Managing shared inventory in a virtual universe

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9256898-B2
Application number	US-2891808-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 11, 2008
Priority date	Feb 11, 2008
Publication date	Feb 9, 2016
Grant date	Feb 9, 2016

Abstract

Generally speaking, systems, methods and media for managing shared inventory in a virtual universe are disclosed. Embodiments of the method may include receiving notification of a user session being established between a user and a virtual universe simulator. The method may also include accessing a list of shared inventory items for the user where the list of shared inventory items includes one or more shared inventory items each having an inventory source associated with it. Embodiments may also include retrieving at least one shared inventory item from its associated inventory source and passing the retrieved shared inventory item to the virtual universe simulator. Further embodiments may include retrieving an updated listing for the shared inventory items from their associated inventory sources and passing the updated shared inventory item list to the virtual universe simulator. Further embodiments may include passing metadata for shared inventory items to the virtual universe simulator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for managing shared inventory in a virtual universe, said method comprising:
receiving, by a processor of a computer system, an owner request from an owner of an inventory item to designate the inventory item as a shared inventory item, said owner request specifying terms and conditions under which the inventory item may be shared for use by users other than the owner;
in response to said receiving the owner request, said processor generating metadata comprising the terms and conditions;
said processor storing the metadata in a database of the computer system;
after said storing the metadata, said processor establishing a user session with a particular user who is not the owner;
after said establishing the user session, said processor both receiving a user request from the particular user to use the shared inventory item and receiving the metadata from the database;
said processor ascertaining that the terms and conditions in the received metadata permit the particular user to use the shared inventory item; and
in response to said ascertaining, said processor rendering the shared inventory item for use of the shared inventory item by the particular user.

2. The method of claim 1 , said method further comprising:
after said establishing the user session and before said receiving the user request, said processor receiving an updated list of inventory items, wherein one inventory item on the list is marked with a text character denoting that the one inventory item is shareable with users other than an owner of the one inventory item, and wherein another inventory item on the list is not marked to denote that the another inventory item is shareable with users other than an owner of the another inventory item.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the terms and conditions in the metadata specify a rating denoting a standard of quality for the shared inventory item and that the shared inventory item may be shared for use by users who specify a desired quality for the shared inventory item not exceeding the standard of quality denoted by the rating.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the terms and conditions in the metadata specify that the shared inventory item may be simultaneously shared for use by no more than a specified maximum number of users.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the terms and conditions in the metadata specify that the shared inventory item may be shared for use by different users at different times.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the terms and conditions in the metadata specify that the shared inventory item may be shared for use only when the owner is not logged on the computer system.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the terms and conditions in the metadata specify that the shared inventory item may be shared for use during only a specified period of time during each day.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the terms and conditions in the metadata specify that the shared inventory item may be shared for use by only particular users.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the terms and conditions in the metadata specify that the shared inventory item may be shared for use in an auction.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the terms and conditions in the metadata specify that the shared inventory item may be shared for use in barter activity.

11. A computer program product, comprising a computer readable tangible storage device having computer readable program code stored therein, said program code configured to be executed by a processor of a computer system to implement a method for managing shared inventory in a virtual universe, said method comprising:
said processor receiving an owner request from an owner of an inventory item to designate the inventory item as a shared inventory item, said owner request specifying terms and conditions under which the inventory item may be shared for use by users other than the owner;
in response to said receiving the owner request, said processor generating metadata comprising the terms and conditions;
said processor storing the metadata in a database of the computer system;
after said storing the metadata, said processor establishing a user session with a particular user who is not the owner;
after said establishing the user session, said processor both receiving a user request from the particular user to use the shared inventory item and receiving the metadata from the database;
said processor ascertaining that the terms and conditions in the received metadata permit the particular user to use the shared inventory item; and
in response to said ascertaining, said processor rendering the shared inventory item for use of the shared inventory item by the particular user.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 , said method further comprising:
after said establishing the user session and before said receiving the user request, said processor receiving an updated list of inventory items, wherein one inventory item on the list is marked with a text character denoting that the one inventory item is shareable with users other than an owner of the one inventory item, and wherein another inventory item on the list is not marked to denote that the another inventory item is shareable with users other than an owner of the another inventory item.

13. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the terms and conditions in the metadata specify a rating denoting a standard of quality for the shared inventory item and that the shared inventory item may be shared for use by users who specify a desired quality for the shared inventory item not exceeding the standard of quality denoted by the rating.

14. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the terms and conditions in the metadata specify that the shared inventory item may be simultaneously shared for use by no more than a specified maximum number of users.

15. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the terms and conditions in the metadata specify that the shared inventory item may be shared for use by different users at different times.

16. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the terms and conditions in the metadata specify that the shared inventory item may be shared for use only when the owner is not logged on the computer system.

17. A computer system comprising a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, and a computer readable tangible storage device coupled to the processor, said storage device containing program code configured to be executed by the processor via the memory to implement a method for managing shared inventory in a virtual universe, said method comprising:
said processor receiving an owner request from an owner of an inventory item to designate the inventory item as a shared inventory item, said owner request specifying terms and conditions under which the inventory item may be shared for use by users other than the owner;
in response to said receiving the owner request, said processor generating metadata comprising the terms and conditions;
said processor storing the metadata in a database of the computer system;
after said storing the metadata, said processor establishing a user session with a particular user who is not the owner;
after said establishing the user session, said processor both receiving a user request from the particular user to use the shared inventory item and receiving the metadata from the database;
said processor ascertaining that the terms and conditions in the received metadata permit the particular user to use the shared inventory item; and

Assignees

• Bhogal Kulvir S
• Hamilton Ii Rick Allen
• Pickover Clifford Alan
• Sand Anne R
• IBM

Inventors

• Bhogal Kulvir S
• Hamilton Ii Rick Allen
• Pickover Clifford Alan
• Sand Anne R

Classifications

• H04L47/80

  Actions related to the user profile or the type of traffic · CPC title

• H04L67/306

  User profiles · CPC title

• G06Q10/0875

  Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials · CPC title

• G06Q10/087 Primary

  Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders · CPC title

• H04L67/10

  in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network (software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46) · CPC title