Copyright of Digital Works in a Virtual Environment
The present disclosure provides various novel concepts to a video game environment. Video game environments that include a method for controlling the quantity of raw materials in and between games, where player characters invent items by creating blueprints that are registered to a virtual patent office and used by other player characters, that include methods for digital rights management, that include a method for providing inter and intra game exchanges between games, and that provide for the Initial Public Offering of game environments on an Inter Game Environment exchange are described.
1 . A virtual environment comprising:
a digital work editor configured to allow a player character to create a digital work in the virtual environment; and
a virtual copyright office configured to register the digital works.
2 . The virtual environment of claim 1 further comprising a copyright examination module configured to receive a sample of the digital work and determine if the digital work is a unique work.
3 . The virtual environment of claim 1 further comprising an exchange configured to a allow player characters to buy, sell, or trade the digital works in the virtual environment.
4 . The virtual environment of claim 3 further comprising a digital works pricing module configured to determine a pricing scheme for a digital work listed on the exchange.
5 . The virtual environment of claim 1 further comprising a subscription service configured to allow player characters to access a digital work and use the work in a virtual space.
6 . The virtual environment of claim 5 further comprising a usage tracking module configured to track the number of player characters that access the digital work.
7 . The virtual environment of claim 6 further comprising a billing module configured to bill a player character for accessing the digital work.
8 . A method comprising:
providing a virtual environment;
providing access to a digital work editor via the virtual environment so that an author can create a digital work that will be accessible in the virtual environment; and
ensuring that the author receives compensation from player characters that access the digital work in the virtual environment.
8 . (canceled)
9 . The method of claim 8 wherein ensuring that the author receives compensation from player characters that access the digital work in the virtual environment comprises providing a virtual copyright office configured to:
receive a copyright application for a digital work; and
examine the application to determine if the digital work is unique in the virtual environment.
10 . The method of claim 9 wherein the copyright office is further configured to award a copyright to the author of the digital work, if the digital work is unique in the virtual environment.
11 . The method of claim 7 further comprising:
receiving a request from a player character to use a digital work that already exists in the virtual environment;
determining if the digital work is subject to a copyright.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein if the digital work is subject to a copyright, the method further comprises:
identifying an owner of the copyright;
requesting the copyright owner's permission to use the copyright; and
if the copyright owner's permission is granted, allowing the player character to use the digital work.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein if the digital work is subject to a copyright, the method further comprises:
determining a pricing scheme for use of the digital work;
receiving compensation from the player character for use of the digital work; and
providing compensation to the copyright owner.
14 . The method of claim 13 wherein determining a pricing scheme for use of the digital work comprises identifying the virtual space in which the digital work will be used.
15 . The method of claim 13 wherein determining a pricing scheme for the digital work comprises identifying the average number of player characters that will have access to the digital work where it is to be used.
16 . The method of claim 13 wherein determining a pricing scheme for the digital work comprises determining a royalty scheme based on the number of unique impressions by the player character using the digital work.
17 . The method of claim 13 wherein determining a pricing scheme for the digital work comprises identifying a flat fee.
18 . The method of claim 13 wherein determining a pricing scheme for the digital work comprises receiving a price from the copyright owner.
19 . The method of claim 10 further comprising providing an exchange configured to allow player characters to buy, sell, or trade copyrighted digital works.
20 . The method of claim 10 further comprising providing an exchange configured to allow player character to buy, sell, or trade copyright ownership of digital works.