Patents by Inventor Michael Scott Hutchinson

Michael Scott Hutchinson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240087200
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can identify a virtual character being presented to a user within a real-time immersive environment. A first animation to be applied to the virtual character is determined. A nonverbal communication animation to be applied to the virtual character simultaneously with the first animation is determined. The virtual character is animated in real-time based on the first animation and the nonverbal communication animation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Nathaniel Christopher Dirksen, Michael Scott Hutchinson, Eric Richard Darnell, Lawrence David Cutler, Daniel Tomas Steamer, Apostolos Lerios
  • Patent number: 11694381
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can identify a virtual character being presented to a user within a real-time immersive environment. A first animation to be applied to the virtual character is determined. A nonverbal communication animation to be applied to the virtual character simultaneously with the first animation is determined. The virtual character is animated in real-time based on the first animation and the nonverbal communication animation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Baobab Studios Inc.
    Inventors: Nathaniel Christopher Dirksen, Michael Scott Hutchinson, Eric Richard Darnell, Lawrence David Cutler, Daniel Tomas Steamer, Apostolos Lerios
  • Patent number: 11636640
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can identify a virtual character being presented to a user within a real-time immersive environment. A first animation to be applied to the virtual character is determined. A nonverbal communication animation to be applied to the virtual character simultaneously with the first animation is determined. The virtual character is animated in real-time based on the first animation and the nonverbal communication animation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Baobab Studios Inc.
    Inventors: Nathaniel Christopher Dirksen, Michael Scott Hutchinson, Eric Richard Darnell, Lawrence David Cutler, Daniel Tomas Steamer, Apostolos Lerios
  • Patent number: 11605198
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can receive a first set of static lighting information associated with a first static lighting setup and a second set of static lighting information associated with a second static lighting setup. The first set of static lighting information and the second set of static lighting information are associated with a scene to be rendered. A first set of global illumination information is precomputed based on the first set of static lighting information. A second set of global illumination information is precomputed based on the second set of static lighting information. The first and second sets of global illumination information are blended to derive a blended set of global illumination information. The scene is rendered in a real-time application based on the blended set of global illumination information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Baobab Studios Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Scott Hutchinson, Timothy Edward Wilson, David Thomas Blizard, Meith Jhaveri, Lawrence David Cutler, Apostolos Lerios
  • Publication number: 20210201552
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can identify a virtual character being presented to a user within a real-time immersive environment. A first animation to be applied to the virtual character is determined. A nonverbal communication animation to be applied to the virtual character simultaneously with the first animation is determined. The virtual character is animated in real-time based on the first animation and the nonverbal communication animation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2021
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Inventors: Nathaniel Christopher Dirksen, Michael Scott Hutchinson, Eric Richard Darnell, Lawrence David Cutler, Daniel Tomas Steamer, Apostolos Lerios
  • Publication number: 20210142546
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can identify a virtual character being presented to a user within a real-time immersive environment. A first animation to be applied to the virtual character is determined. A nonverbal communication animation to be applied to the virtual character simultaneously with the first animation is determined. The virtual character is animated in real-time based on the first animation and the nonverbal communication animation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2021
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Inventors: Nathaniel Christopher Dirksen, Michael Scott Hutchinson, Eric Richard Darnell, Lawrence David Cutler, Daniel Tomas Steamer, Apostolos Lerios
  • Patent number: 10937219
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can identify a virtual character being presented to a user within a real-time immersive environment. A first animation to be applied to the virtual character is determined. A nonverbal communication animation to be applied to the virtual character simultaneously with the first animation is determined. The virtual character is animated in real-time based on the first animation and the nonverbal communication animation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Baobab Studios Inc.
    Inventors: Nathaniel Christopher Dirksen, Michael Scott Hutchinson, Eric Richard Darnell, Lawrence David Cutler, Daniel Tomas Steamer, Apostolos Lerios
  • Patent number: 10818061
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can identify a virtual deformable geometric model to be animated in a real-time immersive environment. The virtual deformable geometric model comprises a virtual model mesh comprising a plurality of vertices, a plurality of edges, and a plurality of faces. The virtual model mesh is iteratively refined in one or more iterations to generate a refined mesh. Each iteration of the one or more iterations increases the number of vertices, the number of edges, and/or the number of faces. The refined mesh is presented during real-time animation of the virtual deformable geometric model within the real-time immersive environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Baobab Studios Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Scott Hutchinson
  • Patent number: 10810780
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can receive virtual model information associated with a virtual deformable geometric model. The virtual model information comprises a complex rig comprising a plurality of transforms and a first plurality of vertices defined by a default model, and a simplified rig comprising a second plurality of transforms and a second plurality of vertices. The second plurality of vertices correspond to the first plurality of vertices defined by the default model. The simplified rig and the complex rig are deformed based on an animation to be applied to the virtual deformable geometric model. A set of offset data is calculated. The set of offset data comprises, for each vertex in the first plurality of vertices, an offset between the vertex and a corresponding vertex in the second plurality of vertices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Baobab Studios Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Scott Hutchinson, Nathaniel Christopher Dirksen, Lawrence David Cutler, Apostolos Lerios
  • Patent number: 10796469
