Eric Cosatto

US Patent:

6504546, Jan 7, 2003

Filed:

Feb 8, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/500334

Inventors:

Eric Cosatto - Highlands NJ
Hans Peter Graf - Lincroft NJ

Assignee:

ATT Corp. - New York NY

International Classification:

G06T 1700

US Classification:

345473

Abstract:

A method for modeling three-dimensional objects to create photo-realistic animations using a data-driven approach. The three-dimensional object is defined by a set of separate three-dimensional planes, each plane enclosing an area of the object that undergoes visual changes during animation. Recorded video is used to create bitmap data to populate a database for each three-dimensional plane. The video is analyzed in terms of both rigid movements (changes in pose) and plastic deformation (changes in expression) to create the bitmaps. The modeling is particularly well-suited for animations of a human face, where an audio track generated by a text-to-speech synthesizer can be added to the animation to create a photo-realistic âtalking headâ.

US Patent:

6654018, Nov 25, 2003

Filed:

Mar 29, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/820396

Inventors:

Eric Cosatto - Highlands NJ
Hans Peter Graf - Lincroft NJ
Gerasimos Potamianos - White Plains NY
Juergen Schroeter - New Providence NJ

Assignee:

ATT Corp. - New York NY

International Classification:

G06T 1300

US Classification:

345473

Abstract:

A system and method for generating photo-realistic talking-head animation from a text input utilizes an audio-visual unit selection process. The lip-synchronization is obtained by optimally selecting and concatenating variable-length video units of the mouth area. The unit selection process utilizes the acoustic data to determine the target costs for the candidate images and utilizes the visual data to determine the concatenation costs. The image database is prepared in a hierarchical fashion, including high-level features (such as a full 3D modeling of the head, geometric size and position of elements) and pixel-based, low-level features (such as a PCA-based metric for labeling the various feature bitmaps).

US Patent:

6662161, Dec 9, 2003

Filed:

Sep 7, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/390704

Inventors:

Eric Cosatto - Highlands NJ
Hans Peter Graf - Lincroft NJ
Juergen Schroeter - New Providence NJ

Assignee:

ATT Corp. - New York NY

International Classification:

G10L 1308

US Classification:

704260, 704263, 704276

Abstract:

A method for generating animated sequences of talking heads in text-to-speech applications wherein a processor samples a plurality of frames comprising image samples. Representative parameters are extracted from the image samples and stored in an animation library. The processor also samples a plurality of multiphones comprising images together with their associated sounds. The processor extracts parameters from these images comprising data characterizing mouth shapes, maps, rules, or equations, and stores the resulting parameters and sound information in a coarticulation library. The animated sequence begins with the processor considering an input phoneme sequence, recalling from the coarticulation library parameters associated with that sequence, and selecting appropriate image samples from the animation library based on that sequence. The image samples are concatenated together, and the corresponding sound is output, to form the animated synthesis.

US Patent:

6980697, Dec 27, 2005

Filed:

Jan 25, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/057063

Inventors:

Andrea Basso - Ocean NJ, US
Eric Cosatto - Highlands NJ, US
David Crawford Gibbon - Lincroft NJ, US
Hans Peter Graf - Lincroft NJ, US
Shan Liu - Los Angeles CA, US

Assignee:

AT&T Corp. - New York NY

International Classification:

G06K009/40

US Classification:

382274, 382103, 382190, 382291, 348 1401

Abstract:

A method of improving the lighting conditions of a real scene or video sequence. Digitally generated light is added to a scene for video conferencing over telecommunication networks. A virtual illumination equation takes into account light attenuation, lambertian and specular reflection. An image of an object is captured, a virtual light source illuminates the object within the image. In addition, the object can be the head of the user. The position of the head of the user is dynamically tracked so that an three-dimensional model is generated which is representative of the head of the user. Synthetic light is applied to a position on the model to form an illuminated model.

