Patent ID: 8849917

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of providing communication in a virtual universe (VU), the method being implemented by a computer system that includes one or more physical processors executing one or more computer program instructions which, when executed, perform the method, the method comprising: instantiating, by the computer system, an information channel for a first client of the VU, the information channel comprising a data link over which data may be transferred to another client of the VU; assigning, by the computer system, the information channel to the first client; granting, by the computer system, at least one additional client of the VU access to the information channel assigned to the first client; linking, by the computer system, the information channel and a second information channel assigned to at least one other client, wherein the information channel and the second information channel are managed by a host of the VU, wherein no client is associated with both the information channel and the second information channel prior to the linking, and wherein the linking of the information channel and the second information channel is initiated by at least one request from at least one of the first client, the at least one additional client, or the at least one other client; and conveying, by the computer system, data placed on the information channel or the second information channel to the first client, the at least one additional client, and the at least one other client.