10847 results about "Animation" patented technology

In a collaborative computing environment, a method and system for displaying revisions associated with a hosted electronic document are disclosed. In accordance with the disclosed method and system, select revisions of an electronic document may be displayed to a user as media (e.g. Flash™ animation, QuickTime™, MPEG, Windows™ Media Video, RealMedia™, DivX™, DHTML, etc.) in which the revisions are animated, recreating a visual history play-back of the evolution of the document. The animation may include an image of each selected revision, morphing into another image of another revision. The animation may be displayed in various orders (e.g. chronologically, by user, etc.) The user may use an application on a client device (e.g. a web-browser, a web-browser with a media plug-in, a media players, etc.) to view the media file and control various properties of the animation playback (e.g. speed, direction, pausing, skipping forward or back, etc.).

Various embodiments provide systems and methods capable of facilitating interaction with handheld electronics devices based on sensing rotational rate around at least three axes and linear acceleration along at least three axes. In one aspect, a handheld electronic device includes a subsystem providing display capability, a set of motion sensors sensing rotational rate around at least three axes and linear acceleration along at least three axes, and a subsystem which, based on motion data derived from at least one of the motion sensors, is capable of facilitating interaction with the device.

A system and business methodology for providing interactive and customizable digital full-motion, animated and static multimedia content, to be used for communicating unique personalized entertainment, information, and messages and advertising to be delivered via the internet, electronic mail, or any other methods of delivering interpersonal communications and messages. The communications and messages are initiated and received by senders and recipients visiting a host site of the system through the internet. Content within the customized communication includes content personally relevant to a user which is integrally associated with sponsorship or advertising information. Creation of a customized communication begins by selection of a content item by a user, which content may be personalized by graphical editing techniques. Personalized or non-personalized content may be executed in parallel or in series with other content items in a multilinear playback sequence compiled according to a predetermined script to produce a finished customized multimedia communication. The host site also provides other features and products desirable to users, such as screensavers, reminder services, etc.

Various embodiments provide systems and methods capable of facilitating interaction with handheld electronics devices based on sensing rotational rate around at least three axes and linear acceleration along at least three axes. In one aspect, a handheld electronic device includes a subsystem providing display capability, a set of motion sensors sensing rotational rate around at least three axes and linear acceleration along at least three axes, and a subsystem which, based on motion data derived from at least one of the motion sensors, is capable of facilitating interaction with the device.

An electronic translator translates input speech into multiple streams of data that are simultaneously delivered to the user, such as a hearing impaired individual. Preferably, the data is delivered in audible, visual and text formats. These multiple data streams are delivered to the hearing-impaired individual in a synchronized fashion, thereby creating a cognitive response. Preferably, the system of the present invention converts the input speech to a text format, and then translates the text to any of three other forms, including sign language, animation and computer generated speech. The sign language and animation translations are preferably implemented by using the medium of digital movies in which videos of a person signing words, phrase and finger spelled words, and of animations corresponding to the words, are selectively accessed from databases and displayed. Additionally the received speech is converted to computer-generated speech for input to various hearing enhancement devices used by the deaf or hearing-impaired, such as cochlear implants and hearing aids, or other output devices such as speakers, etc. The data streams are synchronized utilizing a high-speed personal computer to facilitate sufficiently fast processing that the text, video signing and audible streams can be generated simultaneously in real time. Once synchronized the data streams are presented to the subject concurrently in a method that allows the process of mental comprehension to occur. The electronic translator can also be interfaced to other communications devices, such as telephones. Preferably, the hearing-impaired person is also able to use the system's keyboard or mouse to converse or respond.

There is provided a system for supporting interactive operations for inputting user commands to a household electric apparatus such as a television set / monitor and information apparatuses. According to the system for supporting interactive operations applying an animated character called a personified assistant interacting with a user based on speech synthesis and animation, realizing a user-friendly user interface and simultaneously making it possible to meet a demand for complex commands or providing an entry for services. Further, since the system is provided with a command system producing an effect close to human natural language, the user can easily operate the apparatus with a feeling close to ordinary human conversation.

