Method for customizing avatars and heightening online safety
First Claim
1. A computerized method for customizing an avatar to communicate information about a user represented by the avatar, comprising:
- providing said user with a default avatar with a face having a default facial expression;
including in said default avatar at least one set of elements defining a surface area of the face of the avatar;
providing at least one rational curve near the surface area of the face of the avatar based on the topography of said surface and positioning control points of the rational curve so as to form simulated muscles, said curve being linked with said set of elements by a computer so that said curve controls movement of said elements such that modification of at least a section of said curve has an effect on the topography of the surface that is geometrically analogous to the effect of movement that an underlying muscle mechanism of deformation has on the topography of the surface of a real face;
enabling the user to customize the avatar by dynamically modifying through the computer a default animation of the default facial expression of the avatar by changing said section of said at least one curve so that the location of said surface is dynamically changed to simulate the effect of the movement of the underlying muscle mechanism of deformation on the topography of the surface of the face to communicate information about the user, wherein said modifying of said curves is integral to simulating movement in the surface equivalent to movement due to the underlying muscle mechanism of deformation of said face; and
displaying the customized avatar to another user such that the other user can perceive the information about the user represented by the avatar,
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Abstract
The present invention, a method for a customizing and determining how a multimedia character or avatar is animated. The method provides a user with interaction with the avatar that involves animation of the face of the multimedia character. In addition, the method further comprises offering the multimedia character or avatar with a default setting for a mechanism of muscle movement and interacting with the mechanism of muscle movement. Further, the method is preferably used in a stand-alone mode and with multimedia communication, such as Internet, email and wireless applications. Furthermore, the method comprises a set rules and intelligent systems for analyzing, displaying and capturing messages and alerting the user to these messages in real time.
20 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A computerized method for customizing an avatar to communicate information about a user represented by the avatar, comprising:
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providing said user with a default avatar with a face having a default facial expression; including in said default avatar at least one set of elements defining a surface area of the face of the avatar; providing at least one rational curve near the surface area of the face of the avatar based on the topography of said surface and positioning control points of the rational curve so as to form simulated muscles, said curve being linked with said set of elements by a computer so that said curve controls movement of said elements such that modification of at least a section of said curve has an effect on the topography of the surface that is geometrically analogous to the effect of movement that an underlying muscle mechanism of deformation has on the topography of the surface of a real face; enabling the user to customize the avatar by dynamically modifying through the computer a default animation of the default facial expression of the avatar by changing said section of said at least one curve so that the location of said surface is dynamically changed to simulate the effect of the movement of the underlying muscle mechanism of deformation on the topography of the surface of the face to communicate information about the user, wherein said modifying of said curves is integral to simulating movement in the surface equivalent to movement due to the underlying muscle mechanism of deformation of said face; and displaying the customized avatar to another user such that the other user can perceive the information about the user represented by the avatar, - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15)
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11. A service provider system that provides service to a plurality of users, comprising:
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a mediating component for enabling a plurality of users to communicate; an avatar collecting component that enables uploading to the service provider system of three-dimensional avatar information including a customized animation of a facial expression of the avatar, the avatar being customized for and representing one of the plurality of users, said avatar including at least one set of elements defining a surface area of face of the avatar, a rational curve positioned relative to and near the surface area of the face of the avatar based on the topography of said surface and linked with said set of elements by a computer so that said curve controls movement of said elements, control points of the rational curve are implemented so as to form simulated muscles such that modification of at least a section of said curve has an effect on the topography of the surface that is geometrically analogous to the effect of movement that an underlying muscle mechanism of deformation has on the topography of the surface of a real face, said curve being linked with said set of vertices, elements said computer enabling the user to customize the avatar by dynamically modifying the default facial expression of the avatar by changing said section of said at least one curve so that the location of said surface is dynamically changed to simulate the effect of the movement of the underlying muscle mechanism of deformation on the topography of the surface of the face to communicate information about the user, wherein said modifying of said curves is integral to simulating movement in the surface equivalent to movement due to the underlying muscle mechanism of deformation of said face; a data storage component for storing the customized avatars for a plurality of users; a receiving component for receiving a request from a first user to communicate with a second user; an avatar retrieving component that retrieves from the data storage component the customized-avatar representing the first user; and a dispatching component for providing the retrieved customized-avatar representing the first user in a communication from the first user to the second user. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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16. A computerized method for customizing an avatar of a person to communicate information about the person represented by the avatar, comprising:
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providing a user with a default avatar including at least one set of elements defining a surface area of the avatar, providing at least one rational curve near the surface area of the avatar based on the topography of said surface and positioning control points of the rational curve so as to form simulated muscles, said curve being linked with said set of elements by a computer so that said curve controls movement of said elements such that modification of at least a section of said curve has an effect on the topography of the surface that is geometrically analogous to the effect of movement that an underlying muscle mechanism of deformation has on the topography of the surface of a real object; enabling the user to customize the avatar by dynamically modifying a default animation of the avatar by changing at least a section of said curve so that the location of said surface is dynamically changed to simulate the effect of the movement of the underlying muscle mechanism of deformation on the topography of the surface to communicate information about the user, wherein said modifying of said curves is integral to simulating movement in the surface equivalent to movement due to the underlying muscle mechanism of deformation of said user, said change in the mechanism of animation being achieved by modifying characteristics of at least one of the rational curve and at least one control point; and displaying the customized avatar to another user such that the other user can perceive the information about the user represented by the avatar. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification