EP0807902A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Method and apparatus for generating moving characters
Assignee: Cyberclass Ltd
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Filing: 1997-01-21
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2017-01-21
Abstract
Abstract An avatar is generated by i) providing: a) a three-dimensional representation (2) of the structure of the character, the structure representation changing in real time to represent movement of the character, b) a three-dimensional representation of the surface (1) of the character which is mapped onto said structure representation, and c) a two-dimensional representation of frequently changing portions of said surface, eg the portions used to generate facial expressions and ii) combining said representations a), b) and c) to generate a combined representation of the moving character. Because the frequently changing portions are represented only two-dimensionally, less processing power and ROM is needed to display the avatar.
Inventors
- 👤 Godfrey Maybin Parkin
- 👤 Carl William Goodman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 20:08
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T13/00; G06T13/20; G06T13/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of generating a moving character for a display, comprising the steps of i) providing: a) a three-dimensional representation of the structure of the character, the structure representation changing in real time to represent movement of the character, b) a three-dimensional representation of the surface of the character which is mapped onto said structure representation, and c) a two-dimensional representation of frequently changing portions of said surface, and ii) combining said representations a), b) and c) to generate a combined representation of the moving character.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said combined representation is generated in real time.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said combined representation is displayed interactively in response to commands from a user.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
35 words
A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein two or more such two-dimensional representations c) of different frequently-changing changing portions of said surface are generated and are combined with said representations a) and b).
Claim 5
Independent Claim
19 words
A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the two-dimensional representation(s) c) is/are of portion(s) of facial expressions.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
19 words
A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said three-dimensional surface representation b) is derived from a photograph.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
19 words
A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said three-dimensional structure representation a) comprises a multiplicity of polygons.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
37 words
A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said combining step ii) is carried out by a program running in a PC and the character is displayed in real time on the display of the PC.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
88 words
An apparatus for generating a moving character comprising: i) memory means arranged to provide: a) a three-dimensional representation of the structure of the character, the structure representation changing in real time to represent movement of the character, b) a three-dimensional representation of the surface of the character which is mapped onto said structure representation, and c) a two-dimensional representation of frequently changing portions of said surface, and ii) processing means arranged to combine said representations a), b) and c) to generate a combined representation of the moving character.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said processing means is arranged to generate said combined representation in real time.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10 wherein said processing means is providedwith user-controlled input means and is arranged to display said combined representation interactively in response to commands from a user.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
37 words
An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 9 to 11 which is arranged to combine two or more such two-dimensional representations c) of different frequently-changing changing portions of said surface with said representations a) and b).
Claim 13
Independent Claim
22 words
An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 9 to 12 wherein the two-dimensional representation(s) c) is/are of portion(s) of facial expressions.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
22 words
An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 9 to 13 wherein said three-dimensional surface representation b) is derived from a photograph.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
21 words
An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said three-dimensional structure representation a) comprises coordinates defining a multiplicity of polygons.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
26 words
An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 9 to 15 which is a PC arranged to display the character in real time on its display.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
37 words
An avatar comprising: a) an animated three-dimensional structure representation , b) a three-dimensional surface representation which is mapped onto said structure representation, and c) a two-dimensional representation of frequently changing portions of the surface of the avatar.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
22 words
A method of generating a moving character substantially as described hereinbabove with reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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