SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AVATAR CREATION AND SYNCHRONIZATION

• US 20160006987A1
• Filed: 09/06/2012
• Published: 01/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Li, Wenlong, Tong, Xiaofeng, Du, Yangzhou, Hu, Wei, Zhang, Yimin
• Granted Patent: US 9,936,165 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/174 Facial expression recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/155 involving storage of or access to video conference sessions tracking arrangements for later retrieval of a computer conference content or participants activities H04L12/1831
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/157 defining a virtual conference space and using avatars or agents computer conference optimisation or adaptation H04L12/1827

Abstract

A video communication system that replaces actual live images of the participating users with animated avatars. A method may include initiating communication between a first user device and a remote user device; receiving selection of a new avatar to represent a user of the first user device; identifying a new avatar file for the new avatar in an avatar database associated with the first user device; determining that the new avatar file is not present in a remote avatar database associated with the remote user device; and transmitting the new avatar file to the remote avatar database in response to determining that the new avatar file is not present in the remote avatar database.

Claims

1-27. -27. (canceled)

28. A system for avatar synchronization between a first user device and a remote user device, the system comprising:

a first user device comprising;

a communication module configured to transmit information to and receive information from the remote user device;

one or more storage mediums having stored thereon, individually or in combination, instructions that when executed by one or more processors result in the following operations comprising;

initiating communication between the first user device and the remote user device;

receiving selection of a new avatar to represent a user of the first user device;

identifying a new avatar file for the new avatar in an avatar database associated with the first user device;

determining that the new avatar file is not present in a remote avatar database associated with the remote user device; and

transmitting the new avatar file to the remote avatar database in response to determining that the new avatar file is not present in the remote avatar database.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the remote user device comprises one or more storage mediums having stored thereon, individually or in combination, instructions that when executed by one or more processors result in the following operations comprising:

beginning to receive the new avatar file associated with the first user device;

prior to completing receipt of the new avatar file, selecting a default avatar to represent the user of the first user device; and

when receipt of the new avatar file is completed, selecting the new avatar to represent the user of the first user device.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the instructions that when executed by one or more processors of the first user device result in the following additional operations:

initiating communication with a server;

providing the server with a list of avatars present in the avatar database associated with the first user device; and

requesting the server to broadcast the list of avatars to at least the remote user device.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the remote user device comprises one or more storage mediums having stored thereon, individually or in combination, instructions that when executed by one or more processors of the remote user device result in the following operations comprising:

receiving the list of avatars;

comparing the list of avatars to a local list of avatars in the remote avatar database associated with the remote user device;

if the local list of avatars does not contain a corresponding avatar for at least one avatar in the list of avatars, determining whether offline synchronization is desired;

if offline synchronization is desired, transmitting a request for a corresponding avatar file for the corresponding avatar.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the instructions that when executed by one or more processors of the remote user device further result in the following additional operations:

if offline synchronization is not desired, awaiting initiation of a communication session with the first user device to synchronize the corresponding avatar.

33. The system of claim 28, wherein the first user device further comprises a camera configured to capture images, wherein the instructions that when executed by one or more processors of the first user device result in the following additional operations:

capturing an image;

detecting a face in the image;

extracting features from the face;

converting the features into avatar parameters for the new avatar; and

transmitting at least one of the avatar parameters to the remote user device.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein extracting features from the face comprises determining a facial expression in the face.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the avatar selection and avatar parameters are used to generate the new avatar on the remote user device, the new avatar being based on the facial features.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein the avatar selection and avatar parameters are used to generate the new avatar in a virtual space, the new avatar being based on the facial features.

37. The system of claim 28, wherein the instructions that when executed by one or more processors of the first user device result in the following additional operations:

calculating key points of an image to be used as a basis for the new avatar; and

generating the new avatar using the key points.

