Patent ID: 8913063

Claim:
A computer-implemented method to limit display of prohibited patterns in a virtual environment, comprising: determining that a group of avatars are controlled by an automated computer program code, and not controlled by a user, based on predetermined attributes of the group of avatars; determining that the automated computer program code, and not the user, has issued commands that cause the group of avatars to be disposed in a formation in the virtual environment in a manner that visually matches a prohibited pattern when viewed from an aerial perspective, by; creating a map containing coordinates of each of the group of avatars creating the formation; and matching a threshold number of the coordinates of the map to a predefined set of coordinates of the prohibited pattern, wherein the prohibited pattern defines a formation of avatars that resembles at least one of: (i) a prohibited word, (ii) a prohibited symbol, and (iii) a prohibited shape; and performing a remedial action to disrupt the current disposition of the group of avatars, thereby limiting display of prohibited patterns in the virtual environment.