Patent ID: 8126817

Claim:
A method, performed with a computer system, for providing repair assistance for a real-world product using a virtual universe, the method comprising: using the computer system to perform the following: receiving diagnostic information relating to the real-world product; ascertaining repair assistance information for the real-world product from the received diagnostic information, wherein the ascertaining of repair assistance information comprises mapping the diagnostic information to a plurality of root causes that associate with the diagnostic information and a plurality of repair solutions that correct each of the root causes in the real-world product; generating a rendition of a graphical representation of the real-world product along with the repair assistance information for display to a resident on-line in the virtual universe; highlighting a part of the real-world product as shown in the graphical representation of the rendition that is the likely cause for the generation of the diagnostic information; placing the rendition of the graphical representation of the real-world product along with the highlighted part of the real-world product that is the likely cause for the generation of the diagnostic information and the repair assistance information in an inventory of the resident that is associated with the virtual universe for subsequent interaction by the resident to facilitate an understanding of how to repair the real-world product, wherein the inventory contains a listing of properties and possessions in the virtual universe that are associated with the resident; notifying a service provider to summon a service avatar to the location of the resident in the virtual universe to assist in repair of the real-world product, the resident interacting with the service avatar and watching the service avatar repair the graphical representation of the real-world product in the virtual universe, the repair of the graphical representation of the real-world product being recorded and stored in the inventory of the resident for later viewing by the resident or used by the service provider to provide to other residents in the virtual universe that have real-world products experiencing similar diagnostic information as the resident; and generating a teleport invitation to the resident that will bring the resident upon acceptance of the invitation to a virtual service center for obtaining additional repair assistance for the real-world product.