Method and apparatus for providing flash-based avatars
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A computer-implemented method for animating an online identity, comprising:
- representing the online identity with at least one plurality of at least partially overlapping layers, wherein any portion of an item within one of the layers overlapped by a portion of an item in another layer is obscured from view;
assigning a first multimedia animation component and a second multimedia animation component to a layer of said plurality of layers;
applying the first multimedia animation component for holding an existing item that is displayed to a user while loading a new item in the second multimedia animation component; and
at least partially in response to the new item being fully loaded in the second multimedia animation component, displaying the new item to the user and unloading the existing item from the first multimedia animation component.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Method and apparatus for providing flash based online identities is disclosed. For example, the present invention applies a multimedia animation component such as a Flash component in the present avatars architecture. In one embodiment, each avatar is represented using a plurality of layers, where each layer employs at least two objects. Using two objects for each layer allows the present invention to minimize flicking when the avatar is animated.
64 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A computer-implemented method for animating an online identity, comprising:
-
representing the online identity with at least one plurality of at least partially overlapping layers, wherein any portion of an item within one of the layers overlapped by a portion of an item in another layer is obscured from view; assigning a first multimedia animation component and a second multimedia animation component to a layer of said plurality of layers; applying the first multimedia animation component for holding an existing item that is displayed to a user while loading a new item in the second multimedia animation component; and at least partially in response to the new item being fully loaded in the second multimedia animation component, displaying the new item to the user and unloading the existing item from the first multimedia animation component. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to enable animation of an online identity, the instructions for:
-
representing the online identity with at least one plurality of at least partially overlapping layers, wherein any portion of an item within one of the layers overlapped by a portion of an item in another layer is obscured from view; assigning a first multimedia animation component and a second multimedia animation component to a layer of said plurality of layers; applying the first multimedia animation component for holding an existing item that is displayed to a user while loading a new item in a the second multimedia animation component; and at least partially in response to the new item being fully loaded in the second multimedia animation component, displaying the new item to the user and unloading the existing item from the first multimedia animation component. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. An apparatus for animating an online identity;
- comprising;
means for representing the online identity with at least one plurality of at least partially overlapping layers, wherein any portion of an item within one of the layers overlapped by a portion of an item in another layer is obscured from view; means for assigning a first multimedia animation component and a second multimedia animation component to a layer of said plurality of layers; means for applying the first multimedia animation component for holding an existing item that is displayed to a user while loading a new item in the second multimedia animation component; means for displaying, at least partially in response to the new item being fully loaded in the second multimedia animation component, the new item to the user; and means for unloading, at least partially in response to the new item being fully loaded in the second multimedia animation component, the existing item from the first multimedia animation component. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
- comprising;
Specification