Emojicon puppeting

US10210648B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Apple Inc. · US

Inventors

• Justin D. Stoyles · San Francisco, US
• Alexandre Moha · Los Altos, US
• Nicolas V. Scapel · London, GB
• Guillaume P. Barlier · San Mateo, US
• Aurelio Guzmán · San Jose, US
• Bruno M. Sommer · Ludwigsburg, DE
• Nina Damasky · Santa Clara, US
• Thibaut Weise · Menlo Park, US
• Thomas Goossens · Paris, FR
• Hoan Pham · San Jose, US
• Brian Amberg · Zollikon, CH

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 10, 2017
• Grant date: Feb 19, 2019
• Expiry date: Nov 10, 2037

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04N2007/145
• WIPO field: Audio-visual technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Systems and methods for generating a video of an emoji that has been puppeted using inputs from image, depth, and audio. The inputs can capture facial expressions of a user, eye, eyebrow, mouth, and head movements. A pose, held by the user, can be detected that can be used to generate supplemental animation. The emoji can further be animated using physical properties associated with the emoji and captured movements. An emoji of a dog can have its ears move in response to an up-and-down movement, or a shaking of the head. The video can be sent in a message to one or more recipients. A sending device can render the puppeted video in accordance with hardware and software capabilities of a recipient's computer device.