Light Source Computer Images, Inc.

Thrillionaire Productions, Inc.

Eric M Herrmann

Edward M Granger

Robert L Cook

Lawrence D Baca

Akin Dirik

Nelson Offner

Victor Cyril Bellomo

Methods, systems and apparatuses directed toward an authoring tool that gives users the ability to make high-quality, speech-driven animation in which the animated character speaks in the user's voice. Embodiments of the present invention allow the animation to be sent as a message over the Internet or used as a set of instructions for various applications including Internet chat rooms. According to one embodiment, the user chooses a character and a scene from a menu, then speaks into the computer's microphone to generate a personalized message. Embodiments of the present invention use speech-recognition technology to match the audio input to the appropriate animated mouth shapes creating a professional looking 2D or 3D animated scene with lip-synced audio characteristics.

Speech-controlled animation system

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for accurately matching colors. The color matching system includes a host computer and a color input device in communication with the host computer. Preferably the color input device is capable of obtaining spectral data, such as that obtained using a spectrophotometer. The host computer includes a color library, a color management system, a monitor, and a user interface. In one aspect of the invention, the user selects a target color, a color library to use for matching, a color distance tolerance, and a light source under which the colors are to be matched. The target color is compared to the colors in the library and the color or colors in the library that are within the specified color tolerance are reported. In a second aspect of the invention, the user selects a color and two illuminants. The color under each of the two illuminants is compared and the color distance between the two is reported. In a third aspect of the invention, a selected color is transformed to the color space of a designated printer and then back-transformed to the color space of the monitor and displayed. The displayed color represents a simulation of the selected color as it would appear if printed.

Apparatus and process for a digital swatchbook

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Larkspur, CA, United States of America

Eric M Herrmann