Patents by Inventor James Jonathan Bancroft
James Jonathan Bancroft 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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Publication number: 20240054712Abstract: Various examples of cross-application systems and methods for authoring, transferring, and evaluating rigging control systems for virtual characters are disclosed. Embodiments of a method include the steps or processes of creating, in a first application which implements a first rigging control protocol, a rigging control system description; writing the rigging control system description to a data file; and initiating transfer of the data file to a second application. In such embodiments, the rigging control system description may be defined according to a different second rigging control protocol. The rigging control system description may specify a rigging control input, such as a lower-order rigging element (e.g., a core skeleton for a virtual character), and at least one rule for operating on the rigging control input to produce a rigging control output, such as a higher-order skeleton or other higher-order rigging element.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 24, 2023Publication date: February 15, 2024Inventors: Geoffrey Wedig, James Jonathan Bancroft
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Patent number: 11836840Abstract: Various examples of cross-application systems and methods for authoring, transferring, and evaluating rigging control systems for virtual characters are disclosed. A first application, which implements a first rigging control protocol, can provide an input associated with a request for a behavior from the rig for the virtual character. The input can be converted to be compatible with a second rigging control protocol that is different from the first rigging control protocol. One or more control systems can be evaluated based on the input to determine an output to provide the requested behavior from the virtual character rig. The one or more control systems can be defined according to the second rigging control protocol. The output can be converted to be compatible with the first rigging control protocol and provided to the first application to manipulate the virtual character according to the requested behavior.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2022Date of Patent: December 5, 2023Assignee: MAGIC LEAP, INC.Inventors: Geoffrey Wedig, James Jonathan Bancroft
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Patent number: 11823316Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying a virtual character in a mixed reality environment are disclosed. In some embodiments, a view of the virtual character is based on an animation rig comprising primary joints and helper joints. The animation rig may be in a pose defined by spatial relationships between the primary joints and helper joints. The virtual character may be moving in the mixed reality environment. In some instances, the virtual character may be moving based on a comparison of interestingness values associated with elements in the mixed reality environment. The spatial relationship transformation associated with the movement may be indicated by movement information. In some embodiments, the movement information is received from a neural network.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2022Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.Inventors: Thomas Marshall Miller, IV, Nafees Bin Zafar, Sean Michael Comer, James Jonathan Bancroft
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Patent number: 11682155Abstract: Skinning parameters used to animate a virtual avatar can include mesh weights and joint transforms of a skeleton. Systems and methods are provided for determining skinning parameters using an optimization process subject to constraints based on human-understandable or anatomically-motivated relationships among skeletal joints. Input to the optimization process can include a high-order skeleton and the applied constraints can dynamically change during the optimization. The skinning parameters can be used in linear blend skinning (LBS) applications in augmented reality.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2020Date of Patent: June 20, 2023Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.Inventors: Geoffrey Wedig, Sean Michael Comer, James Jonathan Bancroft
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Publication number: 20230087227Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying a virtual character in a mixed reality environment are disclosed. In some embodiments, a view of the virtual character is based on an animation rig comprising primary joints and helper joints. The animation rig may be in a pose defined by spatial relationships between the primary joints and helper joints. The virtual character may be moving in the mixed reality environment. In some instances, the virtual character may be moving based on a comparison of interestingness values associated with elements in the mixed reality environment. The spatial relationship transformation associated with the movement may be indicated by movement information. In some embodiments, the movement information is received from a neural network.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2022Publication date: March 23, 2023Inventors: Thomas Marshall MILLER, IV, Nafees BIN ZAFAR, Sean Michael COMER, James Jonathan BANCROFT
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Patent number: 11544888Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying a virtual character in a mixed reality environment are disclosed. In some embodiments, a view of the virtual character is based on an animation rig comprising primary joints and helper joints. The animation rig may be in a pose defined by spatial relationships between the primary joints and helper joints. The virtual character may be moving in the mixed reality environment. In some instances, the virtual character may be moving based on a comparison of interestingness values associated with elements in the mixed reality environment. The spatial relationship transformation associated with the movement may be indicated by movement information. In some embodiments, the movement information is received from a neural network.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2021Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.Inventors: Thomas Marshall Miller, IV, Nafees Bin Zafar, Sean Michael Comer, James Jonathan Bancroft
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Publication number: 20220157003Abstract: Various examples of cross-application systems and methods for authoring, transferring, and evaluating rigging control systems for virtual characters are disclosed. A first application, which implements a first rigging control protocol, can provide an input associated with a request for a behavior from the rig for the virtual character. The input can be converted to be compatible with a second rigging control protocol that is different from the first rigging control protocol. One or more control systems can be evaluated based on the input to determine an output to provide the requested behavior from the virtual character rig. The one or more control systems can be defined according to the second rigging control protocol. The output can be converted to be compatible with the first rigging control protocol and provided to the first application to manipulate the virtual character according to the requested behavior.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 4, 2022Publication date: May 19, 2022Inventors: Geoffrey Wedig, James Jonathan Bancroft
