KR20040084468A - Offering method for 3d avatar capable of editing and selection by user and storage apparatus for avatar editor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method for offering a 3D(Dimensional) avatar edited/selected by a user and a storing medium storing a 3D avatar editor are provided to enable a user to easily edit the 3D avatar on an offline state. CONSTITUTION: The user edits/stores the avatar by using the avatar editor installed to a PC(S203). On a process for sending a POP3(Post Office Protocol version 3) e-mail, the user selects the avatar fit to the e-mail contents from the stored avatars and sends the e-mail with the selected avatar(S210). The e-mail attaching the avatar is received/displayed. If the user uses a service by connecting to a web site provided from a provider server, the user selects the avatar in order to display the avatar stored in the PC to the web site(S214).

Description

OFFERING METHOD FOR 3D AVATAR CAPABLE OF EDITING AND SELECTION BY USER AND STORAGE APPARATUS FOR AVATAR EDITOR}

The present invention relates to a method for providing an avatar represented on the Internet on behalf of a user and a recording device storing a program capable of editing the avatar, in particular one or two using an avatar editor stored and executed on a user's PC. A method of providing a user-edited and selectable 3D avatar for displaying an avatar of the 3D graphic, and displaying a user-created avatar when accessing a POP3 e-mail or a business server, and a storage medium storing an avatar editor will be.

Avatar means an alter ego or incarnation, and is an animation character that takes the place of a user in cyberspace.

Currently, such an avatar is used as an alter ego representing a user in an online game or a chat, and a general avatar is a 2D image, and a user can purchase an item, decorate the avatar, and create an avatar that matches his or her personality.

However, the main body of the avatar, i.e., the face or body of the avatar is simply divided into male and female, and the size and proportion of the body are all the same.

While trying to differentiate themselves from other users' avatars by wearing costumes, backgrounds, or ornaments on the basic human body, the basic human body composition is the same, and it cannot show a big difference, and it is not appropriate to recognize as a real self. .

In addition, there are a limited number of costumes and ornaments, so you can see avatars of similar shapes, which do not meet your desire to have your own alter ego.

The existing avatar providing service different from the above example may select a face shape that is similar to the user or a favorite face type among the provided face types, and provides a default avatar if not selected.

In this case, there is an advantage that the face shape is provided in more variety, but such a system is not different from the above-mentioned example in that there is a limitation in the face shape provided and that it cannot have its own avatar.

As described above, the existing avatar can be limitedly selected only within the range provided by the operator, which has a problem in that it cannot satisfy various needs of users because it cannot have its own avatar.

In addition, since the avatar is provided with a completed image and cannot be associated with the avatar, the user cannot associate the image with the avatar. When chatting or playing a game, the user encounters the same avatar and cannot differentiate between the avatars. there was.

If an avatar is attached to an e-mail and sent to the e-mail, the designated avatar can be attached only when the e-mail is sent using a web mail provided by the operator's server. I could not send my avatar attached to the supporting mail.

In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a user editable and selectable 3D avatar providing method capable of easily editing their 3D avatar even in an offline state, and a storage medium storing an avatar editor.

In addition, another object of the present invention is to store a user-editable and selectable three-dimensional avatar providing method and an avatar editor to easily apply a three-dimensional avatar created and edited while offline, game, chat or email The purpose is to provide a storage medium.

It is still another object of the present invention to create a plurality of three-dimensional avatar, select a particular avatar according to the user's selection, the user-editable and selectable three-dimensional avatar providing method that can be displayed on the web or email and The purpose is to provide a storage medium for storing the avatar editor.

The present invention for achieving the above object is characterized by having an avatar editor that can create and edit the avatar on the user's PC.

The avatar edited using the avatar editor is stored in an avatar database in the form of a plurality of library files having different names.

The avatar library file is attached to an e-mail or transmitted according to a user's selection or posted on a web site.

1 is a system configuration for applying the present invention.

2 is a flow chart showing an embodiment of the present invention.

3 to 7 are embodiments of a display screen of an avatar editor applied to the present invention, respectively.

* Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings *

10-1 ~ 10-n: Operator Server 20-1 ~ 20-n: Email Server

30: Internet network 40-1 ~ 40-n: User PC

41-1 ~ 41-n: Avatar Editor

42-1 ~ 42-n: Avatar database

When described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings an embodiment of the present invention configured as described above are as follows.

1 is a system configuration diagram for applying a method for providing a user editable and selectable 3D avatar of the present invention. As shown in FIG. And a plurality of service provider servers 10-1 to 10-n; A plurality of email servers 20-1 to 20-n providing POP3 accounts to send and receive emails between users in a POP3 manner; An avatar capable of internet access and allowing the user to directly create and edit a three-dimensional avatar by using an avatar editor stored in the avatar editor storage media 41-1 to 41-n, and to store the edited avatar. Databases 42-1 to 42-n are provided to use the services provided by the operator servers 10-1 to 10-n through the Internet network 30, or the e-mail servers 20-1 to 20-n. When a POP3 e-mail is sent, the user PCs 40-1 to 40-n may select and display avatars stored in the avatar databases 42-1 to 42-n.

As can be seen in the configuration of the system as described above, the conventional avatar can be used only at a site provided by a specific operator server, but in the present invention, the user can create a new avatar by editing the avatar using a personal PC. In using the avatar service provided by all service provider servers, the avatar stored in the avatar database of the user's PC can be used.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing a user editable and selectable 3D avatar according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which the user selects whether to turn on the PC 40-1 and edit an avatar (S201). ; If the avatar is selected for editing, executing the avatar editor stored in the avatar editor storage medium 41-1 to edit the avatar (S202); Storing the edited avatar in an avatar database 42-1 (S203); Confirming that the avatar editor is to be terminated and continuing to perform step S202 if it is not terminated (S204); Checking the connection to the Internet when the avatar editor is finished (S205); If it is connected to the Internet network, checking whether it is connected to a web site or sending an e-mail (S206); Confirming whether to attach an avatar to an e-mail to be sent (S207); Selecting the desired avatar from the avatar database if the avatar is to be attached (S209); Attaching the selected avatar to an e-mail (S209); Sending an email to which the avatar is attached or an email not to be attached (S210); Checking whether to terminate the use after the shipment, and ending or returning to step S206 (S211); If the web site is being used in step S206, checking whether to display an avatar (S212); Selecting the avatar from the avatar database when the avatar is selected to be displayed (S213); Displaying (S214) the selected avatar on a web site; In a case in which the avatar is not selected in step S212, the avatar is not displayed and is used (S218); Determining whether to terminate after performing the step S214 or S218, or performing the operation by maintaining the avatar display state (S215); If it is not connected to the Internet in step S205, and using a PC (S216); and checks the end or terminate, or returning to step S205 to check whether or not connected to the Internet (S217).

Hereinafter, the present invention configured as described above will be described in more detail.

First, in step S201, a user executes an avatar editor to edit an avatar using the PC 40-1. That is, the flowchart shows that the system confirms whether to perform avatar editing. However, in a practical application, it is determined that the user directly or not executes the avatar editor.

When the user executes the avatar editor, the avatar editor stored in the avatar editor storage medium 41-1 such as a hard disk is executed and displayed on the screen of the user PC 40-1.

Next, in step S202, the previously stored avatar library file is opened and edited in the executed avatar editor, or a new avatar is created and edited.

In this case, the avatar is a 3D avatar, and the edit result of the user is displayed in a part of the avatar editor in real time, so that the user can easily edit and create the avatar desired by the user.

3 illustrates an embodiment of an avatar editor screen, in which a current window indicates that a window for editing a body among parts of a body is activated.

The avatar editor displayed on the screen has a main tab, a body tab 100, a head tab 200, an action tab 300, which can respectively edit a body, a head, and an action, and the body tab 100. Has a full tab 110 for uniformly editing the entire body, and a partial tab 120 for selectively editing each part, and has a torso, an arm and a leg below the partial tab 120. It has a torso tab 121, an arm tab 122, and a leg tab 123, each of which can be edited separately.

In FIG. 3, the partial tab 120 of the body tab 100 is selected, and the body tab 121 for adjusting the size of the body is selected.

The body tab 121 is provided with a range adjustment selector 124 to select a range of adjustment.

The range adjustment selector 124 may select whether to adjust only the length, only the thickness, or to adjust the length and thickness together according to a set value.

That is, by adjusting only the thickness, it is possible to express the selected legs fat or slim, and by adjusting the length, the length can be edited to be taller or longer than the upper body.

In addition, if the thickness is also selected to change along with the length, a change in the standard degree of the body is made.

