System and method for measuring and quantitating facial movements

Claim 1

A system for measuring and quantitating movements of a face, the system comprising: at least one marker applied to at least one specific zone of the face to track motion of the specific zone of the face; apparatus for recording an image of the marked face at repose and for recording an image of the marked face at at least one selected facial position, said selected position being the result of facial movement; apparatus for assigning at least one location coordinate to the marker of the facial image at repose and for assigning at least one location coordinate to the marker of the facial image at the selected facial position; means for converting the location coordinate of the marker to actual positions on the face; means for determining a change in actual marker position; and means for displaying the change in actual marker position.

Claim 2

A system for measuring and quantitating movements of a face, the system comprising: at least one marker applied to at least one specific zone of the face to track motion of the specific zone of the face; apparatus for recording an image of the marked face at repose and for recording an image of the marked face at at least one selected facial position, said selected position being the result of facial movement; apparatus for assigning at least one location coordinate to the marker of the facial image at repose and for assigning at least one location coordinate to the marker of the facial image at the selected facial position; means for converting the location coordinate of the marker to actual positions on the face; means for determining a change in actual marker position; and means for displaying the change in actual marker position.

Claim 7

The system of claim rein the apparatus for recording facial images is a compact disc camera which captures the facial images on digitally based media; and the system further comprises apparatus for viewing the digitally based media.

Claim 15

A method for measuring and quantitating movements of a face, the method comprising the step of: applying at least one marker to at least one specific zone of the face to track motion of the specific zone of the face; recording an image of the marked face at repose and recording an image of the marked face at at least one selected facial position, said selected position being the result of facial movement; assigning at least one location coordinate to the marker of the facial image at repose and assigning at least one location coordinate to the marker of the facial image at the selected facial position; converting the location coordinates of the marker to actual positions of the face; determining a change in actual marker position on the face; and displaying the change in actual marker position on the face.

Claim 16

A method for measuring and quantitating movements of a face, the method comprising the step of: applying at least one marker to at least one specific zone of the face to track motion of the specific zone of the face; recording an image of the marked face at repose and recording an image of the marked face at at least one selected facial position, said selected position being the result of facial movement; assigning at least one location coordinate to the marker of the facial image at repose and assigning at least one location coordinate to the marker of the facial image at the selected facial position; converting the location coordinates of the marker to actual positions of the face; determining a change in actual marker position on the face; and displaying the change in actual marker position on the face.

Claim 26

A method for measuring and quantitating movements of a face, the method comprising the steps of: centering pupils of the face at repose; applying a marker to a plurality of facial zones including radix, philtrum, mentum, left supraorbital, right supraorbital, left infraorbital, right infraorbital, left oral commissure and right oral commissure zones; positioning a calibration ruler proximate to a tip of a nose of the face by positioning means, said calibration ruler including at least one calibration unit; applying a reference marker to the nose behind and partially above the calibration ruler so that the reference marker partially appears above the calibration ruler when the face is viewed head-on; recording an image of the marked face at repose focused on the calibration ruler using a camera capable of capturing facial images on film for developing slides; using said camera and focusing on said calibration ruler, recording an image of the marked face at a plurality of selected facial movements including maximal brow lift, maximal tight eye closure, maximal smile, maximal frown and maximal mouth pucker; developing said facial images into slides; viewing each facial image slide through a slide viewer; juxtapositioning a grid to each facial image displayed by the slide viewer so that a horizontal axis of the grid passes through lower limbs of a medial canthi of the facial image and a vertical axis of the grid passes through a perceived center of a bony nasal dorsum of the facial image, said grid including at least one grid unit; recording location coordinates for each marker of each facial image based on the grid orientation; calibrating each facial image by placing the grid proximate to the image of the calibration ruler of each facial image so as to determine the number of grid units per calibration unit for that facial image; converting the location coordinates of each marker to actual positions on the face relative to a trans-canthal/trans-nasal origin formed by the medial canthi and the bony nasal dorsum of the facial image; determining a change in actual marker position for each marker on the face for each selected facial movement; and graphing the change in actual marker position on the face for each selected facial movement.

Claim 27

A method for measuring and quantitating movements of a face, the method comprising the steps of: centering pupils of the face at repose; applying a marker to a plurality of facial zones including radix, philtrum, mentum, left supraorbital, right supraorbital, left infraorbital, right infraorbital, left oral commissure and right oral commissure zones; positioning a calibration ruler proximate to a tip of a nose of the face by positioning means, said calibration ruler including at least one calibration unit; applying a reference marker to the nose behind and partially above the calibration ruler so that the reference marker partially appears above the calibration ruler when the face is viewed head-on; recording an image of the marked face at repose focused on the calibration ruler using a camera capable of capturing facial images on film for developing slides; using said camera and focusing on said calibration ruler, recording an image of the marked face at a plurality of selected facial movements including maximal brow lift, maximal tight eye closure, maximal smile, maximal frown and maximal mouth pucker; developing said facial images into slides; viewing each facial image slide through a slide viewer; juxtapositioning a grid to each facial image displayed by the slide viewer so that a horizontal axis of the grid passes through lower limbs of a medial canthi of the facial image and a vertical axis of the grid passes through a perceived center of a bony nasal dorsum of the facial image, said grid including at least one grid unit; recording location coordinates for each marker of each facial image based on the grid orientation; calibrating each facial image by placing the grid proximate to the image of the calibration ruler of each facial image so as to determine the number of grid units per calibration unit for that facial image; converting the location coordinates of each marker to actual positions on the face relative to a trans-canthal/trans-nasal origin formed by the medial canthi and the bony nasal dorsum of the facial image; determining a change in actual marker position for each marker on the face for each selected facial movement; and graphing the change in actual marker position on the face for each selected facial movement.

Claim 28

A method for measuring and quantitating movements of a face, the method comprising the steps of: centering pupils of the face at repose; applying a marker to a plurality of facial zones including radix, philtrum, mentum, left supraorbital, right supraorbital, left infraorbital, right infraorbital, left oral commissure and right oral commissure zones; positioning a calibration ruler proximate to a tip of a nose of the face by positioning means, said calibration ruler including at least one calibration unit; applying a reference marker to the nose behind and partially above the calibration ruler so that the reference marker partially appears above the calibration ruler when the face is viewed head-on; recording an image of the marked face at repose focused on the calibration ruler using a camera capable of capturing facial images on film for developing photographs; using said camera and focusing on said calibration ruler, recording an image of the marked face at a plurality of selected facial movements including maximal brow lift, maximal tight eye closure, maximal smile, maximal frown and maximal mouth pucker; developing said facial images into photographs; juxtapositioning a grid to each photograph so that a horizontal axis of the grid passes through lower limbs of a medial canthi of the facial image and a vertical axis of the grid passes through a perceived center of the bony nasal dorsum of the facial image, said grid including at least one grid unit; recording location coordinates for each marker of each facial image based on the grid orientation; calibrating each facial image by placing the grid proximate to the image of the calibration ruler of each facial image so as to determine the number of grid units per calibration unit for that facial image; converting the location coordinates of each marker to actual positions on the face relative to a trans-canthal/trans-nasal origin formed by the medial canthi and the bony nasal dorsum of the facial image; determining a change in actual marker position for each marker on the face for each selected facial movement; and graphing the change in actual marker position on the face for each selected facial movement.

Claim 29

A method for measuring and quantitating movements of a face, the method comprising the steps of: centering pupils of the face at repose; applying a marker to a plurality of facial zones including radix, philtrum, mentum, left supraorbital, right supraorbital, left infraorbital, right infraorbital, left oral commissure and right oral commissure zones; positioning a calibration ruler proximate to a tip of a nose of the face by positioning means, said calibration ruler including at least one calibration unit; applying a reference marker to the nose behind and partially above the calibration ruler so that the reference marker partially appears above the calibration ruler when the face is viewed head-on; recording an image of the marked face at repose focused on the calibration ruler using a camera capable of capturing facial images on film for developing photographs; using said camera and focusing on said calibration ruler, recording an image of the marked face at a plurality of selected facial movements including maximal brow lift, maximal tight eye closure, maximal smile, maximal frown and maximal mouth pucker; developing said facial images into photographs; juxtapositioning a grid to each photograph so that a horizontal axis of the grid passes through lower limbs of a medial canthi of the facial image and a vertical axis of the grid passes through a perceived center of the bony nasal dorsum of the facial image, said grid including at least one grid unit; recording location coordinates for each marker of each facial image based on the grid orientation; calibrating each facial image by placing the grid proximate to the image of the calibration ruler of each facial image so as to determine the number of grid units per calibration unit for that facial image; converting the location coordinates of each marker to actual positions on the face relative to a trans-canthal/trans-nasal origin formed by the medial canthi and the bony nasal dorsum of the facial image; determining a change in actual marker position for each marker on the face for each selected facial movement; and graphing the change in actual marker position on the face for each selected facial movement.

