Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Stephen Marschner

Sing Bing Kang

Brian Kevin Guenter

Sashi Raghupathy

Kirk O Olynyk

In the described embodiment, methods and systems for processing facial image data for use in animation are described. In one embodiment, a system is provided that illuminates a face with illumination that is sufficient to enable the simultaneous capture of both structure data, e.g. a range or depth map, and reflectance properties, e.g. the diffuse reflectance of a subject's face. This captured information can then be used for various facial animation operations, among which are included expression recognition and expression transformation.

Facial image processing methods and systems

The illustrated and described embodiments describe techniques for capturing data that describes 3-dimensional (3-D) aspects of a face, transforming facial motion from one individual to another in a realistic manner, and modeling skin reflectance.

Methods and systems for animating facial features, and methods and systems for expression transformation

Facial image processing

Methods and systems for animating facial features and methods and systems for expression transformation

Methods and systems for animating facial features and transforming facial expressions are described. In one embodiment, a code book contains data that defines a set of facial expressions of a first person. A training set of facial expressions from a second person and corresponding expressions from the code book are used to derive a transformation function that is then applied to all of the expressions of the code book. In this manner, expressions from the first person can be realistically transformed into expressions of a second person and vice versa. Particularly advantageous aspects of the described embodiments provide a single common generic face model that is used as the basis for a fitting operation for many different faces. Use of the single common generic face model and certain user-defined constraints provide a mechanism by which correspondences between the different faces can be established. These correspondences provide a basis for facial animation operations, among which are included expression transformation.

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Kirkland, WA, United States of America

Stephen Marschner