Patent ID: 8671198

Claim:
A computer system for accessing resources on a client computer from within a virtual universe, comprising: at least one processing unit; memory operably associated with the at least one processing unit; a resource access system storable in memory and executable by the at least one processing unit, the resource access system comprising: computer program code for obtaining an inventory of resources from the client computer and generating renderings of the resources in the virtual universe, wherein the renderings of the resources are placed in an avatar inventory containing a listing of properties and possessions that are for use in the virtual universe and that belong to an avatar residing in the virtual universe; computer program code for managing resources acquired from the client computer, wherein the computer program code for managing the resources makes newly discovered resources available to the avatar in response to discovering the resources and notification to the avatar of the newly discovered resources, the newly discovered resources including new or reattached devices to the client computer, and new or reconnected resources to the client computer, and assigns acquired resources a unique identifier and loads the acquired resources into a virtual universe database; and computer program code for allowing the avatar to interact with the resources in the virtual universe, to view, modify, and run resources on the client computer, wherein the computer program code for allowing the avatar to interact with the resources provides a transport facility for loading resources from the client computer to the virtual universe, wherein the transport facility loads the resources into the avatar inventory, and an export facility for uploading resources from the virtual universe to the client computer.