A system and method for analyzing and improving the performance of an athletic motion such as a golf swing requires: instrumenting a user with inertial sensors and video cameras and monitoring a golf swing or such other athletic motion of interest; drawing upon and contributing to a vast library of performance data for analysis of the test results; the analysis including scoring pre-defined parameters relating to component parts of the motion and combining the parameter scores to yield a single, kinetic index score for the motion; providing a real-time, information rich, graphic display of the results in multiple, synchronized formats including video, color coded and stepped frame animations from motion data, and data / time graphs; and based on the results prescribing a user-specific training regime with exercises selected from a library of standardized exercises using standardized tools and training aids.

A customized animation video system and method generate a customized or personalized animated video using user input where the customized animated video is rendered in a near immediate timeframe (for example, in less than 10 minutes). The customized animation video system and method of the present invention enable seamless integration of an animated representation of a subject or other custom object into the animated video. That is, the system and method of the present invention enable the generation of an animated representation of a subject that can be viewed from any desired perspective in the animated video without the use of multiple photographs or other 2D depictions of the subject. Furthermore, the system and method of the present invention enables the generation of an animated representation of a subject that is in the same graphic style as the rest of the animated video.

A system for publicly displaying messages includes elements carried by an automotive vehicle. In some embodiments the vehicle carries a publicly visible electronic display; a sensor for sensing the brightness of light in the vicinity of the display; and illumination varying circuitry for varying the brightness of light generated by the display in response to brightness detected by the sensor. In some embodiments the vehicles carries a publicly visible display formed by ganging together a plurality of displays, each having at least 640×480 pixels; and video drive circuitry for causing images to be shown on the ganged display with different portions of individual images being shown on each of the individual displays. In some embodiments the vehicle has an automotive electrical system and carries a publicly visible high-bright display, capable of providing over 1000 NITS illumination and having 640 by 480 or greater pixel resolution; and video drive circuitry causing images to be shown on the display. In some embodiments the vehicle carries a publicly visible electronic display and a computer. The computer has video drive circuitry for causing images to be shown on the display, a memory device capable of storing representations of animated display images represented in vector-based form; and programming for enabling the computer to generate animated images from the vector-based animation representations. In some embodiments the vehicle receives commands and / or information controlling what it is to display via a wireless transceiver.

The invention allows for a first set of persons to create and modify templates that contain visual effects, synchronization information, and possibly director assistance. These templates are utilized by a second set of persons to generate personalized motion photo videos from photographs, video segments, personal narratives or animation. Motion photo videos are a novel because they very quickly and inexpensively allow (1) persons to create and modify templates which are synchronized to music and may be easily populated with content by others, and (2) persons to select a song and associated pre-made template and create a high-quality synchronized custom video using hand-selected visual material to populate the template with included direction and without any required editing. Populated material in template can be further modified by additional persons instantly generate new, modified motion photo videos.

A system and method for analyzing and improving the performance of an athletic motion such as a golf swing requires: instrumenting a user with inertial sensors and video cameras and monitoring a golf swing or such other athletic motion of interest; drawing upon and contributing to a vast library of performance data for analysis of the test results; the analysis including scoring pre-defined parameters relating to component parts of the motion and combining the parameter scores to yield a single, kinetic index score for the motion; providing a real-time, information rich, graphic display of the results in multiple, synchronized formats including video, color coded and stepped frame animations from motion data, and data / time graphs; and based on the results prescribing a user-specific training regime with exercises selected from a library of standardized exercises using standardized tools and training aids.

A system and method are disclosed for generating an animatable object. A skeleton of the desired character is constructed by the user utilizing various predetermined components. These predetermined components include a various selection of rods and joints. The rods are static components which remain rigid during motion, while the various joints are moveable components. A static digitized image, for example, an image of the user, is utilized and a constructed skeleton is superimposed onto it. The desired object, such as the image of the user, can then be extracted from the background of the digital image and the resulting personal character can then be animated, for instance by selecting and dragging one of the hands with a mouse.

A method and apparatus is provided for providing an active ticket in a mobile terminal for use by a mobile terminal user, wherein at least one active ticket has a ticket characteristic that dynamically changes based on one or more states in a life cycle of the active ticket. Dynamic changes to the ticket characteristic include multimedia changes or other presentation data, including text, sound (audio), animation, video, still pictures, or some combination thereof. The active ticket can have different states in it's life cycle, such as purchased, validated, invalid for certain events. Also the ticket service provider or issuer can send new control data to change the characteristic and / or contents of the active ticket.

An architecture for facilitating Web-based client-side calendar event scheduling includes a Web Calendar scheduling tool which takes input via either a mouse and / or a keyboard to achieve a) an Internet personal organizer, b) multimedia effects associated with scheduled events, c) an Internet groupware that shares group members' individual schedules, d) an Internet transaction associated with scheduled events, and e) an open platform that supports any Java applet. Users of the Web Calendar can schedule events, associate a special purpose Capplet TM with scheduled events, and store them for future reference or public use. It features concurrent Capplet TM views running under one of four calendar grids: yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily. The architecture also supports multimedia animation in pop-up windows whose dimensions are defined dynamically by an invocation method. It is an open platform on which any user can create a special purpose applet and run it on the Web Calendar.

A face feature analysis which begins by generating multiple face feature candidates, e.g., eyes and nose positions, using an isolated frame face analysis. Then, a nostril tracking window is defined around a nose candidate and tests are applied to the pixels therein based on percentages of skin color area pixels and nostril area pixels to determine whether the nose candidate represents an actual nose. Once actual nostrils are identified, size, separation and contiguity of the actual nostrils is determined by projecting the nostril pixels within the nostril tracking window. A mouth window is defined around the mouth region and mouth detail analysis is then applied to the pixels within the mouth window to identify inner mouth and teeth pixels and therefrom generate an inner mouth contour. The nostril position and inner mouth contour are used to generate a synthetic model head. A direct comparison is made between the inner mouth contour generated and that of a synthetic model head and the synthetic model head is adjusted accordingly. Vector quantization algorithms may be used to develop a codebook of face model parameters to improve processing efficiency. The face feature analysis is suitable regardless of noise, illumination variations, head tilt, scale variations and nostril shape.

A method and system for indexing, searching, and retrieving information from timed media files based upon relevance intervals. The method and system for indexing, searching, and retrieving this information is based upon relevance intervals so that a portion of a timed media file is returned, which is selected specifically to be relevant to the given information representations, thereby eliminating the need for a manual determination of the relevance and avoiding missing relevant portions. The timed media includes streaming audio, streaming video, timed HTML, animations such as vector-based graphics, slide shows, other timed media, and combinations thereof.

A digital downloading jukebox system including a mechanism for delivering custom services to a recognized user is provided. For example, information specific to a recognized user may be stored and optionally may include a recognized user avatar representative of the recognized user. The user avatar may be an image, video, and / or animation, which may be displayed on and / or played through the jukebox. The user avatar may be associated with transactions associated with the user. For example, an avatar may be displayed when a playlist of the recognized user is played, when a message is sent, etc. In other examples, the avatar may introduce instances of media by playing an audio and / or video message, and the avatar may sing, dance, etc. while an instance of media is playing.

Unlock screen and notification techniques are described. In an implementation, an unlock screen is displayed by a mobile communications device that indicates that one or more keys of the mobile communications device are locked. If an input is detected at the mobile communications device to remove the lock, an animation is displayed that gives an appearance that the unlock screen is a page that is being turned and removing the lock of the one or more keys.

Animated frames may illustrate an animated face that has one or more facial features that change during the animation. Each change may be between a photographed facial feature of a real face and a corresponding drawn facial feature of a drawn face. Various related methods are also disclosed.

A system 100 for tracking the movement of multiple objects within a predefined area using a continuation of overhead X-Y tracking cameras 24 with attached frequency selective filter 24f. Also employed are perspective Z filming cameras sets 30. Objects to be tracked, such as player 17, have been marked to include some form of frequency selective reflective material such as an ink. Typical markers include patches 7r and 7l, sticker 9 and tape 4a as well as additional body joint markers 17af through 17l. System 100 radiates selected energy 23a throughout the predefined area of tracking that is specifically chosen to reflect off said reflective materials used to mark for instance player 17. The reflected energy is then received by tracking cameras 24 while all other ambient light is blocked by filter 24f. Local Computer System 60 continuously captures images from said tracking cameras 24 which include only the minimum information created by said reflected energy. System 60 efficiently locates said markings on said multiple objects and uses this location information to determine for each marking its angle of rotation, angle of azimuth and distance from a designated origin 17o local to player 17. Local origin 17o is then expressed as a three-dimensional coordinate with respect to the origin of the playing venue 2a. The continuous stream of tracked three-dimensional coordinates, defining the body joints on players such as 17, is then transmitted to a remote computer where it can be used to drive a graphic re-animation of the object movement. Along with this re-animation, additional performance measurements may be derived from the continuous stream and automatically made available in real-time.

