SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING SUPPORT SERVICES IN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT - Patent application

Abstract

A system and method for enabling a person experiencing and interacting with a virtual environment to obtain customer support or another form of assistance within the virtual environment for objects, services, or experiences with which they interact in the virtual environment.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001] [CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 319,611, filed on March 14, 2022, and entitled “Systems and Methods for Providing Support Services in a Virtual Environment,” the contents of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety (including any extenuating documents).

[0002] [background] Virtual and augmented reality experiences are becoming more and more common. Typically, a user enters and interacts with a virtual environment using dedicated devices, such as a headset or glasses. A natural evolution of this kind of experience is that of a person, represented by an avatar, existing in the virtual world and interacting with objects, other avatars, and the virtual environment. In some cases, this virtual world or virtual reality may be augmented by images or representations of objects in the real, physical world. Such virtual worlds or environments have been called the "metaverse." The metaverse refers to the concept of an immersive virtual world where people come together to socialize, play, and work (Merriam-Webster).

[0003] As in the physical "real" world, a person experiencing the metaverse may encounter problems using a product or service, such as a virtual application, delivery service, virtual device, business-related service, or another aspect of the virtual world. In some cases, a virtual form of an application or device may correspond to a real-world, actual version of the same application or device. In the physical world, a person would contact the store where they purchased the product, or the "brand" represented by the product or service, to obtain customer support or another form of assistance, but this approach is not possible in a virtual environment. There are several reasons for this, but generally, it can typically be explained in relation to one or more of the following:

[0004] Lack of a point of contact within the virtual environment for a particular product or service from which to seek assistance, and an effective way to express the desired support within the virtual environment. o This is an example of the limitations of a virtual environment and the need for a user to exit that environment to perform certain tasks. ■In some sense, this is a result of the lack of a way to seek support for a product or service in a virtual environment without leaving the virtual environment, or alternatively, without having to contact a customer service or support provider using a communication channel outside the virtual environment. ■This, in turn, is a result of the lack of design elements that logically fit into the widely differing types of virtual environments that can occur and provide a clear way for avatars / users to request assistance; i.e., the lack of a standardized and recognizable form or process for requesting support assistance within the virtual environment for the virtual environment's applications, products, services or features.

[0005] In many cases, inadequate support services may be due to the inability to provide customer service or the inability to provide contextual information about the service request, such as the type of product or service, its location, the identity of the service requester, the serial number or other identification of the product, its current status, any error messages or error codes for the product or service, etc. This is due to the need to provide support representatives and the inability to provide that information to sources of assistance while in a virtual environment. In some cases, this information may not be available, and even if it were available, there may not be a process for collecting it and / or transferring it to an appropriate object or avatar in the virtual environment to obtain the desired assistance.

[0006] Lack of a verifiable relationship between an avatar in a virtual environment and a real (physical) person to enable user authentication, verification, and personalized, secure assistance or support services. This relates to the problem of establishing a verifiable identity of an avatar so that the avatar, or the real person represented by the avatar, can be associated with products or services in the virtual world and the avatar can be authorized to request and receive support services. ■This also relates to the need for a secure identity verification system that protects personal data and information from disclosure, whether the personal data or information is provided by real people or their avatars.

[0007] Lack of infrastructure to provide customer support in a multi-brand environment to allow users to get assistance from multiple entities in the decentralized economic system while remaining within the metaverse experience. This relates to the problem of virtual environments that include people (in the form of their avatars) wanting products or services from multiple sources and support services available for each without leaving the virtual environment, and taking into account the product, service, or context (as appropriate to the request) for a customer service or support request. ■This also illustrates the importance of collecting appropriate contextual or identification data about a product or service and enabling it to be provided to appropriate objects or avatars in the virtual environment. For example, in the "real" physical world, the context in which a customer service request occurs may include the date, time, the current state of the device, and any error messages displayed or inferred. This information is used by the customer service provider to determine how best to assist the customer. ■ This concern may also relate to a lack of ability to get help from other people / avatars, which in some cases may be beneficial in providing a solution to the user's problem by accessing the "wisdom" and experience of the group.

[0008] Embodiments of the systems and methods described herein are directed to solving these related problems individually and collectively.

[0009] [overview] As used herein, "invention," "this invention," "this invention," "the present disclosure," or "this disclosure" is intended to broadly refer to all subject matter disclosed in this document, drawings, or figures, and to the claims. Statements containing these terms do not limit the meaning or scope of the disclosed subject matter or the claims. The embodiments covered by this disclosure are defined by the claims, not by this summary. This summary is a high-level overview of various aspects of the disclosure and introduces some of the concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key, essential, or necessary features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used alone to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. This subject matter may be incorporated in any suitable portion of the entire specification, any or all of which may be incorporated herein by reference. It should be understood with reference to the figures or drawings and the claims.

[0010] Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to systems and methods for enabling persons experiencing and interacting with a virtual environment to obtain customer support or another form of assistance within that environment for objects, services, or experiences with which they interact in the virtual environment. In some embodiments, the systems and methods of the present disclosure may include elements, components, or processes configured and operative to provide one or more of the following:

[0011] Support services for virtual environments and / or locations within the virtual environment, including “objects” that represent devices, experiences, products or services associated with multiple sources or brands and that may be utilized within the virtual environment.

[0012] A support service that takes into account the context of one or more of the requester / avatar, the object for which assistance is requested, the virtual environment, the location in the virtual environment, and the relationships between them.

[0013] A secure and verifiable method of determining the authority or capability of the Avatar to request and receive support services. The method or approach used to implement this functionality may vary depending on the form of assistance requested and the authority appropriate for the Avatar and / or the person controlling the Avatar. As non-limiting examples, the following may be required: ○ Verify the avatar's relationship to a real person and establish that person's authority or permissions. Verify the identity and authority of the avatar with a verifiable token (e.g., an NFT), which may relate to the avatar's authority in the virtual environment and may not require verification of the identity of the person controlling the avatar. Verify the identity of an avatar using a secure and recognized verification method in the virtual environment. ■In each example, the goal is to enable the avatar to identify itself and establish its authority, rights, or entitlements, and / or (if necessary in the situation) to enable a person to provide "proof" of their relationship to (or control over) the avatar and establish their authority. ■In some cases, identity verification may be part of a process that enables an avatar or real person to establish their ownership of an object, or their entitlement to use a service or type of support. ○ This shows how the method used to verify identity can vary depending on the context in which the request for assistance is made. ■In some cases, an avatar may be involved in a transaction involving the transfer of "credit" or virtual funds, in which case it may not be necessary to verify the identity of the person controlling the avatar in order to provide the requested assistance. ■In some cases, the avatar may interact with a service provider in the real world, in which case it may be necessary to verify that the avatar is being controlled by someone who has been authorized to receive assistance.

[0014] Support services in a virtual environment that allows you to connect and communicate (if necessary) with the “real” world digital platform and support tools, as well as with real-world support agents to obtain the requested assistance. ○ This interconnection between the virtual environment and real-world support tools allows existing real-world support agents to work in the virtual environment without changing their support workload or practices. It may be used to support the world. ■As one example, support agents may use a CRM tool to respond to or participate in "chats" involving support requests. These agents can continue to respond to requests made in the virtual space, as needed, while continuing to service requests for assistance made in the real world. o The interconnection between the virtual space and the physical real world may include services provided in the virtual environment that relate to the support of real world objects that are represented in the virtual space. ■As an example, this would allow users (in the form of their avatars) to obtain customer assistance in a virtual environment for objects in the environment, where the objects have real-world versions owned by the users and the customer assistance can be applied to the real-world objects.

[0015] Support services in the virtual environment may be accessed using virtual / augmented reality devices and technologies, support may be provided to locations, objects, or assets in the virtual environment, support may be available from menus / kiosks or may be otherwise integrated with the virtual world experience.

[0016] As part of, or in addition to, enabling the provision of customer support services or other types of assistance in a virtual environment, the disclosed systems and methods may also provide the following advantages, services, or capabilities:

[0017] Consideration of context in virtual environments, which may be required to provide automated or self-help support. This is related to the fact that in a virtual environment, the type of support needed may depend on the context at the time assistance, particularly self-help or automated assistance, is requested. For example, for self-help or automated help to be provided in a virtual environment, the system may need to know where the avatar is, what objects or avatars may interact with each other, and what the avatar is doing so that appropriate help or automated assistance can be provided.

[0018] · An effective infrastructure for providing customer support in a multi-brand virtual environment and for enabling users to get assistance from the correct entity when multiple entities are present. o This is relevant in situations where, in a virtual environment, the user's experience is not provided by a single brand, but instead by a mix of experiences, objects and services produced by multiple brands. For example, in a virtual world, an avatar may be standing in a virtual mall surrounded by various stores, each store experience created by a different brand. Similarly, in virtual worlds, avatars may reside in their own virtual space, but may also own certain virtual objects (such as paintings, virtual cars, radios, or other objects), which are produced by various brands and for which they may request support when the objects do not behave as expected in the world.

[0019] In some embodiments, a user may obtain customer service or support using a device such as a smart phone or tablet computer. In such a situation, the following functions or capabilities may be provided:

[0020] A user's phone may act as a "window" through which to view and interact with a particular virtual or augmented reality environment.

[0021] The "window" may include an element for requesting support in the virtual environment (such as a kiosk in the virtual environment) that may be used to submit a request for support and to initiate the support experience.

[0022] The support provided may be based on or may include consideration of elements of the requester's real-world context and / or elements of the virtual environment context. o For example, by combining the claimant's real-world identity with their real or virtual location, and information about one or more objects in the virtual environment.

[0023] Support services may be provided in an augmented reality experience / environment where connection and contact with real-world support tools and / or support agents is possible and information or other forms of assistance may be transferred between the virtual / augmented environment and the real environment.

[0024] In some embodiments, in addition to providing customer support and other services for objects in a virtual environment, the disclosed systems and methods may provide one or more of the following functions or capabilities:

[0025] · An identity verification and authorization process (for the avatar and / or user) that may perform one or more of the following tasks: ○ Identify and determine the authority of an avatar or the person controlling the avatar. ○ Linking the identity of an avatar in a virtual environment to a real-world person. Determine whether a real-world person (and thus their avatar) is authorized to receive support services (or a particular type of service) for an object in the virtual environment. o This may include the ability to generate identities for users that can be used in the virtual environment if they do not currently have one. This may include the ability to verify identity and authorized services that may be provided to avatars and / or real-world persons using data stored on the blockchain, by transacting NFTs or using other secure recognized verification methods (such as multi-factor and / or multi-channel authentication).

[0026] · Ability to notify support services in the virtual environment and / or the real world when a user or service requester cannot be verified. ○ This can prevent a person / avatar from gaining access to resources or assistance for which they are not authorized.

[0027] A set of processes that allow a service or support request to be associated with a user and treated as an object or asset belonging to the user / avatar. o This allows users (in the form of their avatars) to forward support requests to others for advice or assistance. ■This capability enables the development of an economy or market in the virtual environment based on the value of service requests (e.g., by establishing property ownership and opportunities for bidding, exchange, valuation, or other forms of transfer of property) to more effectively resolve service requests. It may facilitate and enable collaboration in a virtual environment to process data.

[0028] In one embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to a method for providing customer service or support in a virtual or augmented reality environment. In one embodiment, the method of the present disclosure may include the following steps, phases, functions, processes, or operations:

[0029] The product or service is represented as an object in the virtual environment, and receives or identifies a request for assistance with the product or service from an avatar in the virtual environment. As non-limiting examples, requests may be generated by an avatar to visit a kiosk, transmit information, identify an object, perform a process or operation (such as touching an element on an object or picking up an object), or navigate to a particular location in the virtual environment (such as a sign or building). o Real people may access the virtual environment via a web page, mobile application, or other supporting interface and may not need to have an avatar.

[0030] In response to the request, identify the product or service for which assistance is requested and determine whether the avatar is authorized to obtain the requested assistance (by inferring the real-world person / user corresponding to the avatar). o For avatars, this may include determining the avatar's identity, location, and / or context in the virtual environment and the services it is authorized to receive (which may be accomplished using blockchain data, NFTs or other tokens, or other forms of verification or authentication), and / or determining which real-world person appears to correspond to the avatar and verifying that an authorized person is in control of the avatar when a request is made. ■In some embodiments, when the identity of the real-world person controlling an avatar needs to be verified, this may require a form of two-factor and / or two-channel authentication that uses both virtual and real-world objects, devices, or processes as channels or sources for transmitting verification data. o For objects representing products or services, this may include verifying that a real-world person is authorized to receive the requested assistance with the product or service in the virtual environment. ■ To achieve this, certain information may need to be collected about the object, including (but need not be limited to) the following: • Identifying an object by one or more of the following, for example: name, brand, serial number, model, version, or type. ● Identifying the source of the object, such as a real-world or virtual store or other form of provider (if not apparent from the brand). ● Determining the relationship between the object and the requestor (by way of non-limiting example, whether the requestor is the owner, a licensed user, or associated with the NFT). - Informing a virtual world recipient of a request for an object and / or real world support services for the object whether the avatar / user is authorized to use the support services.

[0031] If the requester has been granted authorization to obtain the requested assistance, subsequently collect, access or obtain (if not already obtained) contextual information about the object (product or service), the type of assistance requested, the avatar / user, the avatar's relationship to the object, or other information required by the customer service provider. This information may include, but is not limited to (or may be obtained from) It does not have to include (but may include): o Identifying an object by, for example, one or more of the following: name, brand, serial number, model, version, or type. Identifying the source of the object, such as a real-world or virtual store or other form of provider (if not apparent from the brand). Determining the relationship between the object and the requestor (e.g., whether the requestor is the owner, a licensed user, or has some other form of control). o The location of your avatar in the virtual environment (as described above) and its relationship to the product or service for which support is requested. ○ The user's real-world location (if appropriate for the service request). The state and status of the object (by way of non-limiting example, whether an error code was generated, the configuration of the object, the process or function the product was requested to perform or was performing, or other appropriate information).

[0032] · Based on the obtained contextual information, determining the appropriate source and form of assistance to provide to the avatar / requester, and initiating the process to obtain that assistance. o This may include connecting with and communicating with real-world sources of customer service or support information, such as, by way of example, websites, chatbots, documentation sets, and digital support platforms that may include or provide access to agent tools to service requests.

[0033] Obtaining requested assistance in the form of, by way of non-limiting example, a communication (which may be provided in the form of an object or token for the avatar to interact with), information, instructions, an image to view, or a process to perform.

[0034] Providing assistance to requesters (in the form of their avatars). The requested assistance may be provided by, for example, a kiosk, a customer service avatar, a storefront, or a virtual communication device (e.g., a video screen, etc.). o If provided to the avatar / requestor, the display of the product or anything associated with the service request when the service request is considered an object may be altered (e.g., by changing its color, shape, or appearance) to indicate that the service request is completed and the issue has been resolved.

[0035] In one embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to a system for providing customer service or support in a virtual environment. The system may include one or more non-transitive computer-readable media that include a set of computer-executable instructions, and an electronic processor or coprocessor. The instructions, when executed by the processor or coprocessor, cause the processor or coprocessor (or a device or apparatus of which they are a part) to perform a set of operations that implement one or more method embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0036] In one embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to one or more non-transitive computer-readable media that include a set of computer-executable instructions that, when executed by an electronic processor or coprocessor, cause the processor or coprocessor (or a device or apparatus of which they are a part) to perform a set of operations that implement one or more method embodiments disclosed.

[0037] In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein are provided as SaaS or Services may be provided via a multi-tenant platform. The platform provides access to multiple entities, each with a separate account and associated data storage. Each account may correspond to, for example, a user, a set of users, an entity that provides customer service and support to users, or an organization. Each account may have access to one or more services, the set of which are instantiated in their account, that perform one or more of the methods or functions described herein.

[0038] Other objects and advantages of the described system and method will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the detailed description and the included figures. Throughout the figures, like reference numerals and descriptions indicate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements. While the exemplary embodiments disclosed or described herein are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. However, it is not intended that the exemplary or specific embodiments be limited to the disclosed forms. Rather, the disclosure covers all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0039] Embodiments of the present invention according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the following drawings. [Figure 1a]FIG. 1 illustrates a system that includes a set of elements, components, functions, or processes that may be implemented as part of some embodiments. [Figure 1b] FIG. 1 is a flowchart or flow diagram illustrating a method, process, set of operations or set of functions for enabling a person to obtain customer service or assistance for an object in a virtual environment without leaving the virtual environment, according to some embodiments. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 illustrates elements or components that may be present on a computing device, server, or system configured to perform a method, process, function, or operation according to some embodiments. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 illustrates an architecture for a multi-tenant or SaaS platform that may be used to implement embodiments of the systems and methods disclosed herein. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 illustrates an architecture for a multi-tenant or SaaS platform that may be used to implement embodiments of the systems and methods disclosed herein. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 illustrates an architecture for a multi-tenant or SaaS platform that may be used to implement embodiments of the systems and methods disclosed herein. It should be noted that the same numbers are used throughout the disclosure and figures to refer to similar components and features. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0040] [Detailed Description] The subject matter of the embodiments of the present disclosure is described herein with specificity to meet statutory requirements, but this description is not intended to limit the scope of the claims. The claimed subject matter may be embodied in other ways, may include different elements or steps, and may be used in conjunction with other existing or later developed technologies. This description should not be construed as implying a required order or arrangement between three or more, or between two, of various steps or elements, unless the order of the particular steps or arrangement of the elements is expressly recited as being required.

[0041] Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the specification and which show, by way of illustration, exemplary embodiments by which the present disclosure may be practiced. However, the present disclosure may be embodied in different forms and the present specification may also include, but is not limited to, exemplary embodiments. This disclosure is not intended to be limiting to the embodiments described herein, but rather is provided so that this disclosure will satisfy legal requirements and will convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0042] In particular, the present disclosure may be embodied in whole or in part as a system, as one or more methods, or as one or more devices. The embodiments of the present disclosure may take the form of hardware-implemented embodiments, software-implemented embodiments, or embodiments that combine software and hardware aspects. For example, in some embodiments, one or more of the operations, functions, processes, or methods described herein may be performed by one or more suitable processing elements (such as, by way of non-limiting example, a processor, microprocessor, CPU, GPU, TPU, or controller) that are part of a client device, a server, a network element, a remote platform (such as a SaaS platform), an "in the cloud" service, or other form of computing or data processing system, device, or platform.

[0043] One or more processing elements may be programmed with a set of executable instructions (e.g., software instructions), where the instructions may be stored on (or in) one or more suitable non-transitive data storage elements. In some embodiments, the set of instructions may be communicated to a user via a transfer of the instructions, or an application that executes the set of instructions (such as over a network, e.g., the Internet). In some embodiments, the set of instructions or an application may be utilized by an end user via access to a SaaS platform, or a service offered via such a platform.

[0044] In some embodiments, one or more of the operations, functions, processes, or methods described herein may be implemented by specialized forms of hardware, such as, for example, programmable gate arrays, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc. It should be noted that embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in the form of an application, a subroutine that is part of a larger application, a "plug-in," an extension of the functionality of a data processing system or platform, or in any other suitable form. Therefore, the following detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense.

[0045] As previously mentioned, in some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may provide services via a SaaS or multi-tenant platform. The platform provides access to multiple entities, each with an individual account and associated data storage. Each account may correspond to, for example, a user, a set of users, an entity that provides customer service and support to users, or an organization. Each account may have access to one or more services, a set of services instantiated in those accounts, that perform one or more of the methods or functions described herein.

[0046] As used herein, the terms "metaverse," "virtual environment," "virtual reality," or "virtual world" refer to a computer-simulated environment that may be inhabited by multiple users. The multiple users may each create and be represented by a personal avatar and simultaneously and independently explore the virtual world, participate in its activities, interact with objects, and contact others. The virtual world or environment may include aspects of the physical or real world, in which case the experience may be called "augmented reality." Note that, referring to the Wikipedia entry, the avatar may be a text, graphical representation, or a live video avatar with hearing and touch. The user may access a computer-simulated world that presents sensory stimuli to the user. Users can interact with the world and then manipulate elements of the modeled world, thus experiencing a degree of presence. Such modeled worlds and their rules may be drawn from real or fantasy worlds. Examples of rules are gravity, terrain, motion, real-time action, and communication. Communication between users can range in form from text, graphic icons, visual gestures, sound, and, more rarely, touch, voice commands, and balance.

[0047] As non-limiting examples, as users interact with and through the metaverse, they may experience one or more of the following:

[0048] · Persistent, virtual, interactive 3D worlds and immersive experiences (e.g. accessed via one or more of the following: VR, AR, and mobile devices).

[0049] · A blended brand experience involving products or services offered by several different sources.

[0050] Decentralized, self-sovereign identity where each identity / avatar is owned and controlled by an individual in the real world.

[0051] Decentralized metaverse assets / objects that can be owned by one or more individuals / avatars.

[0052] Virtual objects, which may include, by way of non-limiting example, land, structures, locations, works of art, tokens, rewards, equipment, services, devices, specific functions, or executable processes. o In some embodiments, a virtual object may correspond to a real object in the real world, such as a location, a building, a business, a device, or an animal, as non-limiting examples.

[0053] A decentralized economy where objects can be associated with non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and the availability of direct person (i.e. avatar) to person (avatar) transactions.

[0054] In some embodiments, providing “context” based customer support for a virtual product or service in a virtual world may involve implementation of one or more of the following functions or capabilities as disclosed herein:

[0055] The existence of virtual objects (such as, but not limited to, a ball, a service emblem, a designated location, or a kiosk) or event triggers (such as, but not limited to, an avatar pressing a button, standing in a field, or traveling to a designated location) that can be used by the avatar to generate a request for support and / or initiate a support experience.

[0056] Recognizing the context of the user / avatar in the virtual environment, including, by way of non-limiting example, the virtual location, nearby objects, the avatar’s recent / current experiences or actions, the avatar’s virtual or real-world corresponding identity, or brand ownership or affiliation to objects (if applicable). For example, recognizing that a person's avatar is in a virtual Starbucks lounge, sitting at a table, or in front of a chess match.

[0057] A user ID that is managed by a real-world person / user and corresponds to an avatar, in order to authenticate the user and establish that the user is eligible to obtain the desired support services (e.g., verifying that they are 18 or that they have paid for a product or service). A virtual identity (usually an avatar) associated with certain data that can be shared by the user with support service providers. Any data or information used to establish rights or privileges of an Avatar and / or person, or to verify the identity of the person controlling the Avatar, may be stored or encoded on a blockchain associated with the NFT, or other suitable data storage component.

[0058] Non-limiting examples include self-help sources, artificial intelligence driven menus, voice chat, text chat with voice-to-text capabilities, devices for presenting video, displays for presenting documents, or virtual environment experiences where a user's avatar may interact with to obtain support, including (by way of example only) interactive workflows. In some embodiments, the chat transcript or voice chat of a service agent may appear as a hologram or avatar with which another avatar may interact.

[0059] Support platform and routing services to execute and otherwise provide experiences based on the particular context of the avatar and / or the product or service for which support is requested. o For example, if the user is in a virtual Starbucks, then Starbucks help is displayed. ○ The experience provided is not limited to, and need not include, but may include, as non-limiting examples, the use of bots, automated events or event sequences, connection / routing to real-world agents, ticketing process help or customer support, or support agent communication tools.

[0060] One aspect that makes the challenge of providing customer service or support in a virtual environment more difficult than in the real world is that in a virtual world, there may be many different objects, object types, products, services, and locations, each of which may be associated with a different source or brand. For example, a person's avatar may be in their virtual living room with several different objects on the counter (e.g., virtual books, virtual board games, virtual devices, and portals to virtual experiences) purchased from different brands. Each object is expected to have different support needs and different contextual information. The support platform needs to be able to distinguish each object and present the support services applicable to the object from its associated source or brand.

[0061] On the other hand, in a traditional real-world environment, each brand and their support is self-contained and the support is presented in a desktop application, a dedicated chat, a web page, or a mobile application, for example. However, in a virtual environment, brands are scattered and offer different products, services, or experiences simultaneously and often at the same location in the virtual environment. In this context, it is important to have sufficient context information available about the virtual world and virtual objects of interest to determine what support services to present. The context information may be related to a particular object, location, state, event, or trigger that is specific to the brand or source of the object.

[0062] FIG. 1(a) is a schematic diagram illustrating a system including a set of elements, components, functions, or processes that may be implemented as part of some embodiments. As shown in the figure, a real-world person uses a suitable device 101 to experience and interact with a virtual experience or environment 102. The devices include, by way of non-limiting example, For example, the virtual experience or environment 102 may be a computing device, a mobile phone, a tablet, or a dedicated virtual reality headset. The virtual experience or environment 102 may be one of virtual (artificial) reality, augmented reality, or similar experiences, and may be provided by a game or interactive application.

[0063] Within the virtual experience or environment 102, real-world people using the device 101 may be represented by avatars 103. The virtual experience or environment 102 may be generated and managed by a remote server 104 (as suggested by the element labeled "3D Virtual Interface Server or Service" in the figure). The server 104 may be operated by a provider of games or interactive applications used by the real-world people. The server 104 may be connected to and exchange data and information, typically using the Internet 105 and / or one or more intermediate networks.

[0064] The SaaS-based customer service platform 106 may also be connected to the Internet 105 and therefore may be able to exchange data and information, typically via a server 104, and may be able to interact with the virtual experience or environment 102. The SaaS-based customer service platform 106 may be connected to a set of self-help or automated help resources 107 (such as, by way of non-limiting example, a set of documents, links to resources, or a chatbot) and / or a service agent 108 in the form of a real person using a suitable computing device, to which customer assistance may be provided by submitting a service or assistance request.

[0065] In one embodiment, an operator of the SaaS-based customer service platform 106 (i.e., as one example, an operator of the server 104) may provide one or more of the following elements, components, or processes for a source of a game, application, interactive experience, or other virtual reality or augmented reality environment or experience:

[0066] Modules, plug-ins, or applications that may be used in a virtual experience or environment to determine that support is needed for an object and to collect or identify contextual data and information necessary to provide effective support services.

[0067] Virtual reality, augmented reality, or mobile device customer support modules (i.e., by way of example, applications, routines, or sets of executable instructions for accomplishing a function) that provide customer service and other forms of assistance. Brands may incorporate customer service and other forms of assistance into virtual reality or augmented reality experiences or environments that they create and / or manage. o In some embodiments, a user of a mobile application on a mobile device may be able to ask for (or request) support and go through a process in which an independent ticket is created that is owned by the user and has the same behavior / properties as disclosed herein for a service request object.

[0068] A digital customer service and support platform (e.g., platform 106, or a multi-tenant platform account) that is connected to a virtual reality, augmented reality, or mobile device customer support module and is capable of exchanging data and information with the module.

[0069] Connectivity and access to self-help and agent tools and resources that the customer support module can access and that may utilize self-help and / or live human agents.

[0070] In some embodiments, one or more of the modules used to determine if support is needed, or a customer support module, may generate a user interface to enable the avatar 103 to interact with a customer support service within the virtual or augmented reality environment 109. The interface 109 may include selectable or actuatable elements that the avatar 103 may use to indicate the type of product model or service for which assistance is desired, the type of assistance desired, or another aspect of the service request.

[0071] As suggested by the "trigger" element in the figure, in some embodiments a service request may be generated automatically in response to a situation or event. For example, an error message, an avatar performing a particular action or going to a particular location, or an object representing a product or service changing its appearance may be forms of a "trigger" that may indicate a need for assistance and, in some embodiments, may generate a service request or ticket.

[0072] 1(b) is a flowchart or flow diagram illustrating a method, process, set of operations, or set of functions for enabling a person to obtain customer service or assistance for an object in a virtual environment without leaving the virtual environment, according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, the illustrated method, process, set of operations, or set of functions may be performed by executing a set of computer-executable instructions, some of which may be executed on a client device and some of which may be executed on a remote server platform.

[0073] As disclosed, in some embodiments, a person may obtain customer service or assistance for an object or service in a virtual environment without leaving the virtual environment by performing the following steps or stages.

