Abstract: A 3-D wireframe model expressed in terms of nodes and vertices receives a 3-D video or like signal representative of a scene expressed in terms of a reference model, I frames and P frames. A DPCM coder takes advantage of the temporal correlation of the displacement of each vertex along every axis in the 3-D space. The 3-D signal is a set of non-zero displacements of all vertices and all nodes (sl[n, v]) at time tl. The decoded set (animation frame) of the previous instance is used as the predicted value (si-l[n, v]). The prediction error el[n, v], i.e. the difference between the current displacement set and the predicted one, is computed and quantised (el[n, v]). Finally, the quantised samples are entropy coded (ci[n, v]) using an adaptive arithmetic coding algorithm to handle the unknown data statistics. The predictive scheme described above prevents quantization error accumulation. A DPCM decoder first decodes arithmetically the received samples (‘e’ [n, v]) and computers the decoded samples (si? [n, v]).

Abstract: According to MPEG-4's TTS architecture, facial animation can be driven by two streams simultaneously—text, and Facial Animation Parameters. In this architecture, text input is sent to a Text-To-Speech converter at a decoder that drives the mouth shapes of the face. Facial Animation Parameters are sent from an encoder to the face over the communication channel. The present invention includes codes (known as bookmarks) in the text string transmitted to the Text-to-Speech converter, which bookmarks are placed between words as well as inside them. According to the present invention, the bookmarks carry an encoder time stamp. Due to the nature of text-to-speech conversion, the encoder time stamp does not relate to real-world time, and should be interpreted as a counter. In addition, the Facial Animation Parameter stream carries the same encoder time stamp found in the bookmark of the text.

Abstract: According to MPEG-4's TTS architecture, facial animation can be driven by two streams simultaneously—text, and Facial Animation Parameters. In this architecture, text input is sent to a Text-To-Speech converter at a decoder that drives the mouth shapes of the face. Facial Animation Parameters are sent from an encoder to the face over the communication channel. The present invention includes codes (known as bookmarks) in the text string transmitted to the Text-to-Speech converter, which bookmarks are placed between words as well as inside them. According to the present invention, the bookmarks carry-an encoder time stamp. Due to the nature of text-to-speech conversion, the encoder time stamp does not relate to real-world time, and should be interpreted as a counter. In addition, the Facial Animation Parameter stream carries the same encoder time stamp found in the bookmark of the text.

Abstract: An enhanced arrangement for a talking head driven by text is achieved by sending FAP information to a rendering arrangement that allows the rendering arrangement to employ the received FAPs in synchronism with the speech that is synthesized. In accordance with one embodiment, FAPs that correspond to visemes which can be developed from phonemes that are generated by a TTS synthesizer in the rendering arrangement are not included in the sent FAPs, to allow the local generation of such FAPs. In a further enhancement, a process is included in the rendering arrangement for creating a smooth transition from one FAP specification to the next FAP specification. This transition can follow any selected function. In accordance with one embodiment, a separate FAP value is evaluated for each of the rendered video frames.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for rendering a talking head on a client device are disclosed. The client device has a client cache capable of storing audio/visual data associated with rendering the talking head. The method comprises storing sentences in a client cache of a client device that relate to bridging delays in a dialog, storing sentence templates to be used in dialogs, generating a talking head response to a user inquiry from the client device, and determining whether sentences or stored templates stored in the client cache relate to the talking head response. If the stored sentences or stored templates relate to the talking head response, the method comprises instructing the client device to use the appropriate stored sentence or template from the client cache to render at least a part of the talking head response and transmitting a portion of the talking head response not stored in the client cache, if any, to the client device to render a complete talking head response.

Abstract: A method and system for description of synthetic audiovisual content makes it easier for humans, software components or devices to identify, manage, categorize, search, browse and retrieve such content. For instance, a user may wish to search for specific synthetic audiovisual objects in digital libraries, Internet web sites or broadcast media; such a search is enabled by the invention. Key characteristics of synthetic audiovisual content itself such as the underlying 2d or 3d models and parameters for animation of these models are used to describe it. More precisely, to represent features of synthetic audiovisual content, depending on the description scheme to be used, a number of descriptors are selected and assigned values. The description scheme instantiated with descriptor values is used to generate the description, which is then stored for actual use during query/search.

Abstract: A process is defined for the rapid definition of new animation parameters for proprietary renderers. The process accommodates the peculiarities of proprietary models. In a first step, a proprietary model is animated in a standard modeler and the animated models are saved as VRML files. A converter is used to extract the meaning of a newly defined animation parameter by comparing two or more of the VRML files. Thus, the output of this process is the model and a table describing the new animation parameter. This information is read by the renderer and used whenever the animation parameter is required. The process can easily be used to generate new shapes from the original model.

Abstract: A flexible framework for synchronization of multimedia streams synchronizes the incoming streams on the basis of the collaboration of a transmitter-driven and a local inter-media synchronization module. Whenever the first one it is not enough to ensure reliable synchronization or cannot assure synchronization because the encoder does not know the exact timing of the decoder, the second one comes into play. Normally, the transmitter-driven module uses the stream time stamps if their drift is acceptable. If the drift is too high, the system activates an internal inter-media synchronization mode while the transmitter driven module extracts the coarsest inter-media synchronization and/or the structural information present in the streams. The internal clock of the receiver is used as absolute time reference. Whenever the drift value stabilizes to acceptable values, the system switches back smoothly to the external synchronization mode.

Abstract: A method and system for description of synthetic audiovisual content makes it easier for humans, software components or devices to identify, manage, categorize, search, browse and retrieve such content. For instance, a user may wish to search for specific synthetic audiovisual objects in digital libraries, Internet web sites or broadcast media; such a search is enabled by the invention. Key characteristics of synthetic audiovisual content itself such as the underlying 2d or 3d models and parameters for animation of these models are used to describe it. More precisely, to represent features of synthetic audiovisual content, depending on the description scheme to be used, a number of descriptors are selected and assigned values. The description scheme instantiated with descriptor values is used to generate the description, which is then stored for actual use during query/search.

Abstract: According to MPEG-4's TTS architecture, facial animation can be driven by two streams simultaneously—text, and Facial Animation Parameters. In this architecture, text input is sent to a Text-To-Speech converter at a decoder that drives the mouth shapes of the face. Facial Animation Parameters are sent from an encoder to the face over the communication channel. The present invention includes codes (known as bookmarks) in the text string transmitted to the Text-to-Speech converter, which bookmarks are placed between words as well as inside them. According to the present invention, the bookmarks carry an encoder time stamp. Due to the nature of text-to-speech conversion, the encoder time stamp does not relate to real-world time, and should be interpreted as a counter. In addition, the Facial Animation Parameter stream carries the same encoder time stamp found in the bookmark of the text.

Abstract: A process is defined for the rapid definition of new animation parameters for proprietary renderers. The process accommodates the peculiarities of proprietary models. In a first step, a proprietary model is animated in a standard modeler and the animated models are saved as VRML files. A converter is used to extract the meaning of a newly defined animation parameter by comparing two or more of the VRML files. Thus, the output of this process is the model and a table describing the new animation parameter. This information is read by the renderer and used whenever the animation parameter is required. The process can easily be used to generate new shapes from the original model.

Abstract: A system and method for reproducing a multimedia data signal on a terminal. A terminal capability node is instantiated and the terminal capability is evaluated. The value of a capability is set, and the value is then altered based upon the capability of the evaluated terminal.

Abstract: An animation wireframe is modified with three-dimensional (3D) range and color data having a corresponding shape surface. The animation wireframe is vertically scaled based on distances between consecutive features within the 3D range and color data and corresponding distances within the generic animation wireframe. For each animation wireframe point, the location of the animation wireframe point is adjusted to coincide with a point on the shape surface. The shape surface point lies along a scaling line connecting the animation wireframe point, the shape surface point and an origin point. The scaling line is within a horizontal plane.

Abstract: An image region changed by a moving cast shadow from a first image to a second image is detected. For each pixel within a change detection mask (a binary mask indicating image areas of difference between the first image and the second image) and a set of neighboring pixels, the following steps are performed. Whether the pixel and the set of neighboring pixels include a static background edge or no edge is determined. Whether the pixel and the set of neighboring pixels include an edge with a spatial signal step width greater than a threshold is determined. Whether the pixel and the set of neighboring pixels have a uniform temporal change of illumination is determined. The pixel is classified as being changed by a moving cast shadow when at least two of the above-mentioned determinations succeed for the pixel or when at least one determination from the above-mentions determinations succeed for a majority of the set of neighboring pixels.

Abstract: A system and method for reproducing a multimedia data signal on a terminal. A terminal capability node is instantiated and the terminal capability is evaluated. The value of a capability is set, and the value is then altered based upon the capability of the evaluated terminal.

Abstract: An animation wireframe is modified with three-dimensional (3D) range data having a corresponding shape surface. The animation wireframe is scaled in a first direction based on distances between feature pair within the 3D range data and corresponding distances within the generic animation wireframe. The location of a first animation wireframe point is adjusted in a second direction to coincide with a point on the shape surface.

Abstract: A system and method for reproducing a multimedia data signal on a terminal. A terminal capability node is instantiated and the terminal capability is evaluated. The value of a capability is set, and the value is then altered based upon the capability of the evaluated terminal.

Abstract: A flexible framework for synchronization of multimedia streams synchronizes the incoming streams on the basis of the collaboration of a transmitter-driven and a local inter-media synchronization module. Whenever the first one it is not enough to ensure reliable synchronization or cannot assure synchronization because the encoder does not know the exact timing of the decoder, the second one comes into play. Normally, the transmitter-driven module uses the stream time stamps if their drift is acceptable. If the drift is too high, the system activates an internal inter-media synchronization mode while the transmitter driven module extracts the coarsest inter-media synchronization and/or the structural information present in the streams. The internal clock of the receiver is used as absolute time reference. Whenever the drift value stabilizes to acceptable values, the system switches back smoothly to the external synchronization mode.

Abstract: A process is defined for the rapid definition of new animation parameters for proprietary renderers. The process accommodates the peculiarities of proprietary models. In a first step, a proprietary model is animated in a standard modeler and the animated models are saved as VRML files. A converter is used to extract the meaning of a newly defined animation parameter by comparing two or more of the VRML files. Thus, the output of this process is the model and a table describing the new animation parameter. This information is read by the renderer and used whenever the animation parameter is required. The process can easily be used to generate new shapes from the original model.

Abstract: An animation wireframe is modified with three-dimensional (3D) range and color data having a corresponding shape surface. The animation wireframe is vertically scaled based on distances between consecutive features within the 3D range and color data and corresponding distances within the generic animation wireframe. For each animation wireframe point, the location of the animation wireframe point is adjusted to coincide with a point on the shape surface. The shape surface point lies along a scaling line connecting the animation wireframe point, the shape surface point and an origin point. The scaling line is within a horizontal plane.