Generating data for managing encounters in a virtual world environment

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for providing information for avoiding specific users of an immersive virtual environment. Generally, a primary user may specify other users to be avoided in a blacklist. The blacklisted users may be specified to be avoided at all times, or may be specified to be avoided in certain situations. In one embodiment, a user may be added to the blacklist during a specific situation, resulting in the characteristics of the situation being automatically stored in the blacklist. Subsequently, the blacklist may be used to determine the locations of the blacklisted users matching the current situation. The primary user may then avoid the locations having the greatest probability of encountering blacklisted users.

1 . A computer implemented method, comprising:
 receiving, from a first user, a selection indicating a preference of the first user towards encountering the second user while present in a virtual world;   determining a current situational context for the first user within the virtual world; and   storing the selection of the second user together with the current situational context in a searchable data structure.   
   
   
       2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the selection of the second user comprises a selection by the first user of a graphically represented avatar of the second user within a visual display of the virtual world. 
   
   
       3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the current situational context for the first user includes at least one of: (i) a location, (ii) a time frame, (iii) a companion user, (iv) a current activity, (v) a user profile, (vi) an amount of ambient light, and (vii) a membership in a user group. 
   
   
       4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining one or more other users that are similar to the second user;   providing the determined one or more other users to the user; and   receiving, from the first user, a selection of at least one of the determined one or more other users to be stored together with the current situational context in the searchable data structure.   
   
   
       5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the first user, an indication of a degree of preference towards encountering the second user; and   storing the received indication together with the selection of the second user and the current situational context in the searchable data structure.   
   
   
       6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein the received indication of the degree of preference indicates a desire to encounter the avatar of the second user in the virtual world. 
   
   
       7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein the received indication of the degree of preference indicates a desire to avoid encountering the avatar of the second user in the virtual world. 
   
   
       8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the first user, a specification of one or more other users, the specification indicating a preference of the first user towards encountering the second user while in the presence of the one or more other users.   
   
   
       9 . A computer-readable storage medium including a program, which when executed on a processor performs an operation, comprising:
 receiving, from a first user, a selection indicating a preference of the first user towards encountering the second user while present in a virtual world;   determining a current situational context for the first user within the virtual world; and   storing the selection of the second user together with the current situational context in a searchable data structure.   
   
   
       10 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein the selection of the second user comprises a selection by the first user of a graphically represented avatar of the second user within a visual display of the virtual world. 
   
   
       11 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein the current situational context for the first user includes at least one of: (i) a location, (ii) a time frame, (iii) a companion user, (iv) a current activity, (v) a user profile, (vi) an amount of ambient light, and (vii) a membership in a user group. 
   
   
       12 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 determining one or more other users that are similar to the second user;   providing the determined one or more other users to the user; and   receiving, from the first user, a selection of at least one of the determined one or more other users to be stored together with the current situational context in the searchable data structure.   
   
   
       13 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the first user, an indication of a degree of preference towards encountering the second user; and   storing the received indication together with the selection of the second user and the current situational context in the searchable data structure.   
   
   
       14 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the received indication of the degree of preference indicates a desire to encounter the avatar of the second user in the virtual world. 
   
   
       15 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the received indication of the degree of preference indicates a desire to avoid encountering the avatar of the second user in the virtual world. 
   
   
       16 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the first user, a specification of one or more other users, the specification indicating a preference of the first user towards encountering the second user while in the presence of the one or more other users.   
   
   
       17 . A system, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory containing a program, which when executed by the processor is configured to perform the steps of:
 receiving, from a first user, a selection indicating a preference of the first user towards encountering the second user while present in a virtual world; 
 determining a current situational context for the first user within the virtual world; and 
 storing the selection of the second user together with the current situational context in a searchable data structure. 
   
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the selection of the second user comprises a selection by the first user of a graphically represented avatar of the second user within a visual display of the virtual world. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the current situational context for the first user includes at least one of: (i) a location, (ii) a time frame, (iii) a companion user, (iv) a current activity, (v) a user profile, (vi) an amount of ambient light, and (vii) a membership in a user group. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the program further comprises the steps of:
 determining one or more other users that are similar to the second user;   providing the determined one or more other users to the user; and   receiving, from the first user, a selection of at least one of the determined one or more other users to be stored together with the current situational context in the searchable data structure.   
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the program further comprises the steps of:
 receiving, from the first user, an indication of a degree of preference towards encountering the second user; and   storing the received indication together with the selection of the second user and the current situational context in the searchable data structure.   
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the received indication of the degree of preference indicates a desire to encounter the avatar of the second user in the virtual world. 
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the received indication of the degree of preference indicates a desire to avoid encountering the avatar of the second user in the virtual world. 
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the program further comprises the step of:
 receiving, from the first user, a specification of one or more other users, the specification indicating a preference of the first user towards encountering the second user while in the presence of the one or more other users.