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Patent number: 11276219Abstract: Various examples of cross-application systems and methods for authoring, transferring, and evaluating rigging control systems for virtual characters are disclosed. A first application, which implements a first rigging control protocol, can provide an input associated with a request for a behavior from the rig for the virtual character. The input can be converted to be compatible with a second rigging control protocol that is different from the first rigging control protocol. One or more control systems can be evaluated based on the input to determine an output to provide the requested behavior from the virtual character rig. The one or more control systems can be defined according to the second rigging control protocol. The output can be converted to be compatible with the first rigging control protocol and provided to the first application to manipulate the virtual character according to the requested behavior.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2019Date of Patent: March 15, 2022Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.Inventors: Geoffrey Wedig, James Jonathan Bancroft
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Publication number: 20220076475Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying a virtual character in a mixed reality environment are disclosed. In some embodiments, a view of the virtual character is based on an animation rig comprising primary joints and helper joints. The animation rig may be in a pose defined by spatial relationships between the primary joints and helper joints. The virtual character may be moving in the mixed reality environment. In some instances, the virtual character may be moving based on a comparison of interestingness values associated with elements in the mixed reality environment. The spatial relationship transformation associated with the movement may be indicated by movement information. In some embodiments, the movement information is received from a neural network.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2021Publication date: March 10, 2022Inventors: Thomas Marshall MILLER, IV, Nafees BIN ZAFAR, Sean Michael COMER, James Jonathan BANCROFT
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Patent number: 11151766Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying a virtual character in a mixed reality environment are disclosed. In some embodiments, a view of the virtual character is based on an animation rig comprising primary joints and helper joints. The animation rig may be in a pose defined by spatial relationships between the primary joints and helper joints. The virtual character may be moving in the mixed reality environment. In some instances, the virtual character may be moving based on a comparison of interestingness values associated with elements in the mixed reality environment. The spatial relationship transformation associated with the movement may be indicated by movement information. In some embodiments, the movement information is received from a neural network.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2020Date of Patent: October 19, 2021Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.Inventors: Thomas Marshall Miller, IV, Nafees Bin Zafar, Sean Michael Comer, James Jonathan Bancroft
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Publication number: 20210201551Abstract: Skinning parameters used to animate a virtual avatar can include mesh weights and joint transforms of a skeleton. Systems and methods are provided for determining skinning parameters using an optimization process subject to constraints based on human-understandable or anatomically-motivated relationships among skeletal joints. Input to the optimization process can include a high-order skeleton and the applied constraints can dynamically change during the optimization. The skinning parameters can be used in linear blend skinning (LBS) applications in augmented reality.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2020Publication date: July 1, 2021Inventors: Geoffrey Wedig, Sean Michael Comer, James Jonathan Bancroft
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Publication number: 20210118212Abstract: Various examples of cross-application systems and methods for authoring, transferring, and evaluating rigging control systems for virtual characters are disclosed. A first application, which implements a first rigging control protocol, can provide an input associated with a request for a behavior from the rig for the virtual character. The input can be converted to be compatible with a second rigging control protocol that is different from the first rigging control protocol. One or more control systems can be evaluated based on the input to determine an output to provide the requested behavior from the virtual character rig. The one or more control systems can be defined according to the second rigging control protocol. The output can be converted to be compatible with the first rigging control protocol and provided to the first application to manipulate the virtual character according to the requested behavior.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 12, 2019Publication date: April 22, 2021Inventors: Geoffrey Wedig, James Jonathan Bancroft
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Patent number: 10885692Abstract: Skinning parameters used to animate a virtual avatar can include mesh weights and joint transforms of a skeleton. Systems and methods are provided for determining skinning parameters using an optimization process subject to constraints based on human-understandable or anatomically-motivated relationships among skeletal joints. Input to the optimization process can include a high-order skeleton and the applied constraints can dynamically change during the optimization. The skinning parameters can be used in linear blend skinning (LBS) applications in augmented reality.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2019Date of Patent: January 5, 2021Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.Inventors: Geoffrey Wedig, Sean Michael Comer, James Jonathan Bancroft
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Publication number: 20200388065Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying a virtual character in a mixed reality environment are disclosed. In some embodiments, a view of the virtual character is based on an animation rig comprising primary joints and helper joints. The animation rig may be in a pose defined by spatial relationships between the primary joints and helper joints. The virtual character may be moving in the mixed reality environment. In some instances, the virtual character may be moving based on a comparison of interestingness values associated with elements in the mixed reality environment. The spatial relationship transformation associated with the movement may be indicated by movement information. In some embodiments, the movement information is received from a neural network.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 5, 2020Publication date: December 10, 2020Inventors: Thomas Marshall MILLER, IV, Nafees BIN ZAFAR, Sean Michael COMER, James Jonathan BANCROFT
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Publication number: 20190362529Abstract: Skinning parameters used to animate a virtual avatar can include mesh weights and joint transforms of a skeleton. Systems and methods are provided for determining skinning parameters using an optimization process subject to constraints based on human-understandable or anatomically-motivated relationships among skeletal joints. Input to the optimization process can include a high-order skeleton and the applied constraints can dynamically change during the optimization. The skinning parameters can be used in linear blend skinning (LBS) applications in augmented reality.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2019Publication date: November 28, 2019Inventors: Geoffrey Wedig, Sean Michael Comer, James Jonathan Bancroft