38. The system of claim 28, wherein the instructions that when executed by one or more processors of the first user device result in the following additional operations:

calculating key points of an image to be used as a basis for the new avatar; and

requesting a server to generate the new avatar using the key points.

39. One or more storage mediums having stored thereon, individually or in combination, instructions that when executed by one or more processors result in the following operations comprising:

initiating, by a first user device, communication between the first user device and a remote user device;

receiving, by the first user device, selection of a new avatar to represent a user of the first user device;

identifying, by the first user device, a new avatar file for the new avatar in an avatar database associated with the first user device;

determining, by the first user device, that the new avatar file is not present in a remote avatar database associated with the remote user device; and

transmitting, by the first user device, the new avatar file to the remote avatar database in response to determining that the new avatar file is not present in the remote avatar database.

40. The one or more storage mediums of claim 39, wherein the instructions further result in the following operations comprising:

beginning to receive, by the remote user device, the new avatar file;

prior to completing receipt of the new avatar file, selecting, by the remote user device, a default avatar to represent the user of the first user device; and

when receipt of the new avatar file is completed, selecting, by the remote user device, the new avatar to represent the user of the first user device.

41. The one or more storage mediums of claim 39, wherein the instructions further result in the following operations comprising:

initiating, by the first user device, communication with a server;

providing, by the first user device, the server with a list of avatars present in the avatar database associated with the first user device; and

requesting, by the first user device, the server to broadcast the list of avatars to at least the remote user device.

42. The one or more storage mediums of claim 41, wherein the instructions further result in the following operations comprising:

receiving, by the remote user device, the list of avatars;

comparing, by the remote user device, the list of avatars to a local list of avatars in the remote avatar database associated with the remote user device;

if the local list of avatars does not contain a corresponding avatar for at least one avatar in the list of avatars, determining, by the remote user device, whether offline synchronization is desired;

if offline synchronization is desired, transmitting, by the remote user device, a request for a corresponding avatar file for the corresponding avatar.

43. The one or more storage mediums of claim 42, wherein the instructions further result in the following operations comprising:

if offline synchronization is not desired, awaiting, by the remote user device, initiation of a communication session with the first user device to synchronize the corresponding avatar.

44. The one or more storage mediums of claim 39, wherein the first user device further comprises a camera configured to capture images.

45. The one or more storage mediums of claim 44, wherein the instructions further result in the following operations comprising:

capturing, by the camera, an image;

detecting, by the first user device, a face in the image;

extracting, by the first user device, features from the face;

converting, by the first user device, the features into avatar parameters; and

transmitting, by the first user device, at least one of the avatar parameters to the remote user device.

46. The one or more storage mediums of claim 45, wherein extracting features from the face comprises determining a facial expression in the face.

47. The one or more storage mediums of claim 45, wherein the avatar selection and avatar parameters are used to generate an avatar on the remote user device, the avatar being based on the facial features.

48. The one or more storage mediums of claim 45, wherein the avatar selection and avatar parameters are used to generate an avatar in a virtual space, the avatar being based on the facial features.

49. The one or more storage mediums of claim 39, further comprising:

calculating, by the first user device, key points of an image to be used as a basis for the new avatar; and

generating, by the first user device, the new avatar using the key points.

50. The one or more storage mediums of claim 39, further comprising:

calculating, by the first user device, key points of an image to be used as a basis for the new avatar; and

requesting, by the first user device, a server to generate the new avatar using the key points.

51. An apparatus for avatar synchronization between a first user device and a remote user device, the apparatus comprising:

an avatar selection module and one or more interfaces for allowing a user to select a new avatar, the avatar selection module further identifying an avatar file from an avatar database to enable display of the new avatar at the remote user device during active communication between the first and the remote user devices; and

a communication module configured to transmit the avatar file to the remote user device.

52. The apparatus of claim 51, further comprising:

an avatar control module configured to receive a remote avatar file from the remote user device and to select one of a default avatar and a new remote avatar to represent a user of the remote user device.