IP Library Granted Patent US 12,223,107
Granted Patent B2
US 12,223,107 · App. 18/499,620 · Granted Feb 11, 2025

System and method for controlling digital cinematic content based on emotional state of characters

Inventors: Arvel Chappell, III (La Mirada, CA); Michael Zink (Altadena, CA); Ha Nguyen (Fullerton, CA); Clayton Mosher (Los Angeles, CA); Andrew Veeder (Los Angeles, CA); Michael Martinez (Redondo Beach, CA); Shanshan Sun (Chino Hills, CA); Gary Lake-Schaal (Alameda, CA)
Assignee: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
G06F3/015
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,223,107
App. No.
18/499,620
Granted
Feb 11, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a system for controlling digital cinematic content based on emotional state of characters. A focus on one or more computer-controlled characters appearing in digital cinematic content is determined based on emotion indicators of a first user actively interacting with at least the one or more computer-controlled characters. A set of emotion indicators is inferred for each of the one or more computer-controlled characters based on one or more criteria and multifactor feedback loops are created. A story line of the digital cinematic content and behavioural characteristics of the one or more computer-controlled characters are controlled to achieve a target emotional arc of the first user based on the multifactor feedback loops.

Claims (35)

1. A system comprising memory and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the memory, the one or more processors configured to:

generate one or more inferred emotion indicators for a computer-controlled character that plays a role within a digital cinematic content based at least in part on one or more criteria associated with the computer-controlled character, wherein the computer-controlled character is a non-player character that is controlled within the digital cinematic content based on one or more behavioural characteristics;

generate a multifactor feedback loop based at least in part on (i) the one or more inferred emotion indicators and the one or more behavioural characteristics of the computer-controlled character and (ii) a story line corresponding to the digital cinematic content; and

generate a target emotional arc for a user based on the multifactor feedback loop and one or more emotional indicators for the user.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the multifactor feedback loop corresponds to one or more factors associated with the story line and a content engagement power (CEP) value of the digital cinematic content.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the multifactor feedback loop may be configured to generate the CEP value based on the one or more inferred emotion indicators.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more emotional indicators for the user comprise one or more near-real time indicators measured using one or more biometric sensors.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the target emotional arc is further based on a comparison between the one or more emotional indicators for the user and the one or more inferred emotion indicators for the computer-controlled character.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the multifactor feedback loop may be configured to adjust the one or more behavioural characteristics for the computer-controlled character based on the one or more inferred emotion indicators.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein adjusting the one or more behavioural characteristics comprises:

adjusting one or more of a focus, emotional goal, or tactic for the computer-controlled character.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein adjusting the one or more behavioural characteristics comprises:

adjusting a next dialogue tactic for the computer-controlled character based on the one or more of the focus, emotional goal, or tactic for the computer-controlled character.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors further configured to:

select a next scene in a narrative branch based on the target emotional arc of the user and the one or more inferred emotion indicators for the computer-controlled character.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more criteria associated with the computer-controlled character comprise one or more of (i) a semantic criteria, (ii) a body-language criteria, (iii) a sentiment criteria, (iv) an emotive criteria, or (v) an arousal criteria.

11. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

generating, by one or more processors, one or more inferred emotion indicators for a computer-controlled character that plays a role within a digital cinematic content based at least in part on one or more criteria associated with the computer-controlled character, wherein the computer-controlled character is a non-player character that is controlled within the digital cinematic content based on one or more behavioural characteristics;

generating, by the one or more processors, a multifactor feedback loop based at least in part on (i) the one or more inferred emotion indicators and the one or more behavioural characteristics of the computer-controlled character and (ii) a story line corresponding to the digital cinematic content; and

generating, by the one or more processors, a target emotional arc for a user based on the multifactor feedback loop and one or more emotional indicators for the user.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the multifactor feedback loop corresponds to one or more factors associated with the story line and a content engagement power (CEP) value of the digital cinematic content.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein the multifactor feedback loop may be configured to generate the CEP value based on the one or more inferred emotion indicators.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the one or more emotional indicators for the user comprise one or more near-real time indicators measured using one or more biometric sensors.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the target emotional arc is further based on a comparison between the one or more emotional indicators for the user and the one or more inferred emotion indicators for the computer-controlled character.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the multifactor feedback loop may be configured to adjust the one or more behavioural characteristics for the computer-controlled character based on the one or more inferred emotion indicators.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16 , wherein adjusting the one or more behavioural characteristics comprises:

adjusting one or more of a focus, emotional goal, or tactic for the computer-controlled character.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17 , wherein adjusting the one or more behavioural characteristics comprises:

adjusting a next dialogue tactic for the computer-controlled character based on the one or more of the focus, emotional goal, or tactic for the computer-controlled character.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising:

selecting, by the one or more processors, a next scene in a narrative branch based on the target emotional arc of the user and the one or more inferred emotion indicators for the computer-controlled character.

20. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media including instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

generate one or more inferred emotion indicators for a computer-controlled character that plays a role within a digital cinematic content based at least in part on one or more criteria associated with the computer-controlled character, wherein the computer-controlled character is a non-player character that is controlled within the digital cinematic content based on one or more behavioural characteristics;

generate a multifactor feedback loop based at least in part on (i) the one or more inferred emotion indicators and the one or more behavioural characteristics of the computer-controlled character and (ii) a story line corresponding to the digital cinematic content; and

generate a target emotional arc for a user based on the multifactor feedback loop and one or more emotional indicators for the user.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 1, 2025
From: WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY, INC.; WARNER MEDIA, LLC; TURNER BROADCASTING SYSTEM, INC.; HOME BOX OFFICE, INC.; DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS, LLC; WARNERMEDIA DIRECT LLC; DISCOVERY.COM LLC; WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC.; CNN INTERACTIVE GROUP, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 072995/0858 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 1, 2023
From: CHAPPELL, ARVEL, III; ZINK, MICHAEL; NGUYEN, HA; MOSHER, CLAYTON; VEEDER, ANDREW; MARTINEZ, MICHAEL; SUN, SHANSHAN; LAKE-SCHAAL, GARY
To: WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT, INC.
Reel/Frame 065422/0024 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 17963624 · Oct 11, 2022
Related Publication 20240134454A1 · Apr 25, 2024
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