Claim 30

A method for measuring and quantitating movements of a face, the method comprising the steps of: centering pupils of the face at repose; applying a marker to a plurality of facial zones including radix, philtrum, mentum, left supraorbital, right supraorbital, left infraorbital, right infraorbital, left oral commissure and right oral commissure zones; positioning a calibration ruler proximate to a tip of a nose of the face by positioning means, said calibration ruler including at least one calibration unit; applying a reference marker to the nose behind and partially above the calibration ruler so that the reference marker partially appears above the calibration ruler when the face is viewed head-on; recording an image of the marked face at repose focused on the calibration ruler using a video camera capable of capturing facial images on videotape; using said video camera and focusing on said calibration ruler, recording an image of the marked face at a plurality of selected facial movements including maximal brow lift, maximal tight eye closure, maximal smile, maximal frown and maximal mouth pucker; viewing each facial image by using a videotape player; juxtapositioning a grid to each facial image displayed by the videotape player so that a horizontal axis of the grid passes through lower limbs of a medial canthi of the facial image and a vertical axis of the grid passes through a perceived center of the bony nasal dorsum of the facial image, said grid including at least one grid unit; recording location coordinates for each marker of each facial image based on the grid orientation; calibrating each facial image by placing the grid proximate to the image of the calibration ruler of each facial image so as to determine the number of grid units per calibration unit for that facial image; converting the location coordinates of each marker to actual positions on the face relative to a trans-canthal/trans-nasal origin formed by the medial canthi and the bony nasal dorsum of the facial image; determining a change in actual marker position for each marker on the face for each selected facial movement; and graphing the change in actual marker position on the face for each selected facial movement.

Claim 31

A method for measuring and quantitating movements of a face, the method comprising the steps of: centering pupils of the face at repose; applying a marker to a plurality of facial zones including radix, philtrum, mentum, left supraorbital, right supraorbital, left infraorbital, right infraorbital, left oral commissure and right oral commissure zones; positioning a calibration ruler proximate to a tip of a nose of the face by positioning means, said calibration ruler including at least one calibration unit; applying a reference marker to the nose behind and partially above the calibration ruler so that the reference marker partially appears above the calibration ruler when the face is viewed head-on; recording an image of the marked face at repose focused on the calibration ruler using a video camera capable of capturing facial images on videotape; using said video camera and focusing on said calibration ruler, recording an image of the marked face at a plurality of selected facial movements including maximal brow lift, maximal tight eye closure, maximal smile, maximal frown and maximal mouth pucker; viewing each facial image by using a videotape player; juxtapositioning a grid to each facial image displayed by the videotape player so that a horizontal axis of the grid passes through lower limbs of a medial canthi of the facial image and a vertical axis of the grid passes through a perceived center of the bony nasal dorsum of the facial image, said grid including at least one grid unit; recording location coordinates for each marker of each facial image based on the grid orientation; calibrating each facial image by placing the grid proximate to the image of the calibration ruler of each facial image so as to determine the number of grid units per calibration unit for that facial image; converting the location coordinates of each marker to actual positions on the face relative to a trans-canthal/trans-nasal origin formed by the medial canthi and the bony nasal dorsum of the facial image; determining a change in actual marker position for each marker on the face for each selected facial movement; and graphing the change in actual marker position on the face for each selected facial movement.

Claim 32

A method for measuring and quantitating movements of a face, the method comprising the steps of: centering pupils of the face at repose; applying a marker to a plurality of facial zones including radix, philtrum, mentum, left supraorbital, right supraorbital, left infraorbital, right infraorbital, left oral commissure and right oral commissure zones; positioning a calibration ruler proximate to a tip of a nose of the face by positioning means, said calibration ruler including at least one calibration unit; applying a reference marker to the nose behind and partially above the calibration ruler so that the reference marker partially appears above the calibration ruler when the face is viewed head-on; recording an image of the marked face at repose focused on the calibration ruler using a compact disc camera capable of capturing facial images on digitally based media; using said compact disc camera and focusing on said calibration ruler, recording an image of the marked face at a plurality of selected facial movements including maximal brow lift, maximal tight eye closure, maximal smile, maximal frown and maximal mouth pucker; viewing each facial image by using a computer having a computer screen; juxtapositioning a grid to each facial image displayed on the computer screen so that a horizontal axis of the grid passes through lower limbs of a medial canthi of the facial image and a vertical axis of the grid passes through a perceived center of the bony nasal dorsum of the facial image, said grid including at least one grid unit; recording location coordinates for each marker of each facial image based on the grid orientation; calibrating each facial image by placing the grid proximate to the image of the calibration ruler of each facial image so as to determine the number of grid units per calibration unit for that facial image; converting the location coordinates of each marker to actual positions on the face relative to a trans-canthal/trans-nasal origin formed by the medial canthi and the bony nasal dorsum of the facial image; determining a change in actual marker position for each marker on the face for each selected facial movement; and graphing the change in actual marker position on the face for each selected facial movement.

Claim 33

A method for measuring and quantitating movements of a face, the method comprising the steps of: centering pupils of the face at repose; applying a marker to a plurality of facial zones including radix, philtrum, mentum, left supraorbital, right supraorbital, left infraorbital, right infraorbital, left oral commissure and right oral commissure zones; positioning a calibration ruler proximate to a tip of a nose of the face by positioning means, said calibration ruler including at least one calibration unit; applying a reference marker to the nose behind and partially above the calibration ruler so that the reference marker partially appears above the calibration ruler when the face is viewed head-on; recording an image of the marked face at repose focused on the calibration ruler using a compact disc camera capable of capturing facial images on digitally based media; using said compact disc camera and focusing on said calibration ruler, recording an image of the marked face at a plurality of selected facial movements including maximal brow lift, maximal tight eye closure, maximal smile, maximal frown and maximal mouth pucker; viewing each facial image by using a computer having a computer screen; juxtapositioning a grid to each facial image displayed on the computer screen so that a horizontal axis of the grid passes through lower limbs of a medial canthi of the facial image and a vertical axis of the grid passes through a perceived center of the bony nasal dorsum of the facial image, said grid including at least one grid unit; recording location coordinates for each marker of each facial image based on the grid orientation; calibrating each facial image by placing the grid proximate to the image of the calibration ruler of each facial image so as to determine the number of grid units per calibration unit for that facial image; converting the location coordinates of each marker to actual positions on the face relative to a trans-canthal/trans-nasal origin formed by the medial canthi and the bony nasal dorsum of the facial image; determining a change in actual marker position for each marker on the face for each selected facial movement; and graphing the change in actual marker position on the face for each selected facial movement.

Claim 34

A method for measuring and quantitating movements of a face, the method comprising the steps of: centering pupils of the face at repose; applying a marker to a plurality of facial zones including radix, philtrum, mentum, left supraorbital, right supraorbital, left infraorbital, right infraorbital, left oral commissure and right oral commissure zones; positioning a calibration ruler proximate to a tip of a nose of the face by positioning means; applying a reference marker to the nose behind and partially above the calibration ruler so that the reference marker partially appears above the calibration ruler when the face is viewed head-on; recording an image of the marked face at repose focused on the calibration ruler using a camera capable of capturing facial images on film for developing slides; using said camera and focusing on said calibration ruler, recording an image of the marked face at a plurality of selected facial movements including maximal brow lift, maximal tight eye closure, maximal smile, maximal frown and maximal mouth pucker; developing said facial images into slides; projecting each facial image slide onto a digitizer board so that the calibration ruler is projected to its original size; calibrating the digitizer board; selectively aligning a data input device with each marker of each projected facial image, the data input device communicating with a digitizer computer program and the digitizer board to assign actual marker positions to each marker of each facial image; using an adapted computer spreadsheet to determine a change in actual marker position for each marker on the face for each selected facial movement; and graphing the change in actual marker position on the face for each selected facial movement.

