US 8,739,037 B1Granted

Method and apparatus for promoting on-line activities using rules-based virtual worlds

AssigneeHyperlayers, Inc.

InventorsSteven Samuel Hoffman, Naomi Kokubo

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Abstract

The present invention relates generally to the field of computer and network software, and more particularly it relates to a computer system and method for promoting virtual world and specific on-line activities through rules, awards and other incentives. According to some aspects, the present invention maintains rules-based virtual world(s) and activities, wherein the rules are designed to allow users to achieve a certain status, skill and/or reputation level, and to reward them accordingly. Rewards can include access to certain virtual activities (e.g. interactive objects, games, etc.) and/or virtual spaces, possession of certain Virtual Collectibles, and other enhancements to their on-line experience. Rules and criteria can specify that such rewards are provided to users based on their skill level in virtual games hosted by system, the number and type of Virtual Collectibles they have already acquired, the reputation they have gained as traders or chatters within the virtual world(s), etc. According to certain other aspects of the invention, the rules and criteria for providing rewards are designed to promote further activity with the system and to directly and indirectly drive traffic to sites of partners.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A method, comprising:

hosting a rules-based virtual world by a computer-based server system that manages avatars and on-line presences respectively corresponding to a plurality of users registered with the rules-based virtual world, wherein a user of the plurality of users interacts with other users of the plurality of users with virtual world content including their respective avatars and on-line presences via a client application that communicates with the computer-based server system;
maintaining information about the user's level within the rules-based virtual world, wherein the user's level is based on a comparison of one or more attributes of the user and rules associated with the virtual world;
allowing the user, while the user is not accessing the rules-based virtual world via a web browser that is separate from the client application, to surf the web and receive normal web content different from the virtual world content, wherein the normal web content is served from a website on the public Internet, and wherein the virtual world content is served from the server system that is separate and remote from the website;
automatically capturing, using the client application, a request from the user to receive the normal web content;
communicating the request from the client application to the computer-based server system;
and
automatically supplementing the normal web content that the user receives via the web browser with additional virtual world content from the rules-based virtual world via the client application based on the maintained information and in response to the request, thereby causing the user to simultaneously receive and render using the web browser the normal web content from the website and the additional virtual world content from the server system, the additional virtual world content including at least the avatar corresponding to the user.

4 more elements

A system, comprising:

a virtual world manager that hosts a virtual world having virtual world content and manages avatars and on-line presences respectively corresponding to a plurality of users registered with the virtual world, wherein the virtual world manager also maintains information about a user's level within the system, wherein the user's level is based on a comparison of one or more attributes of the user and rules associated with the virtual world, and wherein the user interacts with other users of the plurality of users with virtual world content including their respective avatars and on-line presences in the virtual world via a client application that communicates with the computer-based server system;
a port that receives information from the client application regarding normal web content different from the virtual world content the user requests using a web browser that is separate from the client application while the user is not accessing the virtual world via the web browser, wherein the normal web content is served from a website on the public Internet, and wherein the virtual world content is served from the server system that is separate and remote from the website;
and
a distribution manager that determines whether to automatically supplement the normal web content that the user receives via the web browser with additional virtual world content from the rules-based virtual world via the client application based on the maintained information and in response to the request, thereby causing the user to simultaneously receive and render using the web browser the normal web content from the website and the additional virtual world content from the server system, the additional virtual world content including at least the avatar corresponding to the user.

1 more element

A method comprising:

hosting a rules-based virtual world by a computer-based server system that manages avatars and on-line presences respectively corresponding to a plurality of users registered with the rules-based virtual world, wherein a user of the plurality of users interacts with other users of the plurality of users with virtual world content including their respective avatars and on-line presences via a client application that communicates with the computer-based server system, wherein interacting includes displaying the avatars and the other virtual world content on host computing devices associated with the user and other users;
maintaining information about a user's level within a rules-based virtual world hosted by the computer-based server system, wherein the user's level is based on a comparison of one or more attributes of the user and rules associated with the virtual world;
allowing a user, while the user is not accessing the rules-based virtual world via a web browser that is separate from the client application, to surf the web and receive normal web content different from virtual world content, wherein the normal web content is served from a website on the public Internet, and wherein the virtual world content is served from the server system that is separate and remote from the website;
and
automatically supplementing the normal web content that the user receives via the web browser with additional virtual world content based on information regarding the user's web surfing for normal web content from the client application and the maintained information, thereby causing the user to simultaneously receive and render using the web browser the normal web content from the website and the additional virtual world content from the server system, the additional virtual world content including at least the avatar corresponding to the user, wherein, the avatars comprise virtualized identities corresponding to the users, and are rendered for display to the users along with other virtual world content;
wherein the step of maintaining information about the user's level includes updating certain of the attributes of the user based on the user's interactions with other users in the virtual world, and
wherein receiving information regarding the user's web surfing includes receiving a URL from the client application installed on the user's host computing device, and
wherein the step of maintaining information about the user's level further includes updating certain other of the attributes of the user based on the received information.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/126,255Filed 23 May 2008 · us provisional application
Priority: 30 May 2007
Granted: 27 May 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

G06Q 30/02
Commerce: marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
G06F 3/04815
Based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like…:…
G06N 3/006
Artificial life, i.e. computing arrangements simulating life: based on simulated virtual individual or collective life forms, e.g. social…
G06Q 30/00
Commerce

Family

Application60/940,955Us provisional application · filed 30 May 2007
Application60/941,250Us provisional application · filed 31 May 2007
Application60/941,258Us provisional application · filed 31 May 2007
Application60/941,261Us provisional application · filed 31 May 2007
Application60/955,137Us provisional application · filed 10 Aug 2007
Application60/955,144Us provisional application · filed 10 Aug 2007
Application60/974,438Us provisional application · filed 21 Sep 2007
Application61/034,451Us provisional application · filed 6 Mar 2008
US 8,739,037 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.