[0074] · (As suggested by step or stage 110) A customer support or assistance platform (such as, for example, SaaS-based platform 106 of FIG. 1(a)) receives or identifies a request for assistance with a product or service from an avatar in the virtual environment (such as, for example, avatar 103 of FIG. 1(a)). In one embodiment, the customer support or assistance platform may receive or identify that a request has been made by, by way of non-limiting examples, an avatar sending a message, visiting a kiosk, moving to a particular location within the virtual environment, pointing to an object in the virtual environment, changing the state of an object, or performing an action associated with an object. In one embodiment, the platform may recognize a request for assistance from a module or process in the virtual environment by sending a request to the platform, generating a request object, or changing a characteristic of an object (e.g., its color or operational state).

[0075] In response to the request (as suggested by step or stage 120), the module or process may generate appropriate content associated with one or more of the avatar, the location of the avatar, an object or service, an NFT or other asset associated with the avatar, or the identity of the avatar or the person controlling the avatar. The text details are then collected. In one embodiment, this may include accessing a blockchain, NFT (non-fungible token), or other data storage element or component. In one embodiment, contextual information about the object, type of assistance requested, avatar / user profile information, or the avatar's relationship to the object may include, but need not be limited to, the following: ■ Identifying an object by name, brand, serial number, model, version, or type, as a non-limiting example. ■ Identifying the source of an object, such as a store in the real or virtual world (if not obvious from the brand). ■ Determining the relationship between the object and the requestor (as a non-limiting example, whether the requestor is the owner or a licensed user, etc.). ■ The location of the avatar in the virtual environment and its relationship to the product or service for which support is requested. ■ The user's real-world location. ■ The state or status of the object or service for which assistance was requested (non-limiting examples include whether an error code was generated, the configuration of the object, the process or function that the product was requested to perform or was performing, etc.).

[0076] · Based on the collected contextual information (as suggested by step or stage 130), the customer support or assistance platform (or an embedded module) determines the product or service for which assistance is requested or needed. o In one embodiment, this may be by the movement of the avatar in the virtual environment and / or changes in the appearance of objects (eg objects changing color, glowing or blinking, etc.).

[0077] Based on the collected contextual information (as suggested by step or stage 140), the customer support or assistance platform (or an embedded module) determines whether the avatar (and by inferring the person associated with the avatar) is authorized to obtain assistance for the identified product or service. o This may include determining, verifying or verifying the identity of the real-world person that corresponds to the avatar and controls the avatar in the virtual environment. ■ To protect a person's data and privacy, by way of non-limiting example, this may include using specific security protocols, data exchange protocols, data formats, or data storage methodologies. ●In one embodiment, by way of non-limiting example, identification data of real-world persons and indicative of their virtual world identities may be stored on the blockchain, encrypted, represented by tokens, and / or subject to usage restrictions. o This step or stage may include verifying that the real-world person is authorized to receive the requested assistance with a particular virtual environment product or service. ■To achieve this, information about the object may need to be collected (if not already collected as part of a previous step or stage) including, but not limited to, or necessarily including, the following: • Identifying an object by name, brand, serial number, model, version, or type, as a non-limiting example. ● (If not obvious from the brand) Objects such as real-world or virtual stores Identifying the source of a project. ● Determining the relationship between the object and the requestor (as a non-limiting example, whether the requestor is the owner or a licensed user, etc.).

[0078] Determine the appropriate source and form of assistance to provide based on the context and authorization status, as suggested by step or stage 150 (this source may include anonymous general assistance or high quality assistance based on the results of the authentication process). This may include, by way of non-limiting examples, connecting to and communicating with real-world sources of customer service or support information, such as websites, chatbots, sets of documentation, or agents.

[0079] Obtaining the requested assistance in the form of communications, information, instructions, or processes to perform (which may be in the form of objects, as suggested by step or stage 160).

[0080] · Providing the requester (in the form of their avatar, as suggested by step or stage 170) with assistance, for example: As non-limiting examples, the requested assistance may be provided by a virtual environment kiosk, a customer service avatar, a storefront, a virtual communication device, a pop-up virtual environment display, or an experience on a mobile device operated by the requester. ■ This may include chat experiences or sessions, or other related experiences, that may be displayed on a mobile phone in the virtual environment. Chat may be provided using speech-to-text capabilities. o If provided to the avatar / requestor, an indicator on the product or associated with a service request may be altered (such as changing its color, shape, or appearance) when it is considered an object. The assistance requested and provided may include access to a self-help source (such as a set of links, FAQs, or documentation) or a chatbot. Stop the support request when the support has been provided.

[0081] · Determining whether assistance in the form of a human agent is needed (as suggested by step or stage 180).

[0082] · If human agent assistance is required (as suggested by step or stage 190), then establish a communication channel with an existing human agent tool / CRM.

[0083] · Providing the requested (or whatever other assistance, and in whatever form, has not been provided) from the human agent to the avatar or AR device (as suggested by step or stage 195).

[0084] 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating elements, components, or processes that may be present in or executed by one or more of a computing device, server, platform, or system 200 configured to perform a method, process, function, or operation according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, the disclosed systems and methods may be implemented in the form of one or more apparatuses (such as a server that is part of a system or platform, or a client device) that include a processing element and a set of executable instructions. The executable instructions may be part of one (or more) software applications, may be part of a software architecture, may be part of a software application ... The stencil may be arranged in a texture.

[0085] In general, embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented using a set of software instructions designed to be executed by an appropriately programmed processing element (such as, by way of non-limiting example, a GPU, TPU, CPU, microprocessor, processor, controller or computing device). In a complex application or system, such instructions are typically arranged into "modules," with each such module typically performing a particular task, process, function, or operation. The entire set of modules may be controlled or coordinated in their operation by an operating system (OS) or other form of organizational platform.

[0086] The modules and / or sub-modules may include any suitable computer-executable code or set of instructions, such as computer-executable code corresponding to a programming language. For example, source code in a programming language may be compiled into computer-executable code. Alternatively or additionally, the programming language may be an interpreted programming language, such as a scripting language.

[0087] 2, system 200 may represent one or more of a server, a client device, a platform, or other form of computing or data processing device. Modules 202 each store a set of executable instructions. When the set of instructions is executed by a suitable electronic processor (e.g., as indicated in the figure by "physical processor 230"), system (or server, or device) 200 operates to perform a particular process, operation, function, or method.

[0088] The modules 202 may store one or more sets of instructions for implementing the methods or functions described with reference to the figures and the description of the functions and operations shown in the specification. These modules may include those shown in the figures, but may include more or less than those shown. Furthermore, the modules and the sets of computer-executable instructions stored in the modules may be executed (in whole or in part) by the same processor or by more than one processor. When executed by more than one processor, the coprocessors may be included in different devices, for example, a processor may be included in a client device and a processor may be included in a server.

[0089] The modules 202 are stored in a memory 220, which typically includes an operating system module 204 that stores instructions used (among other functions) to access and control the execution of instructions contained in other modules. The modules 202 in the memory 220 are accessed for purposes of transferring data and executing instructions through the use of a "bus" or communication lines 216. The "bus" or communication lines 216 also serve to allow a processor 230 to communicate with the modules for purposes of accessing and executing instructions. The bus or communication lines 216 also allow the processor 230 to interact with other elements of the system 200, such as input or output devices 222, a communication element 224 for exchanging data and information with devices external to the system 200, and additional memory devices 226.

[0090] Each module or sub-module may correspond to a particular function, method, process, or operation that is performed by execution of instructions (in whole or in part) in the module or sub-module. A module may store a set of computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor or coprocessor associated with the module, causes the processor or coprocessor (or the device or devices, server or servers in which it is included) to perform a particular function, method, process, or operation. As noted above, the device in which the processor or coprocessor is included may be one or both of a client device and a remote server or platform. Thus, a module may store instructions that are executed (in whole or in part) by a client device, a server or platform, or both. Such functions, methods, processes, or operations may include, for example, those used to implement one or more aspects of the disclosed systems and methods:

[0091] · Receiving or identifying a request for assistance with a product or service from an avatar in the virtual environment (as suggested by module 206).

[0092] Collecting appropriate contextual information associated with the avatar, the avatar’s location in the virtual environment, the objects, NFTs or assets, and the avatar’s identity (module 207).

[0093] · Determining which products or services require assistance based on the collected contextual information (module 208).

[0094] · Determining whether the avatar is authorized to obtain assistance for the identified product or service based on the context information (module 209).

[0095] Determine the appropriate source of assistance to provide (e.g., general assistance or certified high-quality assistance) based on the product or service for which assistance is needed and whether the avatar is authorized (module 210).

[0096] · Obtaining the requested assistance from the determined source (module 211).

[0097] · Providing the requested assistance to the avatar / requester and stopping when the assistance is completed (module 212).

[0098] · Determining whether assistance from a human agent is required to complete the request for assistance (module 214).

[0099] If assistance from a human agent is required, a communication channel is established with the human agent and assistance is provided from the human agent to the avatar or AR device (module 215).

[0100] In one embodiment, the disclosed system and method may generate or supplement a VR experience that demonstrates how to accomplish something (in a VR or AR experience). As an example, suppose a user wants to understand how to kill a monster in a game. They may be guided to go to a FAQ source in the virtual environment, and when they open it, a VR figure appears that kills the monster and shows how it is done. In an AR example, the system may demonstrate how something is done by having an AR object perform the task.

[0101] In one embodiment, a method may be implemented to provide proof or verification of the identity of a person controlling an avatar in a virtual or augmented reality environment. This may be done, by way of non-limiting example, to provide a verified relationship between an avatar and a real-world person for purposes of conducting a transaction, determining ownership of a product or service in the virtual environment, or allowing the avatar to request assistance from a virtual product or service. In one embodiment, a method for verifying an identity may include the following steps, stages, functions, processes, or operations.

[0102] · Determining that a request for verification of the real-world identity of a person corresponding to the avatar is received from an object or event in the virtual environment. In one embodiment, this may be the result of the avatar interacting with an object in the virtual environment, the avatar expressing an interest in purchasing, renting, or using an object or service in the virtual environment, or an event being generated in the virtual environment. o In one embodiment, this may be the result of a person in the real world expressing an interest in purchasing, renting, or using an object or service in the virtual environment.

[0103] In response to requests or events, accessing a blockchain or database containing data, including: o An identifier for a set of avatars in the virtual environment, each of which may be associated with a unique name, number, or alphanumeric string, as non-limiting examples. o A set of associated data or files, some (or all) of which may be encrypted, that may include one or more of the following as an identifier for each avatar: ■ The name or unique identifier of the real-world person associated with the avatar identifier. ■Information about a real-world person that may be used as part of the authentication process, such as, by way of non-limiting example, birth date, the last digits of a social security number, mother's maiden name, or favorite color. ■ Your password or answers to security questions. ■ A unique identifier associated with an object owned in the virtual environment or a service to which the avatar is entitled.

[0104] · Implementing a logical process to determine which real-world person is associated with the Avatar responsible for directly or indirectly generating the verification request, or which Avatar is associated with a real-world person who has expressed an interest in purchasing, renting, or using a product or service in the virtual environment. Additionally, a determination is made whether the real-world person associated with the avatar is the person currently controlling the avatar. ■This may require some form of authentication and / or communication, such as: • Sending messages to a real-world person instructing them to control the avatar in a particular way to do something in the virtual environment. - Request that a real-world person or avatar provide a pre-specified and stored password. ● In some embodiments, this may involve a form of two-factor or two-channel authentication using both virtual and real-world devices or processes.

[0105] · permitting the Avatar or real-world person to perform an action, obtain assistance, or transact a transaction (by way of non-limiting example) if the real-world person associated with the Avatar has been determined to be the person controlling the Avatar, and if the real-world person (and therefore the Avatar) has been authorized to perform the desired action or receive the needed assistance.

[0106] In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein provide The functionality and services may be available to multiple users by accessing accounts maintained by a server or service platform. Such a server or service platform may be referred to as a form of software as a service (SaaS). Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a SaaS system in which embodiments may be implemented. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating elements or components of an example operating environment in which embodiments may be implemented. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating further details of elements or components of the multi-tenant distributed computing services platform of Figure 4 in which embodiments may be implemented.

[0107] In some embodiments, the systems or services described herein may be implemented as microservices, processes, workflows, or functions that are performed in response to the submission of a service request. The microservices, processes, workflows, or functions may be performed by a server, data processing element, platform, or system. In some embodiments, data analytics and other services may be provided by a service platform located "in the cloud." In such embodiments, the platform may be accessible via APIs and SDKs. The functions, processes, and capabilities described herein may be provided as microservices within the platform. Interfaces to the microservices may be defined by REST and GraphQL endpoints. An administration console may enable users or administrators to securely access potential request and response data, manage accounts, and access and potentially modify processing workflows or configurations.

[0108] It should be noted that while Figures 3-5 depict a multi-tenant or SaaS architecture that may be used for distribution of business-related or other applications and services to multiple accounts / users, such architectures may also be used to distribute other types of data processing services and provide access to other applications. For example, such architectures may be used to provide aspects of customer assistance and support services in the virtual environments disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a platform or system of the type depicted in Figures 3-5 may be operated by a third-party provider to provide a particular set of business-related applications, while in other embodiments, the platform may be operated by the provider and different businesses may provide applications or services to users via the platform.

[0109] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a system 300 on which embodiments of the services disclosed herein may be implemented or accessed. With the benefit of an application service provider (ASP) hosting a business service system (e.g., a multi-tenant data processing platform, etc.), users of the services described herein may include individuals, businesses, stores, organizations, etc. Users may access the services using any suitable client, including, for example, but not limited to, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a scanner, a smartphone, or a dedicated VR headset. In general, any client device with access to the Internet may be used. Users interact with the service platform via the Internet 308 or another suitable communication network, or combination of networks. Examples of suitable client devices include a desktop computer 303, a smartphone 304, a tablet computer 305, or a laptop computer 306.

[0110] The system 310, which may be hosted by a third party, is customizable within a virtual environment 312. The virtual environment may include a set of services to assist users (in the form of their avatars) in obtaining virtual support, and a web interface server 314 coupled as shown in Figure 3. It should be understood that one or both of the services 312 and web interface 314, although depicted as a single unit in Figure 3, may be implemented on one or more different hardware systems and components. The services 312 may include one or more functions or operations for providing support or assistance to a user / avatar in a virtual environment.

[0111] By way of example, in some embodiments, the set of functions, operations or services made available via the platform or system 310 may include the following:

[0112] Account management services 316, e.g. ○ A process or service for authenticating a user (in conjunction with the submission of credentials of a user using a client device); A process or service for creating or instantiating containers for services or applications that are available to users etc.

[0113] User support services 318, e.g. A process or service for receiving or identifying requests for product or service assistance from an avatar in a virtual environment; ○ A process or service for collecting appropriate contextual information relating to the avatar, the avatar's location in the virtual environment, objects, NFTs or assets, and the identity of the avatar; A process or service for determining, based on the collected contextual information, the product or service for which assistance is needed and whether the avatar is authorized to obtain assistance with that product or service (e.g., because the person controlling the avatar is authorized); A process or service that determines the appropriate source of assistance to provide based on the product or service for which assistance is needed and the authorizations granted to the avatar; ○ The process or service for obtaining the requested assistance and providing it to the avatar / requester; ■ Stopping the process of providing assistance when the assistance is completed; etc.

[0114] Agent assistance services 320, e.g. A process or service for determining whether assistance from a human agent is required, and if so, establishing a communication channel with an existing human agent and providing the requested assistance from the human agent to an avatar or AR device. etc.

[0115] Management services 322, e.g. Processes or services to enable service providers and / or platforms to manage and configure the processes and services offered to users, for example by modifying the process flow or the available options etc.

[0116] The platform or system depicted in FIG. 3 is hosted on a distributed computing system comprised of at least one, but potentially multiple, "servers." A server may be a physical computer dedicated to providing data storage and an execution environment for one or more software applications or services that are intended to serve the needs of users of other computers in data communication with the server, for example, over a public network such as the Internet. The server, and the services it provides, may be referred to as "hosts" and the remote computers, and the software applications running on the provided remote computers may be referred to as "clients." Depending on the computing services it provides, the server may be referred to as a database server, data storage server, file server, mail server, print server, web server, etc. A web server is often a combination of hardware and software that helps deliver content to client web browsers that access the web server over the Internet, typically by hosting websites.

[0117] 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating elements or components of an example operating environment 400 in which embodiments may be implemented. As shown, various clients 402 incorporating and / or embedded in various computing devices may communicate with a multi-tenant service platform 408 via one or more networks 414. For example, a client may incorporate and / or be embedded in a client application (i.e., software) that is at least partially implemented by one or more of the computing devices. Examples of suitable computing devices include personal computers, server computers 404, desktop computers 406, laptop computers 407, notebook computers, tablet computers or personal digital assistants (PDAs) 410, smartphones 412, mobile phones, and consumer electronic devices incorporating one or more computing device components, such as one or more electronic processors, microprocessors, central processing units (CPUs), or controllers. Examples of suitable networks 414 include networks utilizing wired and / or wireless communication technologies, as well as networks operating according to any suitable network and / or communication protocol (e.g., the Internet).

[0118] The distributed computing service / platform (which may also be referred to as a multi-tenant data processing platform) 408 may have multiple processing tiers, including a user interface tier 416, an application server tier 420, and a data storage tier 424. The user interface tier 416 may maintain multiple user interfaces 417, including graphical user interfaces and / or web-based interfaces. The user interfaces may include a default user interface for the service (denoted in the figure as "Service UI") that provides access to applications and data to users or "tenants" of the service, as well as one or more specialized / customized user interfaces (e.g., "Tenant A" in the figure) that may be customized according to a user's particular requirements. Tenant Z may include a number of APIs (represented as “Tenant Z UI”, …, “Tenant Z UI”, which may be accessed via one or more APIs).

[0119] The default user interface may include user interface components that enable tenants to manage their access to and use of features and capabilities provided by the service platform. This may include accessing tenant data, initiating instantiations of particular applications, performing particular data processing operations, etc. Each application server or processing tier 422 shown in the figure may be implemented with a computer and / or set of components including computer servers and processors, and may perform various functions, methods, and / or features as determined by the execution of a software application or set of instructions. The data storage layer 424 may include one or more data stores, which may include a service data store 425 and one or more tenant data stores 426. The data stores may be implemented in any suitable data storage technology, including a Structured Query Language (SQL)-based Relational Database Management System (RDBMS).

[0120] The service platform 408 may be multi-tenant or operated by an entity to provide a set of business-related or other data processing applications, data storage, and functionality to multiple tenants. For example, the applications and functionality may include providing web-based access to functionality used by an enterprise to provide services to end users, thereby allowing users to view, enter, process, or modify certain types of information with a browser and an Internet or intranet connection. Such functionality or applications are typically implemented by one or more modules of software code / instructions maintained on and executed by one or more servers 422 that are part of the platform's application server layer 420. As discussed with respect to FIG. 3, the platform system shown in FIG. 4 may be hosted on a distributed computing system consisting of at least one, but typically multiple, "servers."

[0121] As mentioned, enterprises may utilize systems provided by third parties rather than building and maintaining such platforms or systems themselves. As mentioned above, third parties may implement business systems / platforms in the context of a multi-tenant platform. Individual instantiations of an enterprise's data processing workflows (such as the customer assistance processing flows disclosed herein) are provided to users, with each enterprise representing a tenant of the platform. One advantage of such a multi-tenant platform is the ability of each tenant to customize their instantiations of data processing workflows to the tenant's particular business needs or operational methods. Each tenant may be a business or entity that uses the multi-tenant platform to provide business services and functions to multiple users.

[0122] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating further details of elements or components of the multi-tenant distributed computing services platform of FIG. 4, in which an embodiment may be implemented. The software architecture illustrated in FIG. 5 represents an example of an architecture that may be used to implement an embodiment of the present disclosure. In general, the embodiment may be implemented using a set of software instructions designed to be executed by an appropriately programmed processing element (such as, as non-limiting examples, a CPU, GPU, microprocessor, processor, controller, or computing device). In complex systems, such instructions are typically arranged in "modules," with each such module performing a particular task, process, function, or operation. The entire set of modules may be controlled or coordinated in their operation by an operating system (OS) or other form of organizational platform.

[0123] As mentioned, Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating further details of elements or components 500 of a multi-tenant distributed computing services platform in which certain embodiments may be implemented. The example architecture includes a user interface layer or tier 502 having one or more user interfaces 503. Examples of such user interfaces include graphical user interfaces and application programming interfaces. The application programming interfaces (APIs) may include one or more user interfaces 504. For example, a user may interact with the interface elements to access functionality and / or data provided by the application and / or data storage layers of the example architecture. Examples of graphical user interface elements include buttons, menus, check boxes, drop-down lists, scroll bars, sliders, spinners, text boxes, icons, labels, progress bars, status bars, toolbars, windows, hyperlinks, and dialog boxes. The application programming interfaces may be local or remote and may include interface elements such as various controls, parameterized procedure calls, programmatic objects, and messaging protocols.

[0124] The application layer 510 may include one or more application modules 511, each having one or more sub-modules 512. Each application module 511 or sub-module 512 may correspond to a function, method, process, or operation performed by the module or sub-module (e.g., a function or process related to data processing and providing services to users of the platform). Such functions, methods, processes, or operations may include those used to implement one or more aspects of the disclosed systems and methods, for example, for one or more of the following processes or functions disclosed and / or described herein:

[0125] · Receive or identify requests for product or service assistance from an avatar in the virtual environment.

[0126] Collect appropriate contextual information relating to the Avatar, the Avatar’s location in the virtual environment, any objects, NFTs or Assets, and the Avatar’s identity.

[0127] · Decide which product or service you need assistance with based on the contextual information collected.

[0128] Based on the contextual information, determine whether the avatar (and thus the person controlling the avatar) is authorized to obtain assistance with the determined product or service.

[0129] Determine the appropriate source of assistance to provide (e.g., general assistance or certified high-quality assistance) based on the product or service for which assistance is needed and what the avatar is authorized to do.

[0130] · Obtain requested assistance from determined sources.

[0131] Provide the requested help to the avatar / requester and stop when the help is completed.

[0132] Determine if the request for assistance requires the assistance of a human agent to be completed.

[0133] If assistance from a human agent is required, establish a communication channel with the human agent and provide assistance from the human agent to the avatar or AR device.

[0134] An application module and / or sub-module may include any suitable computer-executable code or set of instructions (e.g., that would be executed by a suitably programmed processor, microprocessor, or CPU), such as computer-executable code corresponding to a programming language. For example, programming language source code may be compiled into computer-executable code. Alternatively, or in addition, the programming language may be an interpreted programming language, such as a scripting language. Each application server (e.g., as represented by element 422 in FIG. 4) may include a respective application module. Alternatively, different application servers may include different sets of application modules. Such sets may have disjoint or overlapping elements.

[0135] The data storage layer 520 may include one or more data objects 522, each having one or more data object components 521, such as attributes and / or behaviors. For example, a data object may correspond to a table of a relational database, and a data object component may correspond to a column or field of such a table. Alternatively, or in addition, a data object may correspond to a data record having fields and associated services. Alternatively, or in addition, a data object may correspond to persistent instances of programmatic data objects, such as structures and classes. Each data store in the data storage layer may include each data object. Alternatively, different data stores may include different sets of data objects. Such sets may have disjoint or overlapping elements.

[0136] It should be noted that the example computing environments illustrated in Figures 3-5 are not intended to be limiting examples. Additional environments in which embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in whole or in part include devices (including mobile devices), software applications, systems, appliances, networks, SaaS platforms, Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) platforms, or other configurable components that may be used by multiple users for data entry, data processing, application execution, or data review.

[0137] The present disclosure includes the following items and embodiments. 1. A method of providing a service to a user represented by an avatar in a virtual environment, comprising: receiving or identifying a request for product or service assistance from an avatar in the virtual environment; collecting appropriate contextual information associated with one or more of the avatar, the location of the avatar in the virtual environment, objects in the virtual environment, tokens or assets associated with the avatar, or an identity of the avatar; determining the product or service for which assistance is requested based on the collected contextual information; and determining whether the avatar is authorized to obtain assistance for the determined product or service based on the collected contextual information; determining an appropriate source of assistance to provide to the avatar based on the product or service for which assistance is requested and whether the avatar is authorized; obtaining the requested assistance from the determined source; and providing the requested assistance to the avatar; and stopping the process when the request for assistance is completed; and A method for providing the above.

[0138] 2. determining whether assistance of a human agent is required to complete said request for assistance; Establishing a communication channel with a human agent; and providing assistance to the avatar from the human agent; and The method of item 1, further comprising:

[0139] 3. The context information is The name, brand, serial number, model, version, or type of said product or service; the source of the product or service; A relationship between the product or service and the avatar; and the location of the avatar in the virtual environment and its relationship to the product or service for which support is requested; a location in the real world of a person controlling said avatar; and the condition or status of the product or service for which assistance is requested; The method of item 1, further comprising one or more of:

[0140] 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the state or status of the product or service for which assistance is requested further includes one of an error code being generated, a configuration of the product, or a process or function that the product is requested to perform or has performed.

[0141] 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an identity of a person controlling the avatar and verifying that the person is authorized to receive the requested assistance prior to determining whether the avatar is authorized to obtain assistance with the determined product or service.

[0142] 6. Determining the identity of the person controlling the avatar and verifying that the person is authorized to receive the requested assistance; determining that a request for verification of the real-world identity of a person corresponding to an avatar has been received from an object or event in the virtual environment; In response to said request or event, an identifier for each of a set of avatars in the virtual environment, each avatar may be associated with a unique name, number, or alphanumeric string; and a name or unique identifier of said real-world person associated with each avatar identifier; information about the real-world person associated with an avatar identifier that may be used as part of an authentication process; and a response to a password or security question of said real-world person associated with an avatar identifier; and Accessing a blockchain or database that stores data including one or more of the following: executing a logical process to determine the real-world person associated with the avatar who is responsible for directly or indirectly generating the request for verification; A real-world person associated with the avatar is determined to be the person controlling the avatar, and the real-world person performs the desired action. allowing the avatar or real-world person to receive the requested assistance, if authorized to do so; The method of item 5, further comprising:

[0143] 7. A system comprising: one or more electronic processors configured to execute a set of computer-executable instructions; One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing a set of instructions executable by the computer, the instructions, when executed, causing the one or more electronic processors, or devices or apparatuses comprising them, to: receiving or identifying a request for product or service assistance from an avatar in the virtual environment; Collecting appropriate contextual information associated with one or more of the avatar, the location of the avatar in the virtual environment, objects in the virtual environment, NFTs or assets associated with the avatar, or the identity of the avatar; determining the product or service for which assistance is requested based on the collected contextual information; and determining whether the avatar is authorized to obtain assistance for the determined product or service based on the collected contextual information; determining an appropriate source of assistance to provide based on the product or service for which assistance is requested and whether the avatar is authorized; obtaining the requested assistance from the determined source; and providing the requested assistance to the avatar; and stopping the process when the request for assistance is completed; and one or more non-transitory computer-readable media for executing the method of the present invention; A system comprising:

[0144] 8. The one or more electronic processors, or a device or apparatus that includes them, determining whether assistance of a human agent is required to complete said request for assistance; Establishing a communication channel with a human agent; and providing assistance to the avatar from the human agent; and 8. The system of item 7, further comprising instructions to execute the steps:

[0145] 9. The context information is The name, brand, serial number, model, version, or type of said product or service; the source of the product or service; A relationship between the product or service and the avatar; and the location of the avatar in the virtual environment and its relationship to the product or service for which support is requested; a location in the real world of a person controlling said avatar; and the state or status of the product or service for which assistance is requested; and The system of item 7, further comprising one or more of:

[0146] 10. The state or status of the product or service for which assistance is requested further includes one of an error code being generated, a configuration of the product, or a process or function that the product is requested to perform or has performed; Item 9 system.

[0147] 11. The system of item 7, further comprising instructions for causing the one or more electronic processors, or a device or apparatus comprising them, to determine the identity of a person controlling the avatar and to verify that the person is authorized to receive the requested assistance prior to determining whether the avatar is authorized to obtain assistance for the determined product or service.

