U.S. Patent No. 10,650,563: Tongue position tracking for facial animation
Issued May 12, 2020, to Binary VR, Inc. (assigned to Epic Games, Inc.)
Filed/Priority to July 26, 2018
So many jokes…. so little time. Say ahhhh…….
Overview:
U.S. Patent No. 10,650,563 (the ‘563 patent) relates to adjustment of a 3D representation of a face based on images of a face, determining the length of a tongue. The ‘563 patent details receiving several images of a face containing a mouth, at least one of which shows the tongue extended out of the mouth and, from that, creating a digital representation where the tongue is a part of the face of the representation. Values and length are assigned to the tongue based on the amount of time the tongue sticks out of the mouth, the minimum being fully inside the mouth and the maximum being fully extended out of the mouth. The ‘563 patent could allow players in VR environments to have advanced facial representations, allowing them to even stick out their tongue in VR, potentially even directionally.
Abstract:
A method is provided that includes receiving, from a camera, a plurality of images representing a portion of a face containing a mouth. One or more images of the plurality of images depict a tongue extended out of the mouth. The method also includes determining, based on the plurality of images, an amount of time for which the tongue has been extended out of the mouth. The method additionally includes determining, based on the amount of time, a tongue length for a digital representation of the tongue. The digital representation of the tongue forms part of a digital representation of the face. The method further includes adjusting the digital representation of the face to have the digital representation of the tongue extend out of the mouth with the determined tongue length. The method yet further includes providing instructions to display the adjusted digital representation of the face.
Illustrative Claim:
- A method comprising: receiving, by a processor and from a camera, a plurality of images representing a portion of a face containing a mouth, wherein one or more images of the plurality of images depict a tongue extended out of the mouth; determining, by the processor, based on the plurality of images, an amount of time for which the tongue has been extended out of the mouth; determining, by the processor based on the amount of time for which the tongue has been extended out of the mouth, a tongue length for a digital representation of the tongue, wherein the digital representation of the tongue forms part of a digital representation of the face, and wherein the tongue length is proportional to the amount of time; adjusting, by the processor, the digital representation of the face to have the digital representation of the tongue extend out of the mouth with the determined tongue length; and providing, by the processor, instructions to display the digital representation of the face adjusted to have the digital representation of the tongue extend out of the mouth with the determined tongue length.