Edge data network for providing three-dimensional character image to user equipment and method for operating the same

An edge data network for providing a three-dimensional (3D) character image to a user equipment, the edge data network comprising:

• a network interface;
• a memory storing a program comprising one or more instructions;
• and
• a processor configured to execute the one or more instructions of the program stored in the memory,
• wherein the processor is further configured to:
• obtain, by using the network interface, first key points information comprising a plurality of feature coordinate values related to body parts, posture, or skeletal structure of a first user, extracted from a first image frame captured using a first user equipment, and first view points information comprising virtual position coordinate value information regarding virtual view points from which a 3D character image displayed via a second user equipment is viewed,
• render a 3D character image indicating an appearance, an action, or a motion of the first user based on the obtained first key points information and first view points information,
• store the rendered 3D character image in a data cache in the memory in association with the first key points information and the first view points information,
• respectively obtain second key points information and second view points information of a second image frame obtained after the first image frame, by using the network interface,
• measure a key points similarity and a view points similarity by respectively comparing the obtained second key points information and second view points information with the first key points information and the first view points information previously stored in the data cache, and
• provide a 3D character image previously stored in the data cache to the second user equipment as a 3D character image regarding the second image frame based on the measured key points similarity and the measured view points similarity.

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, wherein the storage medium comprises instructions executed by an edge data network to:

• obtain first key points information comprising a plurality of feature coordinate values related to body parts, posture, or skeletal structure of a first user, extracted from a first image frame captured using a first user equipment, and first view points information comprising virtual position coordinate value information of virtual view points from which a three-dimensional (3D) character image displayed via a second user equipment is viewed;
• render a 3D character image indicating an appearance, an action, or a motion of the first user based on the obtained first key points information and first view points information;
• store the rendered 3D character image in a data cache in association with the first key points information and the first view points information;
• obtain second key points information and second view points information regarding a second image frame obtained after the first image frame;
• measure a key points similarity and a view points similarity by respectively comparing the obtained second key points information and second view points information with the first key points information and the first view points information previously stored in the data cache;
• and
• provide the 3D character image previously stored in the data cache to the second user equipment as a 3D character image regarding the second image frame based on the measured key points similarity and the measured view points similarity.