U.S. patent application number 11/755539 was filed with the patent office on 2009-07-02 for mediation of disputes in a virtual environment.
This patent application is currently assigned to LEVIATHAN ENTERTAINMENT, LLC. Invention is credited to Michael Raymond Mueller, Andrew S Van Luchene.
Application Number | 20090170604 11/755539 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40799166 |
Filed Date | 2009-07-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090170604 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mueller; Michael Raymond ;
et al. |
July 2, 2009 |
Mediation of Disputes in a Virtual Environment
Abstract
A mechanism for dispute mediation and resolution in a virtual
environment is provided. The mechanism may involve the breach of a
virtual contract and the determination of suitable penalties
against the breaching parties. In some embodiments, the mechanism
may include a judge or jury comprising members of the virtual
community.
Inventors: |
Mueller; Michael Raymond;
(Highlands Ranch, CO) ; Van Luchene; Andrew S;
(Santa Fe, NM) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GONZALES PATENT SERVICES
4605 CONGRESS AVE. NW
ALBUQUERQUE
NM
87114
US
|
Assignee: |
LEVIATHAN ENTERTAINMENT,
LLC
Santa Fe
NM
|
Family ID: |
40799166 |
Appl. No.: |
11/755539 |
Filed: |
May 30, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/42 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 13/792 20140902;
A63F 13/12 20130101; A63F 13/75 20140902; A63F 2300/5586 20130101;
A63F 2300/575 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/42 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24 |
Claims
1. A method comprising: providing a virtual environment wherein
players are able to interact with each other and the virtual
environment via avatars; providing a dispute resolution module
configured to resolve disputes between avatars in the virtual
environment, the dispute resolution program being configured to:
identify a virtual contract established between two or more parties
in the virtual environment; identify the terms of the virtual
contract; determine if one or more of the terms has been breached
by a party to the contract; and determine a penalty to be imposed
against the breaching party.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining if one or more of the
terms has been breached by a party to the contract is performed
automatically.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining if one or more of the
terms has been breached by a party to the contract is performed in
response to a request from an entity interacting with the virtual
environment.
4. The method of claim 2 further comprising: determining the
parties to the virtual contract; and alerting the parties that the
contract has been breached.
5. The method of claim 2 further comprising creating a queue of
disputes to be resolved.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising: receiving a bribe from
an entity interacting with the virtual environment; and altering
the penalty.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising assessing the
penalty.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the penalty is a financial penalty
imposed against a virtual world financial account.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the penalty is a financial penalty
imposed against a real world financial account.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein determining if one or more terms
of a virtual contract has been breached comprises: identifying an
entity who will review evidence regarding the virtual contract and
performance by the parties related thereto; and receiving a
decision as to whether or not the contract was breached from the
entity.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the entity is a jury comprising
one or more avatars interacting with the virtual environment.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein identifying an entity who will
review evidence regarding the virtual contract and performance by
the parties related thereto comprises: determining avatars in the
virtual environment to be part of the jury.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein determining avatars in the
virtual environment to be part of the jury comprises selecting
avatars at random.
14. The method of claim 12 wherein determining avatars in the
virtual environment to be part of the jury comprises selecting
avatars based on one or more qualifications.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein at least one of the
qualifications is the receipt of a payment from one or more parties
to the virtual contract.
16. A method comprising: providing a virtual environment wherein
players are able to interact with each other and the virtual
environment via avatars; providing a dispute resolution module
configured to resolve disputes between avatars in the virtual
environment, the dispute resolution program being configured to:
identify one or more virtual contracts established between two or
more parties in the virtual environment; identify the terms of the
virtual contract; monitor the activity of the parties to the
virtual contract; and determine if a term of the virtual contract
is likely to be breached by at least one of the parties.
17. The method of claim 16 further comprising alerting one or more
parties to the virtual contract that the virtual contract is likely
to be breached.
18. The method of claim 17 further comprising: determining that a
term of the virtual contract has been breached.
19. The method of claim 18 further comprising determining a penalty
to be imposed against the breaching party.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the penalty is termination of
the virtual contract.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] Virtual Environments which are accessible to multiple
subscribers via a server are well known. For example, hundreds of
thousands of players access games known as massive multi player
online games (MMOGs). Players of these games customarily access a
game repeatedly (for durations typically ranging from a few minutes
to several days) over given period of time, which may be days,
weeks, months or even years. The games are often constructed such
that players pay a periodic subscription price (e.g., $15 per
month) rather than, or in addition to, paying a one time purchase
price for the game. Often, though not necessarily, these games have
no ultimate "winner" or "winning goal," but instead attempt to
create an enjoyable playing environment and a strong player
community. Virtual communities like Linden Lab's "Second Life"
provide a three-dimensional metaverse in which people (who may or
may not pay a fee for the right to access the metaverse) create
avatars that are able to interact with other avatars as well as the
local environment. It would be advantageous to provide improved
methods and apparatus for increasing the enjoyment and/or longevity
of these virtual environments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0002] FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting a system 10 according to
an embodiment of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0003] Massive multi player online games (MMOGs) or massive
multi-player role-playing games (MMORPGs) are computer game which
are capable of supporting hundreds, thousands, or millions of
players simultaneously. Typically, this type of game is played in a
giant persistent world where the game continues playing regardless
of whether or not real players are logged in. Players commonly
access these games through a network such as the Internet, and may
or may not be required to purchase additional software or hardware
in order to play the game. Such networks allow for people all over
the world to participate and interact with each other in a virtual
environment. The present disclosure provides systems and methods
which contribute to the evolution and longevity of such a game.
According to various embodiments, the present disclosure provides
various event-driven mechanisms for avatar alteration in a
metaverse.
[0004] Accordingly, the present disclosure provides various methods
and systems which are suitable for use in a virtual metaverse. As
used herein, the term "virtual" includes the concept "in a
computer-generated environment or other intangible space." Further
more, a "metaverse" includes a collection of online virtual
environments which are accessible to one or more players of one or
more online games or communities. In some embodiments, certain
areas in a metaverse may be restricted to some players. Examples of
metaverses include Massive Multi Player Online Video Game (MMPOVGs)
such as World of Warcraft and virtual communities such as Second
Life.
[0005] MMPOVGs (sometimes referred to as Massive Multi Player
Online Role Playing Games MMPORPGs) include video games and virtual
environments that are provided by and accessed via at least two
video game consoles connected to a Video Game Central Server via a
network such as an internet or intranet, or as part of a
peer-to-peer network including at least two Video Game Consoles. In
some embodiments, players create and/or control characters that may
interact with each and their surrounding virtual environment in a
Metaverse that is stored on the Video Game Central Server and/or
the Video Game Consoles.
[0006] According to numerous embodiments, in order to access a
particular, metaverse, virtual environment, or game, a video game
console Video Game Central may be in electronic communication with
a video game server. A video game server may include a CPU, memory,
and permanent or temporary storage and be in electronic
communication with multiple players via multiple video game
consoles. As such, the plurality of players are able to interact
with each other as well as the metaverse by accessing the video
game server via their video game consoles.
[0007] Referring to FIG. 1, a network system 10 according to one
embodiment includes a central server 20 in communication with a
plurality of video game consoles or playing units 18. Those of
ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that any number of video
game playing units may be in communication with the central server.
Typically, the number of video game playing units changes at
various times as players join games and as players stop playing
games. Similarly, more than one server may operate to coordinate
the activities of the video game playing units, as is well known in
the art.
[0008] Central server 20 may comprise any computing device (e.g.,
one or more computers) capable of communicating with other
computing devices. The server 20 typically comprises a processor
which is in communication with a storage device, such as an
appropriate combination of RAM, ROM, hard disk, and other well
known storage media. Central server 20 may comprise one or more
personal computers, web servers, dedicated game servers, video game
consoles, any combination of the foregoing, or the like.
[0009] Each video game device 18 may comprise any device capable of
communicating with central server 20, providing video game
information to a player, and transmitting the player's desired
actions to the central server. Each video game device typically
comprises a processor which is in communication with a storage
device, such as an appropriate combination of RAM, ROM, hard disk,
and other well known storage media. Suitable video game devices
include, but are not limited to, personal computers, video game
consoles, mobile phones, and personal data assistants (PDAs).
[0010] Some or all of video game 17 can be stored on central server
20. Alternatively, some or all of video game 17 may be stored on
the individual video game devices 18. Typically, the video game
devices are able to communicate with one another. Such
communication may or may not be facilitated by central server 20.
Accordingly, a player 19a accessing video game 17 via game device
18a may be able to play with a player 19b accessing video game 17
via game device 18b. As shown, it may be possible for multiple
players (e.g. 19c, 19d) to access central server 20 via the same
game device (e.g. 18c).
[0011] Regardless of whether video game 17 is stored on central
server 20 or video game devices 18, server 20 is typically
configured to facilitate play of the game between multiple game
players.
[0012] The games and metaverses wherein these games take place are
typically accessible to player via a video game console. For the
purposes of the present disclosure, "video game consoles" include
devices comprising a CPU, memory, and optional permanent storage
residing at a player location that can allow for the playing of
video games. Examples include, home PCs, Microsoft Xbox, and Sony
Playstation, Wii, Playstation portable, etc. Dedicated video game
consoles may be useful for only playing video games, while
multifunctional video game consoles, such as personal computers,
PDA's and the like may be useful for performing multiple tasks
including, but not limited to playing video games.
[0013] As stated above, a particular metaverse may include one or
more virtual or game environments. For the purposes of the present
disclosure the terms "virtual environment," "game environment" and
the like include a region, sub-region or area of a metaverse such
as a country, city, era, building, etc., which is in some way
recognizably different from another region, sub-region, or area of
the metaverse.
[0014] It will be understood that a "game" as used herein need not
be a "game" in the traditional sense of a competition in which a
winner and/or loser is determined, but rather that the term "game"
incorporates the idea of the metaverse regardless of the intended
purpose. Accordingly, both World of Warcraft and Second Life would
be referred to as games for the purposes of the present disclosure.
Moreover, a person or entity who enters the metaverse in order to
conduct business, tour the metaverse, or simply interact with
others or the virtual environment, with or without competing
against another entity is still considered to be "playing a
game."
[0015] According to an embodiment, the present disclosure provides
a system that allows virtual entities to register a dispute with an
entity having authority within the virtual environment or
metaverse. The virtual entity, registering the dispute may be a
private individual, corporation, or government entity. Accordingly,
the entity may act as a virtual plaintiff, prosecutor, complainant,
or defendant in the dispute.
[0016] For the purposes of the present disclosure the term"
[0017] A virtual dispute may include any breach of an agreement,
player-to-player contract, lawsuit or any difference of opinion or
disagreement by, between or among or otherwise involves or affects
any two or more players, player characters and/or virtual entities
or any third party, e.g., between one or more plaintiffs and one or
more defendants, (or any combination of the foregoing) regarding
any real or virtual world activities (past, present or future)
including, but not limited to, commerce, objects, outcomes,
services, combat or other game play results, business dealings,
currency (real or virtual) or any other contested event or
situation within a Game Environment or that may be resolved within
a Game Environment, or that affects or could affect one or more
player's or player character's or the Game Environment or any in
game objects, and/or any real or virtual assets, currencies,
liabilities, financial positions, or obligations (past, present or
future), including those that have been, are or may be affected in
the real world. A virtual dispute may be a virtual lawsuit, a
virtual class action, civil suit, criminal suit or any other type
of dispute or lawsuit. For the purposes of the present disclosure,
the term "dispute" is intended to refer to a virtual dispute.
[0018] For the purposes of the present disclosure, the term
"plaintiff" includes any player, character and/or entity that
initiates a virtual action against one or more player characters
and/or entities in order to seek a remedy for a virtual dispute,
whether or not the action is a civil, criminal or other type of
action. Accordingly, unless otherwise stated, the term "plaintiff"
is intended to include plaintiffs, prosecutors, complainants and
the like. Similarly, the term "defendant" may be used to describe
any player, character, or entity against whom a virtual action has
been initiated.
[0019] Accordingly, for ease of discussion, the terms "virtual
action" and "virtual lawsuit" may be used interchangeably to
generally describe any dispute-resolution-based action taken by a
plaintiff against a defendant within the Game Environment that
seeks a remedy of any kind via an authoritative agency. For the
purposes of the present disclosure, the terms "virtual lawsuit,"
"lawsuit" and "case" shall have corollary meanings.
[0020] According to an embodiment, Virtual entities may agree to
pay or actually pay a real cash or virtual fee in order to register
a dispute. The central registration system collects the dispute fee
and/or data and stores it in a queue of disputes. Evidence of any
type, including, for example, in the form of testimony of one or
more players, saved virtual environment footage or transaction or
change logs, and/or any other stored data or information gathered
and/or expert testimony, can be submitted by the virtual entity as
part of the dispute submission.
[0021] In one embodiment, the dispute, along with any evidence, is
submitted to a panel of one or more players or other duly
authorized individuals who can vote on the mediation or dispute
outcome. In another embodiment, the central system resolves the
dispute using an AI program and rules. If the AI program is unable
to determine an outcome, such case may be submitted to a panel of
players, player characters or a virtual court, which may make use
of a virtual jury. Such submission may include any analysis or
conclusions drawn and/or other information, e.g., evidence
provided/gathered, by said AI program.
[0022] According to another embodiment, once the mediation or
lawsuit outcome is determined, the virtual entities in the dispute
are notified and a mediation or lawsuit outcome contract is
created, which contains obligations for the virtual parties. The
virtual entities involved in the dispute are bound by the mediation
or lawsuit outcome contract. The system tracks whether the virtual
entities have fulfilled part or all of their obligations. Once the
obligations have been fulfilled, the contract status is set to
"fulfilled" or "settled" and the virtual entities that are party to
the contract are notified and/or the case is marked as
"closed".
