| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20100026715 | Image Capture and Buffering in a Virtual World Using Situational Measurement Averages - A technique is disclosed for detecting photo opportunities within a virtual environment. In response to detecting a photo opportunity, images of the virtual environment may be captured from perspectives not limited to the user's viewport. A variety of physiological and virtual world parameters are measured to determine when to capture an image of a user interacting with the virtual environment. To improve the quality of images, these parameters may be individually weighted by factors specified by the user. Captured images may be stored in a temporary buffer space, possibly replacing older images. The user may view the buffer contents and select ideal images to move to a permanent gallery. The user's image selections can in turn be used to further improve the quality of future images. | 02-04-2010 |
| 20100026716 | Image Capture and Buffering in a Virtual World - A technique is disclosed for detecting photo opportunities within a virtual environment. In response to detecting a photo opportunity, images of the virtual environment may be captured from perspectives not limited to the user's viewport. A variety of physiological and virtual world parameters are measured to determine when to capture an image of a user interacting with the virtual environment. To improve the quality of images, these parameters may be individually weighted by factors specified by the user. Captured images may be stored in a temporary buffer space, possibly replacing older images. The user may view the buffer contents and select ideal images to move to a permanent gallery. The user's image selections can in turn be used to further improve the quality of future images. | 02-04-2010 |
| 20100070884 | Dynamically Linking Avatar Profiles Within a Virtual Environment - Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for linking user profiles within an immersive virtual environment. In one embodiment, a group is dynamically formed based on one or more criteria, including interactions, movements, history, viewports, friends lists, and the like. Once the group is formed, a group profile may be generated by, e.g., aggregating the individual user profiles of the group members. The group profile may control the interaction of the group members with the virtual world, thus providing a uniform and consistent experience for all group members. | 03-18-2010 |
| 20100070885 | Linking Avatar Profiles Within a Virtual Environment - Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for linking user profiles within an immersive virtual environment. In one embodiment, a group is dynamically formed based on one or more criteria, including interactions, movements, history, viewports, friends lists, and the like. Once the group is formed, a group profile may be generated by, e.g., aggregating the individual user profiles of the group members. The group profile may control the interaction of the group members with the virtual world, thus providing a uniform and consistent experience for all group members. | 03-18-2010 |
| 20100198653 | OBJECT ORGANIZATION BASED ON USER INTERACTIONS WITHIN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT - Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for arranging virtual objects within an immersive virtual environment. In one embodiment, avatar characteristics, viewport/display characteristics, and object/location characteristics may be analyzed to determine a degree of visibility of various locations within a virtual space to a user. Further, past user interactions within the immersive virtual environment may be analyzed to determine which portions of the user's viewport, when including virtual objects that are offered for sale, are most likely to result in a sale to the user. A set of virtual objects may then be assigned to locations within the virtual space based on the determined visibility to the user, past purchases by the user, and characteristics of the virtual objects. | 08-05-2010 |
| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20090094225 | User-Specific Search Indexing Within a Virtual Environment - Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for searching for virtual objects of an immersive virtual environment based on user interactions within the virtual environment. Generally, embodiments provide an attribute index storing data describing attributes of virtual objects, and an interaction index storing data describing user interactions with virtual objects. Search queries may be evaluated using both the attribute index and interactions index. Thus, virtual objects may be searched in terms of object attributes as well as user interactions with the virtual objects. | 04-09-2009 |
| 20090100035 | Generating a User-Specific Search Index of Content Within a Virtual Environment - Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for searching for virtual objects of an immersive virtual environment based on user interactions within the virtual environment. Generally, embodiments provide an attribute index storing data describing attributes of virtual objects, and an interaction index storing data describing user interactions with virtual objects. Search queries may be evaluated using both the attribute index and interactions index. Thus, virtual objects may be searched in terms of object attributes as well as user interactions with the virtual objects. | 04-16-2009 |
| 20090100353 | BREAKPOINT IDENTIFICATION AND PRESENTATION IN VIRTUAL WORLDS - One embodiment of the invention provides a method to allow a user to navigate through a virtual environment using breakpoints. Each breakpoint may store a context of a virtual location within the virtual world, recorded for the moment in time when the breakpoint was created. Further, in a persistent virtual world, the user's avatar may be restored to a given breakpoint location, as well as restoring elements of the virtual world, based on what was present within the virtual world when the breakpoint was created. | 04-16-2009 |
