Animated Delivery Of Electronic Messages
Patent No. US11005796 (titled "Animated Delivery Of Electronic Messages") was filed by Mitii Inc on Feb 26, 2020.
What is this patent about?
’796 is related to the field of electronic messaging and communication. Specifically, it addresses the problem of making text-based communication more engaging and expressive. The background acknowledges the increasing use of mobile devices for communication and the desire to enhance electronic messages beyond simple text.
The underlying idea behind ’796 is to transform a plain text message into a short animated film. This is achieved by associating the text with a selectable animation character , converting the text to speech, and then generating moving images of the character speaking the message. The recipient then views and hears the animated character delivering the message.
The claims of ’796 focus on methods and systems for communicating where an electronic message is composed and associated with a well-known animation character. The message is then converted into speech, and pre-stored moving images of the animation character are displayed while the speech is output. The claims cover both methods performed on a single device and methods distributed across a network of devices.
In practice, a user composes a text message on their phone and selects a character like Bugs Bunny or Clint Eastwood. The system then uses text-to-speech synthesis to create a voice track of the message, potentially mimicking the character's voice. Simultaneously, pre-existing animations of the selected character are retrieved and synchronized with the voice track to create a short video.
This approach differentiates itself from prior art by directly integrating animation with text messaging. Instead of simply attaching images or videos to a text, ’796 transforms the text itself into an animated performance. The use of pre-stored animations and voice synthesis allows for a relatively simple and efficient way to create engaging and personalized messages, turning ordinary texts into short, expressive films .
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the early 2010s when ’796 was filed, systems commonly relied on text-to-speech (TTS) engines to convert text into audible speech. At a time when computer animation was typically implemented using 2D or 3D computer graphics, generating moving images of characters was computationally intensive, and often required significant processing power. Hardware or software constraints made real-time animation and voice synthesis on mobile devices non-trivial.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The examiner approved the application because the claims were allowable over the prior art. The examiner also considered the applicant's arguments regarding non-statutory double patenting rejection to be persuasive, and the rejection was withdrawn due to the filing of a terminal disclaimer.
Claims
This patent contains 20 claims, of which claims 1, 4, and 20 are independent. The independent claims are generally directed to methods and systems for communicating electronic messages using animation characters and speech synthesis. The dependent claims generally add specific features, limitations, or details to the independent claims, further defining the communication methods and system.
Key Claim Terms New
Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.
Patent Family
File Wrapper
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Date
Description
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US11005796
- Application Number
- US16802411
- Filing Date
- Feb 26, 2020
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Jul 31, 2034
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents