Patents by Inventor Cary Phillips
Cary Phillips 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).
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Patent number: 11069135Abstract: A method of transferring a facial expression from a subject to a computer generated character that includes receiving a plate with an image of the subject's facial expression, a three-dimensional parameterized deformable model of the subject's face where different facial expressions of the subject can be obtained by varying values of the model parameters, a model of a camera rig used to capture the plate, and a virtual lighting model that estimates lighting conditions when the image on the plate was captured.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2019Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: LUCASFILM ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LTD.Inventors: Stéphane Grabli, Michael Bao, Per Karefelt, Adam Ferrall-Nunge, Jeffery Yost, Ronald Fedkiw, Cary Phillips, Pablo Helman, Leandro Estebecorena
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Patent number: 10964083Abstract: A system includes a computing device that includes a memory configured to store instructions. The system also includes a processor configured to execute the instructions to perform a method that includes receiving multiple representations of one or more expressions of an object. Each of the representations includes position information attained from one or more images of the object. The method also includes producing an animation model from one or more groups of controls that respectively define each of the one or more expressions of the object as provided by the multiple representations. Each control of each group of controls has an adjustable value that defines the geometry of at least one shape of a portion of the respective expression of the object. Producing the animation model includes producing one or more corrective shapes if the animation model is incapable of accurately presenting the one or more expressions of the object as provided by the multiple representations.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2019Date of Patent: March 30, 2021Assignee: LUCASFILM ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LTD.Inventors: Kiran S. Bhat, Michael Koperwas, Rachel M. Rose, Jung-Seung Hong, Frederic P. Pighin, Christopher David Twigg, Cary Phillips, Steve Sullivan
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Publication number: 20200286284Abstract: A method of transferring a facial expression from a subject to a computer generated character that includes receiving a plate with an image of the subject's facial expression, a three-dimensional parameterized deformable model of the subject's face where different facial expressions of the subject can be obtained by varying values of the model parameters, a model of a camera rig used to capture the plate, and a virtual lighting model that estimates lighting conditions when the image on the plate was captured.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2019Publication date: September 10, 2020Applicant: LUCASFILM ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LTD.Inventors: Stéphane Grabli, Michael Bao, Per Karefelt, Adam Ferrall-Nunge, Jeffery Yost, Ronald Fedkiw, Cary Phillips, Pablo Helman, Leandro Estebecorena
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Patent number: 10269165Abstract: A system includes a computing device that includes a memory and a processor configured to execute instructions to perform a method that includes receiving multiple representations of one or more expressions of an object. Each representation includes position information attained from one or more images of the object. The method also includes producing an animation model from one or more groups of controls that respectively define each of the one or more expressions of the object as provided by the multiple representations. Each control of each group of controls has an adjustable value that defines the geometry of at least one shape of a portion of the respective expression of the object. Producing the animation model includes producing one or more corrective shapes if the animation model is incapable of accurately presenting the one or more expressions of the object as provided by the multiple representations.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2012Date of Patent: April 23, 2019Assignee: LUCASFILM ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LTD.Inventors: Kiran S. Bhat, Michael Koperwas, Rachel M. Rose, Jung-Seung Hong, Frederic P. Pighin, Christopher David Twigg, Cary Phillips, Steve Sullivan
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Patent number: 9342912Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that includes determining a transform of a portion of constituent components of a source shape. The transform includes one or more states for the portion of constituent components of the source shape. The method also includes accessing a mapping function that associates the one or more states with one or more controls for a target shape, where the one or more controls configured for access by a user for manipulating constituent components of the target shape. The method includes outputting a transform for the target shape based on the one or more controls associated with the transformed constituent components of the source shape.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2007Date of Patent: May 17, 2016Assignee: LUCASFILM ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LTD.Inventors: Frederic P. Pighin, Cary Phillips, Steve Sullivan
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Patent number: 9256973Abstract: A system includes a computer system capable of representing one or more animated characters. The computer system includes a blendshape manager that combines multiple blendshapes to produce the animated character. The computer system also includes an expression manager to respectively adjust one or more control parameters associated with each of the plurality of blendshapes for adjusting an expression of the animated character. The computer system also includes a corrective element manager that applies one or more corrective elements to the combined blendshapes based upon at least one of the control parameters. The one or more applied corrective elements are adjustable based upon one or more of the control parameters absent the introduction of one or more additional control parameters.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2013Date of Patent: February 9, 2016Assignee: LUCASFILM ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LTD.Inventors: Michael Koperwas, Frederic P. Pighin, Cary Phillips, Steve Sullivan, Eduardo Hueso
