Abstract: An apparatus and method for generating an animation of a virtual character using video data and a limited number of three-dimensional (3D) key models of a virtual character, are provided. The video data includes a sequence of two-dimensional image frames. The key models are blended together using the calculated weights, and a 3D facial expression most similar to the 2D facial expression included in each image frame may be generated. When the above operations are performed for input video data including a sequence of image frames, a facial animation, which makes facial expressions according to facial expressions included in the video data may be created.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of creating a face character which corresponds to a voice of a user is provided. To create various facial expressions with fewer key models, a face character is divided in a plurality of areas and a voice sample is parameterized corresponding to pronunciation and emotion. If the user's voice is input, a face character image corresponding to divided face areas is synthesized using key models and data about parameters corresponding to the voice sample to synthesize an overall face character image using the synthesized face character image corresponding to the divided face areas.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for generating a panoramic image. The method includes the steps of: (a) adjusting resolutions of a first and a second input images, respectively, to thereby generate a first and a second adjusted images, wherein the resolutions of the first and the second adjusted images are determined by referring to pre-fixed relationship data with respect to the resolutions of the adjusted images to those of the input images; (b) generating a first and a second pre-processed images which represent information on edges of the first and the second adjusted images by referring to tangent vector components vertical to gradient vector components; and (c) performing image matching operations between the first and the second pre-processed images and then determining an optimal overlapped position where the first and the second input images are synthesized by referring to results of the image matching operations.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for generating an animation of a virtual character using video data and a limited number of three-dimensional (3D) key models of a virtual character, are provided. The video data includes a sequence of two-dimensional image frames. The key models are blended together using the calculated weights, and a 3D facial expression most similar to the 2D facial expression included in each image frame may be generated. When the above operations are performed for input video data including a sequence of image frames, a facial animation, which makes facial expressions according to facial expressions included in the video data may be created.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of creating a face character which corresponds to a voice of a user is provided. To create various facial expressions with fewer key models, a face character is divided in a plurality of areas and a voice sample is parameterized corresponding to pronunciation and emotion. If the user's voice is input, a face character image corresponding to divided face areas is synthesized using key models and data about parameters corresponding to the voice sample to synthesize an overall face character image using the synthesized face character image corresponding to the divided face areas.