U.S. patent application number 12/255259 was filed with the patent office on 2009-12-24 for method of conducting a trade of virtual items in a virtual world.
This patent application is currently assigned to Ganz. Invention is credited to Karl Joseph Borst, Sally Christensen.
Application Number | 20090318234 12/255259 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41431815 |
Filed Date | 2009-12-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090318234 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Christensen; Sally ; et
al. |
December 24, 2009 |
METHOD OF CONDUCTING A TRADE OF VIRTUAL ITEMS IN A VIRTUAL
WORLD
Abstract
Conducting a trade of virtual items between a first virtual
character and a second virtual character in a virtual environment
is provided. Displaying a trade icon within the virtual environment
such that a first user controlling the first virtual character can
interact with the trade icon to initiate the trade. At least a
portion of the inventory of the first virtual character is
presented to the second user and at least a portion of the
inventory of the second virtual character is presented to the first
user. Further, a selection by the first user of at least one
virtual item from the inventory of the second virtual character is
communicated to the second user; and a selection by the second user
of at least one virtual item from the inventory of the first
virtual character is communicated to the first user.
Inventors: |
Christensen; Sally;
(Richmond Hill, CA) ; Borst; Karl Joseph;
(Toronto, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Pearne & Gordon LLP
1801 East 9th Street, Suite 1200
Cleveland
OH
44114-3108
US
|
Assignee: |
Ganz
Woodbridge
CA
|
Family ID: |
41431815 |
Appl. No.: |
12/255259 |
Filed: |
October 21, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61074828 |
Jun 23, 2008 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/42 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 2300/575 20130101;
A63F 13/533 20140902; A63F 2300/8058 20130101; A63F 13/10 20130101;
A63F 13/85 20140902 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/42 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24 |
Claims
1. A method of conducting a trade of virtual items between a first
virtual character and a second virtual character in a virtual
environment, the method comprising: providing outputs which cause
displaying the first virtual character and the second virtual
character in the virtual environment, each of said first and second
virtual characters representing a real-world item in the virtual
environment; maintaining an inventory of one or more virtual items
owned by the first virtual character in the virtual environment and
an inventory of one or more virtual items owned by the second
virtual character in the virtual environment; displaying a trade
icon within the virtual environment and initiating a trade by
detecting a first user controlling the first virtual character has
carried out an interaction with the trade icon; responsive to
detecting said interaction with the trade icon, displaying an
invitation inviting a second user controlling the second virtual
character to participate in the trade; presenting at least a first
portion of the inventory of the first virtual character to the
second user and presenting at least a second portion of the
inventory of the second virtual character to the first user;
communicating to the second user a selection by the first user of
at least one selected virtual item from the inventory of the second
virtual character; communicating to the first user a selection by
the second user of at least one selected virtual item from the
inventory of the first virtual character; and responsive to
approval of the selected virtual items selected by the first and
second users, exchanging the at least one selected virtual items
between the inventories of the first and second virtual characters
by transferring said at least one selected virtual item selected by
the second user to the inventory to the second virtual character,
and by transferring said at least one selected virtual item
selected by the first user to the inventory to the second virtual
character.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the virtual items in
the inventories of the first and second virtual characters comprise
pieces to a collection, and further comprising providing a prize to
a virtual character who has obtained a specified collection.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the pieces comprise at
least one of a die, a collectable card and a playing card.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the trade icon is a
piece of virtual furniture displayed within a virtual room, said
piece of virtual furniture being approachable by the first virtual
character to initiate the trade.
5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the virtual room is
dedicated as a trading room, and the first user, responsive to
approaching the piece of virtual furniture, is presented with a
list of virtual characters in the room from which to select the
second virtual character as a desired trading partner.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said presenting at
least the portion of each inventory comprises: responsive to
initiation of the trade, excluding from the portion of each
inventory to be presented an ineligible portion of the inventory
identified by the virtual character associated with the inventory
as being excluded from the trade.
7. The method according to claim 1 further comprising limiting a
number of virtual items that can be acquired by each of the first
and second users via the trade to a predetermined number.
8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the number of virtual
items that can be acquired by each of the first and second users
via the trade is three or less.
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the virtual items in
the inventories of the first and second virtual characters comprise
virtual representations of real-world items other than legal
tender.
10. The method according to claim 1 further comprising excluding
from trade eligibility a unique virtual item that does not have at
least one duplicate within the inventory.
11. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and
second virtual characters represents in the virtual environment a
toy provided with a registration code, and said displaying of the
first and second virtual characters is responsive to registration
of each respective a registration code on a website.
12. A method of conducting a trade of virtual items comprising:
displaying a first virtual character to a user and displaying a
second virtual character to the user; controlling actions of the
first virtual character in a virtual environment; using a computer
for selecting an inventory of one or more virtual items owned by
the first virtual character in the virtual environment; interacting
with a trade icon within the virtual environment to request a trade
by said user controlling the first virtual character, with another
user; selecting at least a first portion of the inventory of the
first virtual character to trade to the second user; viewing at
least a second portion of the inventory of the second virtual
character to be received from the second user as a trade; approving
the trade from the first user to the second user; and responsive to
approval of the trade, approving by the first user, an exchange of
virtual items selected by the first user.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 61/074,828, filed Jun. 23, 2008, the entirety of
which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This application relates generally to a method of
facilitating a trade in a virtual environment, and more
specifically to a method of conducting a trade in a virtual
environment by allowing a trade participant to select one or more
virtual items they wish to acquire from an inventory of the other
participant to the trade.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] In recent years, websites and video games in which users
care for virtual pets or other characters in a virtual environment
have become increasingly popular. For example, as described in U.S.
Patent Application Publication 2006/0100018 A1 to Ganz, the entire
disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein, a user
purchases a toy provided with a registration code in the toy's
packaging. When the user carries out a registration process on a
website, which involves entering the registration code, a virtual
world is presented to the user. The virtual world includes a
virtual pet corresponding to the toy purchased by the user.
[0006] For entertainment, the user can perform various activities
in the virtual world such as playing with the virtual pet,
participating in games, searching for virtual items, feeding
virtual food to the virtual pet, buying virtual items for the
virtual pet, etc. In addition to their entertainment value, most of
these activities result in the award of a virtual item to the
virtual pet. Interactions between virtual pets, and accordingly
between the users controlling those virtual pets, are also possible
in the virtual world. For example, two virtual pets could engage
each other in a trade to exchange virtual items. During such
trades, the user of one virtual pet selects one virtual item from
the inventory of that virtual pet, and proposes offering the
selected virtual item to the user of the second virtual pet. It is
left up to the discretion of the second user to select a virtual
item from the virtual pet controlled by the second user to be
offered in exchange for the virtual item offered by the first user.
However, the virtual items selected and offered by each respective
user may not be what the potential recipient of those virtual items
desires to acquire. Further, when a user selects a trading partner,
that user can not determine whether the trading partner owns
anything that the user wishes to acquire via the trade.
[0007] Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved
method of conducting a trade of virtual items in a virtual
environment.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0008] According to one aspect, the subject application involves a
method of conducting a trade of virtual items between a first
virtual character and a second virtual character in a virtual
environment. The method includes providing outputs which cause
displaying the first virtual character and the second virtual
character in the virtual environment, each of said first and second
virtual characters representing a real-world item in the virtual
environment. The method also includes maintaining an inventory of
one or more virtual items owned by the first virtual character in
the virtual environment and an inventory of one or more virtual
items owned by the second virtual character in the virtual
environment. A trade icon is to be displayed within the virtual
environment and initiating a trade by detecting a first user
controlling the first virtual character has carried out an
interaction with the trade icon. Responsive to detecting said
interaction with the trade icon, an invitation is to be displayed
inviting a second user controlling the second virtual character to
participate in the trade. At least a first portion of the inventory
of the first virtual character is to be presented to the second
user and at least a second portion of the inventory of the second
virtual character is to be presented to the first user. The method
also includes communicating to the second user a selection by the
first user of at least one selected virtual item from the inventory
of the second virtual character, and communicating to the first
user a selection by the second user of at least one selected
virtual item from the inventory of the first virtual character.
