System and method for providing a software development kit to enable configuration of virtual counterparts of action figures or action figure accessories

Abstract

In certain implementations, a software development kit to enable configuration of virtual counterparts of action figures or action figure accessories may be provided. As an example, the software development kit may enable a developer to associate a state or behavior of an action figure type with a virtual state or behavior of a corresponding virtual counterpart type in a virtual environment such that, when an action figure (of that type) exhibits the state or behavior, a corresponding virtual counterpart is caused to exhibit the virtual state or behavior in the virtual environment. The software development kit may, for example, enable the same state or behavior to be associated with different action figure types and/or different virtual states or behaviors such that, even when action figures of different action figure types exhibit the same state or behavior, their corresponding virtual counterparts may be caused to exhibit different virtual states or behaviors.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of providing a software development kit to enable configuration of virtual counterparts of action figures, the method being implemented on a computer system that includes one or more physical processors executing computer program instructions, which when executed, perform the method, the method comprising:
 providing, by the computer system, a software development kit that enables a developer to associate a state or behavior of an action figure type with a virtual state or behavior of a corresponding virtual counterpart type in a virtual environment such that, when an action figure of the action figure type exhibits the state or behavior, a virtual counterpart of the action figure is caused to exhibit the virtual state or behavior in the virtual environment;   receiving, at the computer system, via the software development kit, a first request to associate a first state or behavior, a first action figure type, and a first virtual state or behavior of a corresponding first virtual counterpart type in a first virtual environment such that, when a first action figure of the first action figure type exhibits the first state or behavior, a first virtual counterpart of the first action figure is caused to exhibit the first virtual state or behavior in the first virtual environment;   storing, by the computer system, a first definition indicating the association of the first state or behavior, the first action figure type, and the first virtual state or behavior;   receiving, at the computer system, via the software development kit, a second request to associate the first state or behavior, a second action figure type, a second virtual state or behavior of a corresponding second virtual counterpart type in the first virtual environment such that, when a second action figure of the second action figure type exhibits the first state or behavior, a second virtual counterpart of the second action figure is caused to exhibit the second virtual state or behavior in the first virtual environment, wherein the second action figure type is different from the first action figure type, and the second virtual state or behavior is different from the first virtual state or behavior; and   storing, by the computer system, a second definition indicating the association of the first state or behavior, the second action figure type, and the second virtual state or behavior.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the computer system, from the first action figure, first action figure information identifying the first action figure exhibiting the first state or behavior with respect to one or more first moveable parts of the first action figure;   presenting, by the computer system, based on the first action figure information and the first definition, the first virtual counterpart exhibiting the first virtual state or behavior in the first virtual environment;   receiving, at the computer system, from a second action figure, second action figure information identifying the second action figure exhibiting the first state or behavior with respect to one or more second moveable parts of the second action figure; and   presenting, by the computer system, based on the second action figure information and the second definition, the second virtual counterpart exhibiting the second virtual state or behavior in the first virtual environment.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more first moveable parts of the first action figure comprises one or more first movable appendages of the first action figure, and the one or more second moveable parts of the second action figure comprises one or more second movable appendages of the second action figure. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first state or behavior comprises a first state corresponding to a first pose with respect to one or more moveable parts. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first state or behavior comprises a first behavior corresponding to movement of a moveable part in a first direction. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first state or behavior comprises a first behavior corresponding to a first movement pattern with respect to one or more moveable parts. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first virtual state or behavior comprises a first action of a first action type performable in the first virtual environment, and wherein the second virtual state or behavior comprises a second action of a second action type performable in the first virtual environment that is different from the first action type. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the computer system, via the software development kit, a third request to associate a second state or behavior, the first action figure type, and a third virtual state or behavior of the corresponding first virtual counterpart type such that, when the first action figure exhibits the second state or behavior, the first virtual counterpart is caused to exhibit the third virtual state or behavior in the first virtual environment;   storing, by the computer system, a third definition indicating the association of the second state or behavior, the first action figure type, and the third virtual state or behavior;   receiving, at the computer system, via the software development kit, a fourth request to associate the second state or behavior, the first action figure type, and a fourth virtual state or behavior of a corresponding third virtual counterpart type in a second virtual environment such that, when the first action figure exhibits the second state or behavior, a third virtual counterpart of the first action figure is caused to exhibit the fourth virtual state or behavior in the second virtual environment, wherein the fourth virtual state or behavior is different from the third virtual state or behavior;   storing, by the computer system, a fourth definition indicating the association of the second state or behavior, the first action figure type, and the fourth virtual state or behavior;   receiving, at the computer system, from the first action figure during a first session associated with the first virtual environment, third action figure information identifying the first action figure exhibiting the second state or behavior with respect to the one or more first moveable parts;   presenting, by the computer system, based on the third action figure information and the third definition, during the first session, the first virtual counterpart exhibiting the third virtual state or behavior in the first virtual environment;   receiving, at the computer system, from the first action figure during a second session associated with the second virtual environment, fourth action figure information identifying the first action figure exhibiting the second state or behavior; and   presenting, by the computer system, based on the fourth action figure information and the fourth definition, during the second session, the first virtual counterpart exhibiting the fourth virtual state or behavior in the second virtual environment.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the computer system, via the software development kit, a third request to associate the first state or behavior, a third action figure type, and a third virtual state or behavior of a corresponding third virtual counterpart type in a second virtual environment such that, when a third action figure of the third action figure type exhibits the first state or behavior, a third virtual counterpart of the third action figure is caused to exhibit the third virtual state or behavior in the second virtual environment;   storing, by the computer system, a third definition indicating the association of the first state or behavior, the third action figure, and the third virtual state or behavior;   receiving, at the computer system, from the third action figure, third action figure information identifying the third action figure exhibiting the first state or behavior with respect to one or more third moveable parts of the third action figure; and   presenting, by the computer system, based on the third action figure information and the third definition, the third virtual counterpart exhibiting the third virtual state or behavior in the second virtual environment.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first action figure, the second action figure, and the third action figure are different action figures. 
     
     
         11 . A system for providing a software development kit to enable configuration of virtual counterparts of action figures, the system comprising:
 one or more physical processors programmed to execute computer program instructions which, when executed, cause the one or more physical processors to:
 provide a software development kit that enables a developer to associate a state or behavior of an action figure type with a virtual state or behavior of a corresponding virtual counterpart type in a virtual environment such that, when an action figure of the action figure type exhibits the state or behavior, a virtual counterpart of the action figure is caused to exhibit the virtual state or behavior in the virtual environment; 
 receive, via the software development kit, a first request to associate a first state or behavior, a first action figure type, and a first virtual state or behavior of a corresponding first virtual counterpart type in a first virtual environment such that, when a first action figure of the first action figure type exhibits the first state or behavior, a first virtual counterpart of the first action figure is caused to exhibit the first virtual state or behavior in the first virtual environment; 
 store a first definition indicating the association of the first state or behavior, the first action figure type, and the first virtual state or behavior; 
 receive, via the software development kit, a second request to associate the first state or behavior, a second action figure type, a second virtual state or behavior of a corresponding second virtual counterpart type in the first virtual environment such that, when a second action figure of the second action figure type exhibits the first state or behavior, a second virtual counterpart of the second action figure is caused to exhibit the second virtual state or behavior in the first virtual environment, wherein the second action figure type is different from the first action figure type, and the second virtual state or behavior is different from the first virtual state or behavior; and 
 store a second definition indicating the association of the first state or behavior, the second action figure type, and the second virtual state or behavior. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more physical processors are further caused to:
 receive, from the first action figure, first action figure information identifying the first action figure exhibiting the first state or behavior with respect to one or more first moveable parts of the first action figure;   present, based on the first action figure information and the first definition, the first virtual counterpart exhibiting the first virtual state or behavior in the first virtual environment;   receive, from a second action figure, second action figure information identifying the second action figure exhibiting the first state or behavior with respect to one or more second moveable parts of the second action figure; and   present, based on the second action figure information and the second definition, the second virtual counterpart exhibiting the second virtual state or behavior in the first virtual environment.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more first moveable parts of the first action figure comprises one or more first movable appendages of the first action figure, and the one or more second moveable parts of the second action figure comprises one or more second movable appendages of the second action figure. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first state or behavior comprises a first state corresponding to a first pose with respect to one or more moveable parts. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first state or behavior comprises a first behavior corresponding to movement of a moveable part in a first direction. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first state or behavior comprises a first behavior corresponding to a first movement pattern with respect to one or more moveable parts. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first virtual state or behavior comprises a first action of a first action type performable in the first virtual environment, and wherein the second virtual state or behavior comprises a second action of a second action type performable in the first virtual environment that is different from the first action type. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more physical processors are further caused to:
 receive, via the software development kit, a third request to associate a second state or behavior, the first action figure type, and a third virtual state or behavior of the corresponding first virtual counterpart type such that, when the first action figure exhibits the second state or behavior, the first virtual counterpart is caused to exhibit the third virtual state or behavior in the first virtual environment;   store a third definition indicating the association of the second state or behavior, the first action figure type, and the third virtual state or behavior;   receive, via the software development kit, a fourth request to associate the second state or behavior, the first action figure type, and a fourth virtual state or behavior of a corresponding third virtual counterpart type in a second virtual environment such that, when the first action figure exhibits the second state or behavior, a third virtual counterpart of the first action figure is caused to exhibit the fourth virtual state or behavior in the second virtual environment, wherein the fourth virtual state or behavior is different from the third virtual state or behavior;   store a fourth definition indicating the association of the second state or behavior, the first action figure type, and the fourth virtual state or behavior;   receive, from the first action figure during a first session associated with the first virtual environment, third action figure information identifying the first action figure exhibiting the second state or behavior with respect to the one or more first moveable parts;   present, based on the third action figure information and the third definition, during the first session, the first virtual counterpart exhibiting the third virtual state or behavior in the first virtual environment;   receive, from the first action figure during a second session associated with the second virtual environment, fourth action figure information identifying the first action figure exhibiting the second state or behavior; and   present, based on the fourth action figure information and the fourth definition, during the second session, the first virtual counterpart exhibiting the fourth virtual state or behavior in the second virtual environment.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more physical processors are further caused to:
 receive, via the software development kit, a third request to associate the first state or behavior, a third action figure type, and a third virtual state or behavior of a corresponding virtual counterpart type in a second virtual environment such that, when a third action figure of the third action figure type exhibits the first state or behavior, a third virtual counterpart of the third action figure is caused to exhibit the third virtual state or behavior in the second virtual environment;   store a third definition indicating the association of the first state or behavior, the third action figure, and the third virtual state or behavior;   receive, from the third action figure, third action figure information identifying the third action figure exhibiting the first state or behavior with respect to one or more third moveable parts of the third action figure; and   present, based on the third action figure information and the third definition, the third virtual counterpart exhibiting the third virtual state or behavior in the second virtual environment.   
     
     
         20 . A method of providing a software development kit to enable configuration of virtual counterparts of action figures or action figure accessories, the method being implemented on a computer system that includes one or more physical processors executing computer program instructions, which when executed, perform the method, the method comprising:
 providing, by the computer system, a software development kit that enables a developer to associate a state or behavior of an action figure or accessory type with a virtual state or behavior of a corresponding virtual counterpart type in a virtual environment such that, when an action figure or action figure accessory of the action figure or accessory type exhibits the state or behavior, a virtual counterpart of the action figure or action figure accessory is caused to exhibit the virtual state or behavior in the virtual environment;   receiving, at the computer system, via the software development kit, a first request to associate a first state or behavior, a first action figure or accessory type, and a first virtual state or behavior of a corresponding first virtual counterpart type in a first virtual environment such that, when a first action figure or action figure accessory of the first action figure or accessory type exhibits the first state or behavior, a first virtual counterpart of the first action figure or action figure accessory is caused to exhibit the first virtual state or behavior in the first virtual environment;   storing, by the computer system, a first definition indicating the association of the first state or behavior, the first action figure or accessory type, and the first virtual state or behavior;   receiving, at the computer system, via the software development kit, a second request to associate the first state or behavior, a second action figure or accessory type, a second virtual state or behavior of a corresponding second virtual counterpart type in the first virtual environment such that, when a second action figure or action figure accessory of the second action figure or accessory type exhibits the first state or behavior, a second virtual counterpart of the second action figure or action figure accessory is caused to exhibit the second virtual state or behavior in the first virtual environment, wherein the second action figure or accessory type is different from the first action figure or accessory type, and the second virtual state or behavior is different from the first virtual state or behavior; and   storing, by the computer system, a second definition indicating the association of the first state or behavior, the second action figure or accessory type, and the second virtual state or behavior.