Systems and methods to control access to components of virtual objects
A computing system and method to implement a three-dimensional virtual reality world having user created virtual objects. A platonic object identifies a list of objects as different versions of the platonic object. Each respective object has: a blueprint identifying resource objects that are used to construct the respective object in the virtual reality world; and a provenance node identifying the platonic object of the respective object, a creator of the respective object, and a set of access control parameters of the respective object. A server computer hosting the virtual reality world control access to instances of the platonic object according to access control parameters stored in the tree of provenance nodes for the objects connected via the blueprints and the platonic object.
1. A method implemented for a three-dimensional virtual reality world,
the method comprising:
storing, in a data storage of a server computer hosting the virtual reality world, a platonic object identifying a list of objects as different versions of the platonic object, wherein the platonic object is a version-neutral representation of objects within the list of objects, wherein when a new version of the platonic object is created, the new version of the platonic object is appended to the list of objects;
storing, in the data storage, a respective blueprint of each respective object in the list of objects, the respective blueprint identifying a set of resource objects that are used to construct the respective object in the virtual reality world, and the respective blueprint identifying connections of the set of resource objects to each other within the respective object;
storing, in the data storage, a provenance node for the respective object in the list of objects, wherein the provenance node of the respective object identifies:
the platonic object;
a creator of the respective object; and
a set of access control parameters of the respective object, wherein each of the set of resource objects has a respective provenance node having access control parameters; and
controlling, by the server computer, access to instances of the platonic object according to access control parameters stored in the provenance node for the respective object and the respective provenance node of the each of the set of resource objects of the respective object.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the respective object has a shape and a size in the virtual reality world.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the blueprint identifies:
positions of the set of resource objects relative to each other within the respective object.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the set of access control parameters identified in the provenance node for the respective object includes at least one parameter identifying a permission to modify the blueprint of the respective object.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the permission indicates whether the respective object is modifiable by a user other than the creator in creating a new object.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the permission indicates whether the resource objects of the respective object are extractable for use in a context outside of the respective object.
7. The method of claim 2 , wherein each instance of a first object in the list of objects that are different versions of the platonic object is created as an instance of the platonic object having an indication of a version corresponding to the first object.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein in response to a request to render the instance of the first object, the method further comprises:
determining availability of a second object in the list of objects that are different versions of the platonic object, wherein the second object is a successor version of the first object; and
processing migration from the instance of the first object to an instance of the second object.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the server computer automatically initiates and completes the migration based on a compatibility between the first object and the second object and a preference of a user of the instance of the first object.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the processing the migration includes prompting a user of the instance of the first object to test an instance of the second object and accepting the instance of the second object as a replacement of the instance of the first object.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the instance of the first object is used in construction of a virtual object; and the processing the migration includes creating an update or upgraded version of the virtual object by replacing the instance of the first object with an instance of the second object.
12. The method of claim 2 , wherein the set of access control parameters identified in the provenance node for the respective object identifies a license for the respective object.
13. The method of claim 2 , wherein the set of access control parameters identified in the provenance node for the respective object identifies a price for the respective object.
14. The method of claim 2 , wherein the respective provenance node of each of the set of resource objects identifies a first price and a first creator.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein in response to a sale of an instance of the respective object, the method further comprises:
acquiring, automatically by the server computer, an instance of each of the set of resource objects of the respective object according to the first price from the first creator.
16. A non-transitory computer storage medium storing instructions configured to instruct a server computer hosting a three-dimensional virtual reality world to perform a method, the method comprising:
storing, in a data storage of the server computer hosting the virtual reality world, a platonic object identifying a list of objects as different versions of the platonic object, wherein when a new version of the platonic object is created, the new version of the platonic object is appended to the list of objects;
storing, in the data storage, a respective blueprint of each respective object in the list of objects, the respective blueprint identifying a set of resource objects that are used to construct the respective object in the virtual reality world, and the respective blueprint identifying connections of the set of resource objects to each other within the respective object;
storing, in the data storage, a provenance node for the respective object in the list of objects, wherein the provenance node of the respective object identifies:
the platonic object;
a creator of the respective object; and
a set of access control parameters of the respective object, wherein each of the set of resource objects has a respective provenance node having access control parameters; and
controlling, by the server computer, access to instances of the platonic object according to access control parameters stored in the provenance node for the respective object and the respective provenance node of the each of the set of resource objects of the respective object.
17. A computing system hosting a three-dimensional virtual reality world, the system comprising:
a data storage device storing:
a three-dimensional model of the virtual reality world;
avatar models representing residences of the virtual reality world;
a platonic object identifying a list of objects as different versions of the platonic object, wherein when a new version of the platonic object is created, the new version of the platonic object is appended to the list of objects;
a respective blueprint of each respective object in the list of objects, the respective blueprint identifying a set of resource objects that are used to construct the respective object in the virtual reality world, and the respective blueprint identifying connections of the set of resource objects to each other within the respective object; and
a provenance node for the respective object in the list of objects, wherein the provenance node of the respective object identifies:
the platonic object;
a creator of the respective object; and
a set of access control parameters of the respective object, wherein each of the set of resource objects has a respective provenance node having access control parameters; and
a server computer configured to:
render the three-dimensional model of the virtual reality world according to view points of avatars generated according to the avatar models, including instances of the platonic object; and
control access to the instances of the platonic object according to access control parameters stored in the provenance node for the respective object and the respective provenance node of the each of the set of resource objects of the respective object.
18. The computing system of claim 17 , wherein the access to the instances of the platonic object includes usage of an instance of the respective object in creation of a virtual object in the virtual reality world.
19. The computing system of claim 17 , wherein the access to the instances of the platonic object includes acquisition of the instances by users different from one or more creators of the list of objects that are different versions of the platonic object.
20. The computing system of claim 17 , wherein the access to the instances of the platonic object includes acquisition of instances of the set of resource objects of the respective object during acquisition of an instance of the respective object.