Virtual Character Data Merchandise Translation System

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is no existing system or method for players to obtain customized merchandise based on their characters and experiences within virtual game worlds, limiting the ability to personalize and commemorate their in-game achievements.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that translates data elements from a virtual environment into merchandise characteristics, allowing for the production of customized items such as high-resolution images, collectible trading cards, and other merchandise based on a player's character attributes and experiences, which can be manufactured locally or remotely.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a system translates virtual environment data into merchandise characteristics to produce customized items, then player personalization and engagement are enhanced, but system complexity and manufacturing infrastructure requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepersonalization capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the merchandise customization process into distinct modules: virtual environment data extraction, data translation to merchandise characteristics, merchandise design generation, and manufacturing instruction creation. Each module handles a specific aspect of the customization pipeline, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary translation layer that converts virtual environment data elements into merchandise characteristics. This mediator component bridges the gap between the game system and manufacturing systems, allowing complex personalization without requiring direct integration between disparate systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If high-resolution character data is processed and translated into merchandise attributes, then merchandise quality and player satisfaction improve, but data processing time and computational resources increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemerchandise qualityVSAvoiddata processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary extraction and organization of character data elements from the virtual environment before the actual merchandise production. By pre-processing and structuring the data in advance, the translation to merchandise characteristics occurs more efficiently, reducing overall processing time while maintaining high-quality output.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If customized merchandise production is enabled based on player characters, then new revenue streams are created, but infrastructure requirements and operational costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverevenue generationVSAvoidinfrastructure requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system is designed to work with multiple types of virtual environments and game systems through a universal data translation layer. This multi-functional approach allows the same infrastructure to serve various game titles and platforms, reducing per-revenue-unit infrastructure costs and making the revenue stream more scalable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS7761339B2System and method for producing merchandise for a virtual environment
Publication Date: 2010.07.20 INTEGRAL REALITY LABS INC
  • US7761339B2 patent drawing
  • US7761339B2 patent drawing
  • US7761339B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A system and method are provided for producing customized merchandise for a user based upon a character within a virtual environment, by retrieving character data representing a player character within a game and converting the character data into merchandise attributes. The merchandise attributes are then used to create instructions for producing an item of customized merchandise.