US 8,898,233 B2Granted

Matchmaking system for virtual social environment

AssigneeGanz

InventorsJoseph Benjamin Ganetakos, Jesse Daniel Scoble, John Alexander Larsen, Karl Joseph Borst

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A matchmaking system is provided herein to facilitate the development of relationships in a virtual social environment. The amount of development (positive or negative) is measured through the detection and analysis of the villager's actions and activity in the virtual social environment. By performing actions including participating in events, activities, sharing an opinion, and giving gifts to other villagers or NPCs present in the environment, a villager creates relationships between herself and other villagers (regardless if owned by the same or different user) or NPCs which then contributes to the development of her own “life” in the virtual social environment. Through this system, villagers are able to meet again based on multiple factors to further develop life-like relationships.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A computer system for rating relationships between pairs of virtual characters in a virtual world comprising:

a server computer having a user metrics storage component that collects and stores activity data and relationship data including personality traits of each virtual character of a pair of virtual characters and points that are allocated from each virtual character to each other of the pair of virtual characters;
said server computer further comprises a user metrics analysis component that sets a relationship scale value for each character of the pair of virtual characters to an initial value based on a combination of the personality traits assigned to each virtual character of the pair of virtual characters, wherein the initial value of the relationship scale value is randomly selected from a predetermined range of points on a relationship scale determined by an initial personality type of each character and wherein the relationship scale value is representative of a level of affinity that a first virtual character and a second virtual character of the pair of virtual characters have toward one another,
wherein the user metrics analysis component adjusts the relationship scale value based on the activity data and relationship data;
and
said server computer sends data related to the relationship scale value for one of the characters of the pair of virtual characters over a computer network and displayed on a user computer.

2 more elements

A method for rating relationships between pairs of virtual characters in a virtual world comprising:

collecting and storing activity data and relationship data by a server computer, the relationship data including assigned personality traits of each virtual character of a pair of virtual characters and points allocated from each character to the other character of the pair of virtual characters;
setting, by the server computer, a relationship scale value for each character of the pair of virtual characters to an initial value based on a combination of the personality traits assigned to each virtual character of the pair of virtual characters and the points allocated from each character to the other, wherein the initial value of the relationship scale value is randomly selected from a predetermined range of points on a relationship scale determined by an initial personality type of each character and wherein the relationship scale value is representative of the level of affinity for a first virtual character of the pair by a second virtual character of the pair;
adjusting, by the server computer, the relationship scale value based on the relationship data;
and
transmitting relationship scale data over a computer network for display by a user computer, the relationship scale data being related to the relationship scale value for one of the characters of the pair of virtual characters.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/091,400Filed 21 Apr 2011 · us provisional application
Priority: 23 Apr 2010
Published: US 2011/0264741 A127 Oct 2011
Granted: 25 Nov 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification3 codes

G06Q 30/02
Commerce: marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
G06Q 10/42
Business processes related to social networking or social networking services: determination of affinities or common interests between users
G06Q
Information and communication technology [ict] specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial