System and method for distributing an avatar

• US 8,683,354 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2008
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Khandelwal, Madhur, Chang, E-Lee, Schroeter, Horst Juergen, Clayton, Darnell, Roberts, Linda
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Kieu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Durkin, James T
• Application Number:
  US12/253,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20100100828A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,986 Days
• Field of Search: 715/706, 715/757, 715/758, 463/42, 709201-203, 709/224, 348/445
• US Class Current: 715/757
• 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 13/50 Controlling the output signals based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a first computing device having a controller to present an avatar having characteristics that correlate to a user profile and that conform to operating characteristics of the first computing device, and transmit to a second computing device operational information associated with the avatar for reproducing at least in part the avatar at said second computing device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium operating at a server device, comprising executable instructions which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

accessing a user profile associated with a user of a network;

generating an avatar according to user preference information of the user profile, demographic profiling information of the user profile, and psychographic profiling information of the user profile;

presenting the avatar at a display associated with a first computer device of the network;

receiving video and audio information captured at a first computer device;

generating speech and images for the avatar that are synthesized from the video and audio information;

presenting the avatar according to the speech and images at the display of the first computing device;

detecting a presence of a second computing device;

responsive to detecting the presence of the second computing device, establishing a communication session with the second computing devices;

detecting a request by the second computing device to control the avatar; and

according to the request, further performing operations comprising;

transmitting to the second computing device, by way of the communication session, information associated with the avatar for controlling the avatar at the second computing device according to the request, wherein the information is adapted for a tactile presentation resource of the second computing device;

transmitting an avatar engine to the second computing device, wherein the avatar engine of the second computing device controls presenting the avatar at a second display of the second computing device and presenting the avatar via the tactile presentation resource of the second computing device; and

terminating the presentation of the avatar at the first computing device.

2. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 1, wherein the first computing device and the second computing device each correspond to one of a computer, a cellular phone, a set-top box, a cordless phone, or an appliance device.

3. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the avatar comprises one of computer instructions or data for reproducing the avatar at the second computing device.

4. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 3, wherein the executable instructions correspond to artificial intelligence instructions for reproducing characteristics of the avatar.

5. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 1, wherein the avatar engine of the second computing device performs operations for presenting a second avatar corresponding to the information associated with the avatar.

6. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 5, wherein the avatar engine performs operations for recording in a second user profile a portion of the information associated with the avatar.

7. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 1, wherein the first computing device or the second computing device operates in one of an interactive television communication system, a cellular communication system or an internet service provider communication system.

8. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 1, wherein characteristics of the avatar correspond to one of physiological appearance, clothing style, speech, gestures, maturity or knowledge.

9. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 1, comprising executable instructions that cause the processor to further perform operations comprising determining the demographic profiling information or the psychographic profiling information of the user from one of a subscriber account of the user or media consumption behavior of the user, wherein the demographic profiling information of the user is based on one of age, gender, income, number of occupants in household, occupation, education, value of residential property, location of residential property or fees paid for services rendered by a media communication system, and wherein the psychographic profiling information is based on one of user traits, user attitudes, user interests or user lifestyles determined from the consumption behavior.

10. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 1, wherein operating characteristics of the first computing device correspond to one of audio presentation resources, display presentation resources, tactile presentation resources, visual detection resources, audio detection resources or tactile detection resources.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium operating in a second computing device, comprising executable instructions which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

detecting a presence of a first computing device presenting a first avatar having characteristics that correlate to user preference information of a user profile, demographic profiling information of the user profile, and psychographic profiling information of the user profile and that conform to operating characteristics of the first computing device;

responsive to detecting the presence of the first computing device, determining if the first computing device requests to control a second avatar;

receiving from the first computing device operational information associated with the first avatar, wherein the operational information is adapted for a tactile presentation resource of the second computing device;

receiving an avatar engine from the first computing device, wherein the avatar engine performs operations for presenting an avatar at a display of the second computing device and presenting the avatar via the tactile presentation resource of the second computing device;

capturing video and audio information at the second computing device;

analyzing the video and audio information according to the avatar engine;

generating a second avatar that presents speech and images synthesized from the analyzing of the video and audio information and that presents the avatar via the tactile presentation resource; and

presenting the second avatar, wherein the presenting of the first avatar at the first computing device is terminated.

12. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 11, wherein characteristics of the second avatar conform to operating characteristics of the second computing device, and wherein the operating characteristics of the first computing device and the second computing device differ.

13. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 11, comprising executable instructions which cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

identifying a second user profile; and

correlating the second avatar to the second user profile.

14. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 11, comprising executable instructions which cause the processor to perform operations comprising establishing a communication session with the first computing device.

15. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 14, comprising executable instructions which cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

presenting a user of the second computing device a query to accept or reject a transfer of the first avatar to the second computing device;

detecting an acceptance of the transfer;

communicating the acceptance to the first computing device, thereby causing the first computing device to transmit the operational information of the first avatar to the second computing device and to terminate presenting the first avatar.

16. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 11, wherein the first computing device and the second computing device each correspond to one of a computer, a cellular phone, a set-top box, a cordless phone or an appliance device, and wherein the first computing device or the second computing device each operate in one of an internet protocol television communication system, an interactive television cable communication system, an interactive television satellite communication system, a cellular communication system or an internet service provider communication system.

17. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 11, wherein the operational information associated with the first avatar comprises one of computer instructions or data for reproducing the first avatar at the second computing device.

18. A first computing device, comprising:

a memory to store executable instructions; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the memory, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the executable instruction, performs operations comprising;

capturing video and audio information;

analyzing the video and audio information;

generating an avatar that presents speech and images synthesized from the analyzing of the video and audio information;

presenting the avatar having characteristics that correlate to user preference information of a user profile, demographic profiling information of the user profile, and psychographic profiling information of the user profile and that conform to operating characteristics;

detecting a presence of a second computing device;

responsive to the detecting of the presence of the second computing device, determining if the second computing device requests to control the avatar;

transmitting to the second computing device operational information associated with the avatar for reproducing at least in part the avatar at the second computing device, wherein the operational information is adapted for a tactile presentation resource of the second computing device;

receiving an acknowledgement from the second computing device of receipt of the operational information associated with the avatar;

transmitting an avatar engine to the second computing device, wherein the avatar engine performs operations for presenting the avatar at a display of the second computing device and presenting the avatar via the tactile presentation resource of the second computing device; and

terminating the presentation of the avatar responsive to receipt of the acknowledgement.

19. The first computing device of claim 18, wherein the first computing device and the second computing device each correspond to one of a computer, a cellular phone, a set-top box, a cordless phone or an appliance device, and wherein the first computing device or the second computing device operate in one of an internet protocol television communication system, an interactive television cable communication system, an interactive television satellite communication system, a cellular communication system or an internet service provider communication system.

20. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a system comprising a processor, an avatar engine from a first computing device, wherein the avatar engine of the first computing device performs operations for presenting an avatar at a display of the system and presenting the avatar via a tactile presentation resource of the system;

receiving, by the system, operational characteristics of a first avatar being presented by a first computing device responsive to a transitional event indicating a request to present and control the first avatar, wherein the operational characteristics correlate to user preference information of a user profile, demographic profiling information of the user profile, and psychographic profiling information of the user profile and wherein the operational information characteristics are adapted for the tactile presentation resource;

capturing, by the system, video and audio information;

analyzing, by the system, the video and audio information;

generating, by the system, a second avatar that presents speech and images synthesized from the analyzing of the video and audio information; and

presenting, by the system, the second avatar having characteristics corresponding to the operational characteristics of the first avatar.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the characteristics of the first avatar correspond to one of characteristics associated with physiological appearance, clothing style, speech, gestures, maturity or knowledge, wherein the first computing device corresponds to one of a computer, a cellular phone, a set-top box, a cordless phone or an appliance device, and wherein the first computing devices operate in one of an interactive television communication system, a cellular communication system or an internet service provider communication system.