Modifying avatar behavior based on user action or mood

• US 9,256,861 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2011
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Blattner, Patrick D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pillai, Namitha
• Application Number:
  US13/035,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20110148916A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,810 Days
• Field of Search: 715/706
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/40 of characters, e.g. humans, animals or virtual beings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

Techniques are described for enabling the selection of wallpaper to modify the mood projected by an avatar. The mood projected by an avatar may be modified, for example, by modifying behaviors and/or appearance of the avatar to characterize a mood to be projected. The mood projected by an avatar also may be modified based on user action, such as user input of a mood to be projected by the avatar.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for modifying an avatar associated with an identity of a user of a communications application, the method comprising:

monitoring, by at least one processor, at least one additional application executing on a computing device associated with the user, the at least one additional application being distinct from the communications application;

inferring, based on the monitored at least one additional application, a mood of the user of the communications application; and

modifying the avatar based on the inferred mood of the user of the communications application.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting the modified avatar to another user of the communications application with whom the user is communicating.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein inferring the mood of the user includes determining behavior of the user from the monitored application.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the behavior of the user includes determining at least one of a duration of online presence of the user, an intensity of online activity of the user, or a type of online activity of the user from the monitored application.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the avatar comprises changing an appearance of the avatar in response to the inferred mood.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the avatar comprises playing an animation of the avatar in response to the inferred mood such that the played animation is different from an animation played for the avatar when unmodified.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the avatar comprises modifying a text trigger used to animate the avatar in response to the inferred mood such that the text trigger is different from a text trigger used to animate the avatar when unmodified, the text trigger including a character string in a message sent using the communication application.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the avatar comprises modifying a wallpaper that defines a visually perceivable background for the avatar.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein modifying the wallpaper comprises animating one or more wallpaper objects of the wallpaper.

10. A system comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform a method modifying an avatar associated with an identity of a user of a communications application, the method comprising;

monitoring at least one additional application executing on a computing device associated with the user, the at least one additional application being distinct from the communications application;

inferring, based on the monitored at least one additional application, a mood of the user of the communications application; and

modifying the avatar based on the inferred mood of the user of the communications application.

11. The system of claim 10, the method

further comprising presenting the modified avatar to another user of the communications application with whom the user is communicating.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein inferring the mood of the user includes determining behavior of the user from the monitored application.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein determining the behavior of the user includes determining at least one of a duration of online presence of the user, an intensity of online activity of the user, or a type of online activity of the user from the monitored application.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein modifying the avatar comprises changing an appearance of the avatar in response to the inferred mood.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein modifying the avatar comprises playing an animation of the avatar in response to the inferred mood such that the played animation is different from an animation played for the avatar when unmodified.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein modifying the avatar comprises modifying a text trigger used to animate the avatar in response to the inferred mood such that the text trigger is different from a text trigger used to animate the avatar when unmodified, the text trigger including a character string in a message sent using the communication application.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein modifying the avatar comprises modifying a wallpaper that defines a visually perceivable background for the avatar.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein modifying the wallpaper comprises animating one or more wallpaper objects of the wallpaper.