Virtual marketplace accessible to widgetized avatars

a widget and avatar technology, applied in the field of avatars, can solve the problems of limited information about users, limited applicability of avatar physical characteristics to the physicality of real-world users, and limited options in prior art for users who wish to create avatars

Inactive Publication Date: 2010-08-19
MATTEL INC
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

Enables users to create and manage avatars with detailed personal profiles, facilitating increased marketing and transaction opportunities, improved representation, and seamless transferability across different computing communities and transactions.

Problems solved by technology

Many computing and entertainment embodiments allow for a user, player, or viewer to create an “avatar.” An avatar is typically a virtual manifestation of that user's “computerized physicality.” However, the prior art typically provides only limited options for a user who wishes to create an avatar, such as limited physical features, clothing, associated information, and the like.
As such, a typical avatar allows for only very limited information about a user to be relayed by the avatar.
More specifically, the physical characteristics of the avatar likely have only limited applicability to the physicality of the real-world user, due in part to the limited physical, clothing and the like options available in creating the avatar, and the typical information associated with the avatar, other than its physicality, is limited or non-existent.
Further, present avatars present little or no monetization or marketing opportunities, nor do present avatars allow for collection of or provision to, potential transaction partners of the preferences, characteristics or interests of the actual user.

Method used

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  • Virtual marketplace accessible to widgetized avatars
  • Virtual marketplace accessible to widgetized avatars
  • Virtual marketplace accessible to widgetized avatars

Examples

Experimental program
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Embodiment Construction

[0013]It is to be understood that the figures and descriptions of the present invention have been simplified to illustrate elements that are relevant for a clear understanding of the present invention, while eliminating, for the purpose of clarity, many other elements found in typical avatar and computing apparatuses, systems and methods. Those of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that other elements and / or steps are desirable and / or required in implementing the present invention. However, because such elements and steps are well known in the art, and because they dO not facilitate a better understanding of the present invention, a discussion of such elements and steps is not provided herein. The disclosure herein is directed to all such variations and modifications to such elements and methods known to those skilled in the art.

[0014]An avatar is understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to include a computer user's representation of him or herself, such as in the form of...

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PUM

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Abstract

A system for performing online commerce within a virtual marketplace is disclosed. The system includes computer programming resident on at least one networked server, wherein the computer programming provides an online marketplace having at least one virtual storefront. A user access to the online marketplace includes a user-directed, computer programmable avatar, and further includes a computing device communicatively connected to the at least one networked server. An operator of the at least one virtual storefront provides an auction transaction for at least one item with the user directed avatar.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. Patent Application No. 61 / 207,980, entitled “System And Method For Providing Expert Search In A Modular Computing System,” filed Feb. 17, 2009, and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, entitled “A Widgetized Avatar And A Method And System Of Creating And Using Same” filed Nov. 20, 2009, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12 / 381,663, entitled “A Widgetized Avatar And A Method And System Of Creating And Using Same” and filed Mar. 13, 2009, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein as if each being set forth in their entirety. This application is further related to U.S. Pat. No. ______, entitled “A Widgetized Avatar And A Method And System Of Virtual Commerce Including Same,” U.S. Pat. No. ______, entitled “A Widgetized Avatar And A Method And System Of Creating And Using Same,” and to U.S. Pat. No. ______, ent...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & AuthorityApplications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): G06Q30/00G06F3/01G06F3/048
CPCA63F2300/5553A63F2300/6018G06Q30/0601A63F13/63
InventorFUJIOKA, ROBB
OwnerMATTEL INC