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Publication number: 20140192059Abstract: A system includes a computer system capable of representing one or more animated characters. The computer system includes a blendshape manager that combines multiple blendshapes to produce the animated character. The computer system also includes an expression manager to respectively adjust one or more control parameters associated with each of the plurality of blendshapes for adjusting an expression of the animated character. The computer system also includes a corrective element manager that applies one or more corrective elements to the combined blendshapes based upon at least one of the control parameters. The one or more applied corrective elements are adjustable based upon one or more of the control parameters absent the introduction of one or more additional control parameters.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2013Publication date: July 10, 2014Applicant: LUCASFILM ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LTD.Inventors: Michael Koperwas, Frederic P. Pighin, Cary Phillips, Steve Sullivan, Eduardo Hueso
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Patent number: 8659606Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes identifying a representation of a feature of an animated character by inverting a skinned representation of the feature in one position. The inversion includes a non-linear inversion of the skinned representation of the feature. The method also includes skinning the identified feature representation to produce the animated character in another position.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2013Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: LucasFilm Entertainment Company Ltd.Inventors: Frederic P. Pighin, Cary Phillips
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Patent number: 8624904Abstract: A system includes a computer system capable of representing one or more animated characters. The computer system includes a blendshape manager that combines multiple blendshapes to produce the animated character. The computer system also includes an expression manager to respectively adjust one or more control parameters associated with each of the plurality of blendshapes for adjusting an expression of the animated character. The computer system also includes a corrective element manager that applies one or more corrective elements to the combined blendshapes based upon at least one of the control parameters. The one or more applied corrective elements are adjustable based upon one or more of the control parameters absent the introduction of one or more additional control parameters.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2012Date of Patent: January 7, 2014Assignee: Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd.Inventors: Michael Koperwas, Frederic P. Pighin, Cary Phillips, Steve Sullivan, Eduardo Hueso
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Patent number: 8537164Abstract: Systems and methods are described, which create a mapping from a space of a source object (e.g., source facial expressions) to a space of a target object (e.g., target facial expressions). In certain implementations, the mapping is learned based a training set composed of corresponding shapes (e.g. facial expressions) in each space. The user can create the training set by selecting expressions from, for example, captured source performance data, and by sculpting corresponding target expressions. Additional target shapes (e.g., target facial expressions) can be interpolated and extrapolated from the shapes in the training set to generate corresponding shapes for potential source shapes (e.g., facial expressions).Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2011Date of Patent: September 17, 2013Assignee: Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd.Inventors: Frederic P. Pighin, Cary Phillips, Steve Sullivan
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Patent number: 8416246Abstract: Among other disclosed subject matter, a computer-implemented method for generating a surface representation of an item includes identifying, for a point on an item in an animation process, at least first and second transformation points corresponding to respective first and second transformations of the point. Each of the first and second transformations represents an influence on a location of the point of respective first and second joints associated with the item. The method includes determining an axis for a cylindrical coordinate system using the first and second transformations. The method includes performing an interpolation of the first and second transformation points in the cylindrical coordinate system to obtain an interpolated point. The method includes recording the interpolated point in a surface representation of the item in the animation process.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2012Date of Patent: April 9, 2013Assignee: Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd.Inventors: Jason Smith, Frederic P. Pighin, Cary Phillips
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Patent number: 8405664Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes identifying a representation of a feature of an animated character by inverting an skinned representation of the feature in one position. The inversion includes a non-linear inversion of the skinned representation of the feature. The method also includes skinning the identified feature representation to produce the animated character in another position.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2011Date of Patent: March 26, 2013Assignee: Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd.Inventors: Frederic P. Pighin, Cary Phillips
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Publication number: 20120218286Abstract: Among other disclosed subject matter, a computer-implemented method for generating a surface representation of an item includes identifying, for a point on an item in an animation process, at least first and second transformation points corresponding to respective first and second transformations of the point. Each of the first and second transformations represents an influence on a location of the point of respective first and second joints associated with the item. The method includes determining an axis for a cylindrical coordinate system using the first and second transformations. The method includes performing an interpolation of the first and second transformation points in the cylindrical coordinate system to obtain an interpolated point. The method includes recording the interpolated point in a surface representation of the item in the animation process.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2012Publication date: August 30, 2012Applicant: Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd.Inventors: Jason Smith, Frederic P. Pighin, Cary Phillips
