Management of resources within a virtual world

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016101361-A1
Application number	US-201414509919-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 8, 2014
Priority date	Oct 8, 2014
Publication date	Apr 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods of managing virtual resources within a virtual world are described which use a device comprising a connecting element to which one or more smart beads can be attached. A smart bead represents either a virtual resource in the virtual world or an action on a virtual resource in the virtual world. The device is arranged to detect and identify which smart beads are attached to the connecting element and to autonomously update quantities of one or more virtual resources based on combinations of virtual resources and/or actions on virtual resources, where at least one of the virtual resources or actions in any combination is represented by a detected smart bead. In an embodiment, the device is a fashion item such as a wearable device.

First claim

1 . A device comprising a connecting element arranged to receive one or more smart beads, wherein a smart bead represents a virtual resource in an interactive software experience or an action on a virtual resource in the interactive software experience, the device comprising:
a bead detection module arranged to detect and identify one or more smart beads attached to the connecting element; and a resource management module arranged to autonomously update quantities of one or more virtual resources based on combinations of virtual resources and/or actions, wherein at least one of the virtual resources or actions in any combination is represented by a detected smart bead.

2 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the device is a wearable device.

3 . The device according to claim 2 , further comprising one or more sensors arranged to detect whether the wearable device is being worn by a user and wherein the resource management module is arranged to autonomously update quantities of one or more virtual resources based on combinations of two or more smart beads which are detected and being worn by a user.

4 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the bead detection module is further arranged to detect smart beads attached to a proximate connecting element.

5 . The device according to claim 4 , wherein the resource management module is further arranged to autonomously increase a quantity of a virtual resource represented by a first detected bead and decrease a quantity of a second virtual resource represented by a second detected bead based on user defined trading parameters and wherein the first and second detected beads are attached to different connecting elements.

6 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the resource management module is arranged to autonomously update quantities of one or more virtual resources based on combinations of two or more detected smart beads and a detected real world activity of a user.

7 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the resource management module is arranged to autonomously update quantities of one or more virtual resources based on combinations of two or more detected smart beads and a detected arrangement of the two or more detected smart beads on the connecting element.

8 . The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a communication module arranged to communicate the updated quantities of one or more virtual resources to the interactive software experience.

9 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the resource management module is further arranged to autonomously reduce a quantity of a virtual resource at a predefined rate.

10 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the smart bead represents a virtual resource and the connecting element represents an action on a virtual resource.

11 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the smart bead represents an action on a virtual resource and the connecting element represents one or more virtual resources.

12 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the smart bead represents an action on a virtual resource contained within the interactive software experience.

13 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the detected smart beads represents a virtual resource and at least another of the detected smart beads represents an action on the virtual resource.

14 . A system comprising one or more smart beads, a smart bead being connectable to a connecting element to form a fashion item and comprising a storage element, wherein the storage element is arranged to store a parameter representing a quantity of a virtual resource in an interactive software experience or data describing an action on a virtual resource in the interactive software experience.

15 . The system according to claim 14 , comprising at least one smart bead comprising a storage element arranged to store a parameter representing a quantity of a virtual resource and at least one smart bead comprising a storage element arranged to store data describing an action on a virtual resource in the interactive software experience.

16 . The system according to claim 14 , further comprising a smart bead arranged to autonomously update quantities of one or more virtual resources based on combinations of two or more smart beads attached to a connecting element or to a plurality of proximate connecting elements.

17 . The system according to claim 14 , wherein a smart bead further comprises one or more sensors.

18 . The system according to claim 14 , wherein a smart bead further comprises a visual indicator arranged to display an indication of the parameter representing the quantity of the virtual resource.

19 . A method comprising:
receiving, in an interactive software experience, data from a fashion item, the data identifying an update to a quantity of a virtual resource in a virtual world within the interactive software experience; and modifying the graphical user interface or other functionality within the interactive software experience based on the data received.

20 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein the interactive software experience is a multiplayer online game.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Scott James William
• Zhang Haiyan
• Villar Nicolas
• Bunting Alexandra Keeley
• Venables Jonathan Leslie
• Carter Simon Jay

Classifications

• A63F13/212

  using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity · CPC title

• A63F13/822 Primary

  Strategy games; Role-playing games (A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence) · CPC title

• A63F13/98

  Accessories, i.e. detachable arrangements optional for the use of the video game device, e.g. grip supports of game controllers · CPC title

• G06F3/011

  Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00) · CPC title

• A63F13/24

  Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles · CPC title