[0023] In certain embodiments, the system may automatically
determine that a player-to-player or other contract or agreement
between virtual entities has been violated. In such cases, the
system may automatically notify the affected parties and/or only
one of such parties, e.g., the potential plaintiff and/or the
potential defendant(s), so as to permit one or the other or both to
determine what additional action might be taken. For example, a
potential defendant might choose to cure any such actual or
threatened breach of contract. Or, a potential plaintiff might
contact a potential defendant, providing him with options or
acceptable alternatives that might help avoid a potential
lawsuit.
[0024] In some embodiments, the system might automatically submit
any found or suspected violations of any such contracts or
agreements and/or any other violation of any real or virtual law to
an authorized investigative body, e.g., a virtual police or other
investigative force, and/or to one or more virtual court(s) and/or,
if sufficient information is available, make a determination of the
facts and/or outcome and/or penalties, if any, relating to any such
virtual dispute or lawsuit. Such a determination may be made via
any applicable means, including, for example, by comparing the
terms and conditions or expected actions or outcomes of any such
agreements or contracts with data stored or tracked concerning the
interested parties. Since all actions, failures to act, or any
other activities can be tracked and stored in a virtual world or
video game or virtual environment, comparing such virtual world,
video game or virtual environment actions, failures to act and/or
data and/or any real world data that is generally accessible by
such a system, with expected actions, decisions, outcomes,
financial information, etc., e.g., one or more account balances,
status of assets, e.g., item exists and/or is in good condition,
financial balances, delivery of items, goods or services,
performance of a task, accomplishments, outcomes of battles, taking
or not taking certain actions, etc., the disclosed invention can
determine if such action, failures to action, outcomes or other
activities, etc., were the expected outcomes and if not, what
penalties could or should be imposed and/or which actions or
outcomes must be accomplished to avoid one or more penalties. By
comparing actual outcomes with expected outcomes, an automated
determination can be made. Such determination may be stored or
communicated to one or more of the interested parties.
[0025] In certain embodiments, players and/or other entities enter
into contracts that define the terms and conditions or expectations
of such agreements/contracts. Exemplary methods to create such
agreements are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos.
11/279,991, 11/611,050, 11/355,232, and 11/624,662, each of which
is hereby incorporated by reference.
[0026] In certain embodiments of the present invention, When
creating an agreement or contract, those that are involved with
such contract creation may choose to include dispute resolution
actions and/or penalties or fines.
[0027] In certain embodiments, players and or player characters may
wish to be represented by real or virtual counsel. In some
embodiments, such counsel may or may not be required to have formal
or proven credentials. In other embodiments, such counsel must
first apply and/or be approved to serve as legal counsel. Fees may
be charged to retain such counsel. Fees may be determined via any
applicable means, including, for example, through negotiations
between counsel and client. Such fees may be charge for retaining
such counsel, and/or may be based on a one time fee for a given
case, and/or may be based upon any other methods including, hourly
fees. Methods to provide for virtual counsel or other virtual
professionals, e.g., to procure expert testimony, and/or any other
required or desired virtual professional services are disclosed in
co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (attorney docket
no. 3111101) "Virtual Professional" which is hereby incorporated by
reference.
[0028] In some embodiments, actions can include anything that can
be performed by the affected parties and/or measured, tracked or
confirmed by the system and/or via manual methods, including, for
example, a requirement to complete the original task within an
allotted "cure period" which period may be specified in terms of
numbers of days, hours, turns, or other measurement period.
Alternatively or additionally, cure provision might require
additional or substituted tasks, or payments, or delivery of
additional items or of differing materials or quality or quality of
workmanship, or free delivery, or reduced price, or any other terms
and conditions agreed upon by the affected parties.
[0029] In certain embodiments, such agreement(s) may include fines
or penalties should one or more of the parties fail to fulfill any
part or all of any one or more of any obligations defined under any
such agreement(s). For example, should a party fail to fulfill an
obligation, the agreement may specify certain penalties such as, a
fine that is to be paid by the defaulting party to the
non-defaulting party, or an obligation of confinement, e.g., a
player character or all the player character's of a player account
may not be permitted to play part or all of the video game, and/or
the player character(s) might be confined to a virtual jail or a
"cornfield" for a proscribed period.
[0030] In some embodiments, when one or more player characters are
confined, such player or player characters may be precluded from
accessing any part or all of any one or more video game or other
virtual world environments and/or may be restricted from using or
making use of or otherwise benefiting from any one or more virtual
items, player character's assets, and/or game play, etc., and/or
performing any one or more tasks. In some embodiments, such
confined players or player characters may be permitted limited game
play if required to fulfill any other contractual obligations
relating to or unrelated to the disputed agreement.
[0031] In certain embodiments, if it is determined by the system
and/or a virtual court and/or mediation or arbitration panel or
other authorized entity or governing body, e.g., a virtual jury or
virtual appellate court that a given player or virtual player has
violated the terms of a virtual agreement and/or habitually
violates one or more virtual agreements, such player or player
character(s) may be fined and/or barred from further game play
(temporarily or permanently) and/or may be charged a higher fee for
such game play, and/or such player or player character(s) may be
precluded from entering into any subsequent or certain types of
additional contracts or other agreements.
[0032] In certain embodiments, players, player characters and/or
any affected or otherwise interested or authorized parties, may
receive one or more alerts as to the status of a given contract or
agreement and/or any of its terms and conditions and/or any
determination that there has been or might be a breach or cure of
any contract and/or any one or more of its provisions. Such alerts
might include the name of the affected parties, the name or other
identification of the agreement or contract in question, the cure
period, if any, the fines or other possible penalties if the
agreement is breached and/or there is a failure to cure any such
breach, and/or any other applicable information. Alerts might be
delivered via email, instant message or via any other applicable
means. Exemplary methods for sending such communications and/or
alerts are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No.
11/676,848, which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0033] In certain embodiments, when or if a player or player
character has been fined for failure to perform under a given
contract, such fine may be imposed or collected in the form of a
tax, a new or increased tax or a more frequently collected tax.
Exemplary methods to impose and collect taxes are disclosed in U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 11/696,080, which is incorporated
herein by reference.
[0034] In certain embodiments, players may enter into agreements
that may be secured by real or virtual assets, including, for
example a real or virtual credit card. In the event a player or
player character violates one or more of the terms and/or
conditions of such an agreement, a credit card may be charged the
value or actual damages of such breach and/or any fines or other
penalties that may be imposed by a virtual court or virtual jury
and/or that may have been pre-established within such agreement.
For the purposes of the present disclosure, the term "credit card"
may include any instrument that advances currency to the credit
card owner in return for a promise to repay the advanced amount.
Additional fees and/or interest may or may not be imposed. Examples
of real world credit cards include those credit cards commonly
referred to under the names "Visa," "Mastercard," and "American
Express." In some embodiments, the term "credit card" may further
include debit cards or other instruments that result in an
instantaneous or near-instantaneous transfer of currency from the
purchasing party to the selling party.
[0035] In some embodiments, whatever amounts are due and owing from
one entity to another, e.g., a defendant to a prevailing plaintiff,
may be collected immediately, by moving such funds from the
defendant's account to the plaintiff's account and/or by sending an
invoice to the defendant, permitting the defendant to determine the
method of payment, which payment may be subject to a time
limitation imposed by the virtual court, virtual jury and/or the
system or as pre-established in the agreement among the affected
parties, and/or such fine, penalty, etc., may be collected
immediately or at a future date, e.g., after a cure or other
defined period, from said defendant's credit card on file or as
listed in such agreement(s). Exemplary methods to secure a contract
using a credit card are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser.
Nos. 11/279,991, 11/611,050, 11/355,232, and 11/624,662, each of
which were incorporated by reference above.
[0036] According to some embodiments, the order in which disputes
may be heard or settled may be determined by a queue. Accordingly,
in some embodiments, virtual entities can pay to have a particular
dispute settled before other disputes that are in a queue. For
example, if a plaintiff determines that a given lawsuit could
provide such plaintiff with substantial value if settled and/or
prosecuted, but the lawsuit is not due to be tried for many months
due to a backlog in a virtual court, the plaintiff might choose to
pay a fee to move up a case within a queue of other cases. The fee
may be determined by any applicable means, including, for example,
a fixed fee per position that the case is moved up within the
queue, or by market forces and/or via direct negotiations with
others within the queue, or by using a system that provides for
priority queuing. Exemplary methods to provide for payment of a fee
or to otherwise modify a position of an item within a queue are
disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 11/462,621 and
11/611,024, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
[0037] In certain embodiments, two or more entities, e.g., players
or player characters that belong to a class of entities or players,
e.g., all players that have purchased a certain item, skill, or
service, or are customers of a given real or virtual entity, may
decide to join together and file a virtual class action lawsuit. In
such cases, the individuals within such an action may, in certain
embodiments, forgo the option to file any actions(s) separately
and/or may give up certain rights in exchange for joining a class
action suit. Class action litigants may also agree, in advance or
at some other time, to share in any proceeds from any such class
action. Sharing of proceeds may include any agreed upon terms and
conditions and/or those established by any law, rule or regulation
of the virtual environment, video game, or any other governing
body, e.g., a virtual congress, etc. The terms may define which
players, or player characters or other litigants are to receive any
proceeds and/or what fees or share may go to virtual professionals,
e.g., one or more real or virtual attorneys. In some embodiments,
sharing is based upon a percentage, e.g., the virtual attorneys
might receive 40% of the proceeds of the litigation and the
remaining balance might be divided equally among the litigants
and/or might be split based upon percentages of involvement,
etc.
[0038] In certain embodiments, a certain percentage of a given
class of possible litigants must agree to join in such class action
for the class action suit to be permitted by the video game,
virtual environment and/or virtual court, or otherwise. For
example, if 100 player characters (the "class") purchased a virtual
shield, and the shields later proved defective, some or all of the
player characters, may choose to file a class action lawsuit,
However, the players wishing to file the class action lawsuit may
only be permitted to do so if 75% or more of the class agree.
Percentage requirements may be fixed or vary by type of class
action and/or by any suitable factors including, but not limited
to, game environment, video game, virtual environment, era, type or
nature of action, size of action, e.g., total real or virtual
dollar amount, and/or number or type of players or player
characters, etc., and/or any other applicable means, which may be
determined or established via any agreement among the litigants,
and/or rules, laws or regulations established when the video game,
virtual environment, era, world is created or any time thereafter,
e.g., by a virtual congress or other governing body.
[0039] In some embodiments, any entity or individual subject to a
class action lawsuit, e.g., a virtual defendant, may opt to settle
out of court by agreeing to pay a certain amount to one or all of
the litigants.
[0040] Insurance policies can be issued to virtual entities to
cover disputes based on mediation outcome. An insurance policy may
be limited based on whether or not save virtual environment footage
is submitted.
[0041] In certain embodiments, the system can determine the
appropriate mediator(s) or jurors to place on the mediation panel
or virtual jury based on the dispute details and the mediators'
specific mediation expertise. For example, if a lawsuit is filed
involving an agreement between parties concerning the sale of
virtual real estate, the system might find one or more mediators
using any applicable means, including, for example, the
availability and/or background of one or more players, player
characters or third parties that a) have either agreed to serve,
for free or for a fee, and/or have agreed to volunteer or are
otherwise designated as being available to serve on a jury or
mediation panel, b) have served in the past on a virtual jury or
mediation panel, c) have experience in the real world with real
estate or real estate law, d) have served as a mediator in the real
world, e) have been involved with or entered into one or more
unrelated successful or unsuccessful similar cases, f) have
professional credentials and/or have served in a real or virtual
legal, or realtor capacity, g) have served on one or more panels or
juries and have received a rating or qualification score from one
or more of the involved parties and/or objective or other
observers, or h) any combination of the foregoing. Once identified
by the system as a possible panel member or juror, the system may
further determine a) if the person, player or player character is
available to serve, b) the price for services, if any, c) the
relative skill or score or other credentials of the candidate vs.
other available candidates, d) if such person, player or player
character has one or more conflicts of interest, e.g., is or has
served on any other related cases and/or familiar with the
plaintiff and/or defendant and/or any of their respective counsel
or representatives, or has any connections or ties with any judge,
other jurors or any relative or related entities of any of the
foregoing, or may benefit or suffer harm based upon the outcome of
the case or the impact of the outcome on either the plaintiff, or
the defendant and/or any of their counsel or other entities, e.g.,
business dealings, and/or such outcome might affect, favorably or
unfavorably, the status of the candidate and/or any of his existing
or pending agreements, transactions, relationships, etc., or e) any
combination of the foregoing or any other measurable metric, e.g.,
such candidate has provided a financial instrument, e.g., a credit
card, to secure such agreement, or any of the affected/interested
parties or otherwise.
[0042] According to some embodiments, mediators or jurors can be
rated by virtual entities who have submitted disputes to them. In
certain embodiments, before, during, or after determining the
outcome of a dispute, the reviewing body, e.g., a virtual court or
mediator may be permitted or requested to review the lawsuit or
case based upon its merits, evidence, claims, actual or potential
penalties or fines, etc. Such entities may provide a score as the
quality of the case and/or the likely outcome if the case were
reviewed and/or a score may be provided regarding any of the
litigants, including, for example, their attorneys and their skills
to prepare, present or prosecute any such case. A score for any
case, or any related entities may be determined using any
applicable means, including the manual assignment of a score. An
automated or manual score may be stored for current or future
use/reference. For example, such scores may be used by future
litigants to assist such litigants in deciding which attorney or
mediator or court should be used and/or would best serve such
litigant's best interests in light of the case at hand. Scores may
be used to determine if a case will be heard and/or when it will be
heard and/or if a case warrants a hearing with a mediator or a
court or an appellate court, etc., and/or if a case should be
dismissed prior to a hearing if it scores poorly or low as compared
with other similar and/or pending cases. Scores may be used to
determine a position of a case within a queue, e.g., cases with
higher scores may be heard ahead of cases with lower scores.
[0043] In some embodiments, mediators or jurors can receive skills
in particular types and classes of disputes as they are part of
mediation panels about certain types and classes of disputes.
[0044] In some embodiments, virtual entities can pay a higher fee
to have more experienced mediators review the dispute. In certain
embodiments, all or some cases or cases with a certain score may be
heard by more or less experienced mediators and/or such
determination may be made, in whole or in part, upon the
willingness of one or more of the affected parties to pay a fee or
a higher or lower than usual fee to hear or delay or reprioritize
any given case or cases. Such fees may be determined via any
applicable means, including, for example, by agreement among the
parties, open market forces, via a bid or exchange system, or based
upon fees established by the game owner, judge, mediators, juries,
or any other duly authorized governing body established for the
purpose of determining such fees.
[0045] In some embodiments, virtual entities can pay to choose one
or more of the mediators or jurors on the panel. For example, each
of a defendant and a plaintiff might pay a fee so as to select one
mediator or arbitrator to serve on an arbitration panel, with each
of them then agreeing to select yet another, i.e., third, mediator
or arbitrator that is natural to each party's interest in the case.
Such payment may permit the entity to select a specific mediator or
arbitrator or judge, and/or it may only permit the entity to select
a category or specific or general set of credentials and/or scores
or other discriminating criteria.
[0046] In another embodiment, all mediators, judges, arbitrators
and/or jurors are selected at random and/or randomly from a pool of
potential participants, and/or randomly from a group or pool of
qualified participants.
[0047] In some embodiments, virtual entities can appeal a dispute
resolution decision, or a selection of one or more mediators to be
on a panel. A fee can be charged for appeals and the dispute can be
resubmitted to an appeals board or appellate court. Such courts may
or may not follow US appellate laws or the laws of one or more
foreign countries.
[0048] In certain embodiments, the decisions of a mediation or
arbitration panel or a virtual court may be binding upon any and
all players and/or player characters or any virtual entities. Such
binding effect may be enforceable in virtual or real courts based
upon such individual's prior agreement, e.g., when signing up to
play a video game, or other pre-existing agreement. If a decision
is appealed to a real world arbitrator or court, in certain
embodiments, the system may package all information, testimony,
evidence, agreements, and/or any other information that is
available relating to the case, may be gathered and stored or
accessed by non-players, e.g., real world attorneys, juries and/or
judges for further examination and/or use in any such real world
arbitration, mediation or court proceedings.
[0049] In some embodiments, if the mediation panel finds that a
registered dispute is not valid, they can charge an additional fee
to the registering party. Additional fees may be charged for any
reason or reasons, including, for example: a) failure to file the
case with the necessary forms, documents, materials, b) type of
case, c) size or severity of the case, d) background of the
defendant and/or plaintiff and/or any one or more of such party's
counsel, e) prior cases and/or their outcomes, f) number of pending
cases, g) complexity of the case, e.g., cases that require expert
testimony may incur a higher fee than those that do not, h) amount
of time required to decide or render an opinion on the case, i)
whether or not the case is set for a jury trial or not, j) if the
case is an arbitration case vs. a trial case, k) civil vs. criminal
proceedings may carry a different fee or fee structure, l) or any
combination of the foregoing or any other discriminating factors
and/or rules established by any duly authorized governing body,
e.g., the game owner, a congress or other entity charged with such
duties and/or any other entity that possess the right to pass any
such rules, regulations or laws.
[0050] In some embodiments, if the mediation panel finds that a
registered dispute is valid, the fees initially charged to the
registering party can be reallocated and charged to the at-fault
party. Allocation of any such fees, and/or reallocation or
distribution of such fees or charges may be accomplished via any
applicable means, including, for example, all or nothing,
percentage of liability, based upon number of hours spent on the
case, one or more scores associated with the case, the severity of
the case, the need or use of a jury trial and/or the insistence of
one of the parties to hold a jury trial vs. a mediation, the degree
of responsibility for each of the affected/interested parties,
and/or any combination of the foregoing.
[0051] In some embodiments, virtual footage that is stored,
accessed and/or submitted by either or both parties can be altered
to prove the case of one party or another. Alterations can occur
within the confines of a rules-based system. For instance,
different camera angles can be used, but the footage cannot be cut
in a way that it does not flow in real time. The voice or text
file, e.g., closed captioning, of a conversation can be submitted
or not submitted, but it cannot be edited. A system can detect
whether or not submitted footage was altered and can highlight
alterations made by comparing the footage to saved game data.
Footage can be certified before submitting it as evidence by
checking the degree of alteration and approving the footage if the
degree of alteration is below a certain threshold. In certain
embodiments, changes may be permissible if the player or player
character possess a certain skill or potion or pays a fee. In such
instances, the other players or player characters may or may not be
able to determine if such changes have been made, unless they have
acquired or otherwise obtained certain skills or attributes in the
virtual world to do so. For example, the other "i.e., non-changing"
party may be able to determine that such changes were made if the
other party pays a fee, acquires a skill or potion, or randomly. In
such embodiments, other players or player character(s) may discover
any or all or a part of any such changes. If changes are permitted
or otherwise found, such changes could cause an immediate decision
in favor of the non-altering party, and/or such change could affect
a mediator's or judgess or jury's decision as to the validity of
the altered and/or all or part of all the other evidence submitted
by the altering party, and/or may affect one or more opinions as to
the credibility of any such party and/or their witnesses and/or any
other submitted evidence, whether or not any such additional
evidence shows any proof of tampering or alterations.
[0052] In certain embodiments, a virtual entity plaintiff can
submit a dispute about a defendant. The defendant is alerted and
given a time period to either cure the cause of such dispute and/or
submit a rebuttal. The mediation panel can then review the dispute
and the rebuttal and submit a (proposed) resolution.
[0053] In some embodiments, mediation can occur with or without a
court date. A court date can allow a plaintiff and defendant the
opportunity to argue the dispute or rebuttal that they submitted
generally at the same time and/or within each other's virtual or
real presence. Plaintiffs and defendants can pay a fee to have
their court dates prioritized ahead of other court dates previously
set and/or to maintain a position within a queue, i.e., and prevent
other cases from being prioritized ahead of such case.
[0054] In certain embodiments, a dispute may be resolved by
submitting the case to a religious leader such as a priest, or a
governmental leader, such as a town or city mayor, or to any other
authorized body or individual, including, for example, to a "town
meeting" where other player characters of the same virtual township
or clan or other association or organization, e.g., citizens of a
given virtual country, town, county, etc., may hear a grievance or
case between two or more such citizens or player characters. In
some embodiments, decisions made by the authorized body hearing the
dispute will be fully enforceable and final, while in other
embodiments, decisions may be subject to appeal or submission to a
virtual or real world court.
[0055] In some embodiments, mediation can occur based on a decision
of a virtual judge and/or jury, the decision of one or more
mediators, the decision of a judge alone, or the decision of a jury
alone or a combination of two or more of any of the foregoing
and/or via automated means.
[0056] In certain embodiments, player characters who are citizens
of a game environment or a government in a game environment can be
assigned jury duty. The system can randomly or systematically
select virtual citizens, e.g., player characters, for jury duty.
When a virtual citizen is selected for jury duty, a virtual
contract is created. Citizens can pay a fee not to fulfill the
contract, or to be removed from the jury selection process. The
system can also select virtual citizens for jury duty based on
rules and/or information known about the case and/or the virtual
citizen, e.g., potential conflicts of interest, bias, prior
service, favoritism, and/or randomly, or any combination of the
foregoing and/or using any other discriminating information. Jury
selection may or may not follow or use laws that govern juries of
the USA or any Federal or State laws that govern jury selection,
use, dismissal, etc. The laws of the State of Delaware and those of
US Federal court are incorporated herein by reference and may be
used, in whole or in part, for the selection of a jury and/or for
the interpretation of any virtual contract and/or to determine the
outcome of a virtual lawsuit, and/or may be amended from
time-to-time in either the real or virtual world.
[0057] In certain embodiments, jury members, mediators, and/or
Judges can all receive or accept bribes from plaintiffs and/or
defendants and/or any other related or interested parties, e.g.,
counsel for the plaintiff and/or defendant. In certain embodiments,
such bribes are permitted only in the case where actual damages or
losses are claimed, and/or the game environment permits such
bribes. Alternatively, the system can monitor transaction activity
and penalize jury members, mediators and judges who have been
determined to have received bribes from plaintiffs and defendants.
In certain embodiments, fictitious litigants, including, for
example, NPC's, may be used to offer bribes to determine if one or
more jurors, mediators and/or judges are willing to accept such
bribes. In the event the system, or other entity using manual or
automatic investigative methods, determines that a person or entity
has or is willing to accept one or more bribes, the penalties for
such acceptance and/or proclivity to accept bribes includes, for
example, a) disbarment, in the case of a virtual professional,
e.g., attorney, b) temporary or permanent exclusion from being
considered and/or to participate or testify or judge or hear any
case, court, mediation, arbitration or any other similar
proceedings, c) a fine (real or virtual) or incarceration for some
period, d) a change may be made to such player character's avatar,
e.g., the avatar may be made to look like a "big, fat, greedy,
pig", to indicate that such player character is a dishonest, as
applicable, judge, juror, arbitrator, mediator, attorney, or expert
witness, etc., e) or any combination of the foregoing. Exemplary
methods to provide for changing a player character's avatar are
disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/694,648, which is
incorporated herein by reference.
[0058] In certain embodiments, mediators can be assigned to a
dispute based on the virtual economic value of the dispute and the
skill level, experience and/or availability of the mediator.
Mediators with higher skill levels can be assigned to disputes with
higher economic values and/or to those whose litigants are willing
to pay a higher prosecution fee.
[0059] In addition or in the alternate, a percentage of the
resolution value can be given to the mediator, judge, and/or jury
and/or paid by the plaintiff, defendant, or both.
[0060] In some embodiments, a virtual insurance provider can
provide the mediation system as part of submitting a claim to them.
Exemplary methods to provide for the creation, management and
processing of insurance claims are provided in U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/462,621, which is incorporated by reference
above.
[0061] In certain embodiments, end users, including mediators,
arbitrators, judges, counsel, plaintiffs and/or defendants, or any
other players, player characters, or third parties may make use of
one or more notes and/or other attachments. For example, when
prosecuting a case, a judge may attach one or more notes to the
court records, e.g., a dispute case file or database, which notes
may include any pertinent information regarding the case and/or its
outcome. Notes may be attached to any database record or document
as permitted by the system via any applicable means available.
Exemplary methods to provide attachment of notes into documents
and/or associate notes with documents, or words, or other data are
disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 11/690,095,
11/697,480, and 11/697,486, each of which is hereby incorporated by
reference.
[0062] In some embodiments, disputes can only be registered by
virtual entities that are virtual citizens of a particular virtual
jurisdiction.
[0063] In some embodiments, additional evidence can be gathered by
interviewing witnesses. Witnesses can be chosen by the plaintiff,
the defendant, or both. Witness testimony can be submitted,
certified, and stored with the dispute record. In certain
embodiments, if a witnesses testimony is later found to be
intentionally falsified, such witness may be subject to a lawsuit
and/or fines. For example, if a witness lies and such lie is later
discovered, such witness may be required to pay a fine. The fine
may or may not be based in whole or in part upon the final outcome
of the case. For example, if the defendant lost the case, and had
to pay a $5,000 fine, and one of the witnesses lied, several
actions may be taken including, for example, a) the lying witness
may be fined $500 or $5,000 or even $50,000, and/or barred from
future testimony and/or their avatar may be temporarily or
permanently modified, b) the defendant may be permitted to request
a new trial and/or receive all or part of such fine back from the
plaintiff and/or the liar, c) a portion of the defendant's fine may
be returned and due from the plaintiff and/or the liar, such
portion may be determined using any applicable means, including
judgment rendered by a judge, mediator or jury, and/or based upon a
percentage of responsibility, e.g., what percentage of the judgment
or the amount paid that was due to such lies or false testimony. In
certain embodiments, effective lying or lying in general may be a
permitted as an enjoyable part of game play. In such instances,
witnesses may be rewarded for lying and/or for getting away with
deception. In other embodiments, such deception may be forbidden
and witnesses may be required to execute an enforceable agreement
or otherwise swear to be truthful prior to providing any such
testimony.
[0064] In several embodiments, historical archives of disputes can
be stored and used to create case law. An AI system can use the
case law to decide how to mediate future disputes or right actual
laws that govern future activity in the game environment or a
jurisdiction of the game environment.
[0065] In some embodiments, player characters who are found at
fault during a dispute can have their player score altered,
temporarily or permanently, based on being negligent or otherwise
at fault. In some embodiments, player characters' avatars may be
modified or altered to indicate that they have been found guilty at
one time or another. Such modifications may be permanent or
temporary and/or may be viewable by all parties or only selected
parties. For example, a player character that has been found guilty
of stealing another player character's items may have the hands of
their avatar cut off. Such "handless" avatar may show the "stumps"
as bleeding for a period of time, e.g., just after being found
guilty, but such "wounds" may "heal" and the bleeding may stop,
e.g., one month after being found guilty. If such a player
character is found guilty again, such bleeding may resume for some
additional period, perhaps indefinitely, after a third such
offence. Changes to an avatar can serve several purposes including,
for example, an annoyance or reminder to player characters not to
commit or recommit an offence or another offence, and/or as a
warning to other player characters.
[0066] In certain embodiments, cases involving agreements between
players, and/or other entities, may be brought in real world
courts, with outcomes and decisions made by real world courts or
arbitration or mediation proceedings. In such embodiments, players
or player characters may agree, in advance or at any other time,
that penalties imposed by a real world court will be assessed in
the virtual world in addition to, or instead of, in the real
world.
