Appeal No. 1997-3225
Application No. 08/351,218
through 34 of the specification, a visual image of the speaker
is simulated. The database is then used to provide images
which correspond to the spoken phonemes. Morphing is then
performed on these images to provide transition images. The
database images and morphed images are used to provide the
animated image. As described on page 34 of the specification,
the tiepoints are used to control the degree of movement of
characteristics in the images as they are animated.
Independent claim 6 is reproduced as follows:
6. A method of producing a computer-based animation of a
subject speaking, comprising:
determining a set of units of speech;
preparing a database of images, each said image
corresponding to one of said units of speech;
establishing some aspect of each image of said database
which relates to each other image in the database;
obtaining a sequence of speech to which said animation is
to be synchronized;
analyzing said sequence of speech to determine said units
of speech therein;
determining keyframe images which correspond to said
units determined by said analyzing; and
3
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