MODIFYING AVATAR BEHAVIOR BASED ON USER ACTION OR MOOD

• US 20160165003A1
• Filed: 01/26/2016
• Published: 06/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Blattner, Patrick D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,616,367 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/40 of characters, e.g. humans, animals or virtual beings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

Techniques are described for enabling the selection of wallpaper to modify the mood projected by an avatar. The mood projected by an avatar may be modified, for example, by modifying behaviors and/or appearance of the avatar to characterize a mood to be projected. The mood projected by an avatar also may be modified based on user action, such as user input of a mood to be projected by the avatar.

Claims

1-22. -22. (canceled)

23. A computer-implemented method for modifying an avatar associated with an identity of a user of a communications application, the method comprising:

receiving, by a first computing device, an out-of-band communications indicator from a second device, wherein the out-of-band communications indicator comprises information about a physical state of the user of the communications application;

inferring, based on the out-of-band communications indicator, a mood of the user of the communications application; and

modifying the avatar based on the inferred mood of the user of the communications application;

causing the modified avatar to be sent to a recipient in the communications application.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the second device comprises at least one sensor.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one sensor is a camera focused on the user of the communications application.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

locating points on the face of the user based on visual information received from the at least one sensor; and

inferring the mood of the user based on the located points on the user'"'"'s face.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein modifying the avatar comprises causing the avatar to reflect motion of the located points on the user'"'"'s face.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one sensor is a heart rate monitor configured to detect a heart rate of the user, and the method further includes modifying the avatar based on the detected heart rate.

29. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

further modifying the avatar based on a determined activity of the user.

30. A system for modifying an avatar associated with an identity of a user of a communications application, comprising:

at least one processor;

memory, operatively connected to the at least one processor and containing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to perform a method, the method comprising;

receiving, by the system, an out-of-band communications indicator from a separate device, wherein the out-of-band communications indicator comprises information about a physical state of the user of the communications application;

inferring, based on the out-of-band communications indicator, a mood of the user of the communications application; and

modifying the avatar based on the inferred mood of the user of the communications application;

causing the modified avatar to be sent to a recipient in the communications application.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the separate device comprises at least one sensor.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the at least one sensor is a camera focused on the user of the communications application.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the method further comprises:

locating points on the face of the user based on visual information received from the at least one sensor; and

inferring the mood of the user based on the located points on the user'"'"'s face.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein modifying the avatar comprises causing the avatar to reflect motion of the located points on the user'"'"'s face.

35. The system of claim 31, wherein the at least one sensor is a heart rate monitor configured to detect a heart rate of the user, and the method further includes modifying the avatar based on the detected heart rate.

36. The system of claim 30, wherein the method further comprises:

further modifying the avatar based on a determined activity of the user.

37. A computer readable storage media for modifying an avatar associated with an identity of a user of a communications application, wherein the computer readable storage media contains instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving, by a first computing device, an out-of-band communications indicator from a second device, wherein the out-of-band communications indicator comprises information about a physical state of the user of the communications application;

inferring, based on the out-of-band communications indicator, a mood of the user of the communications application; and

modifying the avatar based on the inferred mood of the user of the communications application;

causing the modified avatar to be sent to a recipient in the communications application.

38. The computer readable storage media of claim 37, wherein the second device comprises at least one sensor.

39. The computer readable storage media of claim 38, wherein the at least one sensor is a camera focused on the user of the communications application.

40. The computer readable storage media of claim 38, wherein the method further comprises:

locating points on the face of the user based on visual information received from the at least one sensor; and

inferring the mood of the user based on the located points on the user'"'"'s face.

41. The computer readable storage media of claim 40, wherein modifying the avatar comprises causing the avatar to reflect motion of the located points on the user'"'"'s face.

42. The computer readable storage media of claim 38, wherein the at least one sensor is a heart rate monitor configured to detect a heart rate of the user, and the method further includes modifying the avatar based on the detected heart rate.