SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FACILITATING USER INTERACTION WITH A SIMULATED OBJECT ASSOCIATED WITH A PHYSICAL LOCATION

1 . A method of facilitating user interaction with a simulated object that is associated with a physical location in a real environment, the method, comprising:

identifying the simulated object that is available for access based on location data;

wherein, the location data includes a location of a device in a time period, the device for use by a user to access the simulated object;

verifying an identity of the user;

in response to determining that the user is authorized to access the simulated object, providing the simulated object for presentation to the user via the device;

rendering a simulated environment in which the simulated object is provided, the simulated environment presented to the user via the device;

according to external stimulus that occurs in the real environment, updating characteristics of the simulated object presented via the device to be perceived by the user.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, the simulated object that is available for access is further identified using timing data.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, the external stimulus comprises environmental factors in the physical location.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, the external stimulus comprises user stimulus provided by the user or another user.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

receiving a request from the user to perform a requested action on the simulated object;

in response to determining the user is authorized to perform the requested action;

updating at least a portion of the characteristics of the simulated object presented on the device according to an effect of the requested action such that updates are perceived by the user.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting motion of the device;

adjusting a perspective of the simulated environment presented on the device according to the detected motion of the device;

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising,

continuously or periodically determining updated locations of the device;

identifying an updated set of simulated objects available for access based on the updated locations;

accordingly presenting the updated set of the simulated objects in the simulated environment to the user through the device.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein, the detecting the motion of the device comprises, one or more of, detecting velocity and acceleration.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein, the detecting the motion of the device comprises, sensing a particular gesture.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, the simulated object is controlled at least in part by a real user.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, the simulated object is not controlled by a real user.

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

rendering a user interface for display on the device, the user interface having a map of the physical location depicted in the simulated environment;

receiving a selection of a region on the map made by the user in the user interface;

wherein, the region that is selected corresponding to a set of selected physical locations;

detecting the simulated objects that are available for access in the region selected by the user; and

presenting the simulated objects to be perceived by the user via the device.

13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, automatically detecting other simulated objects that are available for access; wherein, the other simulated objects represent real users or simulated users.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, the simulated object is identified in response to a search request initiated by the user.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein, the search request includes a search parameter including, one or more of, the timing data and the location data.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein, the search parameter further includes, identification of the user.

17 . A system for facilitating user interaction with a simulated object that is associated with a physical location using location data, the system, comprising:

means for, identifying the simulated object that is available for access based on the location data;

wherein, the location data is a location of a device in a time period, the device for use by a user to access the simulated object;

verifying an identity of the user;

means for, providing the simulated object for display on a display of the device, in response to determining that the user is authorized to access the simulated object;

means for, rendering a simulated environment in which the simulated object is located, the simulated environment displayed on the display of the device;

means for, updating the simulated object displayed on the device according to external stimuli.

18 . The system of claim 17 , further comprising, means for, searching for the simulated object based on one or more search parameters.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein, the one or more search parameters includes the location data.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein, the one or more search parameters further includes timing data.

21 . The system of claim 17 , wherein, the device is a portable device.

22 . The system of claim 17 , wherein, the simulated objects that are available for access are further identified using timing data.

23 . The system of claim 17 , wherein, the external stimuli comprises environmental factors in the physical location.

24 . The system of claim 17 , wherein, the external stimuli comprises user stimuli provided by the user or another user.

25 . A method of time-based manipulation of an object that is associated with a physical location in a real world environment, comprising:

generating the object if qualifying location data and qualifying timing data are detected;

wherein, the object is implemented using a data structure having a set of metadata;

enabling access of the object to a user via a device, in response to determining that the user has access permission of the object;

wherein, the qualifying location data includes a location of the device;

wherein, the qualifying timing data includes a time when the device is located at the location.

26 . The method of claim 25 ,

wherein, the object is associated with a unique identifier;

wherein, the unique identifier is associated with a location data structure having a set of location data that includes the qualifying location data.

27 . The method of claim 25 ,

wherein, the set of metadata includes a computer program to control actions of the object.

28 . The method of claim 25 , wherein, the actions of the object can further be controlled by the user via the device.

29 . The method of claim 25 ,

wherein, the set of metadata further includes the qualifying timing data that satisfy a criterion for access of the object to be enabled.

30 . The method of claim 26 ,

wherein, the set of metadata further includes the qualifying location data that satisfies the criterion for access of the object to be enabled.

31 . The method of claim 26 , wherein, the location data is specified with a set of longitude and latitude coordinates.

32 . The method of claim 26 , wherein, the location data is specified with GPS coordinates.

33 . The method of claim 26 , wherein, the location data is specified using relative position.

34 . The method of claim 25 , wherein, the set of metadata further includes a link to, one or more of, another virtual object and data from the Web.

35 . The method of claim 25 , wherein, the link is a semantic link.

36 . The method of claim 25 , wherein, the object is a representation of a living object.

37 . The method of claim 25 , wherein, the object is a representation of an inanimate object.