Method and system of enabling communication activities using bridge between real world and proprietary environments

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system, apparatus, and method for enabling communications and other forms of interaction between participants in a gaming or other form of virtual environment and the real world, or between a participant in one virtual environment and a participant in a second virtual environment. In particular, systems are provided to share presence information between participants, including information relating to their images and commercial activities. The presence information is user information that is used by real-time messaging systems to represent the user's current presence and identity. The presence information of a user is presented to other users to help them to decide when or if to communicate with the user.

1 . A computer implemented method for providing a message service within a cross world environment by utilizing an intermediary system that verifies a user's identity, the method comprising:
 receiving a request to engage in a communication via the message service;   obtaining an active identity of a first user, the active identity being selected to represent the first user for the communication;   generating a user presence of the first user, the user presence including the active identity of the first user and information about a proprietary world corresponding to the active identity;   obtaining a buddy list of the first user;   presenting a user presence of each user listed on the buddy list to the first user on a user device;   transmitting the user presence of the first user to each user on the buddy list;   receiving from the first user an identity of a second user; and   facilitating the communication between the first user and the second user.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing the first user with the list of proprietary identities associated with the first user in order to assist the first user in selecting the active identity for the user presence. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising identifying the proprietary world corresponding to the first user's active identity wherein the first user's active identity is defined in the proprietary world. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising presenting a list of the users who own at least one proprietary world identity defined in the identified proprietary world, wherein the first user selects the second user from the list of the users. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the user presence of the first user includes an indicator representing reputation information of the first user. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the reputation information is evaluated by a community related to the identified proprietary world. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein obtaining an active identity of a first user includes obtaining a proprietary identity that was specified as a default active identity. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user presence of the first user includes information about whether the active identity has been verified. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user presence of the first user includes information about when the active identity has been verified. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user presence includes a graphic representation of the active identity of the first user. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a request to add a third user in a buddy list of the first user. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising if the third user is new to the message service, inviting the third user to register with the message service. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 if the third user has registered with the message service, adding the third user to the buddy list of the first user; and   notifying the third user with a message indicating that the third user is added to the buddy list of the first user.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communication is facilitated via a chatting message board. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the chatting message board supports a commerce transaction between the first user and the second user. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein users in the chatting message board communicate via real time chatting. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user device is one of a mobile device, a wireless computing device, a PDA, or a personal computer. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 if the first user is new to the messaging service, registering a real identity of the first user and a plurality of proprietary identities of the first user; and   assigning a registered identity that is associated with the real identity and the plurality of proprietary identities.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein each proprietary identity is verified as to whether the first user is an owner of the proprietary identity through the intermediary system. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first user maintains a plurality of user presences at a given time. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein each user presence is displayed only to a subset of the buddy list. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein criteria is used to filter each subset of the buddy list. 
     
     
         23 . A system for providing a message service within a cross world environment wherein the system is communicatively connected to an identity service system that verifies a user's proprietary identity, the system comprising:
 a managing component for:
 providing a list of proprietary identities associated with a first user when the first user logs onto the system; 
 receiving from the first user an active identity selected from the list of proprietary identities associated with the first user; and 
 generating a user presence of the first user, the user presence including the active identity; 
   a message agent component for:
 receiving from the first user a request for a message service; 
 receiving, from the first user, content and information about at least one recipient; 
 generate a message including the content and the user presence of the first user; and 
 forwarding the message to the at least one recipient, 
   wherein the managing component forwards the request to the message agent component.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the message agent component is configure to present to the first use with a user presence of each user on the buddy list of the first user. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein each user on the buddy list of the first user has agreed to receive a message from the user presence of the first user. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the first user selects the at least one recipient from the users on the buddy list. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein if the message is an email message, real identities of the at least one recipient and the first user are obtained. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the real identities of the at least one recipient and the first user are included as meta data in the email message. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the real identities of the at least one recipient and the first user are hidden from viewing. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein if the first user is new to the presence service, the managing component registers the first user with a real identity and a plurality of proprietary identities of the first user. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein upon registration, the managing component assigns a registered identifier to the first user, the registered identifier being associated with the real identity of the first user. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein each proprietary identity is verified as to whether the first user is an owner of the proprietary identity, through the identity service system. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the message is forwarded via a real time chatting. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the message agent component receives a response to the message from the at least one recipient, which forwards the response to the first user via the real time chatting. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the message is forwarded via an email. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the message agent component enables users to communicate via exchanging a set of commands. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the set of commands are predefined. 
     
     
         38 . A computer implemented method for managing a user presence of a user in a cross world environment wherein a user registers a proprietary identity to represent the user's real identity for the financial transaction, the proprietary identity being verified through a third party service, the method comprising:
 receiving a request for a presence service;   obtaining an active identity of a first user, the active identity selected to represent the first user;   generating a user presence of the first user, wherein the user presence including graphic representation of the active identity of the first user, information about a proprietary world corresponding to the identity and verification information;   obtaining the buddy list of the first user; and   transmitting the user presence of the first user to each user on the buddy list.   
     
     
         39 . The computer implemented method of  claim 38 , further comprising:
 receiving a request to add a second user to the buddy list of the first user;   if the second user has registered with the service,
 adding an active identity of the second user to the buddy list of the first user; and 
 presenting the user presence of the first user to the second user, 
 wherein the user presence of the first user is updated as a presence status of the first user changes. 
   
     
     
         40 . The computer implemented method of  claim 38 , wherein the user presence of the first user is re-transmitted to each user on the buddy list as the information included in the user presence of the first user changes. 
     
     
         41 . The computer implemented method of  claim 38 , wherein the user presence of the first user is re-transmitted to each user on the buddy list at a predetermined interval.