ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH ANIMATED CHARACTER AND METHOD

• US 20090201297A1
• Filed: 02/07/2008
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Johansson, Carolina S. M.
• Application Number:
  US12/027,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20090201297A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/473
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/40 of characters, e.g. humans, animals or virtual beings
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/161 Detection; Localisation; Normalisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera

Abstract

An electronic device may display an animated character on a display and, when presence of a user is detected, the character may appear to react to the user. The character may be a representation of a person, an animal or other object. Ascertaining when the user is looking at the display may be accomplished by analyzing a video data stream generated by an imaging device, such as a camera used for video telephony.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

an imaging device that generates image data corresponding to a field of view of the imaging device;

a display; and

a control circuit that analyzes the image data to determine if a user is present in the field of view of the imaging device and, if so, controls the display to display an animated character.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the analyzing determines user presence using face detection.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the animated character is associated with a theme that is selected by the user.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the animated character is associated with appearance characteristics that are selected by the user.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein an appearance of the animated character is based on a digital image of a person that is selected by the user.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein if the user is not detected to be present in the field of view, the character is displayed in an idle mode.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein animation of the character simulates a reaction to the user becoming present in the field of view by relative movement of the user and the electronic device.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the analyzing of the image data identifies movement or expression of the user and animation of the character simulates reaction to the movement or expression.

9. A method of animating a user interface of an electronic device, comprising:

analyzing image data that is generated by an imaging device of the electronic device to determine if a user is present in a field of view of the imaging device; and

if user presence is detected, controlling a display of the electronic device to display an animated character.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the analyzing determines user presence using face detection.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the animated character is associated with a theme that is selected by the user.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the animated character is associated with appearance characteristics that are selected by the user.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein an appearance of the animated character is based on a digital image of a person that is selected by the user.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein if the user is not detected to be present in the field of view, the character is displayed in an idle mode.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein animation of the character simulates a reaction to the user becoming present in the field of view by relative movement of the user and the electronic device.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the analyzing of the image data identifies movement or expression of the user and animation of the character simulates reaction to the movement or expression.

17. A program stored on a machine readable medium, the program for animating a user interface of an electronic device and comprising executable logic to:

analyze image data that is generated by an imaging device of the electronic device to determine if a user is present in a field of view of the imaging device; and

if user presence is detected, control a display of the electronic device to display an animated character.

18. The program of claim 17, wherein if the user is not detected to be present in the field of view, the character is displayed in an idle mode.

19. The program of claim 17, wherein animation of the character simulates a reaction to the user becoming present in the field of view by relative movement of the user and the electronic device.

20. The program of claim 17, wherein the analyzing of the image data identifies movement or expression of the user and animation of the character simulates reaction to the movement or expression.