[0067] In certain embodiments, players or player characters may be
required to execute an agreement before being permitted to play the
game, and/or to enter into contracts. The agreement may require
players or player characters to submit to the authority of the
video game or virtual environment and/or any one or more of its
virtual courts, virtual juries, and/or arbitration or mediation
panels and/or as may be established from time to time. Such
agreement may also require players or player characters to permit
injunctions or other legal measures to enforce virtual
contracts.
[0068] In certain embodiments, electronic records may be kept
regarding any or all of a) player to player or other contracts
and/or agreements, b) actual game play of some or all players or
player characters and/or NPC's or other entities, c) video game or
virtual environment game states, database states, including before
and after states, images, change logs, etc., d) outcomes or results
of any actions or any decisions or failures to act, e) simulated
video image capture from each player or player character's point of
view and/or the point of view from any or all points in any or all
directions, including those of any NPCs, or other characters,
including, virtual cameras, which may be limited or unlimited in
their use and/or placement, and or field of view and/or point of
view, etc., f) any and all data, communications, alerts, messages,
information, system settings, etc., or any combination of any or
all of the foregoing, and, which may be captured on a continual or
periodic basis, e.g., every second, or daily, etc., and/or based
upon events as or when or if they shall have occurred, or at any
other time as determined by the game owner, designer, rules, or
other system, and/or based upon rules established by one or more
player characters and/or any other duly authorized governing body,
and/or which may be modified from time-to-time by any one or more
of the preceding, and/or any combination of the herein defined
entities. Such information may be used by a) plaintiffs, b)
defendants, c) law enforcement personnel or automated enforcement
systems, d) the disclosed system, e) any court, arbitration or
mediation panel, f) any affected, interested or authorized party or
entities, and/or g) any combination of the foregoing.
[0069] In certain embodiments, players or player characters or
other entities may file or be subjected to a lawsuit even though no
real or virtual agreement or law has been broken or violated. In
such instances, litigants only need to present their case with
whatever evidence they have and, optionally, their proposed
solution or settlement recommendation and the person, court, judge,
jury or arbitrator hearing such case can make their own
determination. Fines and/or other penalties imposed in such
instances, where there are no laws, case laws or other rules or
regulations, may be determined in the sole but reasonable
discretion of such person, court, judge, jury or arbitrator. In yet
another embodiment, fines and penalties may be established
generally or specifically that govern such decisions or cases that
are prosecuted absent any prevailing law, rule or regulations.
[0070] In certain embodiments, virtual trials may be conducted
similarly or exactly like real world trials, following
pre-established procedures and/or laws. Any rules and/or laws may
be passed or imposed by any duly authorized governing body, and/or
the game owner, a body of player characters or players established
for such purposes, etc. . . . , and/or such procedures and/or laws
may be based in whole or in part upon existing real world
procedures and/or laws and/or case or civil laws, such as those of
the United States of America, and/or those of the State of
Delaware, each or all as amended from time-to-time, or not, and
each and all of which are incorporated herein by reference, which
laws, procedures and/or precedence may be used in a modified or
unmodified or any combination with any new or modified laws,
procedures, precedence created or passed within the virtual world.
For example, in some embodiments, a video game may adopt one or
more US Federal and/or State laws and/or legal precedence at the
time of game formation or some other point, but then, rely in whole
or in part, upon the players or player characters to establish
their own government, and laws, rules, regulations, etc. In this
fashion, a large, well established rule of law can be quickly
adopted, while permitting each virtual game environment to evolve,
in whole or in part, separately from the real world.
[0071] In another embodiment, existing laws, rules, regulations,
procedures, precedence, etc., are established based upon real world
equivalents and such equivalents are maintained and modified only
if and when their real world equivalents are actually modified, or
amended, acted upon, or voted into law by their real world
counterparts and/or decisions are made by appellate courts
regarding or relating to any or all of the foregoing, and/or such a
system may permit limited additional virtual laws to address issues
not yet experienced or addressed in the real world, and/or any
combination of the foregoing. In the event that such laws, rules,
regulations, decisions, precedence's, etc., do not address or are
otherwise silent or unaware of applicability in a virtual
environment, such laws, rules, regulations, decisions,
precedence's, etc., may be applied in the virtual environment or
video game as if such laws, rules, regulations, decisions,
precedence's, etc., were drafted or do apply to the virtual world
or environment or video game as if such virtual world, environment,
or video game actually existed, and any and all such laws, rules,
regulations, decisions, precedence's, etc., that have been
incorporated herein by reference are hereby so modified so as to
apply equally to the virtual and real worlds. In certain
embodiments, players or player characters may be required to
execute one or more agreements to enable any one or more of the
disclosed methods and/or virtual laws, rules, regulations,
decisions, precedence's, etc., prior to or subsequently to access
to such virtual environment, world or video game and to acknowledge
the validity of any one or more or all such laws, rules,
regulations, decisions, precedence's, etc.
[0072] In some embodiments, virtual entities can purchase
"mediation outcome insurance" that covers damages owed by them
based on the mediation decision. The game server or a third party
system can offer such service and fulfill claims based on recorded
outcomes of the mediation.
[0073] Those having skill in the art will recognize that there is
little distinction between hardware and software implementations.
The use of hardware or software is generally a choice of
convenience or design based on the relative importance of speed,
accuracy, flexibility and predictability. There are therefore
various vehicles by which processes and/or systems described herein
can be effected (e.g., hardware, software, and/or firmware) and
that the preferred vehicle will vary with the context in which the
technologies are deployed.
[0074] At least a portion of the devices and/or processes described
herein can be integrated into a data processing system with a
reasonable amount of experimentation. Those having skill in the art
will recognize that a typical data processing system generally
includes one or more of a system unit housing, a video display
device, memory, processors, operating systems, drivers, graphical
user interfaces, and application programs, interaction devices such
as a touch pad or screen, and/or control systems including feedback
loops and control motors. A typical data processing system may be
implemented utilizing any suitable commercially available
components to create the gaming environment described herein.
[0075] Accordingly, the presently described system may comprise a
plurality of various hardware and/or software components such as
those described below. It will be appreciated that for ease of
description, the variously described hardware and software
components are described and named according to various functions
that it is contemplated may be performed by one or more software or
hardware components within the system. However, it will be
understood that the system may incorporate any number of programs
configured to perform any number of functions including, but in no
way limited to those described below. Furthermore, it should be
understood that while, for ease of description, multiple programs
and multiple databases are described, the various functions and/or
databases may, in fact, be part of a single program or multiple
programs running in one or more locations.
[0076] Exemplary programs and hardware/software architecture
include:
[0077] 1. Central Server [0078] a. Dispute Registration and
Resolution Program [0079] b. Dispute Queuing Program [0080] c.
Billing Program [0081] d. Contract Creation, Issuance and
Fulfillment Program [0082] e. Tax Program [0083] f. Insurance
Program
[0084] 2. Databases [0085] a. Dispute Database [0086] i. Dispute ID
[0087] ii. Description [0088] iii. Details 1-N [0089] iv. Dates
Occurred On [0090] 1. Filed Date [0091] 2. Resolution Date [0092]
3. Other Tracking Dates 1-N [0093] v. Plaintiff ID 1-N [0094] vi.
Plaintiff Counsel ID 1-N [0095] vii. Defendant ID 1-N [0096] viii.
Defendant Counsel ID 1-N [0097] ix. Contract ID 1-N [0098] x.
Claims 1-N [0099] xi. Cure Period [0100] xii. Cure Provisions 1-N
[0101] xiii. Assigned Court ID 1-N [0102] xiv. Assigned Judge ID
1-N [0103] xv. Assigned Jury ID 1-N [0104] xvi.
Disposition/Resolution/Outcome ID 1-N [0105] xvii. Fines/Penalties
1-N [0106] xviii. Confinement ID 1-N [0107] xix. Score/Ranking
[0108] xx. Notes 1-N [0109] b. Contract Database [0110] i. Contract
ID [0111] ii. Name [0112] iii. Description [0113] iv. Terms and
Conditions 1-N [0114] v. Rules 1-N [0115] vi. Penalties for
non-performance 1-N [0116] vii. Confinement ID for non-performance
1-N [0117] viii. Drafted By ID 1-N [0118] ix. Accepted By ID 1-N
[0119] x. Notes 1-N [0120] c. Entity Database [0121] i. Entity ID
[0122] ii. Entity Type [0123] iii. Name [0124] iv. Owned By ID 1-N
[0125] v. Owned By Percentage 1-N [0126] d. Court Database [0127]
i. Court ID [0128] ii. Jurisdictions 1-N [0129] iii. Judges 1-N
[0130] iv. Notes 1-N [0131] e. Fee Database [0132] i. Fee Rule ID
[0133] ii. Description [0134] iii. Fee Rule [0135] iv. Notes 1-N
[0136] f. Penalties Database [0137] i. Penalty Rule ID [0138] ii.
Description [0139] iii. Penalty Rule [0140] iv. Notes 1-N [0141] g.
Queue Database [0142] i. Queue ID [0143] ii. Description [0144]
iii. Priority Queuing Rules/Fees 1-N [0145] iv. Dispute ID 1-N
[0146] 1. Queue Position [0147] 2. Priority [0148] v. Notes 1-N
[0149] h. Evidence Database [0150] i. Evidence ID [0151] ii.
Description [0152] iii. Type [0153] iv. Source ID 1-N [0154] v.
Date [0155] vi. Verification Code [0156] vii. Evidence 1-N [0157]
viii. Notes 1-N [0158] i. Mediator Database [0159] i. Mediator ID
[0160] ii. Mediator Type [0161] iii. Name [0162] iv. Fields of
Practice [0163] v. Virtual Professional ID Codes 1-N [0164] vi.
Notes 1-N [0165] vii. Disputes 1-N [0166] viii. Qualifications 1-N
[0167] ix. Score or Rankings 1-N [0168] 1. Case/Dispute Type Served
[0169] 2. Resolution/Outcome [0170] 3. Skill [0171] x. Notes 1-N
[0172] j. Mediator Panel Database [0173] i. Panel ID [0174] ii.
Mediator IDs 1-N [0175] iii. Mediation Case ID [0176] iv. Dispute
ID [0177] v. Qualifications 1-N [0178] vi. Score or Rankings 1-N
[0179] 1. Case/Dispute Type Served [0180] 2. Resolution/Outcome
[0181] 3. Skill [0182] vii. Notes 1-N [0183] k. Mediation Database
[0184] i. Mediation Case ID [0185] ii. Dispute ID 1-N [0186] iii.
Mediator ID 1-N [0187] iv. Litigant IDs 1-N [0188] v.
Disposition/Outcome ID [0189] vi. Witness testimony ID 1-n [0190]
vii. Score/Ranking [0191] viii. Notes 1-N [0192] l. Jury Database
[0193] i. Juror ID [0194] ii. Player/Player Character ID [0195]
iii. Dispute ID [0196] iv. Court ID [0197] v. Mediation Case ID
[0198] vi. Qualifications 1-N [0199] vii. Score or Rankings 1-N
[0200] 1. Case/Dispute Type Served [0201] 2. Resolution/Outcome
[0202] 3. Skill Notes 1-N [0203] m. Mediation Outcome Contract
Database [0204] i. Outcome ID [0205] ii. Mediation ID [0206] iii.
Dispute ID [0207] iv. Outcome Description [0208] v. Rules 1-N
[0209] vi. Agreement Terms and Conditions 1-N [0210] vii. Fees 1-N
[0211] viii. Fines 1-N [0212] ix. Penalties 1-N [0213] x.
Confinement ID 1-N [0214] xi. Score/Ranking [0215] xii. Notes 1-N
[0216] n. Counsel/Attorney Database [0217] i. Counsel/Attorney ID
[0218] ii. Description [0219] iii. Qualifications 1-N [0220] iv.
Score or Rankings 1-N [0221] 1. Case/Dispute Type Served [0222] 2.
Resolution/Outcome [0223] 3. Skill [0224] v. Mediation Cases 1-N
[0225] vi. Disputes 1-N [0226] vii. Fees 1-N [0227] viii. Notes 1-N
[0228] o. Dispute resolution/action Database [0229] i.
Disposition/Resolution ID [0230] ii. Description [0231] iii.
Dispute ID [0232] iv. Penalties ID 1-N [0233] v. Fees ID 1-N [0234]
vi. Expected Actions/Restitution ID 1-N [0235] vii. Confinement ID
1-N [0236] viii. Notes 1-N [0237] p. Confinement Database [0238] i.
Confinement ID [0239] ii. Dispute ID [0240] iii. Disposition ID
[0241] iv. Defendant ID [0242] v. Confinement Period [0243] vi.
Confinement Location [0244] vii. Notes 1-N [0245] q. Virtual
world/game play settings Database [0246] i. Setting ID [0247] ii.
Description [0248] iii. Use Rules 1-N [0249] iv. Limitation Rules
1-N [0250] v. Settings 1-N [0251] 1. Date [0252] 2. Setting [0253]
vi. Change Log [0254] 1. Before Date [0255] 2. Before Image [0256]
3. Changed By ID [0257] 4. After Date [0258] 5. After Image [0259]
vii. Notes 1-N [0260] r. Tax Database [0261] i. Tax Rule ID [0262]
ii. Description [0263] iii. Tax Rules 1-N [0264] iv. Uses 1-N
[0265] v. Limitations 1-N [0266] vi. Notes 1-N [0267] s. Insurance
Policy Database [0268] i. Policy ID [0269] ii. Policy Holder ID
[0270] iii. Policy Type [0271] iv. Description [0272] v. Covered
Item ID 1-N [0273] vi. Coverage Amount [0274] vii. Coverage Rules
1-N [0275] viii. Coverage Period [0276] ix. Fees ID 1-N [0277] x.
Notes 1-N [0278] t. Insurance Claims Database [0279] i. Insurance
Claim ID [0280] ii. Description [0281] iii. Claimant ID-1-N [0282]
iv. Dispute ID 1-N [0283] v. Notes 1-N [0284] u. Saved Game Play
Database [0285] i. Transaction ID [0286] ii. Date [0287] iii.
