International Business Machines Corporation

Activision Publishing, Inc.

Other

Daniel Edward House

Andrew Bryan Smith

Brian Ronald Bokor

William Bruce Nicol, Ii

Peter Frederick Haggar

Constance Jane Nelin

Brian Joseph Owings

Howard Justin Glaser

Luis J Ostdiek

John Ryan McGarvey

Christopher J Dawson

Shaw-Ben Shi

Rebecca Braun Nin

Shiau-Shiau Pei

Chandra Paul Immanuel

Richard Lee Daugherty

Kelvin Roderick Lawrence

James Edward Fox

Michael Thomas Wheatley

Robert M Smith

Eric Lynn Porter

Richard Gerald Bowers

Alan Edward Booth

Christopher B Ferris

Dirk Nicol

Wiliam B Nicol, Ii

Edward Green Bradford

A system for automatically increasing a capacity of a virtual space in a virtual world may include a processor and a module operating on the processor for detecting an attempt by an avatar to enter a virtual space in a virtual world. The system may also include another module for determining if an allowable number of avatars is currently in the virtual space. The allowable number of avatars may be determined by at least a capacity of a server that is hosting the virtual space. Another module may be provided for increasing a capacity of the virtual space when the allowable number of avatars is currently in the virtual space. Increasing the capacity of the virtual space may include spawning a replicate new virtual space on a different server in response to the capacity of the server that is hosting the virtual space reaching the allowable number of avatars.

Automatic increasing of capacity of a virtual space in a virtual world

A method for mapping transactions between a real world and a virtual world may include receiving information associated with a real world item at a virtual business object (VBO) controller. Information associated with a user is received at the VBO controller. In response to receiving by the VBO controller a decision to buy the real world item, the VBO controller generates a VBO, which includes the information associated with the real world item. In response to receiving at the VBO controller a decision not to buy the real world item, the VBO controller generates a VBO light, which includes the information associated with the real world item. Either the generated VBO or the VBO light is transmitted to a VBO inventory database associated with the user based on the user's information.

Mapping transactions between the real world and a virtual world

A system for perspective based tagging and visualization of avatars in a virtual world may include determining if another avatar has moved within a predetermined proximity range of a user's avatar in a virtual world. The system may also include allowing the user to tag the other avatar with information in response to the other avatar being within the predetermined proximity range of the user's avatar.

Perspective based tagging and visualization of avatars in a virtual world

Collaborative virtual business object (VBO) social sharing that may include generating a VBO responsive to an avatar performing a transaction, and providing access to the VBO to other avatars desiring access. Access to the VBO may be provided by registering information regarding accessing the VBO in an inventory of the avatar, registering information regarding accessing the VBO in a centralized registry, allowing some portions of the VBO to be searchable, or uploading a modified copy of the VBO to a centralized VBO data upload facility. Portions of the VBO may be identified as private or public and access provided to only the public portions. An apparatus for collaborative virtual business object (VBO) social sharing may include an interface configured to access virtual world and a processor configured to generate a VBO responsive to a transaction in the virtual world and provide access to the VBO.

Collaborative virtual business objects social sharing in a virtual world

A method for avoiding non-intentional separation of avatars in a virtual world may include detecting a first avatar seeking to enter a first location and determining if a second avatar is related to the first avatar based on a first predetermined rule. The method may also include determining that the first and second avatars are seeking to enter the first location together. The method may further include determining whether to allow the first avatar and the second avatar to enter the first location based on a second predetermined rule.

Avoiding non-intentional separation of avatars in a virtual world

Mapping of a universal resource locator (URL) to a virtual world location may include receiving a URL for access to an entity, accessing a mapping of the URL to coordinates of a location of the entity in a virtual world, and providing access to the entity in the virtual world. A device that may include a network interface, the network interface being configured to receive a URL and provide access to a virtual world, and a memory, the memory containing at least one mapping of a URL to coordinates in the virtual world.

URL virtual naming and metadata mapping

A new approach to customer support that protects working artifacts through their entire lifecycle by provisioning, on-demand, a transient-controlled debugging environment that preferably is associated with a particular support issue (or subset of issues) when particular artifacts (e.g., files) are securely received at the service or software provider. This approach allows for complete (or substantially complete) isolation and control of the artifacts in a contained environment for so long as necessary by the provider. Preferably, the provider owns or otherwise manages the provisioned environment, which can be augmented as needed to meet the debugging requirements of the particular issue. Preferably, the provisioned environment is restricted in access to only those engineers or others with a verifiable need to know, or that have the necessary training and skill sets for the support operation required.

Provisioning transient-controlled secure environments for viewing sensitive data

A method for amending a contract in a virtual world may include presenting an online chat option in response to another user's avatar coming within a predetermined proximity range of an avatar of the user and in response to the other user's avatar and the user's avatar having previously entered into a contract in the virtual world. The method may also include recording the online chat between the users to define an amendment to the contract in response to the online chat option being selected. The method may further include appending the amendment to contracting terms in a contract object in response to acceptance of the amendment by the users.

Contract amendment mechanism in a virtual world

Translating gestures made by one avatar to a second avatar in a virtual world by receiving an input from a first user representing an input gesture to be made by the first avatar to the second avatar. The input gesture is translated to generate at least one translated gesture for display. The translated gesture may be output for display as being made by the first avatar to the second avatar.

Translation of gesture responses in a virtual world

Avatar cloning in a virtual world may include receiving an input indicating that a user desires to access a cloning feature and allowing a cloned avatar to be cloned from the user's avatar.

System and method for avatar cloning

A system for allowing an alternative action in a virtual world may include a processor and a module operable on the processor for allowing an alternative action in a virtual world in response to a request for an original action for an avatar of a user being unavailable in the virtual world. A queue stores the request in response to the original action being unavailable. Another module may determine if an alternative action is available for the avatar in response to the original action being unavailable. A further module may present an interface to permit the user to accept the alternative action. The avatar is permitted to perform the alternative action in response to the user accepting the alternative action while the request for the original action is still in the queue.

Growing community of inventors

Raleigh, NC, United States of America

Daniel Edward House