Responsive to approval of the selected virtual items selected by
the first and second users, the at least one selected virtual items
is exchanged between the inventories of the first and second
virtual characters by transferring said at least one selected
virtual item selected by the second user to the inventory to the
second virtual character, and by transferring said at least one
selected virtual item selected by the first user to the inventory
to the second virtual character.
[0009] According to another aspect, the subject application
involves a method of conducting a trade of virtual items. The
method includes displaying a first virtual character to a user and
displaying a second virtual character to the user, controlling
actions of the first virtual character in a virtual environment,
and using a computer for selecting an inventory of one or more
virtual items owned by the first virtual character in the virtual
environment. The method further includes interacting with a trade
icon within the virtual environment to request a trade by said user
controlling the first virtual character, with another user; and
selecting at least a first portion of the inventory of the first
virtual character to trade to the second user. Also included is
viewing at least a second portion of the inventory of the second
virtual character to be received from the second user as a trade;
approving the trade from the first user to the second user; and
responsive to approval of the trade, approving by the first user,
an exchange of virtual items selected by the first user.
[0010] The above summary presents a simplified summary in order to
provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the systems and/or
methods discussed herein. This summary is not an extensive overview
of the systems and/or methods discussed herein. It is not intended
to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope of such
systems and/or methods. Its sole purpose is to present some
concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed
description that is presented later.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The invention may take physical form in certain parts and
arrangement of parts, embodiments of which will be described in
detail in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings which form a part hereof and wherein:
[0012] FIG. 1 is an example of a virtual environment displayed by a
user computer, wherein the virtual environment includes a room and
a trade icon in the form of a trading table;
[0013] FIG. 2 is an example of a virtual environment displayed by a
user computer, wherein two virtual characters are engaged in a
trade;
[0014] FIG. 3 is an example of a virtual environment displayed by a
user computer, wherein a dialog box including fields to be
populated with selected virtual items is displayed by the user
computer;
[0015] FIG. 4 is an example of an inventory of virtual items
associated with a virtual character from which another user can
choose one or more of the virtual items to be acquired by a
trade;
[0016] FIG. 5 is an example of the dialog box of FIG. 3 with the
fields populated by virtual items selected by each user from the
other user's inventory to be acquired by a trade;
[0017] FIG. 6 is an example of an inventory of virtual items
associated with a virtual character registered to the user viewing
the inventory; and
[0018] FIG. 7 is another example of an inventory of virtual items
associated with a virtual character registered to the user viewing
the inventory.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] Certain terminology is used herein for convenience only and
is not to be taken as a limitation on the present invention.
Relative language used herein is best understood with reference to
the drawings, in which like numerals are used to identify like or
similar items. Further, in the drawings, certain features may be
shown in somewhat schematic form.
[0020] It is also to be noted that the phrase "at least one of", if
used herein, followed by a plurality of members herein means one of
the members, or a combination of more than one of the members. For
example, the phrase "at least one of a first widget and a second
widget" means in the present application: the first widget, the
second widget, or the first widget and the second widget. Likewise,
"at least one of a first widget, a second widget and a third
widget" means in the present application: the first widget, the
second widget, the third widget, the first widget and the second
widget, the first widget and the third widget, the second widget
and the third widget, or the first widget and the second widget and
the third widget.
[0021] The subject application relates to a method and system for
conducting a trade of virtual items in a virtual environment. An
example of an entertainment system including a virtual environment
that is suitable for use with the invention is described in U.S.
Patent Application Publication 2006/0100018 A1 to Ganz, the entire
disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Other
suitable entertainment systems and virtual worlds may also be
used.
[0022] FIG. 1 shows an illustrative embodiment of a virtual
environment 10, including a virtual room 12 in which a plurality of
different virtual characters 14 are displayed. The virtual
characters include a first virtual character 14, named "Opus" as
indicated by status bar 15, and a second virtual character 16,
named "Captain Pinkers" as identified in a list 20 of virtual
characters in the virtual room 12, situated across a trading table
18 from the first virtual character 14. Although only the first and
second virtual characters 14, 16 are shown at the trading table 18,
other virtual characters 22 can optionally also be displayed within
the same virtual room 12, but not involved in the trade between the
first and second characters 14, 16. According to alternate
embodiments, a plurality of virtual character pairs can
simultaneously be conducting a trade amongst themselves within the
virtual room 12, but only two virtual characters participate in
each trade. The virtual room 12 in FIG. 1 is a virtual room
dedicated to conducting trades between virtual characters, however,
alternate embodiments include virtual rooms dedicated primarily to
purposes other than conducting trades, but still offer virtual
characters the ability to conduct trades as described herein.
[0023] Each of the first and second virtual characters 14, 16
displayed in the virtual room 12 of FIG. 1 represents a real-world
item in the virtual environment. In the present example, the first
virtual character resembles and represents a toy in the form of a
plush stuffed animal with the general appearance of a dog.
Likewise, the second virtual character also represents a stuffed
animal, which in this example, appears as a pink dog dressed as a
pirate. The real-world items represented by the virtual characters
in the virtual environment can be toys such as the stuffed animals
described in the illustrative embodiment, or they can be any
real-world item capable of being depicted by a virtual character in
the virtual environment.
[0024] The virtual characters can be displayed in the virtual
environment in response to registration of a registration code
provided along with the real-world item represented by the virtual
character at a time of purchase. Registration of a registration
code is described in detail in the U.S. patent publication to Ganz
incorporated by reference herein.
[0025] The computerized system of the embodiment maintains an
inventory of virtual items associated with each virtual character.
For example, in FIG. 7 illustrates an inventory of virtual items
owned by a virtual character having an appearance of a rabbit. The
inventory of virtual items is shown in what is referred to as a
"dock". This also provides the user controlling the virtual
character in FIG. 7 with various other information about the status
of the virtual character. The virtual items owned by the virtual
character and included in the inventory can include pieces to a
collection that can be acquired by the virtual characters. When the
complete collection comprising all of the individual pieces for
that collection are acquired by the virtual character, then that
virtual character is granted a prize in the form of another virtual
item. For example, the individual pieces forming a portion of a
collection as a whole can include a collectible card, and/or a
playing card collected by the virtual character in efforts of
completing the entire collection.
[0026] Die can also be included in the inventory of virtual
character. Each die can be "rolled" during a game in the virtual
environment to advance the position of a game piece. One such game
is referred to as DiceKinz. In DiceKinz, each user controls a game
piece with the objective of navigating the game piece a given
number of individual squares displayed in the virtual environment
as a game board. Each die represents a number of squares that can
be advanced by the game piece when rolled. The individual die can
optionally include a special feature, allowing the game piece to be
advanced in a manner other than a predetermined number of squares
like that afforded by rolling a typical die.
[0027] According to alternate embodiments, the virtual items
maintained within the inventory of the virtual character can
optionally include any other virtual item such as a piece of
virtual furnishing, virtual food items, a virtual toy, and the
like. The virtual items can include any virtual item that can be
exchanged between virtual characters, and can optionally exclude
virtual currency to make the transaction an acquisition of a
virtual item via a trade instead of via a purchase. Further, the
virtual items maintained in the inventory of a virtual character
can include virtual representations of the real-world item, and
optionally any real-world item other than legal tender.
[0028] Referring once again to FIG. 1, a trade icon 21 is displayed
within the virtual room 12. The trade icon 21 can be any graphical
element generated by the system and interacted with by a user, or a
virtual character under the direction of a user to initiate a
trade. According to the illustrative embodiment shown in FIG. 1,
the trade icon 21 is illustrated as a letter "T" displayed on top
of a piece of virtual furniture, such as the trading table 18 for
example, that the user can direct the first virtual character 14 to
approach to initiate a trade. According to other embodiments, the
trade icon 21 can be a button displayed as part of the dock 24
shown in FIG. 7, or can be any other graphically-depicted item
displayed by a user computer to the user that is identifiable by
the user as capable of being manipulated to initiate a trade
process. The trade icon 21 in FIG. 1 also serves to distinguish the
trading table 18 from another table 25 within the same virtual room
12 that is not approachable by virtual characters to initiate a
trade.
