Identity verification in virtual worlds using encoded data
View Patent ↗An avatar in a virtual world is provided with credentials for access to various parts of the virtual world by embedding information derived from avatar identification and authorized credential information in the form of a graphic image associated with the avatar. The embedded information is preferably encrypted.
1. A method comprising:
determining, for a graphic image associated with an avatar in a virtual universe, the graphic image comprising a plurality of pixels forming a pixel bitmap for visually rendering on a graphical display, that the graphic image has embedded therewithin a digital representation of credentials of the avatar to access secure information in said virtual universe, wherein the plurality of pixels of the pixel bitmap have embedded therein at least a portion of the digital representation of the credentials, said determining comprising:
analyzing the graphic image associated with said avatar so as to identify and extract therefrom the embedded digital representation of said credentials.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the analyzing comprises analyzing the graphic image associated with said avatar so as to extract therefrom a steganographically embedded digital representation of said credentials.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the graphic image is:
a graphic image of at least a portion of the avatar; or
a visual document associated with the avatar.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the avatar is wearing an item and wherein the graphic image is an image of the item being worn by the avatar.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using the extracted embedded digital representation of the credentials to determine whether functional capability of the avatar is authorized.
6. A computer program product comprising:
a non-transitory computer readable storage medium readable by a processor and storing instructions for execution by the processor for performing a method comprising:
determining, for a graphic image associated with an avatar in a virtual universe, the graphic image comprising a plurality of pixels forming a pixel bitmap for visually rendering on a graphical display, that the graphic image has embedded therewithin a digital representation of credentials of the avatar to access secure information in said virtual universe, wherein the plurality of pixels of the pixel bitmap have embedded therein at least a portion of the digital representation of the credentials, said determining comprising:
analyzing the graphic image associated with said avatar so as to identify and extract therefrom the embedded digital representation of said credentials.
7. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the analyzing comprises analyzing the graphic image associated with said avatar so as to extract therefrom a steganographically embedded digital representation of said credentials.
8. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the graphic image is:
a graphic image of at least a portion of the avatar; or
a visual document associated with the avatar.
9. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the avatar is wearing an item and wherein the graphic image is an image of the item being worn by the avatar.
10. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the method further comprises using the extracted embedded digital representation of the credentials to determine whether functional capability of the avatar is authorized.
11. A computer system comprising:
a memory; and
a processor in communications with the memory, wherein the computer system is configured to perform a method comprising:
determining, for a graphic image associated with an avatar in a virtual universe, the graphic image comprising a plurality of pixels forming a pixel bitmap for visually rendering on a graphical display, that the graphic image has embedded therewithin a digital representation of credentials of the avatar to access secure information in said virtual universe, wherein the plurality of pixels of the pixel bitmap have embedded therein at least a portion of the digital representation of the credentials, said determining comprising:
analyzing the graphic image associated with said avatar so as to identify and extract therefrom the embedded digital representation of said credentials.
12. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the analyzing comprises analyzing the graphic image associated with said avatar so as to extract therefrom a steganographically embedded digital representation of said credentials.
13. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the graphic image is:
a graphic image of at least a portion of the avatar; or
a visual document associated with the avatar.
14. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the avatar is wearing an item and wherein the graphic image is an image of the item being worn by the avatar.
15. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises using the extracted embedded digital representation of the credentials to determine whether functional capability of the avatar is authorized.