Avatar items and animations

• US 8,384,719 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2008
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Reville, Brendan K., Law, Stacey, Smith, Derek
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHU K
• Application Number:
  US12/184,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20100026698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,670 Days
• Field of Search: 345/473, 345/474, 345/475, 709/204, 709/206, 715/706, 715/758, 463/7, 463/42
• US Class Current: 345/473
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/57 details of game services offered to the player
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/40 of characters, e.g. humans, animals or virtual beings
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/363 Graphics controllers

Abstract

Mechanisms for accessorizing avatars with animated items. Avatars may be accessorized by items that have animations that are item specific, or they may be accessorized by items that apply to the entire body of the avatars. In addition, such item accessories may apply to avatars across different game titles and they may be added during the execution of a game, whether using a user interface or the game itself (e.g. receiving accessories for achieving certain milestones in a game). Such accessories may also be obtained from remote sources as packages, and then applied locally to avatars.

Claims

1. A method for triggering, applying, and maintaining animation accessories for avatars in gaming console environments, comprising:

receiving an accessory package with avatar accessories, wherein said avatar accessories comprise a plurality of items that are applicable to an avatar, at least two of the plurality of items having a relationship with one another;

wherein said avatar is an object corresponding to a user of a gaming console;

wherein at least one of said plurality of items is configured to be animated when applied to said avatar;

identifying said avatar as a candidate for having said at least one of said plurality of items applied to said avatar;

applying said at least one of said plurality of items to said avatar upon a triggering event;

wherein said plurality of items are configured to be applied to said avatar at least across two distinct game titles;

wherein said plurality of items are further configured to be applied during an execution of a game; and

displaying said avatar that has been accessorized with said at least one of said plurality of items.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one of said plurality of item contains animation specific to itself

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one of said plurality of item contains animation specific to an entire body of said avatar.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said triggering event is based on at least one of (a) a user input and (b) a game input, wherein a game executing on said gaming console is providing said game input.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said animated avatar is animated continuously as a user is playing said game.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least an item of said plurality of items has a three-dimensional animation.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein a first item of said at least two of said plurality of items is at least in part superimposed on a second item of said at least two of said plurality of items.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein a first item of said at least two of said plurality of items at least in part has a causal effect on a second item of said at least two of said plurality of items.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one of said plurality of items is a carrying object that is configured to be applied across said two distinct gaming titles.

10. A system for animating gaming console avatars in a plurality of differing ways, wherein said system is loaded in local computer memory and wherein said system is being executed by a physical processor, comprising:

a processing module configured to process an accessory package containing a plurality of animation items, a first animation item of the plurality of animation items having a relationship with a second animation item of the plurality of animation items;

an identification module configured to identify an avatar and an identified animation item from said plurality of animation items;

an application module configured to apply said identified animation item to said avatar;

wherein said identified animation item applies to said avatar at least in a first game title and a second game title; and

wherein said identified animation item is configured to be applied to said avatar while said first game title is playing.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein said identified animation item is further configured to be applied to said avatar while said second game title is playing.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein said first game title and said second game title are distinct in being loaded separately.

13. The system according to claim 10, wherein said application module applies said identified animation item to said avatar upon a triggering event that is based on at least one of (a) a user input and (b) a game input.

14. The system according to claim 10, wherein said identified animation item is animated when a user is engaging a game.

15. The system according to claim 10, wherein said identified animation item is configured to be superimposed on an additional animation item applied to said avatar.

16. The system according to claim 10, wherein said application module is further configured to remove said identified animation item from said avatar upon a triggering event.

17. The system according to claim 10, wherein said plurality of animation items comprise at least one animation item that is animated in itself and at least one animation item that applies to an entire body of said avatar.

18. A computer readable medium, other than a signal, storing thereon computer executable instructions for accessorizing avatars with various animation items, comprising:

an instruction for accessing a database comprising a plurality of accessory items residing on a remote server, a first accessory item of the plurality of accessory items having an effect on a second accessory item of the plurality of accessory items;

an instruction for receiving a package of said plurality of accessory items at a local gaming console, wherein said package contains items that have animations specific to the items themselves, and wherein said package contains items that have animations that are applicable to entire avatars;

an instruction that applies at least one item of said package of said plurality of accessory items to at least one avatar of said avatars;

an instruction that carries said at least one item of said package of said plurality of accessory items from a first game title to a second game title;

an instruction that presents to a user an option to accessorize any avatars associated with said user during execution of at least one of said first game title and said second game title; and

an instruction that displays said at least one avatar that has been accessorized by said at least one item of said package.

19. The computer readable medium according to claim 18, further comprising:

an instruction that provides at least one accessory item to said at least one avatar from a local source, wherein said local source is at least one of said first game title and said second game title.

20. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, further comprising:

an instruction that interprets any three dimensional meshes, bitmap textures, and configuration information associated with said plurality of accessory items for application to said at least one avatar.