At the bottom, there is a degree setting slide 126, and on the right side there is a degree display window 125 in which the current setting value is displayed numerically so that the user can know what relative value the avatar is currently set to. do.

In addition, one side of the avatar editor screen is provided with an avatar display window 400 which displays an avatar in a current state in real time.

The degree setting slide 126 is provided with a plurality to adjust the head, neck, shoulder, chest, waist, hips, respectively.

As described above, moving the degree setting slide 126 to adjust the size of the head to the right in the state that the length and the thickness are adjusted together, the degree display window displaying the set value of the head size of 14 larger than 10 125).

Moving from 10 to 14, the size of the head becomes larger than the original setting, which can be set as desired by the user within the limits.

Through the above process, the user can create an avatar having a head size of the user.

In addition to editing the head, it is possible to control the neck, shoulders, chest, waist, hips, etc., so that the user can easily edit the body of the avatar in a form that the user wants to express himself, such as a fat body, a slim body, and a glamorous body. do.

4 shows the arm tab 122 for editing the length or thickness, length and thickness of the arm in the avatar editor, and the range control selector 124 has the length, thickness, or length and thickness. You can choose to edit together, and you can choose to apply the same to left and right.

The degree selection slide 126 shown on the screen can be edited by selecting the upper arm, lower arm, upper and lower arm, lower arm, hand of the right arm and the right arm. Even if only one selected from the degree selection slide 126 or the degree selection slide 126 to adjust the left arm is applied to both arms.

By adjusting the degree selection slide 126, it is possible to adjust the thickness and the length of the upper and lower arms and hands of the selected arm, so that the user can make an avatar having a thicker or thinner arm than the torso. You will be able to create long or short avatars.

FIG. 5 shows that the leg tab 123 is activated and adjusts the thigh, long and short feet, and the thickness, length, or length and thickness of the foot to produce an avatar having a desired body shape.

6 illustrates an example of an avatar editor screen in which the head tab 200 is activated. As shown in the drawing, a face tab 210, an eye tab 220, and a nose tab 230 are disposed below the head tab 200. The mouth tab 240 is provided to adjust the face shape of the avatar or to adjust the eye shape, the nose shape, and the mouth shape according to the user's taste.

6 shows that the face tab 210 is activated, and has a degree adjusting slide 211 for adjusting the length, width, curvature, forehead, cheekbone, and chin length of the face, respectively. The degree display window 212 is provided on the side of the 211.

By adjusting the degree adjusting slide 211 to adjust the cheekbones, it is possible to display the cheekbones more protruding than normal.

As such, the present invention provides a means for allowing the user to edit the avatar's face itself, thereby reducing the probability of having an avatar with the same face type, and embodying an avatar of a character that is more personalized and differentiated.

Such an editing process of the avatar is processed directly on the user PC and displayed on the avatar display window 400.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a state in which an action tab 300 is selected in the avatar editor screen. As shown in FIG. 7, an action selection window 320 and an action execution are executed in the action tab 300. An operation control unit 310 for selecting) is provided.

The operation selection window 320 displays names of operations that have already been determined, the time at which one cycle of the operation is completed, and the number of frames required for one cycle of the operation.

In the above state, the user may select which action the avatar of the user sets.

If the user selects the BACKFLIP displayed on the operation selection window 320 and selects the operation control unit 310, his avatar displayed on the avatar display window 400 crosses the vice versa.

The operation is provided by a library previously stored in the avatar editor, and the user can set a desired operation in a plurality of preset operations.

The avatar operating in the avatar display window 400 allows smooth motion processing using animation using motion capture, and the hierarchical animation is applied to realize an avatar with a more smooth shape or motion.

When all the settings are completed as described above, the user stores the edited avatar in step S203.

At this time, the save can be saved under a different name from the original name. The avatar edited by the user can be saved as one or more library files, respectively.

Avatar such as smiley, crying, angry, etc. is made in advance as a library file, and the appropriate avatar can be displayed according to the situation.

Next, when the user no longer has an avatar to edit in step S204, select the end of editing.

Next, in step S205, the user checks whether the user accesses the Internet network 30.

When not using the Internet, the PC can work through steps S216 and S217, and when connected to the Internet network 30, the operator server 10-1 through the Internet network 30 as in step S206. Check if you are connected to the web site provided by ~ 10-n) or if you want to send POP3 e-mail via the e-mail server 20-1 ~ 20-n.

