MAPPING USER EMOTIONAL STATE TO AVATAR IN A VIRTUAL WORLD

• US 20080215972A1
• Filed: 03/05/2007
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Vass, Attila, Goodwin, Mitchell, Zalewski, Gary, Waugaman, Scott, Gillo, Tomas
• Application Number:
  US11/682,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20080215972A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/706
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5375 for graphically or textually suggesting an action, e.g. by displaying an arrow indicating a turn in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/75 Enforcing rules, e.g. detecting foul play or generating lists of cheating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/408 Peer to peer connection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality

Abstract

A method for user interaction with a three-dimensional virtual world is disclosed. The virtual world may comprise one or more public spaces and one or more private spaces. A user may be represented in the virtual world by an avatar. The user may manipulate the avatar via a user interface. An emotional state of the user may be detected via the interface. The user'"'"'s emotional state may be mapped to one or more features of the avatar that are perceptible by other users. Thus, other users may perceive the user'"'"'s emotional state through perception of the avatar.

Claims

1. A method for user interaction with a three-dimensional virtual world, wherein the virtual world comprises one or more public spaces and one or more private spaces, wherein the user is represented in the virtual world by an avatar, wherein the user can manipulate the avatar via a user interface, the method comprising:

a) detecting an emotional state of the user via the interface; and

b) mapping the user'"'"'s emotional state to one or more features of the avatar that are perceptible by other users, whereby the other users may perceive the user'"'"'s emotional state through perception of the avatar.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more features comprise one or more facial features of the avatar.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more features comprise one or more body language features of the avatar.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more features comprise one or more facial and body language features of the avatar.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting the emotional stage of the user comprises tracking one or more facial features of the user.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein tracking one or more facial features comprises using a 3D camera to track the one or more facial features.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting the emotional state of the user includes tracking one or more body language features of the user.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting the emotional stage of the user comprises analyzing a voice stress of the user.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting the emotional stage of the user comprises analyzing text generated by the user.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting the emotional stage of the user comprises analyzing a biometric of the user.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the biometric comprises electrocardiographic (EKG), electroencephalographic (EEG), galvanic skin response, or thermal imaging data.