Claim 35

A method for measuring and quantitating movements of a face, the method comprising the steps of: centering pupils of the face at repose; applying a marker to a plurality of facial zones including radix, philtrum, mentum, left supraorbital, right supraorbital, left infraorbital, right infraorbital, left oral commissure and right oral commissure zones; positioning a calibration ruler proximate to a tip of a nose of the face by positioning means; applying a reference marker to the nose behind and partially above the calibration ruler so that the reference marker partially appears above the calibration ruler when the face is viewed head-on; recording an image of the marked face at repose focused on the calibration ruler using a camera capable of capturing facial images on film for developing slides; using said camera and focusing on said calibration ruler, recording an image of the marked face at a plurality of selected facial movements including maximal brow lift, maximal tight eye closure, maximal smile, maximal frown and maximal mouth pucker; developing said facial images into slides; projecting each facial image slide onto a digitizer board so that the calibration ruler is projected to its original size; calibrating the digitizer board; selectively aligning a data input device with each marker of each projected facial image, the data input device communicating with a digitizer computer program and the digitizer board to assign actual marker positions to each marker of each facial image; using an adapted computer spreadsheet to determine a change in actual marker position for each marker on the face for each selected facial movement; and graphing the change in actual marker position on the face for each selected facial movement.

Claim 36

A method for measuring and quantitating movements of a face, the method comprising the steps of: centering pupils of the face at repose; applying a marker to a plurality of facial zones including radix, philtrum, mentum, left supraorbital, right supraorbital, left infraorbital, right infraorbital, left oral commissure and right oral commissure zones; positioning a calibration ruler proximate to a tip of a nose of the face by positioning means; applying a reference marker to the nose behind and partially above the calibration ruler so that the reference marker partially appears above the calibration ruler when the face is viewed head-on; recording an image of the marked face at repose focused on the calibration ruler using a camera capable of capturing facial images on digitally based media; using said camera and focusing on said calibration ruler, recording an image of the marked face at a plurality of selected facial movements including maximal brow lift, maximal tight eye closure, maximal smile, maximal frown and maximal mouth pucker; projecting each facial image onto a computer screen so that the calibration ruler is projected to its original size; calibrating the computer screen; selectively aligning a data input device with each marker of each projected facial image, the data input device communicating with a digitizer computer program and the computer screen to assign actual marker positions to each marker of each facial image; using an adapted computer spreadsheet to determine a change in actual marker position for each marker on the face for each selected facial movement; and graphing the change in actual marker position on the face for each selected facial movement.

Claim 37

A method for measuring and quantitating movements of a face, the method comprising the steps of: centering pupils of the face at repose; applying a marker to a plurality of facial zones including radix, philtrum, mentum, left supraorbital, right supraorbital, left infraorbital, right infraorbital, left oral commissure and right oral commissure zones; positioning a calibration ruler proximate to a tip of a nose of the face by positioning means; applying a reference marker to the nose behind and partially above the calibration ruler so that the reference marker partially appears above the calibration ruler when the face is viewed head-on; recording an image of the marked face at repose focused on the calibration ruler using a camera capable of capturing facial images on digitally based media; using said camera and focusing on said calibration ruler, recording an image of the marked face at a plurality of selected facial movements including maximal brow lift, maximal tight eye closure, maximal smile, maximal frown and maximal mouth pucker; projecting each facial image onto a computer screen so that the calibration ruler is projected to its original size; calibrating the computer screen; selectively aligning a data input device with each marker of each projected facial image, the data input device communicating with a digitizer computer program and the computer screen to assign actual marker positions to each marker of each facial image; using an adapted computer spreadsheet to determine a change in actual marker position for each marker on the face for each selected facial movement; and graphing the change in actual marker position on the face for each selected facial movement.