[0029] Responsive to interacting with the trading table 18 bearing
the trade icon 21 or other virtual object including the trade icon
21, such as by approaching the trading table 18 of FIG. 1 for
example, the user is presented with the list 20. This gives the
user the option to extend an invitation to another user to
participate in a trade. The list 20 can be presented to the user in
a dialog box, for example, within the virtual environment 10, and
lists the other virtual characters 22 in the virtual room 12 when
the trading table 18 was approached by the first virtual character
14. This list 20 allows the user to select the other virtual
character with which the user wishes to conduct a trade. For the
example illustrated in FIG. 1, the user has selected the second
virtual character 16 by selecting the appropriate check box and
pressing the "INVITE TO TRADE" button 28, and in response to said
selection, the invitation to participate in the trade was
communicated to the user who registered the second virtual
character 16.
[0030] In response to the extension of the invitation to the user
of the second virtual character 16, the system of the embodiment
displays or otherwise communicates this invitation to the user of
the selected virtual character. Examples of suitable communication
channels may include e-mail, virtual messenger, a dialog box
displayed by a user computer, or any other suitable electronic
communication method.
[0031] Once the invitation communicated to the user of the second
virtual character 16 has been accepted, the virtual environment 10
includes an indicator 30 informing other users controlling virtual
characters in the virtual room 12 that the first and second virtual
characters 14, 16 are engaged in a trade, as shown in FIG. 2. In
FIG. 2, the indicator includes a bubble surrounding the letter "T"
above each of the first and second virtual characters. Instead of
the bubble, however, any other indicators suitable for informing
users of other virtual characters in the room of the ongoing trade
can also optionally be used. Displaying the indicator to identify
virtual characters engaged in a trade can prevent other users from
attempting to engage the same virtual characters in another trade
at the same time. Users controlling a virtual character engaged in
a trade can only participate in a single trade at a time.
[0032] FIG. 2 shows an example of the virtual environment 10
observed by users controlling virtual characters not involved in
the trade between the first and second virtual characters 14, 16
while the trade is ongoing. FIG. 3, in contrast, shows an example
of a virtual environment 10 displayed to the users controlling the
first and second virtual characters 14, 16, which are involved in
the trade. For the example shown in FIG. 3, the first virtual
character 14 named Opus is involved in a trade with the second
virtual character 16 named Sally. An image 29 displaying or
otherwise identifying each virtual character 14, 16 is displayed
next to fields 32 presented in a dialog box 34 that is displayed in
response to both users agreeing to participate in a trade. The
fields 32 are to be populated with the virtual items that will
change ownership if the trade is completed.
[0033] Each user is presented with the dialog box 34 or other
suitable display via the user computer as shown in FIG. 3 when both
parties agree to participate in the trade. Each user can select the
"View Dice" button 36, for example, to cause the opposing party's
inventory 38 (FIG. 4) of virtual items 40 available to be acquired
by trade to be displayed. According to an embodiment of the
invention, responsive to the selection of the "View Dice" button 36
another dialog box 39 such as that shown in FIG. 4, for example,
can be presented via the user computer to the user that selected
the "View Dice" button 36.
[0034] FIG. 4 presents the inventory 38 of virtual items 40
associated with the virtual character with whom trade is being
conducted. In other words, if the user of the second virtual
character 16 in FIG. 1 selected the "View Dice" button 36, then the
dialog box 39 shown in FIG. 4 would present the inventory 38 of
virtual items 40 associated with the first virtual character 14 to
the user of the second virtual character 16. Similarly, the user of
the first virtual character 14 can also select the "View Dice"
button 36 in the dialog box 34 presented to that user to view the
inventory 38 of virtual items 40 associated with the second virtual
character 16. Each user is presented with the inventory 38 of
virtual items 40 associated with the virtual character controlled
by the other user that are available to be acquired via the
trade.
[0035] As a user selects virtual items 40 from the inventory 38
associated with the virtual character controlled by the other user,
these selected virtual items 40 are differentiated from the
non-selected virtual items 40 by a square 42 surrounding these
selected virtual items 40 or by any other suitable visible
indicator. According to embodiments of the invention, users can
optionally select from the inventory 38 as many virtual items 40
they desire to acquire, or they can optionally be limited to a
predetermined number of allowable virtual items 40. According to
the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, users are permitted to select up to
three virtual items 40 that they wish to acquire as part of this
trade, as indicated by the text instruction 44 included in the
dialog box 39.
[0036] Upon completing the selection of virtual items 40 the user
wishes to acquire, the user can select the "DONE" button 46 to
populate the fields 32 of the dialog box 34 shown in FIG. 3 with
the selected virtual items 40. The virtual items 40 selected by the
user (i.e., wanted by the user making the selection), which in this
example are Dice bearing the appearance of virtual characters, will
appear in the fields 32 identified as "DICE YOU WANT," identifying
those virtual items 40 at the items the user wishes to acquire.
Likewise, the virtual items 40 selected by the user controlling the
opposing virtual character in the trade will be populated in the
fields 32 identified as "DICE THEY WANT," identifying those virtual
items 40 as the items the user controlling the other virtual
character participating in the trade wishes to acquire.
[0037] Populating the fields 32 of the dialog box 34 in this manner
communicates the selection by each user to the other user, allowing
each user to review the proposed trade before committing to make
the exchange. If either user desires to change the virtual items 40
they selected from the inventory 38 of the virtual character
controlled by the other user, then that user can select the "View
Dice" button 36 once again. This will again cause the system of the
present invention to display the inventory 38 of virtual items 40
associated with the other virtual character from which the user can
change the previous selection. Just as before, once the user has
finished selecting all virtual items 40 the user wishes to acquired
via the trade, the user can select the "DONE" button 46 to update
the fields 32 of the dialog box 34 shown in FIG. 3 to reflect the
changes made to the previous selection.
[0038] Once both users agree to the virtual items 40 selected to be
exchanged and shown in the fields 32 of FIG. 3, each user can
select the "READY TO TRADE" button 50 in the dialog box 34
displayed to each user via their respective user computer. The
"READY TO TRADE" button 50 is grayed out or otherwise made
unavailable to be selected by a user until that user has selected
at least one virtual item 40 to be acquired from the virtual
character registered by the other user, thereby preventing one user
from receiving nothing in exchange for a virtual item 40 from the
inventory 38 associated with the virtual character controlled by
that user.
[0039] In response to both users indicating that they wish to
proceed with the trade by selecting the "READY TO TRADE" button 50,
the trade confirmation dialog box 52 shown in FIG. 5 is visually
presented to each user via their respective user computer. The
trade confirmation dialog box 52 adds an additional level of
security to minimize the number of inadvertently accepted trades.
Each user is presented with the same trade confirmation dialog box
52 that includes all of the virtual items 40 to be exchanged
between the inventories 38 of the virtual characters 14, 16 as part
of the trade. If either user selects a "REJECT" button 54, the
system can revert the trade's progress to the dialog box 34 shown
in FIG. 3, allowing the parties to change the virtual items 40 they
selected from the inventory 38 of the virtual character controlled
by the other user, or cancel the trade altogether.
[0040] If, on the other hand, each user agrees to the terms of the
trade, including the virtual items 40 to be exchanged, the users
can select via their respective user computer a "TRADE" button 56.
Once one of the users selects the "TRADE" button 56 all buttons 54,
56 are grayed out or otherwise made unavailable to that user,
granting the other user a predetermined period of time in which to
also select the "TRADE" button 56 and finalized the trade. Upon
selecting the "TRADE" button 56 the users have committed to the
exchange of the virtual items 40 displayed in the fields 32 of the
trade confirmation dialog box 52 of FIG. 5. When both users have
selected the "TRADE" button 56 to thereby approve of the exchange
of virtual items 40 shown in the fields 32 of the trade
confirmation dialog box 32, the system of the present invention
exchanges the selected virtual items 40 between the inventories 38
associated with the virtual characters 14, 16 involved in the
trade.
