A new class of avatars (“organizational avatars”) created in accordance with the present invention holds a value or a significance independent from their use in a virtual environment, unlike the generic avatars whose value is limited to their being used in a chatroom. For example, an organizational avatar may be in the image of a trademark (which may be copyrighted), such as Mickey Mouse, Colonel Sanders, or Pikachu (a Pokemon character). The organizational avatars may represent certain organizations, typically the organizations that own trademark and/or copyright rights to the images used to form the avatars in virtual environments. Therefore, users of virtual environments can interface various companies by interacting with organizational avatars. Alternatively, organizational avatars may represent users independent of the organization, but under a contract with the organization that owns the image the avatars depict. By using organizational avatars, companies of all sizes can increase their interactivity with customers, advertise cost effectively, and promote a positive image for their products. Tiles are used to provide faster download of a chatroom's background. Tiles also allow rapid generation of a chatroom's background, eliminating the need to use a graphics editor.

Graphic chatting with organizational avatars

The invention provides improved methods and apparatus for control using field and control devices that provide a virtual machine environment and that communicate via an IP network. By way of non-limiting example, such field device can be an “intelligent” transmitter or actuator that includes a low power processor, along with a random access memory, a read-only memory, FlashRAM, and a sensor interface. The processor can execute a real-time operating system, as well as a Java virtual machine (JVM). Java byte code executes in the JVM to configure the field device to perform typical process control functions, e.g., for proportional integral derivative (PID) control and signal conditioning. Control networks can include a plurality of such field and control devices interconnected by an IP network, such as an Ethernet.

Methods and apparatus for control using control devices that provide a virtual machine environment and that communicate via an ip network

Personalizing communications for a first communication platform includes accessing status information for communication sessions by a communication identity that leverage a first communication platform other than an instant messaging platform. A participant list associated with the communication identity and the first communication platform is passively configured to persistently reflect a list of participant identities from communication sessions in which the communication identity recently participated using the communication platform.

Passive personalization of buddy lists

A method provides a virtual presentation includes providing a toy that is represented on a website via a virtual replica of the toy, wherein the toy is associated with a registration code; validating the registration code; responsive to said validating, displaying said virtual replica of the toy representing said toy on said website; providing at least one virtual room on the website for the virtual replica of the toy; offering one or more virtual furnishings for the at least one virtual room; providing content that allows the one or more virtual furnishings to be arranged in the at least one virtual room; and interacting the virtual replica of the toy with at least one of the one or more virtual furnishings.

System and method for toy adoption and marketing

Improved systems and methods for navigating and interacting in virtual communication environments are described. At least some of these systems and methods provide a framework that includes one or more virtual areas and supports realtime communications between the communicants. At least some of these systems and methods provide an interface that includes navigation controls that enable a user to navigate virtual areas and interaction controls that enable the user to interact with other communicants in the one or more virtual areas.

Shared virtual area communication environment based apparatus and methods

A terminal has a storage means for storing identification information, a transmitting means for transmitting the identification information stored in the storage means to a server, and a receiving means for receiving the identification information transmitted from the server. If no identification information is stored in the storage means, the terminal transmits information thereof to the server. The terminal receives identification information corresponding to predetermined information transmitted from the server in response to the information indicating that no identification information is stored in the storage means and stores the identification information received by the receiving means into the storage means. When an access is made from the terminal without accompanying identification information, the server generates identification information corresponding to predetermined information and registers the generated identification information to be provided to the terminal. Consequently, the user can received predetermined services from the server without inputting user identification information into the terminal.

Information processing apparatus and method, information processing system and program providing medium

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To switch a display image displayed at a display part to another display image. SOLUTION: When the display image displayed at the display part actively at present is switched to another display image, a specified animation is generated with a specified signal based upon the display images before and after the switching, animation effect determined based upon the display images before and after the switching, and an operation state in the switching operation by a user, and the generated animation is displayed before the display image after the switching is displayed at the display device. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Unit and method for display image control

Communication between users not accessing a shared virtual reality space at the same time is realized. A client terminal sends a calling card and a mail. A hard disk drive of a mail server holds the calling card and the mail. When a user to whom the calling card and the mail are to be sent accesses the shared virtual reality space, the mail server transfers the calling card and the mail to the client terminal.

Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and information providing medium

An AO server 100, shared server 105 and a client PC 110 are connected to one another via the Internet to build virtual community space accessible from a plurality of client PCs 110, 120, 130, 140, .. . A movement interpretation node 112 for a virtual living object 111 is provided at the client PC 110 for example, and an object management node 102 for the virtual living object 101 (111) in the virtual community space is provided at the AO server 100. Thus, the movement and structure of an object in a virtual space can freely be changed or modified.

Information processing system, information processing method and apparatus, and information serving medium

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform a garbage collection suited to a specified application for handling the group of data to dynamically repeat generation and extinction SOLUTION: A memory area for storing data is divided into first memory area for storing the data group of a first kind with comparatively short lifetime and second memory area for storing the data group of a second kind with comparatively long lifetime and when newly securing a memory block for storing data, it is decided whether the relevant data belong to the data of the first kind or to the data of the second kind As a result of this decision, the data of the first kind are stored on the first memory area and the data of the second kind are stored on the second memory area The performance frequency of the garbage collection to the first memory area is made high and the performance frequency of the garbage collection to the second memory area is made low

Koichi Matsuda

Papers

Information processing apparatus and method, information processing system and program providing medium

Unit and method for display image control

Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and information providing medium

Information processing system, information processing method and apparatus, and information serving medium

Garbage collection performing method, computer program, program storage medium and information processor