Patent Document ID: 9117193
Application ID: 12554097

Base Claim:
1. A computer implemented method for providing affinity data in a virtual universe (VU), the computer performing the steps of: creating a first description of a VU objective entity, said first description comprising a plurality of descriptive elements, wherein said VU objective entity is a first inanimate object that is not an avatar; generating, from said first description, an affinity measure of the VU objective entity to a second inanimate object that is not an avatar, said second inanimate object having a second description comprising a further plurality of descriptive elements, said generating step including a comparison of said first description of said VU objective entity with said second description of said second inanimate object to find matches between said plurality of descriptive elements of said first description and said further plurality of descriptive elements of said second description; displaying the affinity measure to an owner of the second inanimate object, giving the owner an opportunity to determine a response as desired; and controlling operation of the second inanimate object based on the response by the owner of the second inanimate object to the displayed affinity measure in regard to the VU objective entity, wherein the affinity measure is a measure of similarity of descriptive elements and/or number of similar descriptive elements that are held in common by both the first description of the VU objective entity and the second description of the second inanimate object according to said matches found from said comparison, and wherein said displaying step displays said affinity measure as a compiled list of description elements which match for both the VU objective entity and the second inanimate object or as a metric describing an overall match between said plurality of descriptive elements of said first description and said further plurality of descriptive elements of said second description.

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Claim 8:
8. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a step of: providing affinity data for a second VU objective entity, the first VU objective entity and the second VU objective entity each being an inanimate object representing a retail business, the retail business meeting criteria established by a VU subject, and further comprising a step of: teleporting the VU subject to whichever of the first and second VU objective entities has a higher affinity measure.