[0041] According to alternate embodiments of the invention, certain
virtual items 60 within the inventory 62 of the user can optionally
be excluded from eligibility to be traded. For example, the
inventory 62 of virtual items 60 associated with a virtual
character can be displayed to the user who registered that virtual
character as shown in FIG. 6. Virtual items 64 in use within the
virtual environment 10 by the virtual character, such as dice
currently in use by the virtual character as part of the DiceKinz
game for example, can be excluded from trade eligibility until
those virtual items 64 are no longer in use.
[0042] According to alternate embodiments, unique virtual items 66
in the inventory 62 of the virtual character can optionally be
excluded from trade eligibility. As shown in FIG. 6, a die
representing a dog that the virtual character has only one of in
its inventory 62 is excluded from being selected by another user to
be acquired as part of a trade. The off-colored (e.g., grayed out)
counter 68 indicating a quantity of a specific virtual item 66 in
the inventory 62 of a virtual character highlights that virtual
item's ineligibility to be traded. As such, the items ineligible to
be traded can be omitted from the portion of each virtual
character's inventory 62 displayed to the opposing user during a
trade as shown and discussed above with reference to FIG. 4, or can
be displayed as the portion of the inventor 62 presented to the
opposing user, but grayed out and unable to be selected by the
opposing user.
[0043] Other embodiments allow a user to manually select virtual
items 70 in the inventory 62 of a virtual character registered by
that user that the user desires to exclude from the portion of the
inventory 62 that can be selected by another user to be acquired
via a trade. A visual indicator 72 such as in an off-colored trade
eligibility icon displayed by the system to the user within the
inventory 62 as shown in FIG. 6 can differentiate between virtual
items eligible to be traded from those that are not. In FIG. 6,
selection of the indicator 72 bearing the "T-" symbol makes the
respective virtual item 70 ineligible to be traded. Any of the
virtual items 64, 66, 70 that are designated as being ineligible to
be traded by the user or the system can be excluded from the
portion of the inventory 62 displayed to an opposing user from
which the opposing user can select the virtual items desired to be
acquired. Alternate embodiments can optionally display the
ineligible virtual items 64, 66, 70 to the opposing user in the
portion of the inventory 62 as described above with reference to
FIG. 4, but grayed out, or otherwise made unavailable to be
selected.
[0044] The examples discussed above focused primarily on virtual
items in the form of dice used in a virtual environment 10 to
participate in a game where progress was based at least in part by
the dice played. FIG. 7 illustrates an alternate embodiment with
virtual items 80 include playing cards within the inventory 82 of a
virtual character. In the present example, each playing card
constitutes a single, individual portion of a complete set to be
collected within the inventory 82 of the virtual character. By
collecting all of the playing cards required to complete the set in
the inventory 82 of the virtual character, the virtual character is
granted a prize, that can optionally also be placed in the virtual
character's inventory 82, eligible to be traded. The prized granted
to the virtual character can be any virtual item beneficial to, or
capable of being used by the virtual character. Examples of prizes
include, but are not limited to virtual currency, a virtual
furnishing to be arranged in a virtual room associated with the
virtual character, virtual food to be fed to the virtual character,
access to a restricted portion of the virtual environment that was
not available to the virtual character before collecting all
playing cards to complete the set, a piece of virtual clothing to
be worn by the virtual character, or any other virtual item
beneficial or capable of being used by the virtual character.
[0045] Illustrative embodiments have been described, hereinabove.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above
devices and methods may incorporate changes and modifications
without departing from the general scope of this invention. It is
intended to include all such modifications and alterations within
the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, to the extent that
the term "includes" is used in either the detailed description or
the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner
similar to the term "comprising" as "comprising" is interpreted
when employed as a transitional word in a claim.
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