SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTERACTIVE ANIMATIONS FOR ENHANCED AND PERSONALIZED VIDEO COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20170013236A1
• Filed: 09/26/2016
• Published: 01/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blake Caldwell
• Original Assignee: Blake Caldwell
• Inventors: Caldwell, Blake
• Granted Patent: US 9,866,795 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/40 of characters, e.g. humans, animals or virtual beings
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• 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 videoconferencing system and method using personalized, 3D interactive animations across screen barriers. Via auditory, behavior, visual, or computer-inputted cues, preloaded images, sounds, and gestures as well as customized images, sounds, and gestures can be manipulated and sent into and across one or more videoconference feeds in the form of animated sequences. These images, sounds, and gestures can be mapped onto the images of users'"'"' faces or other features within the video feed frame.

Claims

1. A method for videoconferencing comprising:

activating at least one audiovisual capturing device suitable for a videoconference, wherein said audiovisual capturing device is communicating with at least one interface comprising at least one video display and at least one audio output;

using said audiovisual capturing device to initiate a videoconference;

using said audiovisual capturing device to capture audiovisual data from at least one user in a videoconference, wherein said audiovisual data comprises at least one item of visual data, and, if present, at least one item of audio data;

processing said audiovisual data;

if present, detecting at least one audio cue in said audio data;

constructing a suitable 3D representation of said visual data;

activating at least one animation sequence based on a selection by the at least one user using said selection icon or icons;

integrating at least one animation sequence with said audio cue, if present, and said 3D representation into a personalized animation sequence; and

displaying said personalized animation sequence on at least one interface comprising at least one video display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said selection icon is associated with at least one preloaded visual image.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said selection icon is associated with at least one visual image captured by the audiovisual capturing device of claim 1 during the videoconference of claim 1.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said selection icon is associated with at least one gesture capture sequence, wherein said gesture is captured by said audiovisual capturing device resulting in captured gesture data rendered into at least one visual image available for integration into a personalized animation sequence.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said selection icon is associated with a text generation sequence wherein said user enters one or more text items and said text item appears in a video feed either in isolation or in combination with an image or a gesture.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said screen displays an arrangement comprising one or more video feeds, one selection area, and one audiovisual playback area wherein previously created audio and/or video recordings can be displayed and/or played back during said videoconference.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said screen displays an arrangement comprising one or more video feeds, one selection area, one audiovisual playback area, and one live content creation area wherein one or more users to said videoconference can create content during said videoconference.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more users to said videoconference sends one or more of said personalized animation sequences to another one or more other users in said videoconference wherein said personalized animation sequence comprises an animation sequence that appears to begin and end in one video feed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said screen contains two or more video feeds and said personalized animation sequence comprises an animation sequence that appears to begin in one video feed and end in one or more different video feeds in a continuous manner.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein said selection icon is associated with at least one visual image captured by the audiovisual capturing device of claim 1 during the videoconference of claim 1.

10. A computer program product for use with a videoconferencing device, said computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embedded in said computer usable medium for causing a personalized animation sequence to appear on a suitable screen and cross a screen boundary, said computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code means for activating at least one audiovisual capturing device suitable for a videoconference, wherein said audiovisual capturing device is connected to at least one screen containing at least one video display and at least one audio output;

computer readable program code means for using said audiovisual capturing device to initiate a videoconference wherein at least one user is present;

computer readable program code means for using said audiovisual capturing device to capture audiovisual data from at least one user to a videoconference, wherein said audiovisual data comprises at least one item of visual data and, if present, at least one item of audio data;

computer readable program code means for processing said audiovisual data;

computer readable program code means for, if present, detecting at least one audio cue in said audio data;

computer readable program code means for constructing a suitable 3D representation of said visual data;

computer readable program code means for activating at least one animation sequence based on a selection by at least one user using said selection icon or icons;

computer readable program code means for integrating at least one animation sequence with said audio cue, if present, and said 3D representation into a personalized animation sequence; and

computer readable program code means for displaying said personalized animation sequence on at least one screen containing at least one video display.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein said selection icon is associated with at least one preloaded visual image.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein said selection icon is associated with at least one gesture capture sequence, wherein said gesture is captured by said audiovisual capturing device resulting in captured gesture data rendered into at least one visual image available for integration into a personalized animation sequence.

14. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein said selection icon is associated with a text generation sequence wherein said user enters one or more text items and said text item appears in a video feed either in isolation or in combination with an image or a gesture.

15. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein said screen displays an arrangement comprising one or more video feeds, one selection area, and one audiovisual playback area wherein previously created audio and/or video recordings can be displayed and/or played back during said videoconference.

16. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein said screen displays an arrangement comprising one or more video feeds, one selection area, one audiovisual playback area, and one live content creation area wherein one or more users to said videoconference can create content during said videoconference.

17. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein one or more users to said videoconference sends one or more of said personalized animation sequences to one or more other users in said videoconference wherein said personalized animation sequence comprises an animation sequence that appears to begin and end in one video feed.

18. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein said screen contains two or more video feeds and said personalized animation sequence comprises an animation sequence that appears to begin in one video feed and end in one or more different video feeds.

20. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising computer readable program code means for enabling said at least one user to draw on said at least one screen.

19. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for creating a personalized animation sequence and sending said personalized animation sequence across a screen barrier, said method steps comprising:

activating at least one audiovisual capturing device suitable for a videoconference, wherein said audiovisual capturing device is connected to at least one screen containing at least one video display and at least one audio output;

using said audiovisual capturing device to initiate a videoconference wherein at least one user is present;

using said audiovisual capturing device to capture audiovisual data from at least one user to a videoconference, wherein said audiovisual data comprises at least one item of visual data and if present at least one item of audio data;

processing said audiovisual data;

if present, detecting at least one audio cue in said audio data;

constructing a suitable 3D representation of said visual data;

activating at least one animation sequence based on a selection by at least one user using said selection icon or icons;

integrating at least one animation sequence with said audio cue if present and said 3D representation into a personalized animation sequence; and

displaying said personalized animation sequence on at least one screen containing at least one video display.