US Patent:

6990452, Jan 24, 2006

Filed:

Nov 2, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/003350

Inventors:

Joern Ostermann - Morganville NJ, US
Mehmet Reha Civanlar - Middletown NJ, US
Eric Cosatto - Highlands NJ, US
Hans Peter Graf - Lincroft NJ, US
Yann Andre LeCun - Lincroft NJ, US

Assignee:

AT&T Corp. - New York NY

International Classification:

G10L 13/08
G10L 21/00
G06T 13/00

US Classification:

704260, 704272, 704275, 704270, 345473

Abstract:

A system and method of providing sender-customization of multi-media messages through the use of emoticons is disclosed. The sender inserts the emoticons into a text message. As an animated face audibly delivers the text, emoticons associated with the message are started a predetermined period of time or number of words prior to the position of the emoticon in the message text and completed a predetermined length of time or number of words following the location of the emoticon. The sender may insert emoticons through the use of emoticon buttons that are icons available for choosing. Upon sender selections of an emoticon, an icon representing the emoticon is inserted into the text at the position of the cursor. Once an emoticon is chosen, the sender may also choose the amplitude for the emoticon and increased or decreased amplitude will be displayed in the icon inserted into the message text.

US Patent:

7035803, Apr 25, 2006

Filed:

Nov 2, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/003093

Inventors:

Joern Ostermann - Morganville NJ, US
Barbara Buda - Morristown NJ, US
Mehmet Reha Civanlar - Middletown NJ, US
Eric Cosatto - Highlands NJ, US
Hans Peter Graf - Lincroft NJ, US
Thomas M. Isaacson - Dunkirk MD, US
Yann Andre LeCun - Lincroft NJ, US

Assignee:

AT&T Corp. - New York NY

International Classification:

G10L 13/00

US Classification:

704260, 704267, 704258

Abstract:

A system and method of providing sender customization of multi-media messages through the use of inserted images or video. The images or video may be sender-created or predefined and available to the sender via a web server. The method relates to customizing a multi-media message created by a sender for a recipient, the multi-media message having an animated entity audibly presenting speech converted from text created by the sender. The method comprises receiving at least one image from the sender, associating each at least one image with a tag, presenting the sender with options to insert the tag associated with one of the at least one image into the sender text, and after the sender inserts the tag associated with one of the at least one images into the sender text, delivering the multi-media message with the at least one image presented as background to the animated entity according to a position of the tag associated with the at least one image in the sender text. In another embodiment of the invention, a template is provided to the sender to create multi-media messages using predefined static images or video clips. The method comprises providing the sender with a group of customizable multi-media message templates, each template of the groups of templates including predefined parameters comprising a predefined text message, a predefined animated entity, a predefined background, predefined background music, and a predefined set of emoticons within the text of the message.

US Patent:

7076430, Jul 11, 2006

Filed:

Jun 17, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/173341

Inventors:

Eric Cosatto - Highlands NJ, US
Hans Peter Graf - Lincroft NJ, US
Thomas M. Isaacson - Huntingtown MD, US
Volker Franz Strom - Jersey City NJ, US

Assignee:

AT&T Corp. - New York NY

International Classification:

G10L 11/00

US Classification:

704275, 704276, 704272

Abstract:

A system and method of controlling the movement of a virtual agent while the agent is listening to a human user during a conversation is disclosed. The method comprises receiving speech data from the user, performing a prosodic analysis of the speech data and controlling the virtual agent movement according to the prosodic analysis.

US Patent:

7117155, Oct 3, 2006

Filed:

Oct 1, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/676630

Inventors:

Eric Cosatto - Highlands NJ, US
Hans Peter Graf - Lincroft NJ, US
Juergen Schroeter - New Providence NJ, US

Assignee:

AT&T Corp. - New York NY

International Classification:

G10L 19/00

US Classification:

704260, 345706

Abstract:

A method for generating animated sequences of talking heads in text-to-speech applications wherein a processor samples a plurality of frames comprising image samples. Representative parameters are extracted from the image samples and stored in an animation library. The processor also samples a plurality of multiphones comprising images together with their associated sounds. The processor extracts parameters from these images comprising data characterizing mouth shapes, maps, rules, or equations, and stores the resulting parameters and sound information in a coarticulation library. The animated sequence begins with the processor considering an input phoneme sequence, recalling from the coarticulation library parameters associated with that sequence, and selecting appropriate image samples from the animation library based on that sequence. The image samples are concatenated together, and the corresponding sound is output, to form the animated synthesis.