System and method for remotely controlling character avatar image using mobile phone

• US 20040097221A1
• Filed: 11/18/2003
• Published: 05/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Hae Pyoung
• Granted Patent: US 7,634,731 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6607 for animating game characters, e.g. skeleton kinematics
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1025 of avatars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks

Abstract

A system and a method can remotely control an avatar image using a mobile phone. A calling party can remotely control an avatar image included in data transmitted to a called party using a mobile phone. Preferred embodiments of systems and methods according to the present invention can include joint-key button controllers that make buttons corresponding to joints of an avatar image remotely control movements of the joints, respectively. Accordingly, an avatar image received by a called party can be respectively controlled. Since the calling party can remotely control the avatar image transmitted to the called party, it is possible to deliver emotions and messages of the calling party through movements of a visual avatar image.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an avatar image using a mobile phone, comprising:

correlating input buttons of the mobile phone to joints of the avatar image, respectively, to control movements of the joints.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

manipulating the correlated input buttons to remotely control joints of a first avatar image displayed in a mobile phone of a called party, wherein the same first avatar image is displayed in both of a mobile phone of a calling party and the mobile phone of the called party.

3. The method according to claim 2, comprising:

dialing, by the calling party, a special service number indicating the avatar image; and

dialing, by the calling party, a phone number of the called party.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

correlating additional input buttons of the mobile phone to movements applicable to the joints.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the input buttons are number keys.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the input buttons of the mobile phone include input keys corresponding to the joints of the avatar image, input keys corresponding to up-and-down movements of the joints, and an additional input key corresponding to completion of movements of the joints.

7. A method of remotely controlling an avatar image transmitted to a called party using a mobile phone, the method comprising:

receiving an avatar image number at a mobile phone of a called party for identifying an avatar image from a calling party; and

controlling movements of the identified avatar image in a display screen of the mobile phone of the called party in accordance with data transmitted from the calling party.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein when controlling movements of the identified avatar image, the same avatar image is displayed in both of a mobile phone of the calling party and the mobile phone of the called party.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the avatar image number includes a specific service number supplied from an exchanger or an identifier number specified between the calling party and the called party.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the specific service number supplied from the exchanger has a number of at least one cipher, and the identifier number specified between the calling party and the called party has a number of at least one cipher.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the data transmitted to the called party for controlling the identified avatar image includes a plurality of groups of numbers, wherein the groups of numbers each include numbers corresponding to the joints of the avatar image, numbers corresponding to up-and-down movements of the joints, and a number corresponding to ends of movements of the joints.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of groups are subsequently combined to display a continuous movement of the avatar image.

13. The method according to claim 7, wherein the data transmitted to the called party for controlling the identified avatar image includes input button depressions for input buttons corresponding to movements of the identified avatar image.

14. A system, comprising:

a calling party configured to control movements of an avatar image;

a called party configured to receive the movements of the avatar image from the calling party and display the received movements of the avatar image; and

a network configured to connect the calling party to the called party.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the avatar image is concurrently displayed on phone screens of the called party and the calling party.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the calling party is a mobile phone, and wherein input buttons of the calling party mobile phone include first input keys corresponding to the joints of the avatar image, second input keys corresponding to up-and-down movements of the joints, and third input key corresponding to completion of the movements of the joints.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein a plurality of groups of first, second and third input keys are subsequently combined to display a continuous movement of the avatar image, and wherein the input buttons include number keys.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the system is a mobile communication system.