COMMUNICATION USING INTERACTIVE AVATARS

1 . A system, comprising:

a user input device configured to capture a user input;

a communication module configured to transmit and receive information; and

one or more storage mediums having stored thereon, individually or in combination, instructions that when executed by one or more processors result in the following operations comprising:

selecting an avatar;

initiating communication;

detecting a user input;

identifying the user input;

identifying an animation command based on the user input;

generating avatar parameters; and

transmitting at least one of the animation command and the avatar parameters.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a microphone configured to capture sound and convert the captured sound into a corresponding audio signal, wherein the instructions that when executed by one or more processors result in the following additional operations:

capturing user speech and converting the user speech into a corresponding user speech signal;

transforming the user speech signal into an avatar speech signal; and

transmitting the avatar speech signal.

3 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a camera configured to capture images, wherein the instructions that when executed by one or more processors result in the following additional operations:

capturing an image;

detecting a face in the image;

extracting features from the face; and

converting the features into avatar parameters.

4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a display, wherein the instructions that when executed by one or more processors result in the following additional operations:

displaying at least one avatar;

receiving at least one of a remote animation command and remote avatar parameters; and

animating one displayed avatar based on at least one of the remote animation command and the remote avatar parameters.

5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a speaker configured to convert an audio signal into sound, wherein the instructions that when executed by one or more processors result in the following additional operations:

receiving a remote avatar speech signal; and

converting the remote avatar speech signal into avatar speech.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the user input device is a camera configured to capture distances and the user input is a gesture.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the user input device is a touch-sensitive display and the user input is a touch event.

8 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the transforming comprises at least one of pitch shifting and time stretching.

9 . A method, comprising:

selecting an avatar;

initiating communication;

detecting a user input;

identifying the user input;

identifying an animation command based on the user input;

generating avatar parameters; and

transmitting at least one of the animation command and the avatar parameters.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

capturing user speech and converting the user speech into a corresponding user speech signal;

transforming the user speech signal into an avatar speech signal; and

transmitting the avatar speech signal.

11 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

capturing an image;

detecting a face in the image;

extracting features from the face; and

converting the features into avatar parameters.

12 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

displaying at least one avatar;

receiving at least one of a remote animation command and remote avatar parameters; and

animating one displayed avatar based on at least one of the remote animation command and the remote avatar parameters.

13 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

receiving a remote avatar speech signal; and

converting the remote avatar speech signal into avatar speech.

14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the user input is a gesture.

15 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the user input is a touch event.

16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the transforming comprises at least one of pitch shifting and time stretching.

17 . A system comprising one or more storage mediums having stored thereon, individually or in combination, instructions that when executed by one or more processors result in the following operations comprising:

selecting an avatar;

initiating communication;

detecting a user input;

identifying the user input;

identifying an animation command based on the user input;

generating avatar parameters; and

transmitting at least one of the animation command and the avatar parameters.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the instructions that when executed by one or more processors result in the following additional operations:

capturing user speech and converting the user speech into a corresponding user speech signal;

transforming the user speech signal into an avatar speech signal; and

transmitting the avatar speech signal.

19 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the instructions that when executed by one or more processors result in the following additional operations:

capturing an image;

detecting a face in the image;

extracting features from the face; and

converting the features into avatar parameters.

20 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the instructions that when executed by one or more processors result in the following additional operations:

displaying at least one avatar;

receiving at least one of a remote animation command and remote avatar parameters; and

animating one displayed avatar based on at least one of the remote animation command or the remote avatar parameters.

21 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the instructions that when executed by one or more processors result in the following additional operations:

receiving a remote avatar speech signal; and

converting the remote avatar speech signal into avatar speech.

22 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the user input is a gesture.

23 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the user input is a touch event.

24 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the transforming comprises at least one of pitch shifting and time stretching.