System and Method for Creating an Avatar

• US 20090300513A1
• Filed: 06/02/2009
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Tagliabue, Roberto, Nims, Jason, Quatrochi, Danielle M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,022,631 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/747
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5258 by dynamically adapting the position of the virtual camera to keep a game object or game character in its viewing frustum, e.g. for tracking a character or a ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/53 involving additional visual information provided to the game scene, e.g. by overlay to simulate a head-up display [HUD] or displaying a laser sight in a shooting game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/55 Controlling game characters or game objects based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/58 by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/816 Athletics, e.g. track-and-field sports
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/88 Mini-games executed independently while main games are being loaded
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

An avatar or avatar environment to visualize data may be provided within a social networking system or service, for example as part of the Internet, and/or within a desktop widget, panel, gadget, or the like. The avatar may further evolve or alter its appearance, animation, or other visual or audio characteristics in response to the data or other input such as athletic activity performed by a corresponding user. In particular, the avatar of an embodiment may respond to and provide visualization of athletic or sport performance data.

Claims

1. A method for creating an avatar representing a level of athletic activity of a user, the method comprising:

receiving, at a computing device, user specifications for creating the avatar representing an amount of athletic activity performed by the user;

determining, by the computing device, a set of one or more selectable avatar customization options based on the amount of athletic activity performed by the user; and

providing the set of one or more avatar customization options to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more avatar customization options include apparel worn by the avatar.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the apparel includes footwear.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the apparel includes shirts.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more avatar customization options includes a physical characteristic of the avatar.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the physical characteristic includes a facial characteristic.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user selection of an avatar characteristic from the set of one or more avatar customization options; and

generating the avatar based on the user specifications and the user selection.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining a facial expression of the avatar based on the amount of athletic activity performed by the user; and

applying the facial expression to the avatar.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining an avatar animation based on the amount of athletic activity performed by the user; and

animating the avatar according to the determined avatar animation.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining an interface background based on the amount of athletic activity performed by the user; and

displaying the avatar against the interface background.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the user specifications include an animated facial expression of the avatar.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause the apparatus to;

receive user specifications for creating an avatar representing an amount of athletic activity performed by a user;

determine a set of one or more avatar customization options based on the amount of athletic activity performed by the user; and

provide the set of one or more avatar customization options to the user.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the one or more avatar customization options include apparel worn by the avatar.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the apparel includes footwear.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the apparel includes shirts.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the one or more avatar customization options includes a physical characteristic of the avatar.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the physical characteristic includes a facial characteristic.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to:

receive a user selection of an avatar characteristic from the set of one or more avatar customization options; and

generate the avatar based on the user specifications and the user selection.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to:

determine a facial expression of the avatar based on the amount of athletic activity performed by the user; and

apply the facial expression to the avatar.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to:

determine an avatar animation based on the amount of athletic activity performed by the user; and

animate the avatar according to the determined avatar animation.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

determine an interface background based on the amount of athletic activity performed by the user; and

display the avatar against the interface background.

22. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the user specifications include an animated facial expression of the avatar.

23. One or more computer readable media storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause an apparatus to:

receive user specifications for creating an avatar representing an amount of athletic activity performed by a user;

determine a set of one or more avatar customization options based on the amount of athletic activity performed by the user; and

provide the set of one or more avatar customization options to the user.

24. The one or more computer readable media of claim 23, wherein the one or more avatar customization options include apparel worn by the avatar.

25. The one or more computer readable media of claim 23, wherein the one or more avatar customization options includes a physical characteristic of the avatar.

26. The one or more computer readable media of claim 25, wherein the physical characteristic includes a facial characteristic.

27. The one or more computer readable media of claim 23, wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to:

receive a user selection of an avatar characteristic from the set of one or more avatar customization options; and

generate the avatar based on the user specifications and the user selection.

28. The one or more computer readable media of claim 27, wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to:

determine a facial expression of the avatar based on the amount of athletic activity performed by the user; and

apply the facial expression to the avatar.

29. The one or more computer readable media of claim 27, wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to:

determine an avatar animation based on the amount of athletic activity performed by the user; and

animate the avatar according to the determined avatar animation.

30. The one or more computer readable media of claim 27, wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to:

determine an interface background based on the amount of athletic activity performed by the user; and

display the avatar against the interface background.

31. The one or more computer readable media of claim 23, wherein determining the set of one or more avatar customization options based on the amount of athletic activity performed by the user includes:

determining whether the user has completed an athletic activity goal; and

in response to determining that the user has completed the athletic activity goal, adding an avatar customization option to the set of one or more avatar customization options.

32. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause the apparatus to;

receive user specifications for creating an avatar representing an amount of athletic activity performed by a user;

determine a set of one or more avatar customization options from a plurality of avatar customization options based on the amount of athletic activity performed by the user, wherein the determined one or more avatar customization options include an article of footwear and an animation and wherein the one or more avatar customization options include less than all of the plurality of avatar customization options;

provide the set of one or more avatar customization options to the user, wherein a remainder of the plurality of avatar customization options are not selectable by the user;

receive a selection of the article of footwear and the animation from the set of one or more avatar customization options;

generate the avatar wearing the article of footwear; and

animate the avatar according to the selected animation.