System and method for automatic animation generation
AssigneeLearncom, Inc.
InventorsRICHARD MERRICK, MICHAEL THENHAUS, WESLEY BELL, MARK ZARTLER
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Abstract
The present invention provides an easy to use tool for preparing animated characters for use on the Internet. Requiring only limited user input and selection, the system of the present invention automatically choreographs and synchronizes reusable animation components with dialog streams. Once generated, the resulting choreography may be embedded into a hypertext markup language (HTML) web page with an appropriate audio player plug-in to deliver any number of animated dialogues with minimal wait time and minimal developer effort.
Claims24
An automatic animation generation system comprising:
- a developer terminal;
- a character database containing data representative of at least one character and at least one gesture associated with each said character;
- and
- a animation preparation application, said animation preparation application in communication with said developer terminal and said character database and said animation preparation application generating a plurality of output files representative of animation.
A animation preparation application for generating dynamic character animation comprising:
- dialog processing means for analyzing dialog for automatically assigning default choreography;
- and
- means for generating a plurality of files representative of said default choreography;
- wherein said dialog processing means generates said dynamic character animation based upon features contained in said dialog.
A method for automatically generating dynamic animation comprising the steps of:
- receiving selections from a developer;
- receiving a dialog file;
- receiving character data;
- processing said developer selections, said dialog file and said character data;
- and
- generating a plurality of output files representative of said dynamic animation.
An animation development system comprising:
- means for generating at least one file representative of character animation;
- means for generating at least one file representative of audio corresponding to said character animation;
- wherein said animation development system automatically generates said character animation files and said audio files based upon a character database and user selections.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.