The digital photo organizing and tagging method includes software and a database that organizes digitized versions of dispersed collections of images such as photographs, pictures and other graphical objects from a variety of sources. The method facilitates describing, resizing, indexing, and sorting the different aspects contained in images. Features include documentation, e-mail, updating, version control, inclusion of video, embellishment, sound, animation, text to speech and, dynamic search. An Internet application facilitates annotation, organization, researching and sharing images and corresponding information collected at different times and places. Desktop / Internet applications link and relate images that share common elements. The same person found as a child in one image, as an adult in another, and referenced in a newspaper article is a relation example. The method collects the knowledge embedded in multiple images and produces well documented, organized, and clearly explained printable images, as well as dynamic albums of related images.

The rich media communication system of the present invention provides a user with a three-dimensional communication space or theater having rich media functions. The user may be represented in the theater as a segmented video image or as an avatar. The user is also able to communicate by presenting images, videos, audio files, or text within the theater. The system may include tools for allowing lowered cost of animation, improved collaboration between users, presentation of episodic content, web casts, newscasts, infotainment, advertising, music clips, video conferencing, customer support, distance learning, advertising, social spaces, and interactive game shows and content.

A rich-media system allows a user to illustrate damage and request payment in accordance with an insurance policy or another arrangement. The rich-media system includes network servers that may operate and appear to remote client applications and remote computers as if the network servers were a single computer. A damage indicator tool resident to one of the network servers enables a remote user to visually illustrate damage to an item through a rich-media application. The damage indicator may support a relative pointing device and an absolute pointing device. An incident animator tool linked to the damage indicator tool in some rich media systems enables the remote user to visually recreate an event in a second rich media application. An optional scheduler linked to the incident animator tool and the damage indicator tool may enable the remote user to schedule an appointment to have the damage inspected or repaired.

An Internet-based method of and system for monitoring space-time coordinate information and biophysiological state information collected from an animate object moving along a course through the space-time continuum. The Internet-based system comprise a wireless GSU-enabled client network device affixed to the body of an animate object. The wireless device includes a global synchronization unit (GSU) for automatically generating time and space (TS) coordinate information corresponding to the time and space coordinate of the animate object with respect to a globally referenced coordinate system, as the animate object moves along a course through the space time continuum. The device also includes biophysiological state sensor affixed to the body of the animate object, for automatically sensing the biophysiological state of the animate object and generating biophysiological state information indicative of the sensed biophysiological state of the animate object along its course. The wireless device also includes a wireless date transmitter for transmitting the TS coordinate information and the biophysiological state information through free-space. A TS-stamping based tracking server receives the TS coordinate information and the biophysiological state information through in a wireless manner, and stores the same as the animate object moves along its course. An Internet information server serves Internet-based documents containing the collected TS coordinate and biophysiological state information. An Internet-enabled client system enables authorized persons to view the served Internet-based documents and monitor the collected TS coordinate and biophysiological state information, for various purposes.

A 10-Foot media user interface is herein described. A computer user interface may be designed for primary use as a 10-Foot user interface, where a user controls the computer using a remote control device, instead of as a traditional 2-Foot user interface where the user controls the computer using keyboard and mouse from directly in from of the computer. The 10-Foot user interface uses 3D space and animations to more clearly indicate navigation and selection of items in the user interface to the controlling user. Use of three-dimensional space also increases the display screen real estate that is available for content items, and allows the media user interface to move unselected items out of primary view of the user. The user interface may animate movement in three-dimensions to allow the user to more easily conceptually follow navigation of the user interface.