Patent ID: 7962852

Claim:
An information processing apparatus for managing a virtual space, the information apparatus comprising: a processor; a memory device storing instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: (a) maintain the virtual space, wherein the virtual space includes: (i) a user space that virtually represents an area owned and occupied by a first user, wherein the first user controls admission of other users to the user space for chat sessions with the first user; and (ii) a plurality of spatial locations rendered as three dimensional images, said plurality of spatial locations including: (A) a first spatial location rendered as a first three dimensional image; and (B) a second spatial location rendered as a second three dimensional image; (b) store: (i) the user space; (ii) the plurality of spatial locations; (iii) a list of spatial locations corresponding to the first user, wherein the list of spatial locations lists spatial locations recorded by the first user including the second spatial location; and (iv) at least one list of other users associated with a chat session within the user space, wherein said list of other users: (A) is generated by the first user; and (B) includes: (x) at least one other user denied admission to the user space; and (y) at least one other user granted admission to the user space; (c) place the list of spatial locations at a position in said first spatial location rendered as said first three dimensional image, wherein: (i) the position in said first three dimensional spatial location is designated by the first user; and (ii) in response to at least one second user selecting said second spatial location from said list of spatial locations which is placed at said position by said first user, a graphical representation of said at least one second user is moved from said first spatial location to said second spatial location; (d) notify the first user when a requesting users makes a request for admission to the user space occupied by the first user; (e) determine: (i) based on the request for admission, whether the requesting user is denied admission to the user space or granted admission to the user space based on the list of users; and (ii) based on a time associated with the request for admission, whether the requesting user is denied admission to the user space based on a passing of a predetermined period of time; and (f) control admission of the requesting user to the user space based on a response from the first user.