Automatic transformation of inventory items in a virtual universe

A method, performed on a computer system using a processor, for automatically transforming an inventory item of an avatar located in a region of a virtual universe, comprising, using said processor on said computer system to perform the following:

• assessing inventory item characteristics associated with the region in which the avatar is located;
• assessing inventory item characteristics of a plurality of avatars that are located within the general vicinity of the avatar;
• automatically transforming an inventory item within an inventory associated with the avatar according to the assessed inventory item characteristics associated with the region and the assessed inventory item characteristics of the plurality of avatars that are located within a predetermined vicinity of the avatar, the inventory containing a listing of properties and possessions that are for use in the virtual universe and that belong to the avatar, wherein to confirm with any avatar characteristic requirements associated with being allowed to enter or remain in the location that the avatar is currently in and to conform with the avatar characteristics of the plurality of the plurality of avatars that are in the general vicinity of the avatar, wherein a statistical analysis is performed on the avatar characteristics associated with the plurality of avatars that are in the general vicinity of the avatar to determine which avatar characteristics may be necessary to enter or remain in this vicinity, the statistical analysis comprises determining a percentage of avatar characteristics that the plurality of avatars in the general vicinity have in common with each other that may be necessary to enter or remain in this vicinity in order to invoke an inventory item change to conform with a common avatar characteristic shared by the plurality of avatars.

A computer system for automatically transforming an inventory item of an avatar located in a region of a virtual universe, comprising:

• at least one processing unit;
• memory operably associated with the at least one processing unit;
• and
• an automatic inventory item transformation tool storable in memory and executable by the at least one processing unit, the tool comprising:
• an avatar locator component configured to locate an avatar that is online in the virtual universe;
• and
• an inventory item transforming component configured to automatically transform an inventory item within an inventory associated with the located avatar according to predetermined inventory item transformation criteria, the inventory containing a listing of properties and possessions that are for use in the virtual universe and that belong to the avatar, wherein the automatic transforming of the inventory item changes the inventory item to conform with any avatar characteristic requirements associated with being allowed to enter or remain in a location that the avatar is currently in and to conform with the avatar characteristics of a plurality of avatars that are in a general vicinity of the avatar, wherein a statistical analysis is performed on the avatar characteristics associated with the plurality of avatars that are in the general vicinity of the avatar to determine which avatar characteristics may be necessary to enter or remain in this vicinity, the statistical analysis comprises determining a percentage of avatar characteristics that the plurality of avatars in the general vicinity have in common with each other that may be necessary to enter or remain in this vicinity in order to invoke an inventory item change to conform with a common avatar characteristic shared by the plurality of avatars.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer instructions, which when executed, enables a computer system to automatically transform an inventory item associated with an avatar that is online in a virtual universe, the computer instructions comprising:

• locating the avatar in the virtual universe;
• and
• automatically transforming an inventory item within an inventory associated with the avatar according to predetermined inventory item transformation criteria, the inventory containing a listing of properties and possessions that are for use in the virtual universe and that belong to the avatar, wherein the automatic transforming of the inventory item changes the inventory item to conform with any avatar characteristic requirements associated with being allowed to enter or remain in a location that the avatar is currently in and to conform with the avatar characteristics of the plurality of avatars that are in a general vicinity of the avatar, wherein a statistical analysis is performed on the avatar characteristics associated with the plurality of avatars that are in the general vicinity of the avatar to determine which avatar characteristics may be necessary to enter or remain in this vicinity, the statistical analysis comprises determining a percentage of avatar characteristics that the plurality of avatars in the general vicinity have in common with each other that may be necessary to enter or remain in this vicinity in order to invoke an inventory item change to conform with a common avatar characteristic shared by the plurality of avatars.

A method for deploying an automatic inventory item transformation tool for use in a computer system that automatically transforms an inventory item associated with an avatar that is online in a virtual universe, comprising:

• providing a computer infrastructure operable to:
• locate the avatar in the virtual universe;
• and
• automatically transform an inventory item within an inventory associated with the avatar according to predetermined inventory item transformation criteria, the inventory containing a listing of properties and possessions that are for use in the virtual universe and that belong to the avatar, wherein the automatic transforming of the inventory item changes the inventory item to conform with any avatar characteristic requirements associated with being allowed to enter or remain in a location that the avatar is currently in and to conform with the avatar characteristics of the plurality of avatars that are in the general vicinity of the avatar, wherein a statistical analysis is performed on the avatar characteristics associated with the plurality of avatars that are in a general vicinity of the avatar to determine which avatar characteristics may be necessary to enter or remain in this vicinity, the statistical analysis comprises determining a percentage of avatar characteristics that the plurality of avatars in the general vicinity have in common with each other that may be necessary to enter or remain in this vicinity in order to invoke an inventory item change to conform with a common avatar characteristic shared by the plurality of avatars.