# US 9,517,418 B2 · Conversation detection in a virtual world > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,517,418 B2 - Document ID: US9517418B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/180,885 - Filed: 2008-07-28 - Published: 2010-01-28 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2008-07-28 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: Christopher S. Alkov; Travis M. Grigsby; Ruthie D. Lyle; Lisa A. Seacat - Inventors: Christopher S. Alkov; Travis M. Grigsby; Ruthie D. Lyle; Lisa A. Seacat - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9517418B2 ## CPC - A63F 13/12 - A63F 13/87: Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat - A63F 13/30: Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers - A63F 13/35: Details of game servers - G06N 3/006: based on simulated virtual individual or collective life forms, e.g. social simulations or particle swarm optimisation [PSO] - A63F 2300/5533: using program state or machine event data, e.g. server keeps track of the state of multiple players on in a multiple player game - A63F 2300/63: for controlling the execution of the game in time - A63F 2300/64: for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06N: COMPUTING ARRANGEMENTS BASED ON SPECIFIC COMPUTATIONAL MODELS ## Abstract Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to virtual world management and provide a method, data processing system and computer program product for conversation detection in a virtual world. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for conversation management in a virtual world data processing system can include detecting a sequence of statements from at least two avatars in a virtual world, and locating the avatars in the virtual world, computing a temporal proximity of the statements. The statements can be grouped in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another. Thereafter, the grouped statements can be persisted in the virtual world as a conversation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for conversation management in a virtual world data processing system, the method comprising: recording a sequence of statements from different avatars in a virtual world; locating a position of each of the avatars in the virtual world; computing a temporal proximity of each of the recorded statements to others of the recorded statements; grouping selected ones of the recorded statements in the virtual world if corresponding ones of the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the selected ones of the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another; and, persisting the grouped statements in the virtual world as a conversation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another, comprises, grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another and if a most recent one of the statements had been posted within a threshold period of elapsed time. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another, comprises, grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another and if the avatars are moving in a similar direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another, comprises, grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another and if the avatars are facing each other. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another, comprises, grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another and if the avatars are participating in a same activity in the virtual world. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another, comprises, grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another and if no physical barriers separate the avatars. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another, comprises, grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another and if the avatars are labeled friends in the virtual world. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another, comprises, grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another and neither of the avatars is in a private chat with a different avatar. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another, further comprises, grouping the statements in the virtual world if the statements contain content indicating that the statements are related as part of a conversation. ### Claim 10 A virtual world management data processing system configured for conversation detection in a virtual world, the system comprising: a virtual world host server supporting a virtual world executing in the host server and providing access to different end users over a computer communications network, the host server having a processor and a memory; a plurality of avatars disposed in different locations in the virtual world and managed by the virtual world host server; and, conversation determination logic coupled to the host server, the logic comprising program code enabled to record a sequence of statements from different avatars, to locate a position of each of the avatars in the virtual world, to compute a temporal proximity of each of the recorded statements to others of the recorded statements, group selected ones of the recorded statements in the virtual world if corresponding ones of the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another, and to persist the grouped statements in the virtual world as a conversation. ### Claim 11 A non-transitory computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium storing computer usable program code for conversation management in a virtual world data processing system, the computer program product comprising: computer usable program code for recording a sequence of statements from different avatars in a virtual world; computer usable program code for locating a position of each of the avatars in the virtual world; computer usable program code for computing a temporal proximity of each of the recorded statements to others of the recorded statements; computer usable program code for grouping selected ones of the recorded statements in the virtual world if corresponding ones of the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the selected ones of the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another; and, persisting the grouped statements in the virtual world as a conversation. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable program code for grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another, comprises, computer usable program code for grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another and if a most recent one of the statements had been posted within a threshold period of elapsed time. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable program code for grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another, comprises, computer usable program code for grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another and if the avatars are moving in a similar direction. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable program code for grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another, comprises, computer usable program code for grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another and if the avatars are facing each other. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable program code for grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another, comprises, computer usable program code for grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another and if the avatars are participating in a same activity in the virtual world. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable program code for grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another, comprises, computer usable program code for grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another and if no physical barriers separate the avatars. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable program code for grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another, comprises, computer usable program code for grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another and if the avatars are labeled friends in the virtual world. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable program code for grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another, comprises, computer usable program code for grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another and neither of the avatars is in a private chat with a different avatar. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable program code for grouping the statements in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another, further comprises, computer usable program code for grouping the statements in the virtual world if the statements contain content indicating that the statements are related as part of a conversation.