System and method for adaptable avatars

• US 10,155,168 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2013
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Inventors: Blackstock, Jacob Edward, Kennedy, David James, Panth, Shahan, Baldwin, Dorian Franklin
• Primary Examiner(s): Demeter, Hilina K
• Application Number:
  US13/979,974
• Publication Number:
  US 20140160149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,050 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6018 where the game content is authored by the player, e.g. level editor or by game device at runtime, e.g. level is created from music data on CD
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/006 based on simulated virtual individual or collective life forms, e.g. social simulations or particle swarm optimisation [PSO]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation

Abstract

There is disclosed a system and method of providing adaptable avatars. In an embodiment, the method comprises: designing an avatar with components for a first service environment; saving the avatar components; retrieving the avatar components from a second service environment; and rendering a new version of that avatar for the second service environment using the saved avatar components.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting, by a second computing device having a second service environment related to generation of a second avatar of a user, a request to a first computing device maintaining avatar data describing an avatar component of a first avatar of the user designed for a first service environment, the request identifying the first avatar of the user and the avatar component;

receiving, from the first computing device by the second computing device, the requested avatar component of the first avatar of the user for the first service environment;

extracting, by the second computing device, information regarding the user from a social networking platform, wherein the social networking platform is separate from the first service environment and the second service environment, wherein the information regarding the user from the social networking platform includes at least one of;

interests of the user, physiological data of the user, or emotional data of the user;

modifying, by the second computing device, the requested avatar component for the first service environment, based on the information regarding the user from the social networking platform, to create a customized avatar component for the second service environment, wherein the customized avatar component for the second service environment is different from the requested avatar component for the first service environment, and wherein the avatar components are defined and organized relative to one another such that selected avatar components are parsed and used to generate different versions of the avatar that still maintain aspects of the first avatar of the user; and

generating, by the second computing device using the second service environment, the second avatar of the user that includes the customized avatar component.

2. A computer system having a second service environment and comprising:

a processor; and

memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computer system to perform operations comprising;

transmitting a request to a first computing device maintaining avatar data describing an avatar component of a first avatar of a user designed for a first service environment, the request identifying the first avatar of the user and the avatar component;

receiving, from the first computing device, the requested avatar component of the first avatar of the user for the first service environment;

extracting information regarding the user from a social networking platform, wherein the social networking platform is separate from the first service environment and the second service environment, wherein the information regarding the user from the social networking platform includes at least one of;

interests of the user, physiological data of the user, or emotional data of the user;

modifying the requested avatar component for the first service environment, based on the information regarding the user from the social networking platform, to create a customized avatar component for the second service environment, wherein the customized avatar component for the second service environment is different from the requested avatar component for the first service environment, and wherein the avatar components are defined and organized relative to one another such that selected avatar components are parsed and used to generate different versions of the avatar that still maintain aspects of the first avatar of the user; and

generating, using the second service environment, the second avatar of the user that includes the customized avatar component.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the avatar data is stored in a common data format that is usable by a wide variety of online environments.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the second avatar is generated by the second service environment in a way that is contextually relevant and responsive to the user, without the need to deploy substantial technology infrastructure in the second service environment and other service environments.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the memory further stores instructions for causing the system to perform operations comprising transmitting information relevant to the interaction of the avatar with the second service environment to the first service environment for logging to the profile to enhance the experience of the user in subsequent renderings of the avatar a different version of the avatar.

6. A tangible, non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer system having a second service environment, cause the computer system to perform operations comprising:

transmitting a request to a first computing device maintaining avatar data describing an avatar component of a first avatar of a user designed for a first service environment, the request identifying the first avatar of the user and the avatar component;

receiving, from the first computing device, the requested avatar component of the first avatar of the user for the first service environment;

extracting information regarding the user from a social networking platform, wherein the social networking platform is separate from the first service environment and the second service environment, wherein the information regarding the user from the social networking platform includes at least one of;

interests of the user, physiological data of the user, or emotional data of the user;

modifying the requested avatar component to create a customized avatar component for the second service environment, based on the information regarding the user from the social networking platform, to create a customized avatar component for the second service environment, wherein the customized avatar component for the second service environment is different from the requested avatar component for the first service environment, and wherein the avatar components are defined and organized relative to one another such that selected avatar components are parsed and used to generate different versions of the avatar that still maintain aspects of the first avatar of the user; and

generating, using the second service environment, the second avatar of the user that includes the customized avatar component.