Smooth morphing between personal video calling avatars
US8421805B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 9, 2007 |
| Grant date | Apr 16, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 27, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T2210/44
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Dynamic animated avatars selectively morph to reveal or depict the user's identity while simultaneously emulating or tracking active movements associated with the user's verbal stream or perceived movements of the user. A user elects morphing to transition the rendered avatar to another, more revealing avatar, for example from a cartoon caricature to a posed photographic image. Animation processing identifies active movements derived from an input stream to compute animations of the mouth and profile based on speech, text, or captured video from the user. The computed animations appear as active movements to the currently rendered avatar, and emulate the user speaking or moving according to text, audio or video being transmitted. A user maintains an anonymous or posed identity with respect to the receiving party, and chooses to reveal a different avatar depicting a truer identity at the user's discretion, while continuing to display active movements paralleling the user's verbal activities.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.