Before Image [0288] iv. After Image [0289] v. Settings Before ID
[0290] vi. Settings After ID [0291] vii. Player IDs 1-N [0292]
viii. Actions 1-N [0293] ix. Notes 1-N [0294] v. Saved Virtual
World Activity Database [0295] i. Transaction ID [0296] ii. Date
[0297] iii. Before Image [0298] iv. After Image [0299] v. Settings
Before ID [0300] vi. Settings After ID [0301] vii. Player IDs 1-N
[0302] viii. Actions 1-N [0303] ix. Notes 1-N [0304] w. Citizen
Database [0305] i. Citizen ID [0306] ii. Player Character ID [0307]
iii. Country of Origin [0308] iv. Citizen of Country 1-N [0309] v.
Passport ID 1-N [0310] vi. Visa ID 1-N [0311] vii. Permissions 1-N
[0312] viii. Restrictions 1-N [0313] ix. Qualifications 1-N [0314]
x. Score or Rankings 1-N [0315] 1. Case/Dispute Type Served [0316]
2. Resolution/Outcome [0317] 3. Skill [0318] xi. Notes 1-N [0319]
x. Appeal Package Database [0320] i. Appeal ID [0321] ii. Appeal
Type [0322] iii. Dispute ID [0323] iv. Appeal Data [0324] y.
Virtual Footage Database [0325] i. Footage ID [0326] ii. Start
Date/Time [0327] iii. End Date/Time [0328] iv. Point of View (POV)
1-N [0329] v. Footage Attachments 1-N [0330] vi. Description [0331]
vii. Storage Location Rules 1-N [0332] viii. Storage Limitation
Rules 1-N [0333] ix. Storage Resolution Rules 1-N [0334] x. Storage
File Type [0335] xi. Affected Player IDs 1-N [0336] xii. Affected
Player Character IDs 1-N [0337] xiii. System Settings ID 1-N [0338]
1. Settings Change Log Information [0339] xiv. Saved Virtual World
Activity Database Transaction ID 1-N [0340] xv. Saved Game Play
Activity Database Transaction ID 1-N [0341] xvi. Disputes ID 1-N
[0342] Notes 1-N [0343] z. Footage Alteration Rules Database [0344]
i. Alteration Rule ID [0345] ii. Permitted Player Characters ID 1-N
[0346] iii. Excluded Player Characters ID 1-N [0347] iv.
Description [0348] v. Permitted Changes Rules 1-N [0349] vi. Denied
Changes Rules 1-N [0350] vii. Storage Location Rules 1-N Storage
Limitation Rules 1-N [0351] viii. Storage Resolution Rules 1-N
[0352] ix. Storage File Type [0353] aa. Witness Database [0354] i.
Witness ID [0355] ii. Player/Player Character ID [0356] iii.
Dispute ID [0357] iv. Testimony ID 1-N [0358] v. Qualifications 1-N
[0359] vi. Score or Rankings 1-N [0360] 1. Case/Dispute Type Served
[0361] 2. Resolution/Outcome [0362] vii. Skill Notes 1-N [0363] bb.
Witness Testimony Database [0364] i. Testimony ID [0365] ii.
Dispute ID [0366] iii. Date [0367] iv. Time [0368] v. Virtual
Environment ID [0369] vi. Location ID [0370] vii. Description
[0371] viii. Testimony [0372] ix. Relevancy Score [0373] x.
Applicable Virtual Footage ID 1-N [0374] xi. Notes 1-N [0375] cc.
Case Law Database [0376] i. Case Law ID [0377] ii. Description
[0378] iii. Rules 1-N [0379] iv. Fees 1-N [0380] v. Penalties 1-N
[0381] vi. Applies To ID 1-N [0382] vii. Exclusions ID 1-N [0383]
viii. Prior Cases ID 1-N [0384] ix. Related Cases ID 1-N [0385] x.
Notes 1-N [0386] dd. Law Database [0387] i. Law ID [0388] ii.
Description [0389] iii. Rules 1-N [0390] iv. Fee rules 1-N [0391]
v. Penalties rules 1-N [0392] vi. Confinement Rules 1-N [0393] vii.
Applies To ID 1-N [0394] viii. Exclusions ID 1-N [0395] ix. Prior
Law/Precedence ID 1-N [0396] x. Notes 1-N [0397] ee. Notes Database
[0398] i. Note Description Short [0399] ii. Note Description Long
[0400] iii. Note Group ID [0401] iv. Note Class ID [0402] 1. Note
Subclass ID [0403] 2. Note and/or Note Attachments 1-N [0404] a.
Owner/Submitted By ID [0405] b. Original Submission Date/Time
[0406] 3. Notes 1-N [0407] v. Modifications 1-N [0408] 1.
Owner/Submitted By ID [0409] 2. Modification Submission Date [0410]
3. Short Description [0411] 4. Long Description [0412] a.
Owner/Submitted By ID [0413] b. Original Submission Date/Time
[0414] c. Hyperlinks 1-N [0415] d. Change Image 1-N i. Before
Change ii. After Change [0416] 5. Notes 1-N [0417] ff. Hyperlink
Database [0418] i. Hyperlink ID [0419] ii. Hyperlink [0420] iii.
Description [0421] iv. Owner ID [0422] v. Advertiser ID [0423] vi.
Notes 1-N [0424] gg. Alert Event Rules Database [0425] i. Alert
Event Rule ID [0426] ii. Alert Event Description [0427] iii. Alert
Event Rules 1-N [0428] 1. Event Condition [0429] 2. Alert Recipient
ID 1-N [0430] a. Alert Method 1-N [0431] 3. Alert Database ID 1-N
[0432] iv. Notes 1-N [0433] hh. Alert Database [0434] i. Alert
Database ID [0435] ii. Alert Contents, one or more of: [0436] 1.
Text [0437] 2. Variable Data [0438] 3. Executable [0439] iii. Notes
1-N [0440] ii. Alert Methods Database [0441] i. Alert Method ID
[0442] ii. Method Type [0443] iii. Delivery Method (cell phone,
pager, e-mail, PDA, database, executable, etc.) [0444] iv. Notes
1-N [0445] jj. Alert Recipient Database [0446] i. Alert Recipient
ID (e.g., end user ID) [0447] ii. Description [0448] iii. Alert
Method Preferences ID 1-N [0449] iv. Notes 1-N [0450] kk. [0451]
ll. Insurance Provider Database [0452] i. Policy Holder ID [0453]
ii. Name [0454] iii. Insurance Types Provided [0455] iv. Billing
Information [0456] v. Billing Address [0457] vi. Agents ID 1-N
[0458] mm. Insurance Agent Database [0459] i. Agent ID [0460] ii.
Name [0461] iii. Qualifications [0462] iv. Licenses to provide
insurance ID 1-N
[0463] It will be appreciated that the various software and
hardware components described above will be configured to perform a
variety of functions and methods. Listed below are some exemplary
methods that might be performed by the systems as described herein:
[0464] a. Set up dispute automatically if contract is breached
[0465] i. Determine that a contract has been breached [0466] ii.
Create a new dispute record [0467] iii. Determine appropriate
parties [0468] iv. Alert parties that contract has been breached
and a new dispute record has been created [0469] b. Determine if
contract is breached and automatically mediate and generate [0470]
c. mediation outcome [0471] i. Determine that contract has been
breached [0472] ii. Create new dispute record [0473] iii. Place
dispute in queue [0474] iv. Receive mediation outcome for dispute
[0475] v. Determine appropriate parties [0476] vi. Notify parties
of mediation outcome determination [0477] d. Determine that a
contract is likely to be breached and alert parties [0478] i. Track
contract performance [0479] ii. Determine that contract is in
danger of missing performance criteria [0480] iii. Determine
appropriate parties [0481] iv. Notify parties that contract is in
danger of missing performance criteria [0482] e. Pay not to be on
Jury Duty [0483] i. Receive Citizen Registration [0484] ii.
Determine if Citizen qualifies to pay to not be on jury duty [0485]
iii. Output offer to pay not to be on jury duty [0486] iv. Receive
acceptance of offer [0487] v. Flag citizen record as "exempt from
jury duty" [0488] f. Pay/Receive Bribes [0489] i. Receive a bribe
offer including a dispute id, mediator id, and bribe amount and
requested mediation outcome vote data [0490] ii. Output offer to
mediator [0491] iii. Receive acceptance of offer [0492] iv. Store
acceptance of offer [0493] v. Alert appropriate parties that bribe
was accepted [0494] vi. Receive a mediation outcome vote from
mediator that accepted bribe [0495] vii. Determine if vote matches
requested vote [0496] viii. If vote does not match requested vote,
override vote with requested vote [0497] ix. Store requested vote
[0498] g. Select Witnesses [0499] i. Receive a request to register
a witness [0500] ii. Store witness id with dispute id [0501] iii.
Notify witness that they have been registered [0502] h. Certify
Witness Testimony [0503] i. Receive testimony from witness [0504]
ii. Store testimony with dispute id [0505] i. Create Mediation
Outcome Insurance Policy [0506] i. Receive a request to insured a
mediation outcome [0507] ii. Determine outcome value [0508] iii.
Determine likelihood of outcome [0509] iv. Create insurance premium
based on outcome value and likelihood of outcome [0510] v. Output
insurance premium offer [0511] vi. Receive acceptance of offer
[0512] vii. Receive premium payment [0513] viii. Create insurance
policy [0514] Pay claim on Mediation Outcome Insurance Policy
[0515] ix. Determine that a dispute received a mediation outcome
[0516] x. Determine if outcome was covered by insurance policy
[0517] xi. Retrieve policy value [0518] xii. Pay policy value to
insured party [0519] 4. Or: Event Driven Model
[0520] 1. Setup/Maintain Databases
[0521] 2. Execute Security Application
[0522] 3. Execute User Interface Application
[0523] 4. Execute Primary Routine
[0524] Primary Routine/Application/Watchdog
[0525] 1. Load Databases and Rules Databases
[0526] 2. Determine if one or more sub-applications/Programs should
be executed
[0527] 3. Execute Player Activity/Tracking Program
[0528] 4. Execute Video Footage Tracking Program
[0529] 5. Receive indication that a dispute may or has occurred
[0530] 6. Receive indication that an agreement/contract has been
breached
[0531] 7. Execute Find Attorney Program
[0532] 8. Execute Dispute Tracking Program
[0533] 9. Execute Cure Program
[0534] 10. Receive indication a dispute has been filed/queued
[0535] 11. Receive change queue position/priority request
[0536] 12. Execute priority queuing program
[0537] 13. Execute Dispute Resolution Program
[0538] 14. Execute Appeals Program
[0539] 15. Receive indication that fines or penalties are to be
assessed
[0540] 16. Execute Penalty assessment program
[0541] 17. Execute Periodic Billing Program
[0542] 18. Execute Revenue Distribution Program
[0543] 19. Execute Virtual Title Program
[0544] 20. Execute Enforcement Program
[0545] 21. Execute Confinement Program
[0546] 22. Receive indication case law has been created/revised
[0547] 23. Execute Case Law Program
[0548] 24. Execute Insurance Coverage
[0549] 25. Execute Currency Conversion Program
[0550] 26. Execute Scoring Program
[0551] 27. Execute Alert Program
[0552] 28. Execute Notes Program
[0553] 29. Update Databases
[0554] 30. Repeat Process as Necessary/Desired/Indicated
[0555] User Interface Application
[0556] 1. Load database(s)
[0557] 2. Display graphical user interface for each
application/feature as requested/desired
[0558] 3. Receive input from end users
[0559] 4. Execute functions as requested/required and/or load
additional applications/GUIs
[0560] 5. Update databases
[0561] Security Application
[0562] 1. Load Database(s)
[0563] 2. Determine if requested action and/or end user is
permitted
[0564] 3. If not, notify application and/or end user
[0565] 4. If yes, permit requested step and/or loading of
application or other authorized action(s)
[0566] 5. Update Database(s)
[0567] Player Activity Tracking Program
[0568] 1. Load Databases/Rules
[0569] 2. Receive indication of player/game activity
[0570] 3. Store before/after images
[0571] 4. Store before/after databases/rules/settings
[0572] 5. Determine if contract has been violated
[0573] 6. Determine if dispute has occurred
[0574] 7. Determine if dispute has been filed
[0575] 8. Execute Alert Program
[0576] 9. Execute Notes Program
[0577] 10. Add/Change/Update Notes
[0578] 11. Update Databases
[0579] Find Attorney Program
[0580] 1. Load Databases/Rules
[0581] 2. Receive indication that player/player character
needs/desires an attorney or other counsel
[0582] 3. Search Attorney Database for possible matches, using
case/dispute information, client and/or any other available
information, including past cases of plaintiff and/or defendant,
outcomes, costs/revenues generated, payment history, etc.
[0583] 4. Provide list of possible matches to player or player
character
[0584] 5. Sort list according to sort/select/filter criteria of
player or player character, if any
[0585] 6. Receive primary, secondary and/or tertiary choices from
player/player character
[0586] 7. Notify attorneys
[0587] 8. Receive indication of acceptance by attorney/client
[0588] 9. Notify all parties
[0589] 10. Create player-to-player contract for professional
services
[0590] 11. Execute Alert Program
[0591] 12. Execute Notes Program
[0592] 13. Update Databases
[0593] Video Footage Tracking Program
[0594] 1. Load Databases/Rules
[0595] 2. Execute Player Activity Tracking Program
[0596] 3. Capture and Store All Before/After Data, including,
video, system settings, player actions, contracts, rules, outcomes,
etc.
