International Business Machines Corporation

Activision Publishing, Inc.

William Bruce Nicol, Ii

Andrew Bryan Smith

Daniel Edward House

Brian Ronald Bokor

Peter Frederick Haggar

Luis J Ostdiek

Christopher J Dawson

Dwayne Thomas Crump

David De-Hui Chen

Peter C Yim

Lakshminarayanan Srinivasan

Jaione Tirapu Azpiroz

Christian S Rashev

Emily Supil

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

An approach is provided to authenticate objects based on surface patterns on the object. In the approach, a pressure pattern is measured between a sensor array surface of a pressure mapping sensor array accessible by the processor and one of the object's surfaces. A set of characteristics of the object surface is extracted based on the pressure pattern resulting from the measuring. These characteristics are compared to a set of expected characteristics with the object being authenticated based on the comparison.

Multi-factor authentication and security

In an approach to augmenting authentication methods using a face covering, one or more computer processors receive an image of a user wearing a face covering, where a portion of the face of the user is visible in the image, and the face covering covers another portion of the face of the user in the image. One or more computer processors detect an identifier operably coupled with the face covering. One or more computer processors determine whether the first portion of the face of the user is associated with the identifier. In response to determining the first portion of the face of the user is not associated with the identifier, one or more computer processors receive an alternate authentication. One or more computer processors authenticate the user.

Authentication with face covering

A computer-implemented process for contextual application programming interfaces in a development environment comprising receiving a user profile data set for use in software development work, formulating a query to locate a set of application programming interface(s) (API(s)) most suited to the software development needs of the software developer; communicating the first query to an API search engine, and receiving a response data set from the API search engine that includes information identifying one or more API(s) most suited to the needs of the software developer.

Contextual application programming interfaces in a development environment

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 process definition entered into a user interface that is coupled with an instant messaging client application can be identified. The process definition can represent an ad hoc business process. The process definition can utilize entities defined in a contact of the instant messaging (IM) client application. The process definition can execute. Upon reaching a terminating condition defined within the process definition, results of executing the process definition can be presented via the user interface.

Solution that leverages an instant messaging system to manage ad hoc business process workflows

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

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.

Growing community of inventors

Durham, NC, United States of America

William Bruce Nicol, Ii