[0148] 12. Determining the identity of the person controlling the avatar and verifying that the person is authorized to receive the requested assistance includes: determining that a request for verification of the real-world identity of a person corresponding to an avatar has been received from an object or event in the virtual environment; In response to said request or event, an identifier for each of a set of avatars in the virtual environment, each avatar may be associated with a unique name, number, or alphanumeric string; and a name or unique identifier of said real-world person associated with each avatar identifier; information about the real-world person associated with an avatar identifier that may be used as part of an authentication process; and a response to a password or security question of said real-world person associated with an avatar identifier; and Accessing a blockchain or a database that stores data including one or more of the following: executing a logical process to determine the real-world person associated with the avatar who is responsible for directly or indirectly generating the request for verification; if the real-world person associated with the avatar is determined to be the person controlling the avatar, and if the real-world person is authorized to perform the desired action, allowing the avatar or real-world person to receive the requested assistance; Item 12. The system of item 11, further comprising:

[0149] 13. One or more non-transitive computer-readable media containing a set of computer-executable instructions which, when executed by one or more programmed electronic processors, cause the processors, or a device or apparatus of which they are a part, to: receiving or identifying a request for product or service assistance from an avatar in the virtual environment; Collecting appropriate contextual information associated with one or more of the avatar, the location of the avatar in the virtual environment, objects in the virtual environment, NFTs or assets associated with the avatar, or the identity of the avatar; determining the product or service for which assistance is requested based on the collected contextual information; and determining whether the avatar is authorized to obtain assistance for the determined product or service based on the collected contextual information; determining an appropriate source of assistance to provide based on the product or service for which assistance is requested and whether the avatar is authorized; obtaining the requested assistance from the determined source; and providing the requested assistance to the avatar; and stopping the process when the request for assistance is completed; and One or more non-transitive computer-readable media for causing the computer to execute the method of the present invention.

[0150] 14. The said order: said one or more electronic processors, or a device or apparatus comprising them, determining whether assistance of a human agent is required to complete said request for assistance; Establishing a communication channel with a human agent; and providing assistance to the avatar from the human agent; and Item 14. The non-transitive computer-readable medium of item 13, further comprising:

[0151] 15. The context information is The name, brand, serial number, model, version, or type of said product or service; the source of the product or service; A relationship between the product or service and the avatar; and the location of the avatar in the virtual environment and its relationship to the product or service for which support is requested; a location in the real world of a person controlling said avatar; and the state or status of the product or service for which assistance is requested; and Item 14. The non-transitive computer-readable medium of item 13, further comprising one or more of:

[0152] 16. The non-transitive computer-readable medium of item 15, wherein the state or status of the product or service for which assistance is requested further includes one of an error code that has been generated, a configuration of the product, or a process or function that the product is requested to perform or has performed.

[0153] 17. The said order: Item 14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of item 13, further causing the one or more electronic processors, or a device or apparatus having them as part thereof, to determine an identity of a person controlling the avatar and verify that the person is authorized to receive the requested assistance prior to determining whether the avatar is authorized to obtain assistance for the determined product or service.

[0154] 18. Determining the identity of the person controlling the avatar and verifying that the person is authorized to receive the requested assistance includes: determining that a request for verification of the real-world identity of a person corresponding to an avatar has been received from an object or event in the virtual environment; In response to said request or event, an identifier for each of a set of avatars in the virtual environment, each avatar may be associated with a unique name, number, or alphanumeric string; and a name or unique identifier of said real-world person associated with each avatar identifier; information about the real-world person associated with an avatar identifier that may be used as part of an authentication process; and a response to a password or security question of said real-world person associated with an avatar identifier; and Accessing a blockchain or database that stores data including one or more of the following: executing a logical process to determine the real-world person associated with the avatar who is responsible for directly or indirectly generating the request for verification; if the real-world person associated with the avatar is determined to be the person controlling the avatar and the real-world person is authorized to perform the desired action, allowing the avatar or real-world person to receive the requested assistance; 20. The non-transitive computer-readable medium of item 17, further comprising:

[0155] The disclosed systems and methods may be implemented in the form of control logic using computer software in a modular or integrated manner. Based on the disclosure and teachings provided herein, one of ordinary skill in the art will know and understand other ways and / or manners to implement the present invention using hardware and combinations of hardware and software.

[0156] Machine learning (ML) is increasingly being used in multiple industries to enable the analysis of data and aid in decision making. To use machine learning to benefit, a machine learning algorithm is applied to a set of training data and labels to generate a "model" that represents the application of the algorithm "learned" from the training data. Each element (or instance or example in the form of one or more parameters, variables, characteristics or "features") of the set of training data is associated with a label or annotation that specifies how the element should be classified by the trained model. A machine learning model in the form of a neural network is a set of layers of connected neurons that operate to make decisions (such as classification) on samples of input data. When trained (i.e., the weights connecting the neurons have converged, stabilized, or are within an acceptable amount of variation), the model will operate on new elements of the input data to generate an accurate label or classification as output.

[0157] In some embodiments, some methods, models, or functions described herein may be embodied in the form of a trained neural network. The network is implemented by the execution of a set of computer-executable instructions, or a representation of a data structure. The instructions may be stored in (or on) a non-transitive computer-readable medium and executed by a programmed processor or processing element. The set of instructions may be communicated to a user (over a network, such as the Internet, for example) through a transfer of instructions, or an application that executes the set of instructions. The set of instructions or the application may be utilized by an end user through a SaaS platform, or access to a service provided through such a platform. A trained neural network, a trained machine learning model, or any other form of decision or classification process may be used to implement one or more of the methods, functions, processes, or operations described herein. It should be noted that a neural network, or a deep learning model, may be characterized in the form of a data structure in which data representing a set of layers containing nodes are stored, and connections between nodes in different layers are created (or formed) to manipulate inputs to result in a decision or value as an output.

[0158] In general terms, a neural network can be viewed as a system of interconnected artificial "neurons" or nodes that exchange messages between each other. The connections have neuronal weights that are "tuned" during the training process, so that a properly trained network will respond appropriately when presented with (for example) an image or pattern to be recognized. In this characterization, the network consists of multiple layers of feature-detecting "neurons," each layer responding to various combinations of inputs from the previous layer. The network has a feature neuron. Training of the network is performed using a "labeled" dataset of inputs over a wide variety of representative input patterns that are associated with their intended output responses. Training uses a generic method to iteratively determine the weights of the intermediate and final feature neurons. From the perspective of the computer model, each neuron calculates a dot product of the input and the weights, adds a bias, and applies a nonlinear trigger or activation function (e.g., using a sigmoid response function).

[0159] Any software components, processes or functions described in this application may be implemented as software code executed by a processor using any suitable computer language, such as Python, Java, JavaScript, C, C++, or Perl, using conventional or object-oriented techniques. The software code may be stored as a sequence of instructions or commands in (or on) a non-transitive computer-readable medium, such as, for example, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), a magnetic medium, such as a hard drive or a floppy disk, or an optical medium, such as a CD-ROM. In this context, a non-transitive computer-readable medium is virtually any medium suitable for storing data or sets of instructions other than a transitory waveform. Any such computer-readable medium may be present on or within a single computing device or may be present on or within different computing devices within a system or network.

[0160] According to one embodiment, the terms processing element or processor as used herein may be a central processing unit (CPU) or may be conceptualized as a CPU (e.g., a virtual machine, etc.). In this example implementation, the CPU, or the device in which the CPU is incorporated, may be coupled, connected, and / or communicate with one or more peripheral devices, such as a display. In another example implementation, the processing element or processor may be incorporated into a mobile computing device, such as a smartphone or tablet computer.

[0161] The non-transient computer-readable storage medium referred to herein may include multiple physical drive units, such as a redundant array of independent disks (RAID), floppy disk drive, flash memory, USB flash drive, external hard disk drive, thumb drive, pen drive, key drive, high density digital versatile disk (HD-DVD) optical disk drive, internal hard disk drive, Blu-ray optical disk drive, or Holographic Digital Data Storage (HDDS) optical disk drive, Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM), or similar devices or other forms of memory based on similar technologies. Such computer-readable storage media enable a processing element or processor to access computer-executable process steps, application programs, and the like stored on removable and non-removable memory media, and offload data from or upload data to a device. As stated, with respect to the embodiments described herein, the non-transient computer-readable medium may include nearly any structure, technology, or method, aside from a transitory waveform or similar medium.

[0162] Certain implementations of the disclosed technology are described herein with reference to block schematic diagrams of systems and / or flowchart or flow schematic diagrams of functions, operations, processes or methods. It will be understood that one or more blocks of a block schematic diagram, or one or more stages or steps of a flowchart or flow schematic diagram, and combinations of blocks of a block schematic diagram and stages or steps of a flowchart or flow schematic diagram, respectively, can be implemented by computer-executable program instructions. In some embodiments, one or more of the blocks, or stages or steps, Note that one or more of these may not necessarily be performed in the order presented, or may not necessarily be performed at all.

[0163] These computer executable program instructions may be loaded into a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a particular instance of a machine, such that the instructions executed by the computer, processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus produce means for performing one or more of the functions, operations, processes, or methods described herein. These computer program instructions may be stored in a computer readable memory that may direct the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means for performing one or more of the functions, operations, processes, or methods described herein.

[0164] While certain implementations of the disclosed technology have been described in connection with what are presently considered to be the most practical and versatile implementations, it is to be understood that the disclosed technology is not limited to the disclosed implementations. Instead, the disclosed implementations are intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements that fall within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

[0165] This specification uses examples, including making and using any device or system, and performing any incorporated method, to disclose certain implementations of the disclosed technology and to enable any person of ordinary skill in the art to practice certain implementations of the disclosed technology. The patentable scope of certain implementations of the disclosed technology is defined in the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural and / or functional elements that are indistinguishable from the language of the claims, or if they include structural and / or functional elements that have insubstantial differences from the language of the claims.

[0166] All references cited in this specification, including publications, patent applications, and patents, are incorporated by reference into this specification to the same extent as if each reference was individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and / or was set forth in its entirety herein.

[0167] The use of the terms "a," "an," and "the" and similar referents in this specification and the following claims shall be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms "having," "including," "containing / containing" and similar referents in this specification and the following claims shall be construed as open-ended terms (e.g., meaning "including but not limited to"), unless otherwise indicated. The recitation of ranges of values ​​herein is intended only to serve as a shorthand method of individually referring to each individual value included in the inclusive range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each individual value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually set forth herein. All methods described herein may be performed in any suitable order, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. Any and all examples or exemplary language (e.g., "such as") provided herein are intended only to better clarify the embodiments of the present invention, and do not pose a limitation on the scope of the present invention, unless otherwise asserted. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to any embodiment of the invention.

[0168] As used in this application (i.e., the claims, drawings, and specification), the term "or" is used inclusively to refer to items in either the alternative or in combination.

[0169] Different arrangements of the components shown in the drawings or described above, as well as components and steps not shown or described, are also possible. Similarly, some features and subcombinations are useful and may be employed independently of other features and subcombinations. The embodiments of the invention have been described for purposes of illustration and not limitation, and alternative embodiments will become apparent to the reader of this patent. Thus, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above or shown in the drawings, and various embodiments and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. 1. A method of providing a service to a user represented by an avatar in a virtual environment, comprising: receiving or identifying a request for product or service assistance from an avatar in the virtual environment; collecting appropriate contextual information associated with one or more of the avatar, the location of the avatar in the virtual environment, objects in the virtual environment, tokens or assets associated with the avatar, or an identity of the avatar; determining the product or service for which assistance is requested based on the collected contextual information; and determining whether the avatar is authorized to obtain assistance for the determined product or service based on the collected contextual information; determining an appropriate source of assistance to provide to the avatar based on the product or service for which assistance is requested and whether the avatar is authorized; obtaining the requested assistance from the determined source; and providing the requested assistance to the avatar; and stopping the process when the request for assistance is completed; and A method for providing the above.

2. determining whether assistance of a human agent is required to complete said request for assistance; Establishing a communication channel with a human agent; and providing assistance to the avatar from the human agent; and The method of claim 1 further comprising:

3. The context information comprises: The name, brand, serial number, model, version, or type of said product or service; the source of the product or service; A relationship between the product or service and the avatar; and the location of the avatar in the virtual environment and its relationship to the product or service for which support is requested; a location in the real world of a person controlling said avatar; and the state or status of the product or service for which assistance is requested; and The method of claim 1 , further comprising one or more of:

4. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the state or status of the product or service for which assistance is requested further includes one of an error code being generated, a configuration of the product, or a process or function that the product is requested to perform or has performed.

5. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an identity of a person controlling the avatar and verifying that the person is authorized to receive the requested assistance prior to determining whether the avatar is authorized to obtain assistance for the determined product or service.

6. Determining the identity of the person controlling the avatar and verifying that the person is authorized to receive the requested assistance includes: determining that a request for verification of the real-world identity of a person corresponding to an avatar has been received from an object or event in the virtual environment; In response to said request or event, an identifier for each of a set of avatars in the virtual environment, each avatar may be associated with a unique name, number, or alphanumeric string; and a name or unique identifier of said real-world person associated with each avatar identifier; information about the real-world person associated with an avatar identifier that may be used as part of an authentication process; and a response to a password or security question of said real-world person associated with an avatar identifier; accessing a blockchain or database that stores data including one or more of: executing a logical process to determine the real-world person associated with the avatar who is responsible for directly or indirectly generating the request for verification; if the real-world person associated with the avatar is determined to be the person controlling the avatar and the real-world person is authorized to perform the desired action, allowing the avatar or real-world person to receive the requested assistance; The method of claim 5 further comprising:

7. 1. A system comprising: one or more electronic processors configured to execute a set of computer-executable instructions; one or more non-transitive computer-readable media storing a set of instructions executable by the computer; Equipped with The instructions, when executed, cause the one or more electronic processors, or a device or apparatus of which they are a part, to: receiving or identifying a request for product or service assistance from an avatar in the virtual environment; collecting appropriate contextual information associated with one or more of the avatar, the location of the avatar in the virtual environment, objects in the virtual environment, NFTs or assets associated with the avatar, or the identity of the avatar; determining the product or service for which assistance is requested based on the collected contextual information; and determining whether the avatar is authorized to obtain assistance for the determined product or service based on the collected contextual information; determining an appropriate source of assistance to provide based on the product or service for which assistance is requested and whether the avatar is authorized; obtaining the requested assistance from the determined source; and providing the requested assistance to the avatar; and stopping the process when the request for assistance is completed; and A system that allows the user to:

8. said one or more electronic processors, or a device or apparatus comprising them, Whether the assistance of a human agent is required to complete said request for assistance Determining the Establishing a communication channel with a human agent; and providing assistance to the avatar from the human agent; and The system of claim 7 further comprising instructions to:

9. The context information comprises: The name, brand, serial number, model, version, or type of said product or service; the source of the product or service; A relationship between the product or service and the avatar; and the location of the avatar in the virtual environment and its relationship to the product or service for which support is requested; a location in the real world of a person controlling said avatar; and the state or status of the product or service for which assistance is requested; and The system of claim 7 , further comprising one or more of:

10. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the state or status of the product or service for which assistance is requested further includes one of an error code being generated, a configuration of the product, or a process or function that the product is requested to perform or has performed.

11. 8. The system of claim 7, further comprising instructions for causing the one or more electronic processors, or a device or apparatus comprising the one or more electronic processors, to determine the identity of a person controlling the avatar and to verify that the person is authorized to receive the requested assistance prior to determining whether the avatar is authorized to obtain assistance for the determined product or service.

12. Determining the identity of the person controlling the avatar and verifying that the person is authorized to receive the requested assistance includes: determining that a request for verification of the real-world identity of a person corresponding to an avatar has been received from an object or event in the virtual environment; In response to said request or event, an identifier for each of a set of avatars in the virtual environment, each avatar may be associated with a unique name, number, or alphanumeric string; and a name or unique identifier of said real-world person associated with each avatar identifier; information about the real-world person associated with an avatar identifier that may be used as part of an authentication process; and a response to a password or security question of said real-world person associated with an avatar identifier; and Accessing a blockchain or a database storing data including one or more of the following: executing a logical process to determine the real-world person associated with the avatar who is responsible for directly or indirectly generating the request for verification; if the real-world person associated with the avatar is determined to be the person controlling the avatar, and if the real-world person is authorized to perform the desired action, allowing the avatar or real-world person to receive the requested assistance; The system of claim 11 further comprising:

13. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing a set of computer-executable instructions which, when executed by one or more programmed electronic processors, cause said processors, or a device or apparatus of which they are a part, to: receiving or identifying a request for product or service assistance from an avatar in the virtual environment; collecting appropriate contextual information associated with one or more of the avatar, the location of the avatar in the virtual environment, objects in the virtual environment, NFTs or assets associated with the avatar, or the identity of the avatar; determining the product or service for which assistance is requested based on the collected contextual information; and determining whether the avatar is authorized to obtain assistance for the determined product or service based on the collected contextual information; determining an appropriate source of assistance to provide based on the product or service for which assistance is requested and whether the avatar is authorized; obtaining the requested assistance from the determined source; and providing the requested assistance to the avatar; and stopping the process when the request for assistance is completed; and One or more non-transitive computer-readable media that cause

14. The instruction: said one or more electronic processors, or a device or apparatus comprising them, determining whether assistance of a human agent is required to complete said request for assistance; Establishing a communication channel with a human agent; and providing assistance to the avatar from the human agent; and 14. The non-transitive computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising:

15. The context information comprises: The name, brand, serial number, model, version, or type of said product or service; the source of the product or service; A relationship between the product or service and the avatar; and the location of the avatar in the virtual environment and its relationship to the product or service for which assistance is requested; a location in the real world of a person controlling said avatar; and the state or status of the product or service for which assistance is requested; and 14. The non-transitive computer readable medium of claim 13, further comprising one or more of:

16. 16. The non-transitive computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the state or status of the product or service for which assistance is requested further includes one of an error code that has been generated, a configuration of the product, or a process or function that the product is requested to perform or has performed.

17. The instruction: a person controlling the avatar prior to the one or more electronic processors, or a device or apparatus comprising the one or more electronic processors, determining whether the avatar is authorized to obtain assistance with the determined product or service; and verifying that the person is authorized to receive the requested assistance.

18. determining the identity of the person controlling the avatar and verifying that the person is authorized to receive the requested assistance; determining that a request for verification of the real-world identity of a person corresponding to an avatar has been received from an object or event in the virtual environment; In response to said request or event, an identifier for each of a set of avatars in the virtual environment, each avatar may be associated with a unique name, number, or alphanumeric string; and a name or unique identifier of said real-world person associated with each avatar identifier; information about the real-world person associated with an avatar identifier that may be used as part of an authentication process; and a response to a password or security question of said real-world person associated with an avatar identifier; Accessing a blockchain or a database storing data including one or more of the following: executing a logical process to determine the real-world person associated with the avatar who is responsible for directly or indirectly generating the request for verification; if the real-world person associated with the avatar is determined to be the person controlling the avatar and the real-world person is authorized to perform the desired action, allowing the avatar or real-world person to receive the requested assistance; 20. The non-transitive computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising:

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