Interactive user controlled avatar animations

1 . A method for controlling an avatar in a virtual space, the virtual space accessed through a computer network using a console executing a computer program, comprising:

capturing activity of a console controller;

processing the captured activity of the console controller to identify input parameters; and

mapping selected ones of the input parameters to portions of the avatar, the avatar being a virtual space representation of a user;

wherein the capturing, processing and mapping are continuously performed to define a correlation between activity of the console controller and the avatar that is the virtual space representation of the user.

2 . The method as described in claim 1 , wherein activity of the console controller includes selecting of controller buttons.

3 . The method as described in claim 1 , wherein activity of the console controller includes sensing rotation and translation of the console controller in three-dimensional space.

4 . The method as described in claim 3 , wherein input parameters includes a rate of change in the rotation and translation velocity of the console controller.

5 . The method as described in claim 1 , wherein portions of the avatar include specific animated body parts.

6 . The method as described in claim 4 , wherein mapping selected ones of the input parameters to a portion of the avatar is done in proportion to acceleration and deceleration in the rotation and translation velocity of the console controller.

7 . The method as described in claim 1 , wherein the input parameters include selecting controller buttons, the controller buttons being mapped to initiate user control of different portions of the avatar animation when selected.

8 . The method as described in claim 7 , wherein the avatar animation is responsive and proportional to user controlled acceleration and deceleration of translational and rotational motion of the controller in three-axes.

9 . A method for interactively controlling an avatar through a computer network using a console, comprising:

providing a console controller;

determining a first position of the console controller;

capturing input to the console controller, the input including detecting movement of the console controller to a second position;

processing input to the console controller and relative motion of the console controller between the first position and the second position; and

mapping the relative motion between the first position and the second position of the console controller to animated body portions of the avatar,

wherein the capturing, processing and mapping are continuously performed to define a correlation between relative motion of the console controller and the avatar.

10 . The method as described in claim 9 , wherein input to the console includes selecting console buttons.

11 . The method as described in claim 10 , wherein input to the console changes the mapping of relative motion of the console controller to different portions of the avatar.

12 . The method as described in claim 9 , wherein movement of the console controller can be detected in three-axes including translational and rotational movement in the three-axes.

13 . The method as described in claim 9 , wherein acceleration of the console controller is included as part of capturing input and detecting movement of the console controller.

14 . The method as described in claim 9 , wherein portions of the avatar include specific animated body parts.

15 . The method as described in claim 9 , wherein the avatar is a virtual representation of a user in a virtual environment, the virtual environment for the avatar accessed through the computer network and rendered by the console.

16 . A computer implemented method for interactively controlling an avatar within a virtual environment, the avatar and virtual environment generated by a computer program that is executed on at least one computer in a computer network, comprising:

providing a controller interfaced with the computer program;

mapping controller input to allow a user to control a selected portion of the avatar;

capturing controller input and controller movement between a first position and a second position; and

processing the captured controller input and controller movement and applying the captured movement to interactively animate the selected portion of the avatar within the virtual environment,

wherein the capturing and processing of controller input and controller movement is continuously performed to define a correlation between controller movement and avatar animation.

17 . The method as described in claim 16 , wherein controller movement can be detected in three-axes including translational and rotational movement in all three-axes.

18 . The method as described in claim 16 , wherein capturing controller movement includes capturing acceleration and deceleration of the controller in rotational and translational movements of the controller in six-axes.

19 . The method as described in claim 16 , wherein the controller input includes selecting controller buttons, the controller buttons being mapped to initiate user control of different portions of the avatar animation when selected.

20 . The method as described in claim 19 , wherein animation of the selected portions of the avatar is responsive and proportional to user controlled acceleration and deceleration of translational and rotational motion of the controller in three-axes.