The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 28, 2012
Filed:
Sep. 12, 2008
Rick A. Hamilton, Ii, Charlottesville, VA (US);
Steven M. Harrison, Bremerton, WA (US);
Brian M. O'connell, Cary, NC (US);
Keith R. Walker, Austin, TX (US);
Rick A. Hamilton, II, Charlottesville, VA (US);
Steven M. Harrison, Bremerton, WA (US);
Brian M. O'Connell, Cary, NC (US);
Keith R. Walker, Austin, TX (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
Methods, devices and systems are provided for enabling virtual universe users to find and engage subject matter experts within a virtual universe by defining a virtual universe subject matter expert conduit within the virtual universe. A virtual universe user avatar engages the conduit and a user indicates a subject matter expert search term. A data storage is searched for a tag relevant to the search term, and an expert-avatar is identified and located through the relevant tag. The user is enabled to directly communicate with the identified expert-avatar through a conduit communication medium entirely within the virtual universe, without requiring the user to engage a resource outside of the virtual universe or without requiring the user to engage an interface outside of the virtual universe.