Patent ID: 7925703

Claim:
A method in which a plurality of members interacts within an immersive online community having avatar virtual objects, said method comprising the steps of: interconnecting multiple computers using telecommunications mechanisms optimized for low band width connections; compiling a script into a compact byte-code representation optimized for low bandwidth clients that is inserted into the text of a webpage enabling low bandwidth clients to interact with the immersive virtual world; enabling an interface engine on a client-side corresponding to each client to interpret the byte-code representation; defining functions for a chat room that corresponds to the webpage with the interface engine on the client-side, wherein the interface engine associated with each client is communicatively coupled to a chat server that is on a server-side; providing a set of user tools including identity tools that allows users of each client computer to select a set of characteristics to represent avatar objects wherein each of said characteristics is associated with a unique personality specified by the user and represents the user in the online community; providing a set of interface tools that are configured to support having said avatar objects interact with each other so that said avatar objects receive real-time responses to stimuli initiated by other avatar objects, said set of interface tools comprising the interface engine; downloading the interface engine that supports low bandwidth connections to each client, wherein the interface engine is configured as a Java applet that is cached within a Java enabled web browser; navigating said avatar objects on each client within the confines of the immersive online community by receiving dynamically generated content; enabling a peer governance tool that includes, allowing a member to censor other members with a user created list of blacklisted words that are used in the chat room; and enabling an administrator to identify chat conversations that have at least one blacklisted word or phrase to establish community control measures when the members communicate with one another in the immersive online community.