Patent Document ID: 8311877
Application ID: 13216742
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A method for market segmentation analysis, the method comprising the steps of: a computer collecting virtual universe data associated with interactions between avatars, entities, and objects in a virtual universe, wherein the computer collecting the virtual universe data comprises the computer recording portions of the virtual universe data as the interactions occur, the computer assigning based on a first group of the interactions, a first role to at least one of the avatars, the computer recording the first role, and the computer assigning, based on a second group of the interactions, a second role to the at least one of the avatars; the computer advertising for a market research program in the virtual universe and the computer receiving, from users, consent allowing collection of the virtual universe data; the computer presenting a reward to the users for giving the consent, wherein the reward represents value in the virtual universe; the computer determining criteria with which to perform a market segmentation analysis on the virtual universe data; the computer performing the market segmentation analysis on the virtual universe data, wherein the computer performing the market segmentation analysis on the virtual universe data comprises the computer analyzing a plurality of groups of the virtual universe data, wherein the groups are formed based on whether an avatar activity includes social activity and business activity in the virtual universe relative to a time of day, and wherein the plurality of groups comprise a first group that includes avatars that are in a social activity during morning hours of the day, a second group that includes avatars that are in a social activity during evening hours of the day, a third group that includes avatars that are in a business activity during morning hours of the day, and a fourth group that includes avatars that are in a business activity during afternoon and evening hours of the day; the computer marketing to the avatars based on which group of the plurality of groups that the avatars are included within; and the computer generating a report indicating results of the market segmentation analysis.