar. In order to fulfill this type of transaction and others similarly related, the commercial transaction management component 72 interacts with banks 74, credit card companies 76 and vendors 78.
As mentioned above, the virtual universe establishment characteristics control tool 53 is configured to provide residents and virtual universe proprietors with several approaches that generate a personalized look and feel for a virtual universe establishment based on desired preferences or preferences believed to be suitable for the residents and proprietors.
In addition to automatically generating establishment characteristic preferences, the virtual universe establishment characteristics control tool 53 is configured to enable residents and virtual universe proprietors with an option to manually select their own preferences. As shown in
The establishment characteristic preference component 82 can also generate preferences based on tags that have been pre-specified by residents and virtual universe proprietors. For example, as an avatar approaches a particular establishment or is about to teleport to the establishment, the virtual universe establishment characteristics control tool 53 via the establishment characteristic preference component 82 can recognize the avatar at the location and pull the tags out from the avatars' inventory (database 64) that have been pre-specified so that the characteristics of the establishment can be changed accordingly.
In another embodiment, the tags can be stored in a designated policy table as opposed to an avatar's inventory. For example, an avatar may have specified a “taste” in the policy table, such as a taste to have stores with ambient music playing. The avatar may have a “taste” to see all items of a particular type colored red so that the avatar may locate the items easily or remember where they are located. Alternatively, the store may supply a graphical user interface to enable avatars to select various preferences. Physically challenged users (such as visually impaired or deaf people) may specify their physical challenge, and stores may change their visual or audio themes to accommodate. For example, fonts on products may be larger, brighter, or in higher contrast and—audio messages may be replaced by text messages. For example, a user who doesn't like to be around other people may specify a preference to be alone, and other avatars will not be rendered or a physically challenged person can change access to establishments and adjust audio and text displays based on hearing and visual impairments. Also displays in establishments can be changed to display child-friendly content.
As shown in
In another embodiment, the establishment characteristic change component 84 is configured to generate representations that are independent of other representations of the virtual universe establishment that are viewed by other avatars in the virtual universe. For example, there can be more than one avatar in the virtual universe retail store with each seeing a different representation of the store. For instance, one avatar can see a futuristic retail shop with futuristic products and décor, while another avatar can see the store as one might find in the 1700s. In this example, the avatars could still interact as normal with each other but they just will not see the store in the same manner.
In another embodiment of this invention, the virtual universe establishment characteristic control tool 53 is used as a service to charge fees for facilitating personalized controlled versioning of a virtual universe establishment. In this embodiment, the provider of the virtual universe or a third party service provider could offer this personalized control of establishment characteristics as a service by performing the functionalities described herein on a subscription and/or fee basis. In this case, the provider of the virtual universe or the third party service provider can create, deploy, maintain, support, etc., the virtual universe characteristic control tool 53 that performs the processes described in the invention. In return, the virtual universe or the third party service provider can receive payment from the virtual universe residents via the universe economy management component 70 and the commercial transaction management component 72.
In still another embodiment, the methodologies disclosed herein can be used within a computer system to facilitate personalized control of characteristics of a virtual universe establishment. In this case, the virtual universe establishment characteristics control tool 53 can be provided and one or more systems for performing the processes described in the invention can be obtained and deployed to a computer infrastructure. To this extent, the deployment can comprise one or more of (1) installing program code on a computing device, such as a computer system, from a computer-readable medium; (2) adding one or more computing devices to the infrastructure; and (3) incorporating and/or modifying one or more existing systems of the infrastructure to enable the infrastructure to perform the process actions of the invention.
The specified establishment characteristic preference embodies a plurality of characteristics that enhance an interaction by the resident with the virtual universe establishment. In one embodiment, the plurality of characteristics comprise appearance of the virtual universe establishment, location of the virtual universe establishment, product selection associated with the virtual universe establishment, product pricing associated with the virtual universe establishment, and audio themes associated with the virtual universe establishment.
Referring back to
The foregoing flow chart shows some of the functions associated with the general operations performed by the virtual universe establishment characteristics tool. In this regard, each block represents a process act associated with performing these functions. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the acts noted in the blocks may occur out of the order noted in the figure or, for example, may in fact be executed substantially concurrently or in the reverse order, depending upon the act involved. Also, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that additional blocks that describe the processing functions may be added.
In the computing environment 100 there is a computer 102 which is operational with numerous other general purpose or special purpose computing system environments or configurations. Examples of well known computing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with an exemplary computer 102 include, but are not limited to, personal computers, server computers, thin clients, thick clients, hand-held or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices, and the like.
The exemplary computer 102 may be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by a computer. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, logic, data structures, and so on, that performs particular tasks or implements particular abstract data types. The exemplary computer 102 may be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote computer storage media including memory storage devices.
As shown in
Bus 108 represents one or more of any of several types of bus structures, including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, an accelerated graphics port, and a processor or local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. By way of example, and not limitation, such architectures include Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and Peripheral Component Interconnects (PCI) bus.
The computer 102 typically includes a variety of computer readable media. Such media may be any available media that is accessible by computer 102, and it includes both volatile and non-volatile media, removable and non-removable media.
In
Computer 102 may further include other removable/non-removable, volatile/non-volatile computer storage media. By way of example only,
The drives and their associated computer-readable media provide nonvolatile storage of computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, and other data for computer 102. Although the exemplary environment described herein employs a hard disk 116, a removable magnetic disk 118 and a removable optical disk 122, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other types of computer readable media which can store data that is accessible by a computer, such as magnetic cassettes, flash memory cards, digital video disks, RAMs, ROM, and the like, may also be used in the exemplary operating environment.
A number of program modules may be stored on the hard disk 116, magnetic disk 120, optical disk 122, ROM 112, or RAM 110, including, by way of example, and not limitation, an operating system 128, one or more application programs 130, other program modules 132, and program data 134. Each of the operating system 128, one or more application programs 130 other program modules 132, and program data 134 or some combination thereof, may include an implementation of the networking environment 10 of
A user may enter commands and information into computer 102 through optional input devices such as a keyboard 136 and a pointing device 138 (such as a “mouse”). Other input devices (not shown) may include a microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, serial port, scanner, camera, or the like. These and other input devices are connected to the processor unit 104 through a user input interface 140 that is coupled to bus 108, but may be connected by other interface and bus structures, such as a parallel port, game port, or a universal serial bus (USB).
An optional monitor 142 or other type of display device is also connected to bus 108 via an interface, such as a video adapter 144. In addition to the monitor, personal computers typically include other peripheral output devices (not shown), such as speakers and printers, which may be connected through output peripheral interface 146.
Computer 102 may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers, such as a remote server/computer 148. Remote computer 148 may include many or all of the elements and features described herein relative to computer 102.
Logical connections shown in
In a networked environment, program modules depicted relative to the personal computer 102, or portions thereof, may be stored in a remote memory storage device. By way of example, and not limitation,
An implementation of an exemplary computer 102 may be stored on or transmitted across some form of computer readable media. Computer readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a computer. By way of example, and not limitation, computer readable media may comprise “computer storage media” and “communications media.”
“Computer storage media” include volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by a computer.
“Communication media” typically embodies computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal, such as carrier wave or other transport mechanism. Communication media also includes any information delivery media.
The term “modulated data signal” means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared, and other wireless media. Combinations of any of the above are also included within the scope of computer readable media.
It is apparent that there has been provided with this invention an approach for providing personalized control of a characteristic of a virtual universe establishment. While the invention has been particularly shown and described in conjunction with a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be appreciated that variations and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention.
