Method for describing objects in a virtual space

Abstract

A method for describing objects in a virtual space. In one embodiment, each object is a URL, which has been assigned to a system of hierarchical categories. The objects have been mapped to a map region, each object having been given a location within the map region. Each category within the map region is defined as a polygon area covering all of the category's objects as well as all of the category's subcategories. A client computer can request a portion of the map to be visualized. A host computer receives the request and retrieves the appropriate objects and categories from a database. The host computer forms the response to the request using a protocol which describes facts, location, and metadata about the objects and categories. The encoded response is delivered to the client. The client decodes the response and renders the objects and categories for the user. Different types of clients can concurrently request object descriptions from the server.

1 . A method for describing a plurality of objects in a map of a virtual space, the method comprising: 
 expressing an world position for each of the plurality of objects, where the object position defines the location of the object within the virtual space;    listing object metadata for each of the plurality of objects, where the object metadata characterizes detail information about each of the plurality of objects.    
   
   
       2 . The method for describing a plurality of objects in a map of a virtual space from  claim 1 , wherein the step of expressing a world position comprises expressing an x-coordinate and a z-coordinate of the object on the map.  
   
   
       3 . The method for describing a plurality of objects in a map of a virtual space from  claim 1 , wherein the step of listing object metadata comprises listing how much graphical material each of the plurality of objects contains.  
   
   
       4 . The method for describing a plurality of objects in a map of a virtual space from  claim 1 , wherein the step of listing object metadata comprises listing a title for each of the plurality of objects.  
   
   
       5 . The method for describing a plurality of objects in a map of a virtual space from  claim 1 , wherein the step of listing object metadata comprises listing a description for each of the plurality of objects.  
   
   
       6 . The method for describing a plurality of objects in a map of a virtual space from  claim 1 , wherein the step of listing object metadata comprises listing a page count of the number of pages contained within each of the plurality of objects.  
   
   
       7 . The method for describing a plurality of objects in a map of a virtual space from  claim 1 , wherein the step of listing object metadata comprises listing a out-links count of the number of links pointing away from each of the plurality of objects.  
   
   
       8 . The method for describing a plurality of objects in a map of a virtual space from  claim 1 , wherein the step of listing object metadata comprises listing a in-links count of the number of links pointing to each of the plurality of objects.  
   
   
       9 . The method for describing a plurality of objects in a map of a virtual space from  claim 1 , wherein the step of listing object metadata comprises listing a rating for each of the plurality of objects.  
   
   
       10 . The method for describing a plurality of objects in a map of a virtual space from  claim 1 , wherein the step of listing object metadata comprises listing a logo for a company associated to each of the plurality of objects.  
   
   
       11 . The method for describing a plurality of objects in a map of a virtual space from  claim 1 , wherein the step of listing object metadata comprises listing contact information for a company associated to each of the plurality of objects.  
   
   
       12 . The method for describing a plurality of objects in a map of a virtual space from  claim 1 , wherein the step of listing object metadata comprises listing an industry SIC code for a company associated to each of the plurality of objects.  
   
   
       13 . The method for describing a plurality of objects in a map of a virtual space from  claim 1 , wherein the step of listing object metadata comprises listing a trading symbol for a company associated to each of the plurality of objects.  
   
   
       14 . The method for describing a plurality of objects in a map of a virtual space from  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 designating at least one category for the map, where the step of designating comprises: 
 listing category metadata for each of the categories, where the category metadata discloses detail information about each of the categories; and  
 defining a category bounds on the map for each of the categories.  
   
   
   
       15 . The method for describing a plurality of objects in a map of a virtual space from  claim 14 , wherein the step of defining a category bounds comprises defining an x-coordinate, a z-coordinate, a width-coordinate, and a height-coordinate for the category.  
   
   
       16 . The method for describing a plurality of objects in a map of a virtual space from  claim 14 , wherein the step of listing a category metadata comprises listing a category identifier.  
   
   
       17 . The method for describing a plurality of objects in a map of a virtual space from  claim 14 , wherein the step of listing a category metadata comprises listing a depth identifier for describing a hierarchical depth of the category.  
   
   
       18 . The method for describing a plurality of objects in a map of a virtual space from  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 defining a map bounds, for describing what portion of the virtual space is shown by the map; and    listing map metadata, for describing detail characteristics of the map.    
   
   
       19 . The method for describing a plurality of objects in a map of a virtual space from  claim 18 , wherein the step of expressing a map bounds comprises defining an x-coordinate, a z-coordinate, a width-coordinate, and a height-coordinate for the map.  
   
   
       20 . The method for describing a plurality of objects in a map of a virtual space from  claim 18 , wherein the step of listing a category metadata comprises listing a maximum page count corresponding to the highest number of pages for any of the objects.  
   
   
       21 . The method for describing a plurality of objects in a map of a virtual space from  claim 18 , wherein the step of listing a category metadata comprises listing a maximum out-links corresponding to the highest number of links pointing away from any of the objects.  
   
   
       22 . The method for describing a plurality of objects in a map of a virtual space from  claim 18 , wherein the step of listing a category metadata comprises listing a maximum in-links corresponding to the highest number of links pointing to any of the objects.  
   
   
       23 . The method for describing a plurality of objects in a map of a virtual space from  claim 18 , wherein the step of listing a category metadata comprises listing a maximum rating for any of the objects.  
   
   
       24 . The method for describing a plurality of objects in a map of a virtual space from  claim 18 , wherein the step of listing a category metadata comprises listing a metadata range, where the metadata range is the minimum value of the metadata or the maximum value of the metadata for any of the objects.  
   
   
       25 . The method for describing a plurality of objects in a map of a virtual space from any one of the previous claims, wherein the plurality of objects are URLs.  
   
   
       26 . The method for describing a plurality of objects in a map of a virtual space from any one of the previous claims, wherein XML protocol is used to describe the plurality of objects in the map of the virtual space.  
   
   
       27 . The method for describing a plurality of objects in a map of a virtual space from  claim 26 , wherein XML namespaces are used to enable extension of XML protocol.