Patent · US Expired

System and method for generating an animatable character

US7184048B2 · kind B2 · utility

338Cited by
11References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateOct 18, 2001
Grant dateFeb 27, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 10, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06V40/20
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for generating an animatable object. A skeleton of the desired character is constructed by the user utilizing various predetermined components. These predetermined components include a various selection of rods and joints. The rods are static components which remain rigid during motion, while the various joints are moveable components. A static digitized image, for example, an image of the user, is utilized and a constructed skeleton is superimposed onto it. The desired object, such as the image of the user, can then be extracted from the background of the digital image and the resulting personal character can then be animated, for instance by selecting and dragging one of the hands with a mouse.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.