IP Library Granted Patent US 8,271,330
Granted Patent B2
US 8,271,330 · App. 12/328,405 · Granted Sep 18, 2012

System and method for researching virtual markets and optimizing product placements and displays

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,271,330
App. No.
12/328,405
Granted
Sep 18, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system and method for researching virtual markets and using the research to optimize product placements and displays. The system includes a monitoring engine configured to monitor information about user reactions and/or at least one product. The system also includes a recommendation engine configured to recommend a location within a virtual universe to display the at least one product based on the information monitored by the monitoring engine and a display engine configured to display the at least one product at a recommended location.

Claims (31)

1. A method implemented on a computing infrastructure for displaying products comprising:

monitoring one or more user reactions or interactions with a product or display by one or more users in a virtual universe using one or more processors;

aggregating the one or more user reactions or interactions using the one or more processors;

recommending a location in the virtual universe to place the product or display based on the aggregated one or more user reactions or interactions using the one or more processors;

displaying the product or display at the recommended location;

determining a user status using the one or more processors;

monitoring the one or more user reactions or interactions, which include at least one of: where the user places one or more of the at least one product; how the user interacts with the at least one product; the user's opinions and/or comments about the at least one product; how proximate the user places the at least one product to other products; and popularity of similar products using the one or more processors;

assigning a weight to each of the user reactions or interactions;

weighing the user reactions or interactions using the one or more processors;

recommending the location based on the weighing and the aggregated one or more user reactions or interactions using the one or more processors; and

assessing a fee for the displaying.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising dynamically changing a product display based on the one or more user reactions or interactions.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aggregated one or more user reactions or interactions are sold to at least one vendor in the real world.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the steps of claim 8 are offered by a service provider based on one of a fee and subscription basis.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the steps of claim 8 are provided on a computer infrastructure, which is at least one of supported, deployed, maintained, and created by a service provider.

6. A computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having readable program code embodied in the storage medium, programmed to:

aggregate one or more user actions related to a product within a virtual universe;

recommend a location in the virtual universe for the product based on the aggregated one or more user actions;

display the product at the recommended location;

ascertain a user status, which includes one or more of a hired user, a normal user, and a promotional user;

monitor the one or more user actions, which include at least one of a user reaction, a user response, a user opinion, and a user or product movement;

aggregate and present the one or more user actions to at least one of a product vendor or a location owner;

send the monitored one or more user actions to a recommendation engine;

weigh the monitored one or more user actions using a weight assigned by at least one of the user, the product vendor, or the location owner;

recommend a location based on the weighing; and

assess a fee for the display.

7. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the one or more user actions include one or more of a user reaction, user response, user opinion, and user or product movement.

8. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the recommendation is based on weighing one or more of: where a user places the product; how the user interacts with the product; the user's opinions and/or comments about the product; how proximate the user places the product to another product; and popularity of similar products.

9. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the product is dynamically displayed at the recommended location.

10. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the recommended location is sold to a virtual vendor and/or a real world vendor.

11. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the computer program product is at least one of supported, deployed, maintained, and created by a service provider.

Assignments (4)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE PATENT NUMBERS 10342096;10671117; 10716375; 10716376;10795407;10795408; AND 10827591 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 58314 FRAME: 657. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Feb 29, 2024
From: RAKUTEN, INC.
To: RAKUTEN GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 068066/0103 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 6, 2021
From: RAKUTEN, INC.
To: RAKUTEN GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 058314/0657 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2015
From: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
To: RAKUTEN, INC.
Reel/Frame 034849/0074 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 5, 2008
From: BRIGNULL, MICHELE P.; HAMILTON, RICK A., II; SAND, ANNE R.; SEAMAN, JAMES W.
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 021928/0790 →