# US 10,872,452 B2 · Expression animation generation method and apparatus, storage medium, and electronic apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,872,452 B2 - Document ID: US10872452B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/553,005 - Filed: 2019-08-27 - Published: 2019-12-19 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2017-08-28 - Assignees: Tencent Technology (Shenzhen) Company Limited - Applicants: Tencent Technology (Shenzhen) Company Limited - Inventors: Yinggang Jin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10872452B2 ## CPC - G06T 13/40: of characters, e.g. humans, animals or virtual beings - A63F 13/60: Generating or modifying game content before or while executing the game program, e.g. authoring tools specially adapted for game development or game-integrated level editor - G06T 17/00: Three-dimensional [3D] modelling for computer graphics - A63F 2300/66: for rendering three dimensional images - A63F 2300/6607: for animating game characters, e.g. skeleton kinematics - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract The present disclosure discloses an expression animation generation method performed at a computing device. The method includes: obtaining an object model of a target virtual object; adapting the obtained object model to a target skeleton, to obtain an object control model matching the target virtual object, the object control model including a control vertex and a control skeleton, each control skeleton controlling a part of an area of the object control model, and the control vertex being an intersection point of the control skeleton; adjusting the control vertex and/or the control skeleton in the object control model according to an obtained adjustment instruction, to obtain an expression frame image of the target virtual object; and generating an expression animation of the target virtual object by using the expression frame image. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An expression animation generation method performed at a computing device having one or more processors and memory storing programs to be executed by the one or more processors, comprising: obtaining an object model of a target virtual object; adapting the obtained object model to a target skeleton, to obtain an object control model matching the target virtual object by skinning the object model to the target skeleton, the object control model comprising a control vertex and a plurality of control skeletons, each control skeleton being used for controlling a part of an area of the object control model, and the control vertex being an intersection point of the control skeleton; adjusting the control vertex and/or the control skeleton in the object control model according to an obtained adjustment instruction, to obtain a plurality of frames of expression frame images of the target virtual object, wherein adjusting the control vertex includes adjusting a control weight of the control vertex by controlling movement and rotation of the control skeleton in the object control model to achieve an objective of adaption according to the obtained adjustment instruction, further including: determining, according to the obtained adjustment instruction, a target control vertex and/or a target control skeleton to be adjusted in the object control model; controlling a larger range of an area by the target control skeleton when the obtained adjustment instruction includes a larger control weight of the target control skeleton; and/or adjusting a display location of the target control skeleton; and generating an expression animation of the target virtual object by using the plurality of frames of expression frame images. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting the control vertex and/or the control skeleton in the object control model according to an obtained adjustment instruction, to obtain an expression frame image of the target virtual object comprises: repeating the following steps until the expression frame image of the target virtual object is obtained: and adjusting the target control vertex and/or the target control skeleton. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the generating an expression animation of the target virtual object by using the plurality of frames of expression frame images comprises: enabling the obtained plurality of frames of expression frame images to generate the expression animation of the target virtual object according to a predetermined sequence. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the adapting the obtained object model to a target skeleton, to obtain an object control model matching the target virtual object comprises: binding a key point in the obtained object model and the target skeleton, and skinning the object model on the target skeleton, to obtain the object control model matching the target virtual object. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the target skeleton comprises a general facial skeleton, and the object model comprises a facial model. ### Claim 6 A computing device comprising one or more processors, memory coupled to the one or more processors and a plurality of programs stored in the memory that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform a plurality of operations comprising: obtaining an object model of a target virtual object; adapting the obtained object model to a target skeleton, to obtain an object control model matching the target virtual object by skinning the object model to the target skeleton, the object control model comprising a control vertex and a plurality of control skeletons, each control skeleton being used for controlling a part of an area of the object control model, and the control vertex being an intersection point of the control skeleton; adjusting the control vertex and/or the control skeleton in the object control model according to an obtained adjustment instruction, to obtain a plurality of frames of expression frame images of the target virtual object, wherein adjusting the control vertex includes adjusting a control weight of the control vertex by controlling movement and rotation of the control skeleton in the object control model to achieve an objective of adaption according to the obtained adjustment instruction, further including: determining, according to the obtained adjustment instruction, a target control vertex and/or a target control skeleton to be adjusted in the object control model; controlling a larger range of an area by the target control skeleton when the obtained adjustment instruction includes a larger control weight of the target control skeleton; and/or adjusting a display location of the target control skeleton; and generating an expression animation of the target virtual object by using the plurality of frames of expression frame images. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The computing device according to claim 6, wherein the adjusting the control vertex and/or the control skeleton in the object control model according to an obtained adjustment instruction, to obtain an expression frame image of the target virtual object comprises: repeating the following steps until the expression frame image of the target virtual object is obtained: and adjusting the target control vertex and/or the target control skeleton. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The computing device according to claim 6, wherein the generating an expression animation of the target virtual object by using the plurality of frames of expression frame images comprises: enabling the obtained plurality of frames of expression frame images to generate the expression animation of the target virtual object according to a predetermined sequence. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The computing device according to claim 6, wherein the adapting the obtained object model to a target skeleton, to obtain an object control model matching the target virtual object comprises: binding a key point in the obtained object model and the target skeleton, and skinning the object model on the target skeleton, to obtain the object control model matching the target virtual object. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The computing device according to claim 6, wherein the target skeleton comprises a general facial skeleton, and the object model comprises a facial model. ### Claim 11 A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a plurality of machine readable instructions in connection with a computing device having one or more processors, wherein the plurality of machine readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform a plurality of operations including: obtaining an object model of a target virtual object; adapting the obtained object model to a target skeleton, to obtain an object control model matching the target virtual object by skinning the object model to the target skeleton, the object control model comprising a control vertex and a plurality of control skeletons, each control skeleton being used for controlling a part of an area of the object control model, and the control vertex being an intersection point of the control skeleton; adjusting the control vertex and/or the control skeleton in the object control model according to an obtained adjustment instruction, to obtain a plurality of frames of expression frame images of the target virtual object, wherein adjusting the control vertex includes adjusting a control weight of the control vertex by controlling movement and rotation of the control skeleton in the object control model to achieve an objective of adaption according to the obtained adjustment instruction, further including: determining, according to the obtained adjustment instruction, a target control vertex and/or a target control skeleton to be adjusted in the object control model; controlling a larger range of an area by the target control skeleton when the obtained adjustment instruction includes a larger control weight of the target control skeleton; and/or adjusting a display location of the target control skeleton; and generating an expression animation of the target virtual object by using plurality of frames of expression frame images. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the adjusting the control vertex and/or the control skeleton in the object control model according to an obtained adjustment instruction, to obtain an expression frame image of the target virtual object comprises: repeating the following steps until the expression frame image of the target virtual object is obtained: and adjusting the target control vertex and/or the target control skeleton. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the generating an expression animation of the target virtual object by using the plurality of frames of expression frame images comprises: enabling the obtained plurality of frames of expression frame images to generate the expression animation of the target virtual object according to a predetermined sequence. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the adapting the obtained object model to a target skeleton, to obtain an object control model matching the target virtual object comprises: binding a key point in the obtained object model and the target skeleton, and skinning the object model on the target skeleton, to obtain the object control model matching the target virtual object. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the target skeleton comprises a general facial skeleton, and the object model comprises a facial model.