Patents by Inventor Andrew Bryan Smith
Andrew Bryan Smith has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 9373137Abstract: A method for mapping transactions between a real world and a virtual world may include receiving information associated with a real world item at a virtual business object (VBO) controller. Information associated with a user is received at the VBO controller. In response to receiving by the VBO controller a decision to buy the real world item, the VBO controller generates a VBO, which includes the information associated with the real world item. In response to receiving at the VBO controller a decision not to buy the real world item, the VBO controller generates a VBO light, which includes the information associated with the real world item. Either the generated VBO or the VBO light is transmitted to a VBO inventory database associated with the user based on the user's information.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2009Date of Patent: June 21, 2016Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Brian Ronald Bokor, Andrew Bryan Smith, Peter Frederick Haggar, Daniel Edward House, William Bruce Nicol, II
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Patent number: 9324021Abstract: A method for avoiding non-intentional separation of avatars in a virtual world may include detecting a first avatar seeking to enter a first location and determining if a second avatar is related to the first avatar based on a first predetermined rule. The method may also include determining that the first and second avatars are seeking to enter the first location together. The method may further include determining whether to allow the first avatar and the second avatar to enter the first location based on a second predetermined rule.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2008Date of Patent: April 26, 2016Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Peter Frederick Haggar, Brian Ronald Bokor, Andrew Bryan Smith, Daniel Edward House, William Bruce Nicol, II
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Patent number: 9299178Abstract: Responding to gestures made by third parties in a virtual world by receiving a gesture from a first avatar directed to at least one second avatar. For at least one second avatar, a reply gesture may be selected that corresponds to the received gesture. The reply gesture may be output for communication to the first avatar.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2008Date of Patent: March 29, 2016Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Brian Ronald Bokor, Andrew Bryan Smith
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Patent number: 9223399Abstract: Translating gestures made by one avatar to a second avatar in a virtual world by receiving an input from a first user representing an input gesture to be made by the first avatar to the second avatar. The input gesture is translated to generate at least one translated gesture for display. The translated gesture may be output for display as being made by the first avatar to the second avatar.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2008Date of Patent: December 29, 2015Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Brian Ronald Bokor, Andrew Bryan Smith, Daniel Edward House, William Bruce Nicol, II, Peter Frederick Haggar
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Patent number: 9195363Abstract: A system for perspective based tagging and visualization of avatars in a virtual world may include determining if another avatar has moved within a predetermined proximity range of a user's avatar in a virtual world. The system may also include allowing the user to tag the other avatar with information in response to the other avatar being within the predetermined proximity range of the user's avatar.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2013Date of Patent: November 24, 2015Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Andrew Bryan Smith, Brian Ronald Bokor, Daniel Edward House, William Bruce Nicol, II
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Patent number: 9164664Abstract: Avatar cloning in a virtual world may include receiving an input indicating that a user desires to access a cloning feature and allowing a cloned avatar to be cloned from the user's avatar.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2013Date of Patent: October 20, 2015Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: William Bruce Nicol, II, Brian Ronald Bokor, Peter Frederick Haggar, Daniel Edward House, Andrew Bryan Smith
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Patent number: 9063565Abstract: Automated avatar creation and interaction in a virtual world may include detecting if a user's avatar has entered a predefined proximity area in the virtual world. An automated avatar may be presented in response to the user's avatar entering the predetermined proximity area. The automated avatar is presented for autonomous interaction with the user's avatar and presentation of the automated avatar is based on a specified criteria.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2008Date of Patent: June 23, 2015Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Brian Ronald Bokor, Andrew Bryan Smith, Steven Keith Speicher
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Patent number: 9021113Abstract: Sharing content between users of different social networks includes: in a source social network implemented by at least one processor, receiving shared content uploaded by a source user with an indication of a number of recipients of the shared content; establishing a trusted communication link between the source social network and at least one external social network; and allowing the number of recipients to retrieve the shared content from the source social network via the trusted communication link.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2011Date of Patent: April 28, 2015Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Derek Wayne Carr, Thomas Schaeck, Andrew Bryan Smith, Michael C. Wanderski, Mark Douglas Weitzel
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Patent number: 8992316Abstract: A system for allowing an alternative action in a virtual world may include a processor and a module operable on the processor for allowing an alternative action in a virtual world in response to a request for an original action for an avatar of a user being unavailable in the virtual world. A queue stores the request in response to the original action being unavailable. Another module may determine if an alternative action is available for the avatar in response to the original action being unavailable. A further module may present an interface to permit the user to accept the alternative action. The avatar is permitted to perform the alternative action in response to the user accepting the alternative action while the request for the original action is still in the queue.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2011Date of Patent: March 31, 2015Assignee: Activision Publishing, Inc.Inventors: Andrew Bryan Smith, Brian Ronald Bokor, Peter Frederick Haggar, Daniel Edward House, William Bruce Nicol
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Patent number: 8601055Abstract: A method for dynamically managing a social network group performed by a group management system having at least one physical processing apparatus includes receiving, with the group management system, data from a number of source providers over a computer network; identifying a basis for creating a new social network group from the data with the group management system; creating the new social network group with the group management system; and automatically inviting a number of members to join the new social network group with the group management system, each of the members being associated with the basis identified in the data for creating the new social network group.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2009Date of Patent: December 3, 2013Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Andrew Bryan Smith, Mark Douglas Weitzel
