US 8,149,241 B2Granted

Arrangements for controlling activities of an avatar

AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation

InventorsLydia M. Do, Pamela A. Nesbitt, Lisa A. Seacat

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Abstract

Systems are disclosed herein that allow a participant to be associated with an avatar and receive a transmission from the participant in response to a participant activated transmission. The transmission can include a participant selectable and time delayed mood and/or activity command which can be associated with a user configurable command to avatar activity conversion table. The associated avatar activity table can provide control signal to the VU system controlling the participant's avatar for extended time periods, where the activity commands allow the avatar to exhibit a mood and to conduct an activity. The preconfigured time controlled activity commands allow the user to control their avatar without being actively engaged in a session with a virtual universe client or logged on and the control configuration can be set up such that a single mood/activity control signal can initiate moods and activities that occur over an extended period of time.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method for controlling activities of an avatar in a virtual universe, the method comprising:

receiving by the virtual universe from a participant of the virtual universe through a virtual universe client, a first command directing an action of an avatar of the participant in the virtual universe;
executing by the virtual universe the first command, whereby the participant, through the avatar, participates in the virtual universe;
receiving by the virtual universe from the participant of the virtual universe through another means of communication between the participant of the virtual universe and the virtual universe, the means of communication not involving a virtual universe client, a second command directing a mood of the avatar of the participant in the virtual universe,
wherein the receiving by the virtual universe from the participant of the virtual universe through the means of communication the second command directing the mood of the avatar of the participant in the virtual universe comprises:
transmitting to the participant by the virtual universe a request for a command from the participant directing the mood of an avatar, the transmitting in response to a transmission from the participant to the virtual universe specifying a condition for the virtual universe to transmit a request for a mood command;
and
receiving by the virtual universe from the participant of the virtual universe through the means of communication the second command directing the mood of the avatar of the participant in the virtual universe in response to the transmission to the participant of the request for a mood command;
and
executing by the virtual universe the second command, thereby modifying the mood of the avatar of the participant in the virtual universe, wherein:
the virtual universe comprises a shared virtual space accessible by multiple participants each represented by one or more avatars;
the avatars concurrently interact in the virtual space, the interaction of the avatars comprising engaging in business or social experiences with other avatars;
and
the virtual universe provides a continuous environment.

10 more elements

A computer system for controlling activities of an avatar in a virtual universe, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories and one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices;
program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to receive by the virtual universe from a participant of the virtual universe through a virtual universe client, a first command directing an action of an avatar of the participant in the virtual universe;
program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to execute by the virtual universe the first command, whereby the participant, through the avatar, participates in the virtual universe;
program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to transmit to the participant by the virtual universe a request for a command from the participant to direct a mood of an avatar, the transmitting in response to a transmission from the participant to the virtual universe specifying a condition for the virtual universe to transmit a request for a mood command;
program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to receive by the virtual universe from the participant of the virtual universe through another means of communication between the participant of the virtual universe and the virtual universe, the means of communication not involving a virtual universe client, a second command directing a mood of the avatar of the participant in the virtual universe, wherein the second command is responsive to the transmission to the participant of the request for a mood command;
and
program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to execute by the virtual universe the second command, thereby modifying the mood of the avatar of the participant in the virtual universe, wherein:
the virtual universe comprises a shared virtual space accessible by multiple participants, each represented by one or more avatars;
the avatars concurrently interact in the virtual space, the interaction of the avatars comprising engaging in business or social experiences with other avatars;
and
the virtual universe provides a continuous environment.

8 more elements

A computer program product for controlling activities of an avatar in a virtual universe, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices;
program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to receive by the virtual universe from a participant of the virtual universe through a virtual universe client, a first command directing an action of an avatar of the participant in the virtual universe;
program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to execute by the virtual universe the first command, whereby the participant, through the avatar, participates in the virtual universe;
program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to transmit to the participant by the virtual universe a request for a command from the participant to direct a mood of an avatar, the transmitting in response to a transmission from the participant to the virtual universe specifying a condition for the virtual universe to transmit a request for a mood command;
program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to receive by the virtual universe from the participant of the virtual universe through another means of communication between the participant of the virtual universe and the virtual universe, the means of communication not involving a virtual universe client, a second command directing a mood of the avatar of the participant in the virtual universe, wherein the second command is responsive to the transmission to the participant of the request for a mood command;
and
program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to execute by the virtual universe the second command, thereby modifying the mood of the avatar of the participant in the virtual universe, wherein:
the virtual universe comprises a shared virtual space accessible by multiple participants, each represented by one or more avatars;
the avatars concurrently interact in the virtual space, the interaction of the avatars comprising engaging in business or social experiences with other avatars;
and
the virtual universe provides a continuous environment.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/953,699Filed 10 Dec 2007
Published: US 2009/0147008 A111 Jun 2009
Granted: 3 Apr 2012
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

A63F 13/12
A63F 13/42
Processing input control signals of video game devices, e.g. signals generated by the player or derived from the environment: by mapping the input…
A63F 13/30
Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions: interconnection arrangements between game servers…
A63F 13/79
Game security or game management aspects: involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories