Avatar Behavior-Driven Cache Expiration in Virtual Universes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cache management methods in virtual universes are inefficient, as they either consume resources by prolonged caching of unneeded objects or degrade user experience due to premature expiration of content, with methods like LRU and FIFO not being optimal for virtual universe environments.

Innovation Solution

An expiration tool that identifies and analyzes the behavior of avatars to determine their likely future location, expiring cached virtual content accordingly, ensuring that content in the future location is maintained longer than in other regions, thereby optimizing cache retention of useful virtual universe objects.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If content is cached for prolonged periods to improve rendering speed, then user experience is improved, but server and cache resources are consumed inefficiently

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverendering speedVSAvoidcache resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic cache expiration that adapts to avatar behavior patterns. Instead of static expiration times, the system continuously monitors avatar movement and adjusts cache retention dynamically, extending cache life for avatars showing signs of returning while expiring caches for avatars that have moved away, thereby optimizing both rendering speed and resource utilization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs feedback mechanisms by monitoring avatar behavior and using this information to adjust cache management decisions. The cache expiration policy receives feedback from avatar movement patterns and modifies its behavior accordingly, creating a closed-loop system that optimizes cache resource usage while maintaining rendering performance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Loss of energy

If cache expiration is accelerated to free resources, then resource consumption is reduced, but user experience degrades as required objects must be reacquired

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecache resource consumptionVSAvoidobject acquisition speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by predicting future avatar locations and pre-caching content for those predicted destinations. By analyzing avatar behavior patterns and anticipating where avatars are likely to go next, the system proactively retains cache entries before they would normally expire, ensuring immediate object availability when avatars arrive at new locations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The cache expiration policy dynamically adjusts based on real-time avatar behavior analysis. The system modulates cache retention periods according to observed patterns, extending cache life for content likely to be needed soon while allowing expiration of content that is unlikely to be accessed, thereby balancing resource freed with performance maintained

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Device complexity

If static cache expiration methods like LRU or FIFO are used, then implementation is simple, but cache management is not optimal for virtual universe environments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecache management complexityVSAvoidcache utilization efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The cache management system serves itself by automatically analyzing avatar behavior patterns and making intelligent expiration decisions without requiring complex external control mechanisms. The system uses readily available avatar movement data to autonomously adjust cache policies, achieving high efficiency through self-directed optimization rather than complex centralized control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical cache management approaches (LRU, FIFO) with a behavior-driven intelligent system. Instead of relying on fixed algorithms based solely on cache access patterns, the system substitutes these mechanical methods with analysis of avatar behavioral patterns, using predictive modeling to determine cache retention decisions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS10747685B2Expiring virtual content from a cache in a virtual universe

Publication Date: 2020.08.18 KYNDRYL INC

AI summary

Approaches for expiring cached virtual content in a virtual universe are provided. In one approach, there is an expiration tool, including an identification component configured to identify virtual content associated with an avatar in the virtual universe, an analysis component configured to analyze a behavior of the avatar in a region of the virtual universe, the behavior indicating a likely future location of the avatar, and an expiration component configured to expire cached virtual content associated with the avatar based on the behavior of the avatar in the region of the virtual universe, wherein the cached virtual content associated with the avatar in the future location is maintained in the cache longer than cached virtual content associated with the avatar in another region of the virtual universe.