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Publication number: 20130305185Abstract: Avatar cloning in a virtual world may include receiving an input indicating that a user desires to access a cloning feature and allowing a cloned avatar to be cloned from the user's avatar.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2013Publication date: November 14, 2013Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: William Bruce Nicol, II, Brian Ronald Bokor, Peter Frederick Haggar, Daniel Edward House, Andrew Bryan Smith
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Patent number: 8584024Abstract: Avatar cloning in a virtual world may include receiving an input indicating that a user desires to access a cloning feature and allowing a cloned avatar to be cloned from the user's avatar.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2008Date of Patent: November 12, 2013Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: William Bruce Nicol, II, Brian Ronald Bokor, Peter Frederick Haggar, Daniel Edward House, Andrew Bryan Smith
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Patent number: 8555346Abstract: Generation of user and avatar specific content in a virtual world may include generating a local attribute object. The local attribute object may comprise attributes identifying at least one of the user's real world location and the user's avatar's virtual world location. Access to the local attribute object by virtual world operators may be controlled by the user and/or user's avatar. Specific content, based on the local attribute object, is presented to the user's avatar.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2008Date of Patent: October 8, 2013Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Brian Ronald Bokor, Peter Frederick Haggar, Daniel Edward House, William Bruce Nicol, II, Andrew Bryan Smith
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Publication number: 20130254684Abstract: A system for perspective based tagging and visualization of avatars in a virtual world may include determining if another avatar has moved within a predetermined proximity range of a user's avatar in a virtual world. The system may also include allowing the user to tag the other avatar with information in response to the other avatar being within the predetermined proximity range of the user's avatar.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2013Publication date: September 26, 2013Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Andrew Bryan Smith, Brian Ronald Bokor, Daniel Edward House, William Bruce Nicol, II
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Patent number: 8495505Abstract: A method for perspective based tagging and visualization of avatars in a virtual world may include determining if another avatar has moved within a predetermined proximity range of a user's avatar in a virtual world. The method may also include allowing the user to tag the other avatar with information in response to the other avatar being within the predetermined proximity range of the user's avatar.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2008Date of Patent: July 23, 2013Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Andrew Bryan Smith, Brian Ronald Bokor, Daniel Edward House, William Bruce Nicol, II
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Patent number: 8453062Abstract: A method for managing and operating one or more virtual world viewers in a virtual world may include generating a virtual world viewer feature on a computer system in response to a predetermined action by the user. The method may also include generating an option in the virtual world viewer feature for the user to either enter or select a different virtual world location from a current virtual world location of a user's avatar for locating a virtual world viewer for viewing the different virtual world location. The virtual world viewer may be generated on the computer system for the user to view the different virtual world location without the user's avatar leaving the current virtual world location.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2009Date of Patent: May 28, 2013Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Peter Frederick Haggar, Brian Ronald Bokor, Andrew Bryan Smith, Daniel Edward House, William Bruce Nicol, II
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Publication number: 20120324121Abstract: Sharing content between users of different social networks includes: in a source social network implemented by at least one processor, receiving shared content uploaded by a source user with an indication of a number of recipients of the shared content; establishing a trusted communication link between the source social network and at least one external social network; and allowing the number of recipients to retrieve the shared content from the source social network via the trusted communication link.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2011Publication date: December 20, 2012Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Derek Wayne Carr, Thomas Schaeck, Andrew Bryan Smith, Michael C. Wanderski, Mark Douglas Weitzel
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Publication number: 20120071218Abstract: A system for allowing an alternative action in a virtual world may include a processor and a module operable on the processor for allowing an alternative action in a virtual world in response to a request for an original action for an avatar of a user being unavailable in the virtual world. A queue stores the request in response to the original action being unavailable. Another module may determine if an alternative action is available for the avatar in response to the original action being unavailable. A further module may present an interface to permit the user to accept the alternative action. The avatar is permitted to perform the alternative action in response to the user accepting the alternative action while the request for the original action is still in the queue.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2011Publication date: March 22, 2012Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: ANDREW BRYAN SMITH, BRIAN RONALD BOKOR, PETER FREDERICK HAGGAR, DANIEL EDWARD HOUSE, WILLIAM BRUCE NICOL
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Patent number: 8062130Abstract: A method for allowing an alternative action in a virtual world may include permitting a user to request an original action for an avatar of the user in the virtual world. The method may also include receiving the request for the original action and storing the request in a queue in response to the original action being unavailable to the user's avatar. The method may additionally include determining if an alternative action is available for the user's avatar in response to the original action being unavailable to the user's avatar and presenting an interface to the user to permit the user to accept the alternative action in response to the alternative action being available. The method may yet further include allowing the user's avatar to perform the alternative action in response to the user accepting the alternative action and permitting the user's avatar to perform the alternative action while the request for the original action is still in the queue.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2007Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Andrew Bryan Smith, Brian Ronald Bokor, Peter Frederick Haggar, Daniel Edward House, William Bruce Nicol
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Publication number: 20110153740Abstract: A method for dynamically managing a social network group performed by a group management system having at least one physical processing apparatus includes receiving, with the group management system, data from a number of source providers over a computer network; identifying a basis for creating a new social network group from the data with the group management system; creating the new social network group with the group management system; and automatically inviting a number of members to join the new social network group with the group management system, each of the members being associated with the basis identified in the data for creating the new social network group.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2009Publication date: June 23, 2011Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Andrew Bryan Smith, Mark Douglas Weitzel