Method and apparatus for managing ownership of virtual property

Abstract

A method and apparatus for managing ownership of virtual property accessible to users is provided by a computer-implemented system connected to a network. This method and apparatus further comprises maintaining an inventory of virtual properties, managing ownership of virtual properties, and allowing use of virtual properties by corresponding property owners within corresponding network spaces. In particular, virtual properties are purchased from a system by user computers, wherein virtual properties may be accessed by a user and/or sold or traded to other users which may include auction websites

1 . A computerized method of managing virtual properties, the method comprising:
 maintaining on one or more storage devices a data structure indicating ownership of respective virtual properties, wherein ownership of a virtual property allows a respective owner to use the virtual property in one or more networked computer games;   receiving a virtual property transfer indication indicating that a first virtual property was won by a first owner from a second owner in one of the networked computer games; and   in response to receiving the virtual property transfer indication, updating the data structure to indicate that the first owner is the owner of the first virtual property and that the second owner is not the owner of the first virtual property so that the first owner is allowed to use the virtual property in the one or more networked computer games and the second owner is not allowed to use the virtual property in the one or more networked computer games,   wherein at least some of the method is performed by a computing system having one or more computing devices.   
     
     
         2 . The computerized method of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual property comprises a weapon or a key that is usable in one or more of the networked computer games. 
     
     
         3 . The computerized method of  claim 1 , wherein said maintaining is performed by an entity that is different than an entity that provides the one or more networked computer games. 
     
     
         4 . The computerized method of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual property transfer indication is received from a computer server that at least partially manages one or more of the networked computer games. 
     
     
         5 . The computerized method of  claim 1 , wherein a first of the one or more storage devices is maintained by a first entity and a second of the one or more storage devices is maintained by a second entity, wherein the data structure comprises data on each of the first and second storage devices. 
     
     
         6 . A computing system for managing virtual properties, the computing system comprising:
 a storage device configured to store a data structure indicating ownership of virtual properties by respective computer users;   a network interface configured to receive an indication of a virtual property transfer from one or more gaming computing systems configured to coordinate online games between computer users, wherein the indication indicates that a first property was won by a first computer user from a second computer user in an online game; and   at least one processor configured to execute a software module configured to
 update the data structure to indicate that the first computer user is the owner of the first property; and 
 update the data structure to indicate that the second computer user is not the owner of the first property; 
   
     
     
         7 . The computing system of  claim 6 , wherein the software module is further configured to:
 receive queries from computing systems requesting information regarding ownership of virtual properties by the first and/or second user.   
     
     
         8 . The computing system of  claim 6 , wherein the virtual property comprises a weapon or a key. 
     
     
         9 . A tangible computer readable medium having software instructions stored thereon that are readable by a computing system comprising one or more computing devices, wherein the software instructions are executable on the computing system in order to cause the computing system to perform a method comprising:
 maintaining on one or more storage devices a data structure indicating ownership of respective virtual properties, wherein ownership of a virtual property allows the respective owner to use the virtual property in one or more networked computer games;   receiving a virtual property transfer indication indicating that a first virtual property was won by a first owner from a second owner in one of the networked computer games; and   in response to receiving the virtual property transfer indication, updating the data structure to indicate that the first owner is the owner of the first virtual property and that the second owner is not the owner of the first virtual property so that the first owner is allowed to use the virtual property in the one or more networked computer games and the second owner is not allowed to use the virtual property in the one or more networked computer games.   
     
     
         10 . A computerized method of managing access to a software application, the method comprising:
 maintaining on one or more storage devices a software application that is configured for use by one or more users via networked communications, wherein the software application is not available for download by the one or more users;   maintaining a data structure indicating ownership of the software application by one or more users;   receiving requests for access to the software application by respective requesting users; and   in response to respective requests for access to the software application by respective requesting users, accessing the data structure in order to determine if the respective requesting user is one of the owners of the software application and allowing the respective user to access the software application only if the user is determined to be one of the owners of the software application,   wherein at least some of the method is performed by a computing system having one or more computing devices.   
     
     
         11 . The computerized method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 receiving a software ownership transfer indication indicating that ownership of the software application should be changed from a first user to a second user; and   in response to receiving the software ownership transfer indication, updating the data structure to indicate that the second user is the owner of the software application and that the first user is not the owner of the software application so that the second user is allowed to access the software application via one or more networked connections and the first user is not allowed to access the software application.   
     
     
         12 . The computerized method of  claim 10 , wherein the software application comprises a word processing software application. 
     
     
         13 . The computerized method of  claim 10 , wherein the software application is accessed via a web browser. 
     
     
         14 . The computerized method of  claim 11 , further comprising receiving a second software ownership transfer indication indicating that ownership of a second software application should be changed from the second user to the first user such that the first and second users trade ownership in the first and second software applications. 
     
     
         15 . The computerized method of  claim 11 , wherein the software ownership transfer indication is transmitted to the computing system in response to verifying a payment from the second user to the first user for transfer of ownership of the software application to the second user. 
     
     
         16 . A computing system for managing ownership of software applications, the computing system comprising:
 one or more storage devices storing a data structure indicating ownership of respective software applications, wherein the software applications are not available for download;   a network interface configured to receive ownership transfer indications indicating one or more particular software applications for which ownership is to be transferred from a transferring party to a receiving party; and   a processor configured to access the ownership transfer indications and, for each ownership transfer indication, update the data structure to indicate that the receiving party is the owner of the one or more particular software applications and that the transferring party is not the owner of the one or more particular software applications so that the receiving party is allowed to access the one or more particular software applications via one or more networked connections and the transferring party is not allowed to access the one or more particular software applications.   
     
     
         17 . The computing system of  claim 16 , wherein access to a particular software application comprises accessing features of the particular software application via a web browser without downloading the particular software application to a computing device on which the features are accessed. 
     
     
         18 . The computing system of  claim 16 , wherein the ownership transfer indication indicates that ownership of a particular software application has been sold from the transferring party to the receiving party. 
     
     
         19 . The computing system of  claim 16 , wherein the ownership transfer indication indicates that ownership of a particular software application has been traded in exchange for transfer of ownership of one or more other assets from the receiving entity to the transmitting entity. 
     
     
         20 . The computing system of  claim 16 , wherein at least some of the software applications are stored on another computing system and are accessible by entities based on respective ownership rights indicated in the data structure. 
     
     
         21 . A tangible computer readable medium having software instructions stored thereon that are readable by a computing system comprising one or more computing devices, wherein the software instructions are executable on the computing system in order to cause the computing system to perform a method comprising:
 receiving requests for access to respective software applications by respective requesting users, wherein access to a particular software application includes access to features of the particular software application and does allow downloading of the particular software application; and   in response to respective requests for access to respective software application by respective requesting users,
 accessing a data structure storing indications of ownership of respective software applications in order to determine if the respective requesting user owns the software application; and 
 allowing the respective user to access the respective software application only if the user is determined to own the respective software application. 
   
     
     
         22 . The tangible computer readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the features of a first software application include word processing features that are accessible via a web browser.