Automated Cartoon Video Generation Using Face Contour Extraction

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Solution Overview

Problem

The production of customized cartoon videos is time-consuming and requires high professional skills, making it costly and inaccessible for ordinary users to create personalized cartoon videos.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that acquire a cartoon face image sequence from a received cartoon-style video, generate a cartoon face contour figure sequence, and replace the face image of a target cartoon character with a cartoon-style face image sequence based on a real face image, using machine learning algorithms and generative models to automate the process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If traditional manual methods are used to produce customized cartoon videos, then the video quality and professionalism are improved, but the production time and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecartoon video production qualityVSAvoidvideo production time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical video production processes with an automated computer-based system that uses image recognition and generative adversarial networks (GANs) to automatically generate cartoon videos from input images, eliminating the need for manual frame-by-frame animation while maintaining professional quality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables ordinary users to generate personalized cartoon videos independently through automated processing of their uploaded images, without requiring professional animation skills or manual intervention in the video production process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Manufacturing precision

If professional cartoon production methods are used, then the cartoon video quality is improved, but the operation complexity and skill requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecartoon video qualityVSAvoidvideo production accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex manual animation operations with an automated system that processes input images through machine learning models to generate cartoon videos, substituting professional skills with algorithmic processing that any user can access

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses generative adversarial networks to learn and copy the characteristics of professional cartoon styles from training data, then applies these learned patterns to automatically generate high-quality cartoon videos from user-provided images without requiring users to have professional animation knowledge

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Productivity

If automated face replacement is implemented, then the video generation efficiency is improved, but the accuracy of face alignment and contour matching may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecartoon video generation efficiencyVSAvoidface contour matching accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual face alignment and contour drawing with automated image recognition algorithms and generative models that automatically detect face positions, extract contour features, and generate matching cartoon faces, achieving both high efficiency and accurate alignment through computational methods

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces intermediate processing steps including face detection, contour extraction, and feature point identification that serve as mediators between the input image and the final cartoon video, ensuring accurate face alignment and contour matching while maintaining automated high-speed processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3889912B1Method and apparatus for generating video
Publication Date: 2023.06.21 BAIDU ONLINE NETWORK TECH (BEIJIBG) CO LTD
  • EP3889912B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3889912B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3889912B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and apparatus for generating a video. A specific implementation of the method includes: acquiring a cartoon face image sequence of a target cartoon character from a received cartoon-style video, and generating a cartoon face contour figure sequence based on the cartoon face image sequence; generating a face image sequence for a real face based on the cartoon face contour figure sequence and a received initial face image of the real face, a face expression in the face image sequence matching a face expression in the cartoon face image sequence; generating a cartoon-style face image sequence for the real face according to the face image sequence; and replacing a face image of the target cartoon character in the cartoon-style video with a cartoon-style face image in a cartoon-style face image sequence, to generate a cartoon-style video corresponding to the real face. According to this implementation, it is implemented that the cartoon-style video corresponding to the real face is automatically generated based on the cartoon-style video and a single initial face image of the real face.