Patent ID: 8117550

Claim:
A computer implemented method for real to virtual communications, comprising: receiving a request from a first handheld device associated with a first participant of a virtual environment to initiate an anonymous avatar-based communication associated with the virtual environment, wherein the request is initiated by the first participant selecting an avatar from a contact list of avatars maintained on the first handheld device to enable interaction between the first participant and other participants of the virtual environment when the first participant is not logged into the virtual environment; referencing a data store to identify a second participant of the virtual environment that is associated with the avatar; determining whether the second participant is logged into the virtual environment; when the second participant is logged into the virtual environment, enabling the anonymous avatar-based communication between the first handheld device associated with the first participant and a computer at which the second participant has logged into the virtual environment; when the second participant is not logged into the virtual environment, determining whether the second participant has registered a second handheld device to receive the anonymous avatar-based communications; in response to determining that the second participant has registered the second handheld device, enabling the anonymous avatar-based communication between the first handheld device associated with the first participant and the second handheld device associated with the second participant; in response to determining that the second participant has registered the second handheld device with the virtual environment, determining whether the second handheld device associated with the second participant is available for communication; communicating with the second handheld device in response to determining that the second handheld device associated with the second participant is available for communication; identifying a third participant of the virtual environment that is associated with a second avatar; and communicating with a third mobile device associated with the third participant simultaneous to communicating with the second handheld device.