Method and apparatus for enabling people to find each other and stay together in virtual environments

Abstract

A directory maintains a record of where a user is located within a plurality of virtual environments. As the user moves within a virtual environment or between virtual environments the user's location is updated in the directory. The user (invitation sender) may send invitations to other users (invitation recipients) to meet the user at a particular time. The invitation may be implemented as a URI which may be sent by Instant Message, E-mail, chat, etc. When an invitation recipient clicks on the URI to accept the invitation, the invitation will be validated and, if valid, enable the invitation recipient to move to the current location of the invitation sender. Invitations may be to meet the invitation sender or to follow the invitation sender. Where the invitation is to follow the invitation sender, a group may be formed that can move within and between virtual environments.