[0597] 4. Execute Alert Program
[0598] 5. Add/Change/Update Notes
[0599] 6. Update Databases
[0600] Dispute Tracking Program
[0601] 1. Load Databases/Rules
[0602] 2. Create Dispute ID and Gather Data
[0603] 3. Determine Litigant IDs
[0604] 4. Determine Counsel/Attorney IDs (if any)
[0605] 5. Submit ID to Dispute Tracking Queue
[0606] 6. Execute Alert Program
[0607] 7. Add/Change/Update Notes
[0608] 8. Update Databases
[0609] Cure Program
[0610] 1. Load Databases/Rules
[0611] 2. Receive indication of proposed cure of dispute/case
[0612] 3. Notify litigants of cure terms and conditions
[0613] 4. Receive acceptance notice from all litigants
[0614] 5. Execute Periodic Billing Program
[0615] 6. Execute Revenue Distribution Program
[0616] 7. Execute Enforcement Program
[0617] 8. Execute Alert Program
[0618] 9. Execute Notes Program
[0619] 10. Add/Change/Update Notes
[0620] 11. Update Databases
[0621] Priority Queuing Program
[0622] Determine ratio of priority queued vs. standard
disputes/cases for a court or judge or mediator to review
[0623] 1. Retrieve pending disputes/cases in a class or subclass
that have not yet been assigned to a judge/mediation, including
information about whether each dispute/case is priority or standard
queued
[0624] 2. Determine a ratio of priority and standard filings for a
case/dispute based on total cases/disputes filed, and the class and
subclass of a each submitted case dispute.
[0625] 3. Store ratio
[0626] Determine a judge/mediator bonus tier
[0627] 1. Receive and Generate performance criteria for a
judge/mediator
[0628] 2. Determine a bonus tier based on performance criteria
[0629] 3. Store bonus tier with judge/mediator record.
[0630] Assign a one or more or a block of cases/disputes to a
judge/mediator based on ratio
[0631] 1. Receive a request to review/hear one or more or a block
of cases disputes from a litigant and/or judge/mediator
[0632] 2. Retrieve the priority vs. standard ratio for the
particular judge/mediator based on the class and subclass of
case/dispute that such judge/mediator reviews/hears.
[0633] 3. Assign one or more or a block of cases/disputes to the
examiner in the ratio of priority vs. standard
[0634] 4. Determine a fee or bonus to pay the judge/mediator when
the block of cases/disputes has been heard/resolved, based on the
priority queue fees of the priority cases/disputes in the assigned
block and the bonus tier assigned to that judge/mediator.
[0635] 5. Output assigned block to judge/mediator, including bonus
amount
[0636] Audit a case/dispute examination to approve bonus
[0637] 1. Receive an indication that a block of cases/disputes has
been examined by an initial judge/mediator/examiner
[0638] 2. Determine at least one of the cases/disputes to
reexamine
[0639] 3. Output reexamination request to a second
judge/mediator
[0640] 4. Receive an indication that a reexamination is
complete
[0641] 5. If reexamination result confirms initial examination,
confirm bonus for initial judge/mediator for examination of block
of cases/disputes
[0642] 6. If reexamination result conflicts with initial
examination result, deny bonus for initial judge/examiner for
examination of block of cases/disputes
[0643] Establish Initial Position of Case/Dispute in Queue
[0644] 1. Receive Case/Dispute Application including type, class,
sub-class
[0645] 2. Determine Judge/Mediator for Case/Dispute
[0646] 3. Determine Jury for Case/Dispute (if any)
[0647] 4. Retrieve Existing Case/Dispute Queue and Values for
positions in the Queue of the Judge/Mediator
[0648] 5. Determine Estimated Time to Complete Dispute
Resolution
[0649] 6. Output Case/Dispute Queue of Judge/Mediator with
corresponding values
[0650] 7. Receive or determine value of case/dispute
application
[0651] 8. Place case/dispute in queue based on value assigned
[0652] 9. Update databases
[0653] 10. Publish value and queue position
[0654] Notify End User if Position in Queue is Lost
[0655] 1. Receive case/dispute application and value
[0656] 2. Determine place in queue based on value
[0657] 3. Determine previous case/dispute applications in the queue
whose queue values have changed as a result of the case/dispute
application being submitted
[0658] 4. Retrieve end users associated with previous case/dispute
applications
[0659] 5. Notify end users of previous case/dispute applications
that the queue position of their case/dispute applications may or
has changed.
[0660] 6. Publish results
[0661] 7. Update databases and return to controlling
application.
[0662] Charge for change in queue position
[0663] 1. Receive request to improve position within the queue from
end user
[0664] 2. Determine price based upon queue variables including, any
one or more of: number in queue, price of any previously moved
within the queue, submitted or required or determined price based
upon market forces, policy, procedure, precedence, law, case law or
otherwise.
[0665] 3. Notify end-user of price
[0666] 4. Receive acceptance of price and payment from end user
[0667] 5. Execute "Protect existing cases subroutine"
[0668] 6. Determine if one or more applications are eligible or
ineligible to be moved based upon results from sub-routine
[0669] 7. If yes, execute "Subsidy sub-routine"
[0670] 8. As appropriate, update affect applications' position
within the queue and, if appropriate, process payment from all
affected end user(s)
[0671] 9. Execute Alerts Program
[0672] 10. Execute Notes Program
[0673] 11. Update databases
[0674] 12. Publish results
[0675] Protect existing cases subroutine
[0676] 1. Receive indication that a case/dispute may be affected by
a pending change in queue request)
[0677] 2. Execute Notify End User if Position in Queue is or may be
Lost
[0678] 3. Receive notice from any existing litigant(s) that desire
to exercise their first right of refusal and/or determine if any
existing case/disputes may be affected for a second (or more
times)
[0679] 4. Update costs (if any) to change or maintain position
within the queue (for new and existing cases/disputes)
[0680] 5. Receive payment from litigant exercising first rights
[0681] 6. Update databases and return to controlling
application.
[0682] Subsidy Subroutine
[0683] 1. Notify litigant(s) that one or more pre-existing
cases/disputes may or have exercised their first right and/or may
not be moved again.
[0684] 2. Determine price for litigant to pay for processing or
accelerating such case/dispute
[0685] 3. Notify litigant of price required to improve their
position in the queue and the price to subsidize and/or accelerate
such other cases/disputes heard or to be heard
[0686] 4. Receive rejection or acceptance and payment from
litigant
[0687] 5. Update databases and return to controlling
application
[0688] Judge/Mediator Selection Subroutine
[0689] 1. Determine Class and Subclass of case/dispute and
claims
[0690] 2. Determine workload of all available and qualified judges
and/or mediators or assigned to litigant's class or subclass
[0691] 3. Determine estimated time to complete existing workload
for all affected judges/mediators
[0692] 4. Notify potential judge(s)/mediator(s) to determine if one
or more are willing to accept this case/dispute in exchange for an
incentive
[0693] 5. Select best judge/mediator to assign application based
upon any one or more of the judge's/mediator's workload, skill
level, experience with similar cases/disputes and/or claims,
willingness to accept additional work, price for overtime work,
litigant's preferences, etc.
[0694] 6. Update databases and return to controlling
application
[0695] Resource Allocation Subroutine
[0696] 1. Receive additional paid in fees to accelerate, subsidize
or maintain a position in a queue.
[0697] 2. Based upon historical and predicted payments, estimate
future revenue streams allocable to additional resources
[0698] 3. Determine which queues have the most time consuming
backlogs
[0699] 4. Allocate additional paid in fees based upon ratio of time
required to available money or such other calculation method as
desired by the judge/mediator/court or examination office and/or by
law or otherwise
[0700] 5. Notify appropriate personnel of availability and during
of funds for use in hiring additional judges/mediators/jury members
or other resources or for the purchase of hardware, software or
programming or other consulting services.
[0701] 6. Execute Alert Program
[0702] 7. Execute Notes Program
[0703] 8. Add/Change/Update Notes
[0704] 9. Update Databases
[0705] Dispute Resolution Program
[0706] 1. Load Databases/Rules
[0707] 2. Determine if Jury or Mediation Panel Is Required
[0708] 3. Execute Jury/Mediation Selection Program
[0709] 4. Determine if Judge/Mediator Is Required
[0710] 5. Execute Judge/Mediation Selection Program
[0711] 6. Notify All Participants
[0712] 7. Determine Date for Dispute Proceedings
[0713] 8. Notify All Participants
[0714] 9. Hold Hearings [0715] i. Execute Objections Program [0716]
ii. Permit Jury/Mediation Panel Instructions [0717] iii. Permit
Opening Statements [0718] iv. Receive Evidence Submissions [0719]
v. Receive Witness Testimony [0720] vi. Execute Perjury Program
[0721] vii. Permit Examination/Cross Examination [0722] viii.
Retrieve Virtual Video Footage [0723] ix. Permit Closing Statements
[0724] x. Permit Jury/Mediation Panel Instructions
[0725] 10. Determine Fines, Penalties, Confinement or other
Punishment(s)
[0726] 11. If Fines Assessed, Execute Periodic Billing Program
[0727] 12. Execute Enforcement Program
[0728] 13. Execute Alert Program
[0729] 14. Execute Notes Program
[0730] 15. Add/Change/Update Notes
[0731] 16. Update Databases
[0732] Objections Program
[0733] 1. Load Databases/Rules
[0734] 2. Receive Objection
[0735] 3. Judge/Mediator/Rules Interpret Objection
[0736] 4. Determine Outcome of Objection (sustain/overruled)
[0737] 5. If sustained, strike testimony and/or evidence as
applicable
[0738] 6. Else, no action
[0739] 7. Execute Alert Program
[0740] 8. Execute Notes Program
[0741] 9. Add/Change/Update Notes
[0742] 10. Update Databases
[0743] Jury/Mediation Selection Program
[0744] 1. Load Databases/Rules
[0745] 2. Receive indication of need of jury or mediation panel
[0746] 3. Determine case/dispute qualifications requirements
[0747] 4. Create jury/mediation panel/pool based upon qualification
requirements, estimated case/dispute length, duties to serve,
citizen database information, prior citizen or player character
service, scores, etc.
[0748] 5. Notify pool of service requirement
[0749] 6. Conduct Voir Dire
[0750] 7. Permit counsel/attorney selection or automate selection
of final jury/mediators and/or alternates
[0751] 8. Notify final pool
[0752] 9. Assign Citizen/Player IDs to Case/Dispute
[0753] 10. Execute Alert Program
[0754] 11. Execute Notes Program
[0755] 12. Add/Change/Update Notes
[0756] 13. Update Databases
[0757] Judge/Mediation Selection Program
[0758] 1. Load Databases/Rules
[0759] 2. Receive indication of need of judge, mediator or
mediation panel
[0760] 3. Determine case/dispute qualifications requirements
[0761] 4. Create jury/mediation panel/pool based upon qualification
requirements, estimated case/dispute length, duties to serve,
judge/mediator database information, prior service, scores,
etc.
[0762] 5. Notify pool of service requirement/and/or possible fees
for service
[0763] 6. Receive acceptance notice from one or more
Judges/mediators/pool members
[0764] 7. Determine which judge/mediator would best suit current
case/dispute based upon any available information, including,
applicable experience, willingness to serve, past service, scores,
litigant preferences (if permitted), etc.
[0765] 8. Notify selected judge(s), mediator(s), panel members
[0766] 9. Execute Alert Program
[0767] 10. Execute Notes Program
[0768] 11. Add/Change/Update Notes
[0769] 12. Update Databases
[0770] Appeals Program
[0771] 1. Load Databases/Rules
[0772] 2. Receive Appeals Request and Basis for Appeal
[0773] 3. Determine if appeal has sufficient merit to be heard
[0774] 4. If yes, Execute Appellate Hearing Program
[0775] 5. Execute Alert Program
[0776] 6. Execute Notes Program
[0777] 7. Add/Change/Update Notes
[0778] 8. Update Databases
[0779] Appellate Hearing Program
[0780] 1. Load Databases/Rules
[0781] 2. Determine if Jury or Mediation Panel Is Required
[0782] 3. Execute Jury/Mediation Selection Program
[0783] 4. Determine if Judge/Mediator Is Required
[0784] 5. Execute Judge/Mediation Selection Program
[0785] 6. Notify All Participants
[0786] 7. Determine Date for Appellate Proceedings
[0787] 8. Notify All Participants
[0788] 9. Hold Appeals Hearings [0789] a. Execute Objections
Program [0790] b. Permit Jury/Mediation Panel Instructions [0791]
c. Permit Opening Statements [0792] d. Receive Evidence Submissions
[0793] e. Receive Witness Testimony [0794] f. Execute Perjury
Program [0795] g. Permit Examination/Cross Examination [0796] h.
Retrieve Virtual Video Footage [0797] i. Permit Closing Statements
[0798] j. Permit Jury/Mediation Panel Instructions
[0799] 10. Determine Fines, Penalties, Confinement or other
Punishment(s)
[0800] 11. If Fines Assessed, Execute Periodic Billing Program
[0801] 12. Execute Enforcement Program
[0802] 13. Execute Alert Program
[0803] 14. Execute Notes Program
[0804] 15. Add/Change/Update Notes
[0805] 16. Update Databases
[0806] Perjury Program
[0807] 1. Load Databases/Rules
[0808] 2. Receive Testimony or Evidence
[0809] 3. Retrieve Stored Video Footage and/or Game Play
Records
[0810] 4. Where/if possible, Compare Testimony or Evidence to
Historical Record
[0811] 5. Determine if Testimony/Evidence is Factually Accurate or
has been modified outside of acceptable or established rules
[0812] 6. If not, determine factual score
[0813] 7. If score is below defined threshold, flag
testimony/evidence as being false, forged, or modified beyond
acceptable limits
[0814] 8. Notify litigants/court/mediation
[0815] 9. Determine responsible party
[0816] 10. File Perjury Charges by filing a new dispute/case
against any one or more witnesses or law enforcement or other
provider of false testimony and/or evidence, store results of
perjury program's assessment to serve as evidence in perjury
case
[0817] 11. Else, return favorable score and flag testimony/evidence
as true "as tested"
[0818] 12. Execute Alert Program
[0819] 13. Execute Notes Program
[0820] 14. Add/Change/Update Notes
[0821] 15. Update Databases
[0822] Penalty Assessment Program
[0823] 1. Load Databases/Rules
[0824] 2. Receive indication of dispute/case outcome/resolution
[0825] 3. Retrieve rules relating to dispute/case type/and/or
instructions/decision from judge, jury or mediator or mediation
panel
[0826] 4. Verify validity of penalties imposed vs. rules/precedence
(if applicable)
[0827] 5. Notify affected parties
[0828] 6. If Applicable: [0829] a. Execute Insurance Coverage
Program [0830] b. Execute Periodic Billing Program [0831] c.