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Patent number: 8207971Abstract: A system includes a computer system capable of representing one or more animated characters. The computer system includes a blendshape manager that combines multiple blendshapes to produce the animated character. The computer system also includes an expression manager to respectively adjust one or more control parameters associated with each of the plurality of blendshapes for adjusting an expression of the animated character. The computer system also includes a corrective element manager that applies one or more corrective elements to the combined blendshapes based upon at least one of the control parameters. The one or more applied corrective elements are adjustable based upon one or more of the control parameters absent the introduction of one or more additional control parameters.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2009Date of Patent: June 26, 2012Assignee: Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd.Inventors: Michael Koperwas, Frederic P. Pighin, Cary Phillips, Steve Sullivan, Eduardo Hueso
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Patent number: 8194080Abstract: Among other disclosed subject matter, a computer-implemented method for generating a surface representation of an item includes identifying, for a point on an item in an animation process, at least first and second transformation points corresponding to respective first and second transformations of the point. Each of the first and second transformations represents an influence on a location of the point of respective first and second joints associated with the item. The method includes determining an axis for a cylindrical coordinate system using the first and second transformations. The method includes performing an interpolation of the first and second transformation points in the cylindrical coordinate system to obtain an interpolated point. The method includes recording the interpolated point in a surface representation of the item in the animation process.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2008Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd.Inventors: Jason Smith, Frederic P. Pighin, Cary Phillips
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Patent number: 8112254Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a system that includes a correspondence generator that determines a distance-based mapping between a set of points in a source object and a point in a target object and stores the distance-based mapping in a surface map. The system also includes an attribute transfer module that transfers surface attributes that determine an appearance or deformation of the set of points in the source object to the point in the target object using the surface map. The system also includes an attribute editor that receives a selection of a region of the target object and applies an interpolation algorithm that determines new values for surface attributes in the selected region from neighboring points in the target object.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2008Date of Patent: February 7, 2012Assignee: Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd.Inventors: Kiran S. Bhat, Cary Phillips
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Patent number: 8044962Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes identifying a representation of a feature of an animated character by inverting an skinned representation of the feature in one position. The inversion includes a non-linear inversion of the skinned representation of the feature. The method also includes skinning the identified feature representation to produce the animated character in another position.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2007Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Assignee: Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd.Inventors: Frederic P. Pighin, Cary Phillips
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Patent number: 8035643Abstract: Systems and methods are described, which create a mapping from a space of a source object (e.g., source facial expressions) to a space of a target object (e.g., target facial expressions). In certain implementations, the mapping is learned based a training set composed of corresponding shapes (e.g. facial expressions) in each space. The user can create the training set by selecting expressions from, for example, captured source performance data, and by sculpting corresponding target expressions. Additional target shapes (e.g., target facial expressions) can be interpolated and extrapolated from the shapes in the training set to generate corresponding shapes for potential source shapes (e.g., facial expressions).Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2007Date of Patent: October 11, 2011Assignee: Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd.Inventors: Frederic P. Pighin, Cary Phillips, Steve Sullivan
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Publication number: 20110232260Abstract: A turbine power plant which produces power from a plasma and high voltage electricity. A plurality of powerful electric fields are in operation within the turbine. One set of electrodes produce electric fields that charge the plasma to a very high degree of ionization, and forces the plasma to be pressed against a plurality of normally positively charged electrodes making up what is termed the power field. Suddenly, the plurality of electrodes making up the polarization fields are de-energized, and simultaneously, the plurality of electrodes making up the power fields are energized, and repels the plasma at an extremely high velocity into a plurality of turbine blades. As they strike the turbine blades, huge amounts of kinetic energy is transferred to a turbine shaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2010Publication date: September 29, 2011Inventor: Richard Cary Phillips
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Patent number: 7634903Abstract: An ion engine which produces thrust by charging a propellant vapor in an electric field and then reversing the polarity of the electric field. The electric field forces the charged nuclei close to the unenergized electrode. When the electrode is energized as a positive electrical charge, the nuclei repel and create thrust in the opposite direction.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2005Date of Patent: December 22, 2009Inventor: Richard Cary Phillips