In step S207, if the user wants to send a POP3 email, the user confirms whether to attach the avatar to the email to be sent, and if the avatar is not sent, the mail is sent as it is. If the user wants to attach the avatar, Similarly, an avatar suitable for the content of the mail is selected from the library files stored in the avatar database 42-1.

Next, in step S209, the selected avatar is attached to the email.

Since the avatar attached in the above process is a moving avatar of 3D, the avatar is attached and sent in a form that can be played. That is, e-mail should basically be in HTML format, not text.

Next, in step S210, the email with the avatar attached is sent to the other user 40-n.

Then, in step S211 it is confirmed whether or not to end the use, or if not, return to step S206.

Separately, when the user is connected to the web site provided by the operator server 10-1 to 10-n in step S206, when the user performs a chat, game, writing, etc. as in step S212, the avatar is Confirm that you want to display.

In this case, the web site can be used regardless of whether or not the avatar is displayed. If there is no avatar editor on the user's PC, the avatar provided by the operator servers 10-1 to 10-n can be used. .

If the avatar is not displayed in step S212, the avatar is provided by the operator servers 10-1 to 10-n without using the avatar as shown in step S218 to use the service provided by the operator server. do.

If the user wants to post the avatar stored in his avatar database 42-1 on the web site in step S212, the appropriate avatar is selected in the avatar database 42-1 as in step S213.

Next, in step S214, the selected avatar is transmitted to the operator server 10-1 to which the user is connected, and the web site of the operator server 10-1 plays a frame such as Control X. The avatar selected by the user is displayed by using the posting means.

Next, in step S215, if the user logs out from the connected web site, the avatar is stopped when the user logs out.

Through the above steps, users can create and edit their own avatars on their PCs, and save the edited avatars under different names, send e-mails, or use services provided by specific websites. You can attach or post avatars stored on your PC.

The present invention has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and has ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains without departing from the concept of the present invention. Various changes and modifications are possible by the user.

As described above, according to the present invention, the avatar can be appropriately edited using the 3D avatar editor stored in the user's personal computer, and the plurality of avatars can be generated by storing the avatar. This has the effect of obtaining your own avatar.

In addition, it is possible to send a stored avatar attached to an e-mail, so that the avatar can be easily displayed even in an e-mail supporting POP3. It is possible to post an avatar edited by himself, which makes it possible to express oneself by using a variety of individual avatars.

In addition, the present invention enables the user to directly create an avatar that performs a variety of operations compared to the avatar to which a static or existing simple animated picture file is applied, and the effect of transmitting the user's emotion to other users more diversely and accurately have.

Claims (5)

An avatar editing and storage step of editing / storing an avatar using an avatar editor installed in a PC; An avatar email transmission / reception step of selecting an avatar suitable for the contents of the email from the stored avatars in the process of sending the POP3 email, attaching the avatar to the email, and receiving and displaying the email with the avatar attached thereto; And the avatar posting step of selecting an avatar so that the user can access the website provided by the operator server and use the service. Method for providing a user editable and selectable three-dimensional avatar, characterized in that. The method of claim 1, wherein the editing and storing of the avatar comprises one or more pieces of editing information selected from the body of the avatar, the parts of the arms, the parts of the legs, the face shape, the parts of the face, the head shape, the costume, the jewelry, and the motion. An editing step of editing the avatar according to the method; A method of providing a user editable and selectable avatar comprising the steps of storing differently edited avatars into a plurality of library files of different names. The user editing and selection of claim 1 or 2, wherein the avatar is a three-dimensional animated avatar, wherein the movement of the avatar is embodied by motion capturing, and the avatar editor includes a library file for selecting the movement. Possible 3D avatar providing method. Displaying a list of operation contents which are installed on the user's PC to provide a user with an interface capable of partially editing the body parts of the avatar and to designate the operation of the avatar; When the user edits the avatar using the interface, interpreting the information of the edited avatar and displaying the shape of the avatar corresponding to the edited information on the user's computer screen so that the user can check in real time; If the user stores the edited avatar, the storage medium for storing the avatar editor to operate the step of storing the edited avatar information as a library file in the avatar database. The storage medium of claim 4, wherein the operation of the avatar selected by the user is libraryed through motion capture.