Execute Enforcement Program [0832] d. Execute Confinement
Program
[0833] 7. Execute Alert Program
[0834] 8. Execute Notes Program
[0835] 9. Add/Change/Update Notes
[0836] 10. Update Databases
[0837] Confinement Program
[0838] 1. Load Databases and rules databases
[0839] 2. Determine if defendant should be confined due to outcome
or resolution of case/dispute and/or failure to pay
[0840] 3. Determine duration of confinement
[0841] 4. Determine location of confinement
[0842] 5. Confine defendant or defendant's player character(s) to
designated area for designated period and/or prevent player or
player character(s) from accessing the virtual environment for
proscribed period as indicated in confinement rules
[0843] 6. Execute Alert Program
[0844] 7. Execute Notes Program
[0845] 8. Add/Change/Update Notes
[0846] 9. Update Databases
[0847] Periodic Billing Program
[0848] 1. Determine if fine or other payment is due
[0849] 2. If due, determine amount due
[0850] 3. Send notice (if applicable)
[0851] 4. Collect amount due (if applicable)
[0852] 5. Execute Currency Conversion Program (if required)
[0853] 6. If amount not collected, determine total due including
penalties and fees (if any) and charge credit card on file
[0854] 7. If fine/penalty not paid or by credit card, Execute
Insurance Coverage and/or Enforcement Program
[0855] 8. Execute Alert Program
[0856] 9. Execute Notes Program
[0857] 10. Add/Change/Update Notes
[0858] 11. Update Databases
[0859] Revenue Distribution Program
[0860] 1. Determine if fee/penalty proceeds and/or payments should
be shared/distributed and to whom or when, e.g., to plaintiff
and/or courts
[0861] 2. Notify Affected Parties (if applicable)
[0862] 3. Execute Currency Conversion Program (only if and as
required)
[0863] 4. Distribute Collected Proceeds and/or payments as and when
required
[0864] 5. Execute Alert Program
[0865] 6. Execute Notes Program
[0866] 7. Add/Change/Update Notes
[0867] 8. Update Databases
[0868] Virtual Title Program
[0869] 1. Determine if virtual title should be created, changed or
deleted
[0870] 2. Create, change or delete Virtual Title as required (e.g.,
add or remove lien)
[0871] 3. Notify all affected Parties (if applicable)
[0872] 4. Execute Alert Program
[0873] 5. Execute Notes Program
[0874] 6. Add/Change/Update Notes
[0875] 7. Update Databases
[0876] Case Law Program
[0877] 1. Load Databases/Rules
[0878] 2. Determine if case/dispute outcome affects case law
[0879] 3. If yes, determine effects
[0880] 4. Modify case law database to reflect current case/dispute
findings
[0881] 5. Execute Alert Program
[0882] 6. Execute Notes Program
[0883] 7. Add/Change/Update Notes
[0884] 8. Update Databases
[0885] Enforcement Program
[0886] 1. Load Databases/Rules
[0887] 2. Determine if fee/penalty not paid
[0888] 3. Determine actions for failure to pay
[0889] 4. If not, notify defendant of possible further actions
[0890] 5. Receive notice to pay from defendant
[0891] 6. If accepted, execute periodic billing program
[0892] 7. Else, impose new fine/penalty including repossessing
assets by running virtual title program and taking possession of
one or more assets of equal or greater value than the outstanding
amount due plus additional fines, late payment or other penalties
as defined in the penalties rules database
[0893] 8. Or, if such payments and/or assets are insufficient,
Execute Confinement Program
[0894] 9. Execute Alert Program
[0895] 10. Execute Notes Program
[0896] 11. Add/Change/Update Notes
[0897] 12. Update Databases
[0898] Insurance Coverage Program
[0899] 1. Load Databases and Rules Databases
[0900] 2. Receive total amount of fines and penalties
[0901] 3. Receive case/dispute information and resolution
[0902] 4. Determine if case/dispute is covered by one or more
insurance policies and the extent of coverage
[0903] 5. If coverage applies, notify insurance provider
[0904] 6. Collect fees from insurance provider
[0905] 7. If balance remains, notify defendant and collect
remaining balance.
[0906] 8. Execute Alert Program
[0907] 9. Execute Notes Program
[0908] 10. Add/Change/Update Notes
[0909] 11. Update Databases
[0910] Currency Conversion Program
[0911] 1. Load Databases and Rules Databases
[0912] 2. Determine if currency conversion is required
[0913] 3. Calculate currency conversion rates
[0914] 4. Determine currency conversion fees, duties or tariffs
[0915] 5. Collect fees, duties or tariffs for currency conversion
(if applicable)
[0916] 6. Execute Revenue Distribution Program (if and as
required)
[0917] 7. Execute Alert Program
[0918] 8. Execute Notes Program
[0919] 9. Add/Change/Update Notes
[0920] 10. Update Databases
[0921] Scoring Program
[0922] 1. Load Databases and Rules Databases
[0923] 2. Receive indication that score should be determined or
updated
[0924] 3. Using scoring rules, determine new/revised score
[0925] 4. Execute Alert Program
[0926] 5. Execute Notes Program
[0927] 6. Add/Change/Update Notes
[0928] 7. Update Databases
[0929] Alerts Program
[0930] 1. Load Database(s)
[0931] 2. Determine if Alert Event has occurred
[0932] 3. Determine Alert Contents based upon alert rules
[0933] 4. Determine Alert Recipients and Contents and Delivery
Method(s)
[0934] 5. Send Alert(s)
[0935] 6. Execute Notes Program
[0936] 7. Add/Change/Update Notes
[0937] 8. Update Databases
[0938] Notes Programs
[0939] 1. Load Databases and Rules Databases
[0940] 2. Execute as Desired/Necessary
[0941] a. Note Attachment Program
[0942] b. Note Modification Program
[0943] c. Notes Access/Use Program
[0944] d. Note Attachment Program
[0945] Note Attachment Program
[0946] 1. Load Database(s)
[0947] 2. Provide Attachment Creation GUI
[0948] 3. Receive New Note from End User
[0949] 4. Create Note
[0950] 5. Create Note Hyperlink
[0951] 6. Associate Note with Case, Dispute, Law, Case Law,
Document, Word and/or Hyperlink (as applicable), by, e.g.,
inserting or otherwise associating Note Hyperlink with Document,
Word and/or Hyperlink
[0952] 7. Update Database(s)
[0953] Note Modification Program
[0954] 1. Load Database(s)
[0955] 2. Provide Modification GUI
[0956] 3. Receive Note Change/Delete Request from End User
[0957] 4. Create Note Modification
[0958] 5. If required, Create Revised Note Hyperlink
[0959] 6. Associate Revised Note with Case, Dispute, Law, Case Law,
Document, Word and/or Hyperlink, by inserting or otherwise
associating Note Hyperlink with Document, Word and/or Hyperlink
[0960] 7. Else, if required, delete Note Hyperlink
[0961] 8. Update Database(s)
[0962] Note Access/Use Program
[0963] 1. Load Database(s)
[0964] 2. Provide Access/Use GUI
[0965] 3. Receive note access/use/activation request from end user
(or application)
[0966] 4. Apply Score/Relevancy Filter (if
applicable/requested/desired)
[0967] 5. Determine action steps, e.g., execute program or
hyperlink:
[0968] a. If applicable, perform one or more of the following:
[0969] i. Display appropriate note contents
[0970] ii. Display like notes, cases, disputes, laws, case laws,
documents or hyperlinks to like documents, and/or words,
hyperlinks, etc.
[0971] iii. Execute program or hyperlink
[0972] iv. Display case, dispute, law, case law, document, note
and/or advertisement
[0973] v. Open new window to display note contents or advertisement
and/or GUI's
[0974] vi. Execute Note Attachment Program
[0975] 6. Update Database(s)
[0976] Note Attachment Program
[0977] 1. Receive indication of new or modified or deleted note
and/or case, dispute, law, case law, advertisement, and/or word,
and/or document
[0978] 2. Load Database(s)
[0979] 3. If desired, capture before/after change images
[0980] 4. Create or update or remove hyperlink(s) as required
[0981] 5. Update database(s)
[0982] 6. Execute Alert Program
[0983] 7. Add/Change/Update Notes
[0984] 8. Update Databases
[0985] Of course it will be appreciated that the systems methods
described herein are provided for the purposes of example only and
that none of the above systems methods should be interpreted as
necessarily requiring any of the disclosed components or steps nor
should they be interpreted as necessarily excluding any additional
components or steps.
[0986] The invention is described with reference to several
embodiments. However, the invention is not limited to the
embodiments disclosed, and those of ordinary skill in the art will
recognize that the invention is readily applicable to many other
diverse embodiments and applications. Accordingly, the subject
matter of the present disclosure includes all novel and nonobvious
combinations and subcombinations of the various systems, methods
and configurations, and other features, functions, and/or
properties disclosed herein.
[0987] The term "product" means any machine, manufacture and/or
composition of matter, unless expressly specified otherwise.
[0988] The term "process" means any process, algorithm, method or
the like, unless expressly specified otherwise.
[0989] Each process (whether called a method, algorithm or
otherwise) inherently includes one or more steps, and therefore all
references to a "step" or "steps" of a process have an inherent
antecedent basis in the mere recitation of the term `process` or a
like term. Accordingly, any reference in a claim to a `step` or
`steps` of a process has sufficient antecedent basis.
[0990] The terms "an embodiment", "embodiment", "embodiments", "the
embodiment", "the embodiments", "one or more embodiments", "some
embodiments", "certain embodiments", "one embodiment", "another
embodiment" and the like mean "one or more (but not all)
embodiments of the disclosed invention(s)", unless expressly
specified otherwise.
[0991] The term "variation" of an invention means an embodiment of
the invention, unless expressly specified otherwise.
[0992] A reference to "another embodiment" in describing an
embodiment does not imply that the referenced embodiment is
mutually exclusive with another embodiment (e.g., an embodiment
described before the referenced embodiment), unless expressly
specified otherwise.
[0993] The terms "including", "comprising" and variations thereof
mean "including but not limited to", unless expressly specified
otherwise.
[0994] The term "consisting of" and variations thereof mean
"including and limited to", unless expressly specified
otherwise.
[0995] The terms "a", "an" and "the" mean "one or more", unless
expressly specified otherwise.
[0996] The term "plurality" means "two or more", unless expressly
specified otherwise.
[0997] The term "herein" means "in this patent application,
including anything which may be incorporated by reference", unless
expressly specified otherwise.
[0998] The phrase "at least one of", when such phrase modifies a
plurality of things (such as an enumerated list of things) means
any combination of one or more of those things, unless expressly
specified otherwise. For example, the phrase "at least one of a
widget, a car and a wheel" means either (i) a widget, (ii) a car,
(iii) a wheel, (iv) a widget and a car, (v) a widget and a wheel,
(vi) a car and a wheel, or (vii) a widget, a car and a wheel.
[0999] Numerical terms such as "one", "two", etc. when used as
cardinal numbers to indicate quantity of something (e.g., one
widget, two widgets), mean the quantity indicated by that numerical
term, but do not mean at least the quantity indicated by that
numerical term. For example, the phrase "one widget" does not mean
"at least one widget", and therefore the phrase "one widget" does
not cover, e.g., two widgets.
[1000] The phrase "based on" does not mean "based only on", unless
expressly specified otherwise. In other words, the phrase "based
on" describes both "based only on" and "based at least on".
[1001] The term "represent" and like terms are not exclusive,
unless expressly specified otherwise. For example, the term
"represents" do not mean "represents only", unless expressly
specified otherwise. In other words, the phrase "the data
represents a credit card number" describes both "the data
represents only a credit card number" and "the data represents a
credit card number and the data also represents something
else".
[1002] The term "whereby" is used herein only to precede a clause
or other set of words that express only the intended result,
objective or consequence of something that is previously and
explicitly recited. Thus, when the term "whereby" is used in a
claim, the clause or other words that the term "whereby" modifies
do not establish specific further limitations of the claim or
otherwise restricts the meaning or scope of the claim.
[1003] The term "e.g." and like terms means "for example", and thus
does not limit the term or phrase it explains. For example, in the
sentence "the computer sends data (e.g., instructions, a data
structure) over the Internet", the term "e.g." explains that
"instructions" are an example of "data" that the computer may send
over the Internet, and also explains that "a data structure" is an
example of "data" that the computer may send over the Internet.
However, both "instructions" and "a data structure" are merely
examples of "data", and other things besides "instructions" and "a
data structure" can be "data".
[1004] The term "determining" and grammatical variants thereof
(e.g., to determine a price, determining a value, determine an
object which meets a certain criterion) is used in an extremely
broad sense. The term "determining" encompasses a wide variety of
actions and therefore "determining" can include calculating,
computing, processing, deriving, investigating, looking up (e.g.,
looking up in a table, a database or another data structure),
ascertaining and the like. Also, "determining" can include
receiving (e.g., receiving information), accessing (e.g., accessing
data in a memory) and the like. Also, "determining" can include
resolving, selecting, choosing, establishing, and the like.
[1005] The term "determining" does not imply certainty or absolute
precision, and therefore "determining" can include estimating,
predicting, guessing and the like.
[1006] The term "determining" does not imply that mathematical
processing must be performed, and does not imply that numerical
methods must be used, and does not imply that an algorithm or
process is used.
