Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02658174 2009-03-18
File number: 11304-007
Title of the Invention
[0001] System to Provide Virtual Avatars Having Real Faces with Biometric
Identification.
Cross-Reference to Related Applications
[0002] The present patent application claims the benefits of priority of
Canadian
Patent Application Nos. 2,604,162 and 2,615,190, respectively filed at the
Canadian
Intellectual Property Office on October 16, 2007, and December 18, 2007.
Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention generally relates to computer-generated virtual
reality
worlds and more particularly to avatars used in such virtual worlds.
Background of the Invention
[0004] Virtual worlds are these computer-generated environments where human-
controlled virtual avatars can move and interact.
[0005] With the advent of more powerful computers and more sophisticated
softwares, it is now possible to create virtual avatars from scratch. However,
even the
most sophisticated avatar creation softwares and applications include only a
limited
selection of attributes that can be used to personalize an avatar. Moreover,
the faces of
these avatars never really correspond to the faces of the human users
associated
therewith. Hence, avatars created using such softwares and applications
generally
provide only a pale resemblance to the human users to which they are
associated.
[0006] There is thus a need for a system that improves the creation of virtual
avatars
Objects of the Invention
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[0007] Accordingly, one of the main objects of the present invention is to
provide a
system and a method to generate virtual avatars, for use in computer-generated
virtual
worlds, which bear the face of the real world users associated therewith.
[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide a system and a
method
which verify the identity of the user controlling an avatar with biometric
identification.
[0009] Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will
be
obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiments about to be
described
or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not
referred to
herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention
in
practice
Summary of the Invention
[0010] The aforesaid and other objectives of the present invention are
realized by
generally providing a system and a method to generate virtual world avatars
wherein
the avatars are bearing a face substantially identical to the face of the real
world users
which are associated therewith.
[0011] The system, and method, generally works by first retrieving a digitized
image
comprising at least the face of the user. Typically, the digitized image can
be retrieved
from an image-capturing device (e.g. scanner, camera, etc.) or from an image
computer file stored in a data storage unit (e.g. hard-drive, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM,
RAM, ROM, removable mass storage unit, etc.) connected to the system. Once the
image is retrieved, the image is processed to select the facial region of the
user and to
extract the selected facial region. Then, the selected facial region is
processed in order
to generate a three-dimensional graphical representation of the face of the
user.
Finally, the representation of the face of the user is applied on the facial
region of a
graphical representation of the avatar of the user such that the avatar bears
a face
substantially similar to the face of the user.
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[0012] In accordance with the present invention, in order to have a more
realistic
representation of the face of the user on the avatar, several images of the
user taken
from different angles (e.g. from the front, from the side, etc.) could be
retrieved and
processed. The three-dimensional graphical representation of the face of the
user
would then be generated by appropriately combining and processing the
different
images.
[0013] In addition, depending on the capacity of the system, the system could
retrieve
a digitized image of the user at regular interval in order for the face of the
avatar to be
essentially up-to-date. Other embodiments are also possible; the present
invention is
not so limited.
[0014] Accordingly, the system of the present invention is typically embodied
into a
computer system or a similar data processing machine. Hence, the system
typically
comprises at least one data processing unit (e.g. central processing unit),
internal
and/or external data storages units (e.g. hard-drive(s), CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, RAM,
ROM, removable mass storage unit, etc.), common input devices (e.g. keyboard,
pointing device, joystick, game pad, microphone, etc.), common output devices
(e.g.
display screen, speakers, etc.).
[0015] In accordance with the present invention, at least one of the data
storage units
has stored therein computer-readable instructions for implementing the methods
of the
present invention.
[0016] Also, in accordance with the present invention, the system typically
further
comprises at least one image-capturing device such as a scanner, a charge-
coupled
device ("CCD"), a camera, etc., for allowing the input of one or more
digitized
images of the user into the system. Understandably, the digitized image(s)
must
comprise the face of the user.
[0017] In accordance with the present invention, when the real face bearing
avatar
will be used in a virtual world, other users will be able to recognize and/or
identify the
user associated with the avatar just by looking at the face thereof.
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[0018] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, in order to
add a
layer of security with the use of the avatars, the system of the present
invention is
preferably advantageously provided with a biometric identification unit,
connected to
the system, which is configured to verify the identity of the user controlling
the
avatar.
[0019] By comparing a biometric characteristic (e.g. fingerprint, voice
pattern, iris
pattern, etc.) to biometric data typically, but not necessarily, stored in the
data storage
unit(s), the biometric identification unit can verify if the user wishing to
control the
avatar is indeed the user from which the face has been taken.
[0020] The biometric identification unit generally prevents the unauthorized
use of an
avatar by the wrong person. The biometric identification unit is particularly
important
when the avatar actually bears the face of the real user.
[0021] The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel
are set
forth with particularity in the appended claims
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0022] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention
will
become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being
made
to the accompanying drawings in which:
[0023] Figure 1 is a schematic view of an exemplary system incorporating the
principles of the invention.
[0024] Figure 2 is a flow chart of a first exemplary method incorporating the
principles of the invention.
