THREE-DIMENSIONAL VIRTUAL WORLD PATTERN POSITIONING USING TEMPLATES

1 . A method of three-dimensional virtual world pattern positioning comprising:

reading incoming data about a virtual world pattern to be constructed in a virtual world environment;

utilizing a template system to construct the virtual world pattern, where the template system has a plurality of template nodes that are connected together in a template node hierarchy, each template node having:

at least one pattern that the template node can output;

a test/criteria to run on the incoming data that is used to determine behavior of the template node; and

a set of child template nodes that the template node transitions to after giving out a pattern; and

calling a first template node of the template system to select the virtual world pattern by:

running the test/criteria on the incoming data;

generating a key having a key value;

using the generated key value to select and output a pattern from the at least one pattern that the first template node can output; and

determining whether the key value also has an associated child template node and providing a reference to the child template node if a child template node exists.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein calling the first pattern further comprises:

determining how many entries have to be accommodated at a current level of the virtual world environment; and

determining a position that a current area was allocated in a previous pattern that allocated its offset.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each template node has a particular behavior in response to a unique set of determined results from running the test/criteria on the incoming data by outputting a particular pattern and passing back a reference to another template node.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

making any test/criteria that has previously been defined available to all of the plurality of template nodes.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein generating a key value comprises:

uniquely defining the key in a select template node by a particular set of Boolean test values.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating a key value comprises:

uniquely defining the key by a set of tests that are passed, such that no key should pass all of the tests that another key passes.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

organizing the incoming data into data having at least one top-level category and at least one sub-category; and

processing the incoming data by:

assigning patterns to each top-level category before moving down to assign patterns to each sub-category for each processed top-level category.

8 . A computer readable storage device having an executable program stored thereon, wherein the program instructs a processor to perform:

reading incoming data about a virtual world pattern to be constructed in a virtual world environment;

utilizing a template system to construct the virtual world pattern, where the template system has a plurality of template nodes that are connected together in a template node hierarchy, each template node having:

at least one pattern that the template node can output;

a test/criteria to run on the incoming data that is used to determine behavior; and

a set of child template nodes that the template node transitions to after giving out a pattern; and

calling a first template node of the template system to select the virtual world pattern by:

running the test/criteria, on the incoming data;

generating a key having a key value;

using the generated key value to select and output a pattern from the at least one pattern that the first template node can output; and

determining whether the key value also has an associated child template node and providing a reference to the child template node if a child template node exists.

9 . The computer readable storage device of claim 8 , wherein the program further instructs the processor to perform calling the first pattern by:

determining how many entries have to be accommodated at a current level of the virtual world environment; and

determining a position that a current area was allocated in a previous pattern that allocated its offset.

10 . The computer readable storage device of claim 8 , wherein each template node has a particular behavior in response to a unique set of determined results from running the test/criteria on the incoming data by outputting a particular pattern and passing back a reference to another template node.

11 . The computer readable storage device of claim 8 , wherein the program further instructs the processor to perform:

making any test/criteria that has previously been defined available to all of the plurality of template nodes.

12 . The computer readable storage device of claim 8 , wherein generating a key value comprises:

uniquely defining the key in a select template node by a particular set of Boolean test values.

13 . The computer readable storage device of claim 8 , wherein generating a key value comprises:

uniquely defining the key by a set of tests that are passed, such that no key should pass all of the tests that another key passes.

14 . The computer readable storage device of claim 8 , wherein the program further instructs the processor to perform:

organizing the incoming data into data having at least one top-level category and at least one sub-category; and

processing the incoming data by:

assigning patterns to each top-level category before moving down to assign patterns to each sub-category for each processed top-level category.

15 . A system that positions three-dimensional virtual world patterns comprising:

a microprocessor coupled to a memory, wherein the microprocessor is programmed by code stored in the memory to position a three-dimensional virtual world pattern by:

reading incoming data about a virtual world pattern to be constructed in a virtual world environment;

utilizing a template system to construct the virtual world pattern, where the template system has a plurality of template nodes that are connected together in a template node hierarchy, each template node having:

at least one pattern that the template node can output;

a test/criteria to run on the incoming data that is used to determine behavior; and

a set of child template nodes that the template node transitions to after giving out a pattern; and

calling a first template node of the template system to select the virtual world pattern by:

running the test/criteria on the incoming data;

generating a key having a key value;

using the generated key value to select and output a pattern from the at least one pattern that the first template node can output; and

determining whether the key value also has an associated child template node and providing a reference to the child template node if a child template node exists.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the microprocessor is further programmed for calling the first pattern by:

determining how many entries have to be accommodated at a current level of the virtual world environment; and

determining a position that a current area was allocated in a previous pattern that allocated its offset.

17 . The system of claim 18 , wherein each template node has a particular behavior in response to a unique set of determined results from running the test/criteria on the incoming data by outputting a particular pattern and passing back a reference to another template node.

18 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the microprocessor is further programmed for:

making any test/criteria that has previously been defined available to all of the plurality of template nodes.

19 . The system of claim 15 , wherein generating a key value comprises:

uniquely defining the key in a select template node by a particular set of Boolean test values.

20 . The system of claim 15 , wherein generating a key value comprises:

uniquely defining the key by a set of tests that are passed, such that no key should pass all of the tests that another key passes.

21 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the microprocessor is further programmed for:

organizing the incoming data into data having at least one top-level category and at least one sub-category; and

processing the incoming data by:

assigning patterns to each top-level category before moving down to assign patterns to each sub-category for each processed top-level category.