Virtual Business Object Social Sharing in Virtual Worlds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for sharing information about purchases in virtual worlds are cumbersome, requiring manual processes or face-to-face interactions, and merchants face challenges in effectively advertising products and services within virtual environments without disrupting avatars.
Innovation Solution
A system for collaborative virtual business object (VBO) social sharing, where a VBO is generated in response to a transaction, allowing avatars to access and share information about products or services, with public and private data options, enabling decentralized storage and centralized data synchronization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If manual processes or face-to-face conversations are used to share purchase information, then information can be shared between avatars, but the process becomes cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically generates virtual business objects and shares purchase information without requiring manual intervention from avatars. The transaction data is automatically captured, formatted, and distributed to relevant parties, eliminating the need for avatars to manually share purchase details through communication channels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual communication mechanisms (phone, email, in-world conversation) with an automated digital system that uses virtual business objects to transmit purchase information. This substitution transforms the sharing process from a manual, time-consuming activity to an automated, instantaneous operation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If advertisements are placed throughout the virtual world landscape, then merchants can advertise products and services, but the virtual world becomes cluttered and avatars experience interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces virtual business objects as intermediaries between merchants and avatars. Instead of directly placing advertisements in the virtual world landscape, merchant information is encapsulated within VBOs that are shared transactionally. This intermediary approach allows advertising capability while maintaining a clean virtual environment, as the information is delivered contextually rather than through intrusive visual advertisements.
3Loss of information
If all transaction data is shared publicly, then information accessibility is maximized, but data exposure and privacy risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different quality levels to different portions of transaction data within virtual business objects. Sensitive information such as payment details and personal identifiers are protected with restricted access, while non-sensitive information like product details and transaction confirmations are made publicly accessible. This local differentiation of data quality ensures maximum accessibility where safe and minimum exposure where sensitive.
Data Source
AI summary
Collaborative virtual business object (VBO) social sharing that may include generating a VBO responsive to an avatar performing a transaction, and providing access to the VBO to other avatars desiring access. Access to the VBO may be provided by registering information regarding accessing the VBO in an inventory of the avatar, registering information regarding accessing the VBO in a centralized registry, allowing some portions of the VBO to be searchable, or uploading a modified copy of the VBO to a centralized VBO data upload facility. Portions of the VBO may be identified as private or public and access provided to only the public portions. An apparatus for collaborative virtual business object (VBO) social sharing may include an interface configured to access virtual world and a processor configured to generate a VBO responsive to a transaction in the virtual world and provide access to the VBO.