[0025] Figure 3 is a flow chart of a second exemplary method incorporating the
principles of the invention.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment
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[0026] A novel system and method will be described hereinafter. Although the
invention is described in terms of specific illustrative embodiments, it is to
be
understood that the embodiments described herein are by way of example only
and
that the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited thereby.
[0027] The system and method of the present invention allow a user controlling
an
avatar in a virtual environment to have his or her face applied to the facial
region of
the avatar such that the avatar bears a face substantially similar to the face
of the user.
The system and method of the present invention therefore allow a user to be
recognized via his or her avatar as the latter circulates in the virtual
environment. The
system and method also allow a user to have his or her identification
verified, via at
least one biometric characteristic, before he or she can access and control
the avatar.
The system and method of the present invention therefore prevent the
unauthorized
use of an avatar by another user.
[0028] Referring now to Fig. 1, the system 10 of the present invention
generally
comprises at least one data processing unit 100 such as, but not limited to, a
central
processing unit. The data processing unit 100 is operatively connected to one
or more
data storage units 110 via connection 105. Several types of data storage units
110
could be used. For instance, hard-drives, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, RAM, ROM,
removable mass storage unit, etc. At least one of the data storage units 110
has stored
therein computer-readable instructions for implementing the methods of the
present
invention detailed in Figs. 2 and 3.
[0029] The system 10 also comprises at least one image-capturing device 160
operatively connected to the data processing unit 100 via connection 155. The
image-
capturing device 160 is adapted to capture and form a computer-readable
digitized
image of the user. Several types of image-capturing devices 160 can be used.
For
instance, a scanner, a charge-coupled device ("CCD"), a digital camera (e.g.
handheld
camera, webcam, etc.); the present invention is not so limited.
[0030] The system 10 also comprises at least one biometric identification unit
150
operatively connected to the data processing unit 110 via connection 145. The
biometric identification unit 150 is adapted to capture a digitized
representation of a
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biometric characteristic of the user such as, but not limited to fingerprint,
voice
pattern, and iris pattern. Alternatively, or simultaneously, the biometric
identification
unit 150 could be adapted to read a pattern from the biometric characteristic
of the
user.
[0031] The biometric identification unit 150 is also adapted to form biometric
data
which can be stored on the data storage unit 110 and/or which can be
transmitted to a
remote database (not shown) via a network interface 120 connected to the data
processing unit 100 via connection 115.
[0032] Since the system 10 is typically embodied in a computer system, the
system 10
generally comprises commonly used input devices such as, but not limited to,
keyboard, pointing device, joystick, game pad, microphone, etc., to, among
other
things, control the movement of the avatar in the virtual environment, and
commonly
used output devices such as, but not limited to, display screen, etc. to,
among other
things, display the virtual environment.
[0033] Referring now to Fig. 2, the method 200 of the present invention is
described
in more details.
[0034] In order to apply a three-dimensional representation of the face of the
user to
the facial region of his or her avatar, the system, at step 202, first
retrieves at least one
digitized image of the user via the image-capturing device 160, from the data
storage
unit(s) 110 or from a remote database via the network interface 120.
Understandably,
the digitized image or images of the user must comprise at least a portion of
the face
of the user.
[0035] At step 204, the facial region of the user is extracted from the
digitized image
or images.
[0036] At step 206, the extracted facial region is processed to generate a
three-
dimensional representation of the face of the user. Understandably, the
quality and
resemblance of the three-dimensional representation of the face of the user
will
generally depend on the quality of the digitized image(s).
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[0037] At step 208, the three-dimensional representation of the face of the
user is
applied to the facial region of the avatar such that the avatar will bear a
face
substantially similar to the face of the user.
[0038] Such an avatar will provide a visual identification of the user,
thereby
providing a more realistic feel to the virtual environment.
[0039] Understandably, to prevent unauthorized use of such an avatar, the
system 10
will, in subsequent use of the avatar, verify the identity of the user with
the biometric
identification unit 150 according to the method the method 300 of the present
invention is described in more details in Fig. 3.
[0040] In order to verify the identity of the user wishing to control an
avatar, the
system, at step 302, will prompt the user to identify himself or herself by
typing his or
her name or any other similar login information.
[00411 At step 304, the system will retrieve the original biometric data of
the user
either from the data storage units 110 of the system or from a remote database
accessible through the network interface 120.
[0042] At step 306, the system will prompt the user to present the appropriate
biometric characteristic to the biometric identification unit 150.
[0043] At step 308, the appropriate biometric characteristic is captured or
read,
depending on the applicable technology, and biometric data are formed.
[0044] At step 310, the biometric data formed at step 308 are compared with
the
original biometric data of the user in order to verify the identity of the
user.
[0045] If there is no match (step 312) between the biometric data formed at
step 308
and the original biometric data of the user, the user is denied access to the
avatar.
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[0046] If there is match (step 314) between the biometric data formed at step
308 and
the original biometric data of the user, the user is allowed access to the
avatar which
can now be used in the virtual environment.
[0047] While illustrative and presently preferred embodiments of the invention
have
been described in detail hereinabove, it is to be understood that the
inventive concepts
may be otherwise variously embodied and employed and that the appended claims
are
intended to be construed to include such variations except insofar as limited
by the
prior art.
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