Patent ID: 8187067

Claim:
A method, performed on a computer system using a processor, for automatically transforming an inventory item associated with an avatar that is online in a virtual universe, comprising, using said processor on said computer system to perform the following: locating the avatar in the virtual universe; and automatically transforming an inventory item within an inventory associated with the avatar according to predetermined inventory item transformation criteria, the inventory containing a listing of properties and possessions that are for use in the virtual universe and that belong to the avatar, wherein the automatic transforming of the inventory item changes the inventory item to conform with any avatar characteristic requirements associated with being allowed to enter or remain in a location that the avatar is currently in and to conform with the avatar characteristics of a plurality of avatars that are in a general vicinity of the avatar, wherein a statistical analysis is performed on the avatar characteristics associated with the plurality of avatars that are in the general vicinity of the avatar to determine which avatar characteristics may be necessary to enter or remain in this vicinity, the statistical analysis comprises determining a percentage of avatar characteristics that the plurality of avatars in the general vicinity have in common with each other that may be necessary to enter or remain in this vicinity in order to invoke an inventory item change to conform with a common avatar characteristic shared by the plurality of avatars.