Avatar eye control in a multi-user animation environment
First Claim
1. A method for controlling a gaze orientation of an avatar, the method comprising:
- modeling a digital representation of an avatar including at least one modeled eye and a scene in a computer memory;
determining a field of view for the modeled eye of the avatar, wherein the field of view encompasses visual targets in the scene; and
directing a gaze orientation of the modeled eye to different selected visual targets in the field of view in an automated sequence of changing gaze directions determined at least in part by respective predetermined attractiveness values that are determined at least in part by user preferences and stored in the computer memory for each corresponding respective one of the visual targets.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a multi-participant modeled virtual reality environment, avatars are modeled beings that include moveable eyes creating the impression of an apparent gaze direction. Control of eye movement may be performed autonomously using software to select and prioritize targets in a visual field. Sequence and duration of apparent gaze may then be controlled using automatically determined priorities. Optionally, user preferences for object characteristics may be factored into determining priority of apparent gaze. Resulting modeled avatars are rendered on client displays to provide more lifelike and interesting avatar depictions with shifting gaze directions.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for controlling a gaze orientation of an avatar, the method comprising:
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modeling a digital representation of an avatar including at least one modeled eye and a scene in a computer memory; determining a field of view for the modeled eye of the avatar, wherein the field of view encompasses visual targets in the scene; and directing a gaze orientation of the modeled eye to different selected visual targets in the field of view in an automated sequence of changing gaze directions determined at least in part by respective predetermined attractiveness values that are determined at least in part by user preferences and stored in the computer memory for each corresponding respective one of the visual targets. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions operative to cause a computer to perform the steps of:
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modeling a digital representation of an avatar including at least one modeled eye and a scene in a computer memory; determining a field of view for the modeled eye of the avatar, wherein the field of view encompasses visual targets in the scene; and directing a gaze orientation of the modeled eye to different selected visual targets in the field of view in an automated sequence of changing gaze directions determined at least in part by respective predetermined attractiveness values that are determined at least in part by user preferences and stored in the computer memory for each corresponding respective one of the visual targets. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification