Apparatus, a method, and a system for animating a virtual scene

• US 20080039124A1
• Filed: 08/08/2007
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Kim, Linder, Natan, Dror, Yael
• Granted Patent: US 7,991,401 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails

Abstract

A method for animating a virtual scene that comprises managing a virtual scene comprising at least one virtual object, receiving a text message via a wireless communication network, identifying a pattern indicative of an animation sequence in said text message, and applying a non-facial animation on said at least one virtual object according said animation sequence.

Claims

1. A mobile communication terminal, comprising:

an animation identification module configured for receiving an electronic message comprising an animation tag indicative of an animation sequence, and identifying said animation sequence according to said animation tag; and

a scene-animating module, electronically coupled to said animation identification module, configured for managing a virtual scene having at least one virtual object and applying non-facial animation to said at least one virtual object according to said animation sequence.

2. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein said applying comprises applying facial animation.

3. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, further comprising an output module configured for outputting said animated virtual scene.

4. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein said animation sequence comprising a set of instructions for animating said virtual object to graphically portray one or more behavioral motions.

5. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, further comprising a repository configured for storing of a plurality of tags associated with a plurality of animation sequences of said at least one virtual object, including said animation sequence.

6. The mobile communication terminal of claim 5, wherein said plurality of animation sequences defines a user customized language.

7. The mobile communication terminal of claim 5, wherein each said animation sequence is associated a member of the following group:

a word, an emoticon, a sentence, and a phrase.

8. The mobile communication terminal of claim 5, wherein said scene-animating module is configured for animating said at least one virtual object according a match between said animation tag and a tag of said plurality of tags.

9. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication terminal is a cellular phone.

10. The mobile communication terminal of claim 9, further comprising a caller identification module configured for identifying a caller identifier of a caller during a received call, said animation sequence being selected according to said caller identifier.

11. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, further comprising a repository configured for storing said virtual scene;

said virtual scene is locally managed by said scene-animating module.

12. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein said electronic message comprises textual content.

13. The mobile communication terminal of claim 12, further comprising a screen display configured for displaying said animated virtual scene and said textual content substantially simultaneously.

14. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein said electronic message comprises a virtual object tag, said scene-animating module being configured for selecting said at least one virtual object from a plurality of virtual objects according to said object tag.

15. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein said animation tag is registered in an expression matching table mapping a plurality of animation sequences including said animation sequence, said expression matching table associates said animation tag with said animation sequence.

16. The mobile communication terminal of claim 15, wherein said expression matching table is received in said electronic message.

17. The mobile communication terminal of claim 15, wherein said plurality of animation sequences defines a member of the following group:

the sign language, a user defined sign language, and a visual language.

18. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, further comprising a message preparation module configured for encoding an outgoing electronic message comprising at least one animation tag according to at least one predefined expression in a text string entered by a user.

19. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein said animation tag is indicative of an audio track, and said scene-animating module is configured for playing said audio track during said applying.

20. A method for animating a virtual scene, the method comprising:

a) managing a virtual scene comprising at least one virtual object;

b) receiving a text message via a wireless communication network,

c) identifying a pattern indicative of an animation sequence in said text message; and

d) applying a non-facial animation on said at least one virtual object according said animation sequence.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said pattern is a predefined animation tag indicative of said animation sequence.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising identifying a set of animation instructions according to said animation tag between b) and c), said non-facial animation being determined according to said set of animation instructions.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said identifying comprises matching said animation tag with one of a plurality of tags associated with a plurality of sets of animation instructions.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising identifying a caller identifier of the sender of said text message before said applying, said animated virtual object being selected according to said caller identifier.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein said applying comprises rendering said animated virtual scene to a display of a mobile communication terminal.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising encoding an animation tag according to said pattern and sending said text message with said animation tag via said wireless communication network before a).

27. The method of claim 20, wherein said pattern is indicative of an audio track, and said applying comprising playing said audio track.

28. The method of claim 20, further comprising allowing a user to select said at least one virtual object from a plurality of one virtual object.

29. A system for transmitting and receiving an electronic message via a wireless communication network, comprising:

a sending communication terminal configured for encoding an animation tag of an animation sequence according to a predefined expression in a text string and wirelessly sending an electronic message comprising said animation tag;

wherein said electronic message is wirelessly received by a mobile communication terminal, said mobile communication terminal being configured for animating a virtual object in a virtual scene according to said animation sequence.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein said mobile communication terminal comprises a screen, said virtual scene and said text string being displayed simultaneously on said screen.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein said encoding and said animating are performed according to a common expression matching table, said common expression matching table mapping a plurality of predefined expressions to a plurality of animation tags including said animation tag, each said animation tag being associated with a respective animation sequence.

32. The system of claim 31, said mobile communication terminal comprising a repository configured for storing said respective animation sequences.

33. The system of claim 31, further comprising a central terminal connected to the wireless communication network and hosting said common expression matching table.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein each said communication terminal is configured for accessing said common expression matching table via the wireless communication network.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein each said communication terminal is configured for storing a copy of said common expression matching table, said copy being updated according to changes to said common expression matching table.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein said electronic message comprises said common expression matching table.

37. A mobile phone, comprising:

a repository configured for storing of a plurality of animation sequences associated a plurality of callers;

a caller identification module configured for identifying a caller;

a caller-animating module configured for animating a virtual scene during the reception of said incoming call according to an animation sequence associated with said caller from said plurality of animation sequences; and

a display configured for displaying said animated virtual scene.

38. A mobile phone, comprising:

a display configured for displaying a virtual scene having at least one virtual object;

a user interface module configured for allowing a user to animate said at least one virtual object, said animation being indicative of an access code; and

an access control module configured for using said access code for permitting access to a function of the mobile phone.

39. The mobile phone of claim 38, wherein said function comprises a member of the following group:

an operational function of the mobile phone, a data access function of the mobile phone, and an establishment of a communication link between the mobile phone and a communication terminal.