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can receive virtual model information associated with a virtual deformable geometric model. The virtual model information comprises a complex rig comprising a plurality of transforms and a first plurality of vertices defined by a default model, and a simplified rig comprising a second plurality of transforms and a second plurality of vertices corresponding to the first plurality of vertices. The simplified rig and the complex rig are deformed based on an animation to be applied to the virtual deformable geometric model. A set of offset data is calculated. The set of offset data comprises, for each vertex in the first plurality of vertices, an offset between the vertex and a corresponding vertex in the second plurality of vertices. A compressed version of the set of offset data is exported to a real-time processing engine for real-time animation of the virtual deformable geometric model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Baobab Studios Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Scott Hutchinson, Lawrence David Cutler, Apostolos Lerios
  • Publication number: 20200005525
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can receive a first set of static lighting information associated with a first static lighting setup and a second set of static lighting information associated with a second static lighting setup. The first set of static lighting information and the second set of static lighting information are associated with a scene to be rendered. A first set of global illumination information is precomputed based on the first set of static lighting information. A second set of global illumination information is precomputed based on the second set of static lighting information. The first and second sets of global illumination information are blended to derive a blended set of global illumination information. The scene is rendered in a real-time application based on the blended set of global illumination information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: Michael Scott Hutchinson, Timothy Edward Wilson, David Thomas Blizard, Meith Jhaveri, Lawrence David Cutler, Apostolos Lerios
  • Publication number: 20190035132
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can identify a virtual character being presented to a user within a real-time immersive environment. A first animation to be applied to the virtual character is determined. A nonverbal communication animation to be applied to the virtual character simultaneously with the first animation is determined. The virtual character is animated in real-time based on the first animation and the nonverbal communication animation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Nathaniel Christopher Dirksen, Michael Scott Hutchinson, Eric Richard Darnell, Lawrence David Cutler, Daniel Tomas Steamer, Apostolos Lerios
  • Publication number: 20190035131
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can receive virtual model information associated with a virtual deformable geometric model. The virtual model information comprises a complex rig comprising a plurality of transforms and a first plurality of vertices defined by a default model, and a simplified rig comprising a second plurality of transforms and a second plurality of vertices corresponding to the first plurality of vertices. The simplified rig and the complex rig are deformed based on an animation to be applied to the virtual deformable geometric model. A set of offset data is calculated. The set of offset data comprises, for each vertex in the first plurality of vertices, an offset between the vertex and a corresponding vertex in the second plurality of vertices. A compressed version of the set of offset data is exported to a real-time processing engine for real-time animation of the virtual deformable geometric model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Michael Scott Hutchinson, Lawrence David Cutler, Apostolos Lerios
  • Publication number: 20190035130
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can receive virtual model information associated with a virtual deformable geometric model. The virtual model information comprises a complex rig comprising a plurality of transforms and a first plurality of vertices defined by a default model, and a simplified rig comprising a second plurality of transforms and a second plurality of vertices. The second plurality of vertices correspond to the first plurality of vertices defined by the default model. The simplified rig and the complex rig are deformed based on an animation to be applied to the virtual deformable geometric model. A set of offset data is calculated. The set of offset data comprises, for each vertex in the first plurality of vertices, an offset between the vertex and a corresponding vertex in the second plurality of vertices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Michael Scott Hutchinson, Nathaniel Christopher Dirksen, Lawrence David Cutler, Apostolos Lerios
  • Publication number: 20190035129
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can identify a virtual deformable geometric model to be animated in a real-time immersive environment. The virtual deformable geometric model comprises a virtual model mesh comprising a plurality of vertices, a plurality of edges, and a plurality of faces. The virtual model mesh is iteratively refined in one or more iterations to generate a refined mesh. Each iteration of the one or more iterations increases the number of vertices, the number of edges, and/or the number of faces. The refined mesh is presented during real-time animation of the virtual deformable geometric model within the real-time immersive environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventor: Michael Scott Hutchinson
  • Patent number: 9418465
    Abstract: Systems and methods for performing MOS skin deformations are provided. In one example process, the in vector of a MOS transform may be manually configured by a user. In another example process, a slide/bulge operation may be configured to depend on two or more MOS transforms. Each of the MOS transforms may be assigned a weight that represents the transform's contribution to the overall slide/bulge. In yet another example process, a bulge operation for a MOS vertex may be performed in a direction orthogonal to the attached MOS curve regardless of the direction of the attachment vector. In yet another example process, a ghost transform may be inserted into a MOS closed curve and used to calculate skin deformations associated with first transform of the MOS closed curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: DreamWorks Animation LLC
    Inventors: Mark R. Rubin, Robert Lloyd Helms, Arthur D. Gregory, Peter Dean Farson, Matthew Christopher Gong, Michael Scott Hutchinson
  • Publication number: 20150187113
    Abstract: Systems and methods for performing MOS skin deformations are provided. In one example process, the in vector of a MOS transform may be manually configured by a user. In another example process, a slide/bulge operation may be configured to depend on two or more MOS transforms. Each of the MOS transforms may be assigned a weight that represents the transform's contribution to the overall slide/bulge. In yet another example process, a bulge operation for a MOS vertex may be performed in a direction orthogonal to the attached MOS curve regardless of the direction of the attachment vector. In yet another example process, a ghost transform may be inserted into a MOS closed curve and used to calculate skin deformations associated with first transform of the MOS closed curve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2013
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Applicant: DreamWorks Animation LLC
    Inventors: Mark R. Rubin, Robert Lloyd Helms, Arthur D. Gregory, Peter Dean Farson, Matthew Christopher Gong, Michael Scott Hutchinson