US Patent 8001161 Cloning objects in a virtual universe

In one embodiment, the process obtains avatar tracking data that identifies a location of an avatar in relation to a range of an object. The range includes a viewable field. In response to the location of the avatar being within the range of the object, the process queries a data structure storing cloning data for a record of a clone of the object. Thereafter, the process instantiates the clone of the object in response to the presence of the record of the clone of the object in the data structure. The process then invokes a set of object methods associated with the record of the clone in the data structure.