System and Method for the Designation of Items in a Virtual Universe

[0020]Such Virtual Universes do not, however, permit the items to be designated as available for pickup only by a designated user. Thus, an “item” which an avatar or user can own (or for which an avatar is otherwise responsible which may include other avatars as well as objects) that is lost or dropped in a Virtual Universe may be picked up by another user and moved, vandalized or added to the inventory of that user or avatar. Similarly, an item may be stolen from a user's inventory if another user is able to obtain access to the object. Furthermore, the exchange of items in a Virtual Universe must be done avatar-to-avatar on a synchronous basis requiring both avatars to be in substantially the same location at the same time because a user cannot leave an item and designate it to be picked up by another user's avatar at a later time.

[0021]Understanding the following terminology is important for the correct reading of the following description of the invention:[0022]The generic term ...