Methods and systems for operating a virtual world

Abstract

A virtual world is operated by an automated system, in which choices available to be made by avatars are assigned point values. As an avatar makes a choice, a corresponding point values is tabulated by the automated system in a record specific to that avatar, and an updated points total for the avatar is processed against predetermined definitions defined in quantitative terms for underlying qualitative concepts such as unhealthiness, non-renewable energy usage, wastefulness, etc. The automated system performs steps as a function of the avatar's points total, such as changing the avatar's appearance such as body weight representation, causing the avatar to have a heart attack, etc.

1 . A method of operating a virtual world useable simultaneously by a plurality of users, each user controlling a respective avatar generated by a system operating the virtual world, comprising steps, performed by a computing device, of:
 for each avatar, maintaining at least one updatable unhealthfulness record that is expressed as a quantity, the unhealthfulness record being maintained privately by the system without display to the user associated with the avatar;   maintaining a table including at least one avatar activity that can be done by an avatar, each avatar activity in the table having a predefined change to be made to the quantity upon the activity being performed by the avatar;   updating the unhealthfulness record as a function of activity by the avatar, according to the table, to a current quantity;   comparing the current quantity to a certain predefined value that is a restriction condition; and   if the current quantity has reached the restriction condition, imposing on the avatar a heart attack or other negative medical event, and/or other negative consequence.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , including receiving an initial indication of body weight from a user that characterizes the avatar controlled by the user;
 maintaining a body weight value for the avatar as an updatable record;   tracking activity of the avatar and updating the updatable body weight value for the avatar based on activity of the avatar.   
     
     
         3 . A method of operating a virtual world useable simultaneously by a plurality of users, each user controlling a respective avatar, comprising steps, performed by a computing device, of:
 (A) maintaining a table comprising at least one restriction condition, wherein each restriction condition is expressed in terms of a quantity and the quantity is tabulated by the system as a function of one or more activities in which the avatar has engaged and which are defined by the system as, when performed by an avatar, having a certain predefined contribution to the quantity being tabulated for a certain restriction condition;   (B) for an avatar who has engaged in activity that is linked to a certain restriction condition, computing a record for the avatar that is a computed quantity which computed quantity is comparable to the quantity of the restriction condition, and screening for whether an avatar has reached the restriction condition;   (C) for an avatar that has met the restriction condition, restricting the avatar according to a restriction, wherein the restriction is selected from the group consisting of:   excluding the avatar from accessing certain parts of the virtual world;   changing size, changing shape, or otherwise changing an appearance of the avatar with the appearance-change being only updatable by the system operating the virtual world not by the user associated with the avatar;   imposing a slow-down on the avatar or otherwise changing a capability of the avatar in a negative direction with the capability-change being only updatable by the system operating the virtual world not by the user associated with the avatar;   subjecting the avatar to a heart attack or other negative health event; and   combinations thereof.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , in which the restriction condition is selected from the group consisting of:
 a condition that is a definition of an avatar controlled by the user having engaged in an unhealthy consumption of food or alcohol, and upon finding that a user has met the condition, performing a restriction for the user;   an anti-obesity condition that is a definition of an avatar controlled by the user in the virtual world consuming more than a certain amount of calories within a certain period of time;   a DWI condition that is a definition of an avatar controlled by a user in the virtual world attempting to operate a vehicle after having consumed more than a certain quantity of alcohol within a certain recent time period.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , including storing for each avatar an updatable record for each restriction condition that indicates a quantity attributed to the avatar that is comparable to the quantity of the restriction condition. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein an avatar has a current appearance, and upon the avatar being found to have met a certain defined restriction condition, the system operating the virtual world alters the current appearance to a changed appearance. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , including receiving an initial indication of body weight from a user for characterizing the avatar controlled by the user;
 maintaining a body weight value for the avatar as an updatable record;   tracking activity of the avatar and updating the updatable body weight value for the avatar based on activity of the avatar.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3 , including receiving a real-world photograph from the user to be associated with the avatar in the virtual world. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 3 , including meanwhile permitting the user to manipulate certain features of the appearance of the avatar, while blocking the user from undoing any restriction condition that is in force to the user's avatar. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 3 , including giving the user access to manipulate clothing and hairstyle appearance of the avatar, but meanwhile maintaining size, shape and health-related appearance of the avatar as non-manipulable by the user. 
     
     
         11 . A method of operating a virtual world, comprising steps, performed by a computing device, of:
 operating in the virtual world at least one virtual business which offers for purchase at least one purchasable product or service that is offered for purchase by an avatar in the virtual world and that when purchased by an avatar in the virtual world is delivered in the real world.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the virtual world includes at least one piece of real estate that is sponsored by a real-world business. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , including permitting at least one user to have access to the virtual world wherein the user in a form of an avatar controlled by the user navigates the virtual world. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the virtual world is useable simultaneously by a plurality of users each user having an avatar. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , including operating a framework in which a plurality of avatars have dating, friendship and/or professional networking and/or other social interactions therebetween. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , including receiving a virtual-world purchase instruction as submitted by an avatar, and processing the purchase instruction to cause delivery of the purchased good or service in the real-world to the real-world user represented by the avatar or to a real-world recipient designated by the avatar. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , including receiving a real-world credit card authorization at an initial time substantially in advance of the virtual-world purchase instruction, and associating the real-world credit card authorization with the avatar. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , including receiving a credit limit instruction to be enforced for the avatar when the avatar subsequently submits a purchase instruction. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual world includes at least one virtual business which offers for purchase at least one purchasable product or service that is offered for purchase by an avatar in the virtual world and that when purchased by an avatar in the virtual world is delivered outside the virtual world, in a real world delivery; and wherein the method comprises:
 via the virtual business, receiving a purchase order by an avatar;   processing the avatar's purchase order and causing the real world delivery.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , including causing the real-world shipment and delivery of real-world goods. 
     
     
         21 - 46 . (canceled)