[1007] The term "determining" does not imply that any particular
device must be used. For example, a computer need not necessarily
perform the determining.
[1008] It will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the
art that the various processes described herein may be implemented
by, e.g., appropriately programmed general purpose computers and
computing devices. Typically a processor (e.g., one or more
microprocessors, one or more microcontrollers, one or more digital
signal processors) will receive instructions (e.g., from a memory
or like device), and execute those instructions, thereby performing
one or more processes defined by those instructions.
[1009] A "processor" means one or more microprocessors, central
processing units (CPUs), computing devices, microcontrollers,
digital signal processors, or like devices or any combination
thereof.
[1010] Where a limitation of a first claim would cover one of a
feature as well as more than one of a feature (e.g., a limitation
such as "at least one widget" covers one widget as well as more
than one widget), and where in a second claim that depends on the
first claim, the second claim uses a definite article "the" to
refer to the limitation (e.g., "the widget"), this does not imply
that the first claim covers only one of the feature, and this does
not imply that the second claim covers only one of the feature
(e.g., "the widget" can cover both one widget and more than one
widget).
[1011] Each claim in a set of claims has a different scope.
Therefore, for example, where a limitation is explicitly recited in
a dependent claim, but not explicitly recited in any claim from
which the dependent claim depends (directly or indirectly), that
limitation is not to be read into any claim from which the
dependent claim depends.
[1012] When an ordinal number (such as "first", "second", "third"
and so on) is used as an adjective before a term, that ordinal
number is used (unless expressly specified otherwise) merely to
indicate a particular feature, such as to distinguish that
particular feature from another feature that is described by the
same term or by a similar term. For example, a "first widget" may
be so named merely to distinguish it from, e.g., a "second widget".
Thus, the mere usage of the ordinal numbers "first" and "second"
before the term "widget" does not indicate any other relationship
between the two widgets, and likewise does not indicate any other
characteristics of either or both widgets. For example, the mere
usage of the ordinal numbers "first" and "second" before the term
"widget" (1) does not indicate that either widget comes before or
after any other in order or location; (2) does not indicate that
either widget occurs or acts before or after any other in time; and
(3) does not indicate that either widget ranks above or below any
other, as in importance or quality. In addition, the mere usage of
ordinal numbers does not define a numerical limit to the features
identified with the ordinal numbers. For example, the mere usage of
the ordinal numbers "first" and "second" before the term "widget"
does not indicate that there must be no more than two widgets.
[1013] When a single device or article is described herein, more
than one device/article (whether or not they cooperate) may
alternatively be used in place of the single device/article that is
described. Accordingly, the functionality that is described as
being possessed by a device may alternatively be possessed by more
than one device/article (whether or not they cooperate).
[1014] Similarly, where more than one device or article is
described herein (whether or not they cooperate), a single
device/article may alternatively be used in place of the more than
one device or article that is described. For example, a plurality
of computer-based devices may be substituted with a single
computer-based device. Accordingly, the various functionality that
is described as being possessed by more than one device or article
may alternatively be possessed by a single device/article.
[1015] The functionality and/or the features of a single device
that is described may be alternatively embodied by one or more
other devices which are described but are not explicitly described
as having such functionality/features. Thus, other embodiments need
not include the described device itself, but rather can include the
one or more other devices which would, in those other embodiments,
have such functionality/features.
[1016] Numerous embodiments are described in this patent
application, and are presented for illustrative purposes only. The
described embodiments are not, and are not intended to be, limiting
in any sense. The presently disclosed invention(s) are widely
applicable to numerous embodiments, as is readily apparent from the
disclosure. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that
the disclosed invention(s) may be practiced with various
modifications and alterations, such as structural, logical,
software, and electrical modifications. Although particular
features of the disclosed invention(s) may be described with
reference to one or more particular embodiments and/or drawings, it
should be understood that such features are not limited to usage in
the one or more particular embodiments or drawings with reference
to which they are described, unless expressly specified
otherwise.
[1017] The present disclosure is neither a literal description of
all embodiments of the invention nor a listing of features of the
invention which must be present in all embodiments.
[1018] Neither the Title (set forth at the beginning of the first
page of this patent application) nor the Abstract (set forth at the
end of this patent application) is to be taken as limiting in any
way as the scope of the disclosed invention(s). An Abstract has
been included in this application merely because an Abstract of not
more than 150 words is required under 37 C.F.R. .sctn. 1.72(b).
[1019] The title of this patent application and headings of
sections provided in this patent application are for convenience
only, and are not to be taken as limiting the disclosure in any
way.
[1020] Devices that are described as in communication with each
other need not be in continuous communication with each other,
unless expressly specified otherwise. On the contrary, such devices
need only transmit to each other as necessary or desirable, and may
actually refrain from exchanging data most of the time. For
example, a machine in communication with another machine via the
Internet may not transmit data to the other machine for long period
of time (e.g. weeks at a time). In addition, devices that are in
communication with each other may communicate directly or
indirectly through one or more intermediaries.
[1021] A description of an embodiment with several components or
features does not imply that all or even any of such
components/features are required. On the contrary, a variety of
optional components are described to illustrate the wide variety of
possible embodiments of the present invention(s). Unless otherwise
specified explicitly, no component/feature is essential or
required.
[1022] Although process steps, algorithms or the like may be
described in a sequential order, such processes may be configured
to work in different orders. In other words, any sequence or order
of steps that may be explicitly described does not necessarily
indicate a requirement that the steps be performed in that order.
On the contrary, the steps of processes described herein may be
performed in any order practical. Further, some steps may be
performed simultaneously despite being described or implied as
occurring non-simultaneously (e.g., because one step is described
after the other step). Moreover, the illustration of a process by
its depiction in a drawing does not imply that the illustrated
process is exclusive of other variations and modifications thereto,
does not imply that the illustrated process or any of its steps are
necessary to the invention, and does not imply that the illustrated
process is preferred.
[1023] Although a process may be described as including a plurality
of steps, that does not imply that all or any of the steps are
essential or required. Various other embodiments within the scope
of the described invention(s) include other processes that omit
some or all of the described steps. Unless otherwise specified
explicitly, no step is essential or required.
[1024] Although a product may be described as including a plurality
of components, aspects, qualities, characteristics and/or features,
that does not indicate that all of the plurality are essential or
required. Various other embodiments within the scope of the
described invention(s) include other products that omit some or all
of the described plurality.
[1025] Unless expressly specified otherwise, an enumerated list of
items (which may or may not be numbered) does not imply that any or
all of the items are mutually exclusive. Therefore it is possible,
but not necessarily true, that something can be considered to be,
or fit the definition of, two or more of the items in an enumerated
list. Also, an item in the enumerated list can be a subset (a
specific type of) of another item in the enumerated list. For
example, the enumerated list "a computer, a laptop, a PDA" does not
imply that any or all of the three items of that list are mutually
exclusive--e.g., an item can be both a laptop and a computer, and a
"laptop" can be a subset of (a specific type of) a "computer".
[1026] Likewise, unless expressly specified otherwise, an
enumerated list of items (which may or may not be numbered) does
not imply that any or all of the items are collectively exhaustive
or otherwise comprehensive of any category. For example, the
enumerated list "a computer, a laptop, a PDA" does not imply that
any or all of the three items of that list are comprehensive of any
category.
[1027] Further, an enumerated listing of items does not imply that
the items are ordered in any manner according to the order in which
they are enumerated.
[1028] In a claim, a limitation of the claim which includes the
phrase "means for" or the phrase "step for" means that 35 U.S.C.
.sctn. 112, paragraph 6, applies to that limitation.
[1029] In a claim, a limitation of the claim which does not include
the phrase "means for" or the phrase "step for" means that 35
U.S.C. .sctn. 112, paragraph 6 does not apply to that limitation,
regardless of whether that limitation recites a function without
recitation of structure, material or acts for performing that
function. For example, in a claim, the mere use of the phrase "step
of" or the phrase "steps of" in referring to one or more steps of
the claim or of another claim does not mean that 35 U.S.C. .sctn.
112, paragraph 6, applies to that step(s).
[1030] With respect to a means or a step for performing a specified
function in accordance with 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 112, paragraph 6, the
corresponding structure, material or acts described in the
specification, and equivalents thereof, may perform additional
functions as well as the specified function.
[1031] Computers, processors, computing devices and like products
are structures that can perform a wide variety of functions. Such
products can be operable to perform a specified function by
executing one or more programs, such as a program stored in a
memory device of that product or in a memory device which that
product accesses. Unless expressly specified otherwise, such a
program need not be based on any particular algorithm, such as any
particular algorithm that might be disclosed in this patent
application. It is well known to one of ordinary skill in the art
that a specified function may be implemented via different
algorithms, and any of a number of different algorithms would be a
mere design choice for carrying out the specified function.
[1032] Therefore, with respect to a means or a step for performing
a specified function in accordance with 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 112,
paragraph 6, structure corresponding to a specified function
includes any product programmed to perform the specified function.
Such structure includes programmed products which perform the
function, regardless of whether such product is programmed with (i)
a disclosed algorithm for performing the function, (ii) an
algorithm that is similar to a disclosed algorithm, or (iii) a
different algorithm for performing the function.
[1033] Thus a description of a process is likewise a description of
an apparatus for performing the process. The apparatus can include,
e.g., a processor and those input devices and output devices that
are appropriate to perform the method.
[1034] Further, programs that implement such methods (as well as
other types of data) may be stored and transmitted using a variety
of media (e.g., computer readable media) in a number of manners. In
some embodiments, hard-wired circuitry or custom hardware may be
used in place of, or in combination with, some or all of the
software instructions that can implement the processes of various
embodiments. Thus, various combinations of hardware and software
may be used instead of software only.
[1035] The term "computer-readable medium" refers to any medium
that participates in providing data (e.g., instructions, data
structures) which may be read by a computer, a processor or a like
device. Such a medium may take many forms, including but not
limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission
media. Non-volatile media include, for example, optical or magnetic
disks and other persistent memory. Volatile media include dynamic
random access memory (DRAM), which typically constitutes the main
memory. Transmission media include coaxial cables, copper wire and
fiber optics, including the wires that comprise a system bus
coupled to the processor. Transmission media may include or convey
acoustic waves, light waves and electromagnetic emissions, such as
those generated during radio frequency (RF) and infrared (IR) data
communications. Common forms of computer-readable media include,
for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic
tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD, any other optical
medium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical medium with
patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EEPROM, any
other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave as described
hereinafter, or any other medium from which a computer can
read.
[1036] Various forms of computer readable media may be involved in
carrying data (e.g. sequences of instructions) to a processor. For
example, data may be (i) delivered from RAM to a processor; (ii)
carried over a wireless transmission medium; (iii) formatted and/or
transmitted according to numerous formats, standards or protocols,
such as Ethernet (or IEEE 802.3), SAP, ATP, Bluetooth.quadrature.,
and TCP/IP, TDMA, CDMA, and 3G; and/or (iv) encrypted to ensure
privacy or prevent fraud in any of a variety of ways well known in
the art.
[1037] Thus a description of a process is likewise a description of
a computer-readable medium storing a program for performing the
process. The computer-readable medium can store (in any appropriate
format) those program elements which are appropriate to perform the
method.
[1038] Just as the description of various steps in a process does
not indicate that all the described steps are required, embodiments
of an apparatus include a computer/computing device operable to
perform some (but not necessarily all) of the described
process.
[1039] Likewise, just as the description of various steps in a
process does not indicate that all the described steps are
required, embodiments of a computer-readable medium storing a
program or data structure include a computer-readable medium
storing a program that, when executed, can cause a processor to
perform some (but not necessarily all) of the described
process.
[1040] Where databases are described, it will be understood by one
of ordinary skill in the art that (i) alternative database
structures to those described may be readily employed, and (ii)
other memory structures besides databases may be readily employed.
Any illustrations or descriptions of any sample databases presented
herein are illustrative arrangements for stored representations of
information. Any number of other arrangements may be employed
besides those suggested by, e.g., tables illustrated in drawings or
elsewhere. Similarly, any illustrated entries of the databases
represent exemplary information only; one of ordinary skill in the
art will understand that the number and content of the entries can
be different from those described herein. Further, despite any
depiction of the databases as tables, other formats (including
relational databases, object-based models and/or distributed
databases) are well known and could be used to store and manipulate
the data types described herein. Likewise, object methods or
behaviors of a database can be used to implement various processes,
such as the described herein. In addition, the databases may, in a
known manner, be stored locally or remotely from any device(s)
which access data in the database.
[1041] Various embodiments can be configured to work in a network
environment including a computer that is in communication (e.g.,
via a communications network) with one or more devices. The
computer may communicate with the devices directly or indirectly,
via any wired or wireless medium (e.g. the Internet, LAN, WAN or
Ethernet, Token Ring, a telephone line, a cable line, a radio
channel, an optical communications line, commercial on-line service
providers, bulletin board systems, a satellite communications link,
a combination of any of the above). Each of the devices may
themselves comprise computers or other computing devices, such as
those based on the Intel.RTM. Pentium.RTM. or Centrino.TM.
processor, that are adapted to communicate with the computer. Any
number and type of devices may be in communication with the
computer.
[1042] In an embodiment, a server computer or centralized authority
may not be necessary or desirable. For example, the present
invention may, in an embodiment, be practiced on one or more
devices without a central authority. In such an embodiment, any
functions described herein as performed by the server computer or
data described as stored on the server computer may instead be
performed by or stored on one or more such devices.
[1043] The present disclosure provides, to one of ordinary skill in
the art, an enabling description of several embodiments and/or
inventions. Some of these embodiments and/or inventions may not be
claimed in this patent application, but may nevertheless be claimed
in one or more continuing applications that claim the benefit of
priority of this patent application. Applicants intend to file
additional applications to pursue patents for subject matter that
has been disclosed and enabled but not claimed in this patent
application.
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