US 11,972,086 B2
Automatic increasing of capacity of a virtual space in a virtual world
Peter F. Haggar, Raleigh, NC (US); Brian R. Bokor, Raleigh, NC (US); Daniel E. House, Raleigh, NC (US); William B. Nicol, II, Durham, NC (US); Andrew B. Smith, Morrisville, NC (US); and Luis J. Ostdiek, Orangevale, CA (US)
Assigned to Activision Publishing, Inc., Santa Monica, CA (US)
Filed by Activision Publishing, Inc., Santa Monica, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 18, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/356,709.
Application 16/356,709 is a continuation of application No. 14/875,270, filed on Oct. 5, 2015, granted, now 10,284,454.
Application 14/875,270 is a continuation of application No. 13/341,255, filed on Dec. 30, 2011, granted, now 9,152,914, issued on Oct. 6, 2015.
Application 13/341,255 is a continuation of application No. 11/947,829, filed on Nov. 30, 2007, granted, now 8,127,235, issued on Feb. 28, 2012.
Prior Publication US 2020/0084133 A1, Mar. 12, 2020
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G06F 3/04815 (2022.01); A63F 13/358 (2014.01); G06F 3/04817 (2022.01); G06F 3/06 (2006.01); G06F 9/50 (2006.01); G06N 3/006 (2023.01); H04L 43/16 (2022.01); H04L 47/70 (2022.01); H04L 67/131 (2022.01)
CPC G06F 3/04815 (2013.01) [A63F 13/358 (2014.09); G06N 3/006 (2013.01); H04L 47/822 (2013.01); H04L 67/131 (2022.05); A63F 2300/534 (2013.01); A63F 2300/5533 (2013.01); A63F 2300/5553 (2013.01); G06F 3/04817 (2013.01); G06F 3/0631 (2013.01); G06F 3/065 (2013.01); G06F 9/5011 (2013.01); H04L 43/16 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for automatically increasing a capacity of a virtual space in a virtual world, comprising:
one or more physical processors programmed with one or more computer program instructions which, when executed, cause the one or more physical processors to:
receive a maximum expansion of a physical size of a virtual space;
after receiving the maximum expansion of a physical size of the virtual space, detect an attempt by an avatar to enter the virtual space in a virtual world, wherein the maximum expansion of a physical size is set by a manager of the virtual space and is representative of a number of avatars that would cause overcrowding of the virtual space;
determine a current number of avatars for the virtual space;
determine a maximum allowable number of avatars for the virtual space based on a server capacity that is hosting the virtual space;
determine whether the current number of avatars in the virtual space has reached the maximum allowable number of avatars; and
after determining whether the current number of avatars in the virtual space has reached the maximum allowable number of avatars, automatically increase the capacity of the virtual space, up to the maximum expansion of a physical size, in response to the detection of the attempt and the determination that the current number of avatars in the virtual space has reached the maximum allowable number of avatars, wherein the increased capacity of the virtual space allows the avatar to occupy the virtual space together with the determined current number of avatars in the virtual space.