Personal Game Services Commerce System (PGSCS)

Abstract

A Personal Game Services Commerce System is disclosed. The system allows a user to contract with another user to perform service within a virtual environment. The services may include operating in a virtual environment on behalf of another user, operating as a team member, or operating as an opponent in competition. Memory state may be copied and used by the service-providing user. The user requesting the service may confirm that the service has been satisfactorily rendered before making the copied memory state permanent and/or before paying for the service. Users may select service-providing users based on any available criteria. Funds to pay for the service may be frozen while the service is being performed and until the recipient of the service confirms successful performance of the service.

1 . A method of detecting the selection of a first service-providing user to advance progress within a virtual environment on behalf of a requesting user, the method comprising:
 providing data on at least one service-providing user, the data comprising information about the first service-providing user;   detecting a selection of the first service-providing user by requesting user;   initiating an exchange service; and   enabling the first service-providing user to participate in the virtual environment with the requesting user or on behalf of the requesting user.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data on at least one service-providing user comprises service-providing user ratings for each of at least one service-providing users. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein initiating an exchange service comprises:
 freezing an amount of funds in a requesting user's account; and   transferring the amount of funds from the requesting user's account to a first service-providing user's account after receiving a notification from the requesting user that the first service-providing user has satisfactorily advanced progress within the virtual environment on behalf of the requesting user.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein enabling the first service-providing user to participate in the game on behalf of the requesting user comprises enabling the first service-providing user to participate in the virtual environment on behalf of the requesting user for a predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a request from the requesting user for the data on at least one service-providing user, the request comprising a specific service desired by the requesting user. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the data on at least one service-providing user comprises time estimates for completing the specified service for each of at least one service-providing users. 
     
     
         7 . A computer-readable storage medium including computer-executable instructions for facilitating the operation within a virtual environment by a service-providing user on behalf of a requesting user, the computer-executable instructions performing the steps of:
 creating a copied memory state from an original memory state associated with the requesting user, the copied memory state comprising contents identical to data contained in the original memory state;   permitting the service-providing user to operation within the virtual environment on behalf of the requesting user using the copied memory state;   detecting a first notification from the service-providing user that the service-providing user's operation within the virtual environment on behalf of the requesting user has ceased; and   sending a second notification to the requesting user that the service-providing user's operation within the virtual environment on behalf of the requesting user has ceased.   
     
     
         8 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 7 , further comprising computer-executable instructions performing the step of updating the copied memory state based on the service-providing user's operation within the virtual environment on behalf of the requesting user. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 7 , further comprising computer-executable instructions performing the step of receiving from the requesting user a third notification comprising a confirmation that the service-providing user has satisfactorily completed a task within the virtual environment. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , further comprising computer-executable instructions performing the step of, upon receiving the third notification, writing the contents of the copied memory state to the original memory state. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , further comprising computer-executable instructions performing the step of transferring an amount of funds from an account of the requesting user to an account of the service-providing user. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 7 , further comprising computer-executable instructions performing the step of receiving from the requesting user a third notification comprising a notification that the service-providing user has not satisfactorily completed a task. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , further comprising computer-executable instructions performing the step of sending a fourth notification to the service-providing user comprising a notification that the requesting user provided the third notification comprising a notification that the service-providing user has not satisfactorily completed the task. 
     
     
         14 . A system for evaluating the performance of a service-providing user who has operated within a virtual environment on behalf of a requesting user, the system comprising:
 a virtual environment system configured to enable the service-providing user to operate in the virtual environment on behalf of the requesting user, the virtual environment system further configured to enable the requesting user to view results of the operation in the virtual environment by the service-providing user on behalf of the requesting user; and   an evaluation system configured to receive a notification from the requesting user comprising an evaluation regarding the results of the operation in the virtual environment by the service-providing user on behalf of the requesting user.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the virtual environment system is further configured to enable the requesting user to observe the service-providing user operating in the virtual environment on behalf of the requesting user. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the virtual environment system is further configured to enable the service-providing user to operate in the virtual environment on behalf of the requesting user for a predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the game system is further configured to transfer an amount of funds from an account of the requesting user to an account of the service-providing user. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the amount of funds is based on a quantity of units of time during which the service-providing user operated in the virtual environment on behalf of the requesting user. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the amount of funds is determined by whether the service-providing user has completed a specific task while operating in the virtual environment on behalf of the requesting user. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the evaluation system is further configured to determine a rating for the service-providing user based at least in part on the evaluation received from the requesting user.